Page 29 of Thief of the Ton
Lavinia de Grande?
He stared at the young woman, willing her to look up. Then she did, and their eyes met.
Is it you—really you? My little Guinevere?
“I say, old boy, are you all right?” Foxwell asked.
Peregrine nodded. “Yes,” he said. “I wonder, would you oblige me and introduce me to—”
A hand touched his elbow. “Marlow, might I have a word?”
Frowning, Peregrine turned toward the owner of the voice.
“Lord Francis.” He acknowledged the man with a nod. Then Lord Francis steered him toward an unoccupied corner of the drawing room.
Peregrine glanced back, but Miss de Grande was occupied with Lady Foxwell, her chaperone standing beside her like a watchful jailer.
Lady Francis approached, followed by a footman, bearing a tray with two coffee cups. Peregrine took one and sipped the dark, bitter liquid.
“Sugar, sir?” the footman asked.
“No thank you,” Peregrine said, raising his voice. “I dislike overly sweet things.”
The young woman at the far end of the room stiffened and glanced toward him. Then her chaperone nudged her elbow and she resumed her attention on Lady Foxwell.
His quarry was as aware of him as he was of her. Had she recognized him?
“I hear from Mr. Houseman that you’ve agreed to investigatethe crime,” Lord Francis said as soon as the footman left.
Peregrine suppressed a snort. Francis had the tendency to overexaggerate. The emphasis on those last two words implied that a heinous offense had taken place, rather than what was more likely the simple misplacement of a trinket.
“The Phoenix?” Francis prompted.
Ah yes—my other quarry.
“Mr. Houseman said you’d agreed to investigate,” Francis continued.
“I have,” Peregrine replied. “What has the Phoenix relieved you of?”
“A vase—stolen from my estate in Surrey.”
“Is it a family heirloom?”
“My late father acquired it at auction, I believe,” Lord Francis said. “My steward found the papers in his desk.”
“Which auction house?”
“I can’t recall, but I doubt it’s relevant.”
“Everything’s relevant,” Peregrine said. “Not even the slightest observation should be overlooked. Theft is undertaken for a reason. Whether it be an opportunistic act undertaken out of a need, such as hunger in the destitute, or the restoration of honor, or spite against an enemy.”
“You think my husband has an enemy?” Lady Francis asked.
“I cannot rule anything out,” Peregrine said. “When was it stolen?”
“Last week, during a house party,” Lord Francis said. “Right under my wife’s nose. Isn’t that right, Augusta?”
The lady inclined her head.
