will not emanate from me."
He raised his brows. "I hate to sound crass, but about the nature of my reimbursement. . . ?"
She glanced meaningfully at the cupboard that contained the journal of Vanza members. "I saw from
your expression that you do not relish the notion that so much personal information concerning your
private affairs has been set down in that book."
"You are correct. I do not like it at all." And one way or another, he would find a way to get his hands
on the bloody volume. He glanced at the foolish little bells on the shutters. They would prove no great
obstacle to his skills.
She watched him with shrewd intensity. "If we come to terms, sir, I will pay you for your time and
trouble with that journal."
"Are you saying that you will give me that damned book if I help you?"
"Yes." She hesitated. "But first I must decide whether or not to employ you. I must think on it some
more before I come to a decision. There is a great deal at stake."
"For your own sake, Mrs. Deveridge, I suggest that you do not hesitate too long."
She raised her chin with chilly disdain. "Another threat, sir?"
"Not at all. I was merely referring to your attempts to fortify your home." He motioned toward the
shutters. "If what you fear is Vanza related, I can assure you that the ringing of those bells may well come
too late to do you any good."
She went pale and gripped the arm of her chair so tightly that her knuckles whitened. "I think you had
better go now, sir."
He hesitated and then inclined his head formally. "As you wish, madam. You know where to reach me
when you make up your mind."
"I will let you know when I—" She broke off as the door of the library opened without warning. She
glanced quickly at the newcomer. "Aunt Bernice."
"Sorry, dear." Bernice beamed at Artemas. "I didn't realize you were still with your guest. Aren't you
going to introduce us?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Yes, of course," Madeline muttered.
She made the introductions swiftly and grudgingly. Artemas refused to be hurried. He liked Bernice
Reed on sight. She was an elegant, dainty woman of a certain age who had an obvious instinct for fashion
and style. The glint of laughter in her bright blue eyes appealed to him. He bowed over her hand and was
rewarded with a gracious response that told him the lady was not without some experience of the
ballroom.
"My niece has informed me that we have every reason to be grateful to you for your assistance last
night," Bernice said. "You are a hero in this household today."
"Thank you, Miss Reed. I appreciate your kind words." He flicked a glance at Madeline. "But I have
been assured by Mrs. Deveridge that I was not exactly a hero in the affair. I was merely fulfilling my
obligations as the proprietor of the establishment where the kidnapping took place, you see."
Madeline winced. Artemas took some small satisfaction from the expression.
Bernice stared at Madeline, clearly aghast. "Good heavens, dear, surely you never said such a thing to
poor Mr. Hunt. He went far beyond the call of responsibility last night. 1 do not see how you can
possibly claim that he had any obligation at all in the situation. Nellie was kidnapped outside the pleasure
garden, not inside the grounds."
"I made it quite clear to Mr. Hunt that his services were appreciated," Madeline said through obviously
gritted teeth.
"She did indeed," Artemas said. "In fact, I proved so useful that she is contemplating hiring me for
another task. Something to do with the notion of employing a thief to catch a thief, I believe."
Bernice gasped. "She called you a thief, sir?"
"Well," Artemas began.
Madeline threw up her hands. "I never called you any such thing, sir."
"True enough," Artemas allowed. He turned back to Bernice. "She never actually called me a thief."
"I should hope not," Bernice said.
Madeline groaned.
"Being in trade," Artemas said, "I am naturally
He raised his brows. "I hate to sound crass, but about the nature of my reimbursement. . . ?"
She glanced meaningfully at the cupboard that contained the journal of Vanza members. "I saw from
your expression that you do not relish the notion that so much personal information concerning your
private affairs has been set down in that book."
"You are correct. I do not like it at all." And one way or another, he would find a way to get his hands
on the bloody volume. He glanced at the foolish little bells on the shutters. They would prove no great
obstacle to his skills.
She watched him with shrewd intensity. "If we come to terms, sir, I will pay you for your time and
trouble with that journal."
"Are you saying that you will give me that damned book if I help you?"
"Yes." She hesitated. "But first I must decide whether or not to employ you. I must think on it some
more before I come to a decision. There is a great deal at stake."
"For your own sake, Mrs. Deveridge, I suggest that you do not hesitate too long."
She raised her chin with chilly disdain. "Another threat, sir?"
"Not at all. I was merely referring to your attempts to fortify your home." He motioned toward the
shutters. "If what you fear is Vanza related, I can assure you that the ringing of those bells may well come
too late to do you any good."
She went pale and gripped the arm of her chair so tightly that her knuckles whitened. "I think you had
better go now, sir."
He hesitated and then inclined his head formally. "As you wish, madam. You know where to reach me
when you make up your mind."
"I will let you know when I—" She broke off as the door of the library opened without warning. She
glanced quickly at the newcomer. "Aunt Bernice."
"Sorry, dear." Bernice beamed at Artemas. "I didn't realize you were still with your guest. Aren't you
going to introduce us?"
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Yes, of course," Madeline muttered.
She made the introductions swiftly and grudgingly. Artemas refused to be hurried. He liked Bernice
Reed on sight. She was an elegant, dainty woman of a certain age who had an obvious instinct for fashion
and style. The glint of laughter in her bright blue eyes appealed to him. He bowed over her hand and was
rewarded with a gracious response that told him the lady was not without some experience of the
ballroom.
"My niece has informed me that we have every reason to be grateful to you for your assistance last
night," Bernice said. "You are a hero in this household today."
"Thank you, Miss Reed. I appreciate your kind words." He flicked a glance at Madeline. "But I have
been assured by Mrs. Deveridge that I was not exactly a hero in the affair. I was merely fulfilling my
obligations as the proprietor of the establishment where the kidnapping took place, you see."
Madeline winced. Artemas took some small satisfaction from the expression.
Bernice stared at Madeline, clearly aghast. "Good heavens, dear, surely you never said such a thing to
poor Mr. Hunt. He went far beyond the call of responsibility last night. 1 do not see how you can
possibly claim that he had any obligation at all in the situation. Nellie was kidnapped outside the pleasure
garden, not inside the grounds."
"I made it quite clear to Mr. Hunt that his services were appreciated," Madeline said through obviously
gritted teeth.
"She did indeed," Artemas said. "In fact, I proved so useful that she is contemplating hiring me for
another task. Something to do with the notion of employing a thief to catch a thief, I believe."
Bernice gasped. "She called you a thief, sir?"
"Well," Artemas began.
Madeline threw up her hands. "I never called you any such thing, sir."
"True enough," Artemas allowed. He turned back to Bernice. "She never actually called me a thief."
"I should hope not," Bernice said.
Madeline groaned.
"Being in trade," Artemas said, "I am naturally
Similar Books
