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is out, which is why Townshend feels he is a member of society, aware of such things. I want to make all your doings public knowledge, so that it will not look unusual if the journals announce you are off visiting this or that castle for a weekend. Tom will not strike until he has had time to gauge your jewels, which is why I want you to wear them on every outing. He will strike in a couple of weeks, and while he knows you are away. And I shall be there, waiting for him. Indeed, I have already hired a man to watch your house from dusk till dawn. Tom will soon hear of you. Already the folks who met you last night at my house are bruiting your presence about town."
    "That is why you invited me," I said, not wholly feigning my annoyance.
    "That is one reason. It is not good for a lady to be without friends. I fear your self-imposed isolation is turning you cranky," he said, with a bold smile. "I also would like Linda to have a good, sensible lady friend. And as I implied earlier, I have no aversion to a pretty neighbor myself."
    "It seems to me you have set me up as Tom's target whether I like it or not. It would be foolish to refuse your help, as he will certainly have a go at my jewels in any case."
    "A word whispered in the right ears will return you to anonymity, if that is what you wish," he said. "I have only to hint that Miss Denver is not so well to grass as I thought, and you will not be troubled by Tom or anyone else. In fact, if you dislike the scheme, I shall happily refund you the rent of the house and let you return to London, for I would like to plant someone in there this summer, to help me catch Tom."
    "But I am enjoying Brighton! I do not want to leave. I'll do it," I said, before he could say any more about anonymity, or leaving.
    "God bless you, Miss Denver. I shall be eternally in your debt. Now, this evening, I would like you to put on your diamonds and come to a gaming hell with me."
    "Mr. Dalton!"
    "Mrs. Lament's gaming hell is all the crack this year," he said blandly. "We shall drop in around midnight, after Lady Verona Shelby's rout. I shall call for you and Mrs. Henderson around nine, if that suits you? Perhaps your aunt will want to skip the gaming hell."
    I was overcome with a fit of giggles, like a green girl. I never thought I would be one of the charmed circle, darting wildly from routs to gaming hells, with a handsome escort like Mr. Dalton. I fear I must desist from drawing a moral here, or you will take the notion that stealing is the way to get what you want. Still, there is no denying that if I had not stolen Lady Dormere's emerald ring, I would still be sitting at home alone in London, while some other lady acted as bait for Tom.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    "Will these strawberries do, Mum?" Mary asked, when I went to speak to Cook about dinner. She showed me two quarts of perfect, ruby red berries, resting in familiar green boxes.
    "They look fine, Mary. Take them next door, with my compliments."
    "The greengrocer told me as how the best berries always come from Lady Grieve's garden," Mary said, and tittered.
    "I suspected as much. What did you pay for them?" She told me, and I said, "Call Luke in, Mary, if you please."
    I heard her jawing at him as they approached. "You're for it now, mister. She's got a rare temper when you set her off."
    Luke entered, somewhat chastened, but still with that sly fox look on his face. "The twelve quarts of berries you sold to the greengrocer will be deducted from your wage, Luke." I purposely named a larger amount than I thought he had taken. When he did not object, I assumed he had stolen more than a dozen. "I will not tolerate pilfering. In future, I wish to know how much produce is culled from the garden. I shall decide what to do with it. The greengrocer is not my favorite charity. If this occurs again, I shall notify Lady Grieve. That is all."
    "The extra produce is part of my wage when Lady Grieve is here," he said with a sulky look.
    "Don't try to con