"What the devil did you say to her?" Tobias interrupted much too quietly. "It is obvious," Emeline said somewhat testily, "that my aunt saw an opportunity not only to gain some information about the mystery but also to acquire a client." "Client?" Tobias looked stunned.
"That is quite enough, Emeline," Lavinia said firmly "There is absolutely no need to tell Mr. March everything about my personal affairs. I'm certain they are of no concern to him." "on the contrary," Tobias said, "I assure you that at the moment I have the utmost interest in everything about you, Mrs. Lake. Even the smallest detail is of acute concern to me." Emeline frowned at Lavinia. "Under the circumstances, I fail to see how you can keep Mr. March in the dark on this matter. He is bound to discover the truth sooner or later." "Rest assured," Tobias said, "it will be sooner. What the devil is going on here, madam?" "I am merely struggling to secure a livelihood for myself and my niece that does not involve selling myself on the street," she said. "And just how are you going about securing this livelihood?" "The fact that I was obliged to enter a new profession is entirely your fault, Mr. March. It was because of you, sir, that I was forced to embark upon a new business venture, one which has yet to produce a reliable income, I might add." He was on his feet now. "Damnation, what is this new career of yours? Emeline gave him a gentle look of reproof. "There is no need to be alarmed, sir. I'll admit that Lavinia's new profession is a trifle unusual; nevertheless there is nothing actually illicit about it. Indeed, you were her inspiration." "Bloody hell." Tobias took two strides toward the desk and flattened his palms on the surface. "Tell me what is going on here." He spoke in a tone of voice that struck Lavinia as all the more unnerving for its extreme softness. She hesitated, then shrugged and opened the small central drawer of her desk. She removed one of her new cards. Without a word, she placedit on the polished mahogany surface in front of him where he could see it clearly Tobias glanced down. She followed his gaze, reading silently along with him. PRIVATE INQUIRIES CONDUCTED DISCRETION ASSURED She braced herself. "Of all the bloody nerve." Tobias snatched the card off the desk. "You've gone into my line. What the devil made you think you were qualified?" "As far as I was able to determine, there are no particular qualifications required in this career," Lavinia said. "Merely a willingness to ask a great many questions." Tobias narrowed his eyes. "You tried to induce Joan Dove to employ you to find the diary, didn't you? "I suggested that she might want to consider giving me a commission to make inquiries into the matter, yes." "You're quite mad, aren't you?" "How odd that you should question my sanity, Mr. March. Three months ago in Rome, I had serious doubts about yours." He sent the small card sailing back across the desk with a flick of his hand. It fluttered in the air and landed directly in front of her. "If you are not mad," he said without inflection, "you must be a featherbrained idiot. You have no notion of the damage you may have done, do you? You have no concept of the danger involved in this affair." "Of course I know there is some danger involved. I saw Mr. Felix's skull last night."
He circled the edge of the desk with surprising speed, given his limp. He reached down, grasped her arms, and hauled her out of the chair. He lifted her right off her feet. Emeline leaped out of her own chair. "Mr. March, what are you doing to my aunt? Please put her down." He ignored her. His entire attention was focused on Lavinia. "You are a meddling little fool, Mrs. Lake. Do you even begin to comprehend what you have put in jeopardy? I have spent weeks crafting my plans and now you come along and throw everything into a muddle in a single afternoon." The undisguised fury in his eyes made Lavinia's mouth go dry. The knowledge that he had the power to
"That is quite enough, Emeline," Lavinia said firmly "There is absolutely no need to tell Mr. March everything about my personal affairs. I'm certain they are of no concern to him." "on the contrary," Tobias said, "I assure you that at the moment I have the utmost interest in everything about you, Mrs. Lake. Even the smallest detail is of acute concern to me." Emeline frowned at Lavinia. "Under the circumstances, I fail to see how you can keep Mr. March in the dark on this matter. He is bound to discover the truth sooner or later." "Rest assured," Tobias said, "it will be sooner. What the devil is going on here, madam?" "I am merely struggling to secure a livelihood for myself and my niece that does not involve selling myself on the street," she said. "And just how are you going about securing this livelihood?" "The fact that I was obliged to enter a new profession is entirely your fault, Mr. March. It was because of you, sir, that I was forced to embark upon a new business venture, one which has yet to produce a reliable income, I might add." He was on his feet now. "Damnation, what is this new career of yours? Emeline gave him a gentle look of reproof. "There is no need to be alarmed, sir. I'll admit that Lavinia's new profession is a trifle unusual; nevertheless there is nothing actually illicit about it. Indeed, you were her inspiration." "Bloody hell." Tobias took two strides toward the desk and flattened his palms on the surface. "Tell me what is going on here." He spoke in a tone of voice that struck Lavinia as all the more unnerving for its extreme softness. She hesitated, then shrugged and opened the small central drawer of her desk. She removed one of her new cards. Without a word, she placedit on the polished mahogany surface in front of him where he could see it clearly Tobias glanced down. She followed his gaze, reading silently along with him. PRIVATE INQUIRIES CONDUCTED DISCRETION ASSURED She braced herself. "Of all the bloody nerve." Tobias snatched the card off the desk. "You've gone into my line. What the devil made you think you were qualified?" "As far as I was able to determine, there are no particular qualifications required in this career," Lavinia said. "Merely a willingness to ask a great many questions." Tobias narrowed his eyes. "You tried to induce Joan Dove to employ you to find the diary, didn't you? "I suggested that she might want to consider giving me a commission to make inquiries into the matter, yes." "You're quite mad, aren't you?" "How odd that you should question my sanity, Mr. March. Three months ago in Rome, I had serious doubts about yours." He sent the small card sailing back across the desk with a flick of his hand. It fluttered in the air and landed directly in front of her. "If you are not mad," he said without inflection, "you must be a featherbrained idiot. You have no notion of the damage you may have done, do you? You have no concept of the danger involved in this affair." "Of course I know there is some danger involved. I saw Mr. Felix's skull last night."
He circled the edge of the desk with surprising speed, given his limp. He reached down, grasped her arms, and hauled her out of the chair. He lifted her right off her feet. Emeline leaped out of her own chair. "Mr. March, what are you doing to my aunt? Please put her down." He ignored her. His entire attention was focused on Lavinia. "You are a meddling little fool, Mrs. Lake. Do you even begin to comprehend what you have put in jeopardy? I have spent weeks crafting my plans and now you come along and throw everything into a muddle in a single afternoon." The undisguised fury in his eyes made Lavinia's mouth go dry. The knowledge that he had the power to
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