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hanging about somewhere in your vicinity, trying to determine if you really
are my widow and if I am still alive."
"How can you know that?"
"It is what I would do in his place."
Her eyes widened.
He ignored her startled expression. "In any event, if my reasoning is correct,
I may be able to identify
the villain before he does any more mischief."
"What will you do, sir? Post guards at the front and back doors? Interrogate
every client who wants his portrait taken? For heaven's sake, surely you can
see that such actions would lead to the wildest sort of rumors and
speculation. I simply cannot afford that kind of notoriety."
"I intend a more subtle approach."
''You call announcing your startling return and fervent enthusiasm at the
prospect of being united with your bride to a member of the press an example
of a subtle approach?"
"I would remind you that you were the one who precipitated this situation in
which we now find ourselves."
"Hah. Do not attempt to pin this on me, sir. How was I to know that you had
faked your own death?" She shot to her feet, confronting him across the desk.
"You never bothered to send me so much as a letter or telegram letting me know
that you were alive and well, did you?"
It dawned on him that she was furious.
"Venetia "
"How do you think I felt when I picked up that newspaper and lead that you
were dead?"
"I did not want to get you involved in this affair," he said steadily. "I did
not contact you because I thought you would be safer that way."
She straightened her shoulders. "That is a very poor excuse."
He felt his temper start to slip. "You were the one who said that you did not
want anyone to know of our night together at Arcane House. Your plan, as I
recall, was to have a brief affair and never look back."
Her mouth thinned. She sank back down into her chair. "This is ridiculous. I
cannot believe we are arguing over the fact that you are alive."
He hesitated, wary of her mood. "I understand that you are in shock."
She folded her hands and looked at him. "What, precisely, do you want of me,
Mr. Jones?"
"Play the role that you have invented for yourself. Present me to the world as
your husband."
She said nothing. She just sat there, watching him as if he were quite mad.
"It is a simple, straightforward plan," he assured her. "Nothing complicated
about it. The word is already out in the press that I have made an astonishing
return. You need only support that story. As your husband, I will be in an
excellent position not only to protect you, but to hunt the thief who may be
circling in your vicinity. '
"Nothing complicated about it at all." She winced. "Tell me. sir, just how
does one go about pretending to have a live husband when one has gone to great
pains to ensure the world that he is dead?"
"Quite simple. I will take up residence here with you and your family. No one
will question our association."
She blinked. "You intend to move into this household?"
"Believe it or not, there are those who would find it quite unusual, shocking,
in fact, if you insisted that your husband take lodgings in another part of
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town."
She turned pink. "Yes, well, under the circumstances. I don't see any other
course of action. You cannot move in here, sir."
"Be sensible, Mrs. Jones. You know how it is, a man's home is his castle and
so on and so forth. Society would be appalled if you forced me to live
somewhere else."
"This house is hardly a castle," she said. "Indeed, we are quite crowded as it
is. Every bedroom is occupied."
"What of the servants? Where do they sleep?"
"There is only one, the housekeeper, Mrs. Trench. She has the small sitting
room off the kitchen. You cannot ask me to make her abandon it. She would give
notice on the spot. Do you know how difficult it is to find a good
housekeeper?"
"There must be someplace I can sleep. I assure you. I am not particular. I
have spent a good deal of mv lite traveling in foreign climes. I am accustomed
to living rough."
She contemplated him tor a very long moment.
"Well, there is one room that is not occupied," she said eventually.
"I'm sure it will do." He looked at the door. "Now then, perhaps you should
introduce me to the other members of your family. I believe they are out there
in the hall. They are no doubt quite anxious to know what is happening in
here."
She frowned. "How did you know they were out there? Never mind."
She goi up. rounded the desk and crossed the room. When she opened the door
Gabriel saw a small cluster of concerned taces. The housekeeper, an older
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