"Work's his best therapy, and I need him here."

"Maybe you're right." Another yawn.

"God, I'm tired. You know Hoag's on the packet tonight?"

"He told me earlier, 'least he said he'd asked you and you didn't need him. I suppose Tess ordered him to report as soon as he knew--if she wasn't bearing."

"Yes. Part's personal, William, he's suddenly frantic to go back to India, thinks his happiness lies there. Hope he does, he's a grand doctor but talks too much." A frown and a stifled yawn. "Did he tell you what was in Tess's letter?"

"To Angelique? No. He said she didn't show it to him. Difficult to call that one, in more ways than you can shake a stick at," Sir William said, watching him closely.

"Heavenly was here earlier, he said nothing about it either, only that she wanted me to witness her signature to a letter she was sending Tess."

Some of Babcott's tiredness went away.

"I'd certainly like to know what's in it."

"I'll only be party to witnessing it. Rightly I don't need to know the contents."

Babcott sighed, yawned again. "I feel so terribly sorry for her, wish I could help, I'd do anything... such a nice girl and so unfair. For her and Malcolm. Well I'm off, glad she's not leaving us yet, she'll make someone a spectacular wife. See you in a few hours."

"Have a good sleep, and thanks for all the good work. By the way," Sir William said, not wanting him to leave, but afraid if he stayed he would be tempted to share Andr`e's evidence, to ask his advice. "When do you see Anjo again?"

"In a week or two, when the laudanum's used up--without that he'll be a most unhappy man."

"No hope for him?"

"No. He won't last but a few months, the tests are fairly accurate--his insides are in a mess. Yoshi's our man." Another aching yawn. "Do you think Anjo, or Yoshi, or both ordered the arson?"

"Either or neither or both, we'll never know."

He watched Babcott limp for the door.

"George, medically, if a woman was sedated, could a fellow take her and she'd not know about it?"

Babcott blinked and turned back, fatigue fled. "What on earth made you ask that?"

"Just a sudden thought, you mentioned laudanum. A couple of days ago Zergeyev had some wild theories about drugs, the good and the bad of them. Could that happen?"

After a pause, Babcott nodded, not believing that excuse. He knew how subtle Willie's mind was, and wondered the why of the question but was too smart to ask again. "If the dose was strong and the man not savage, yes, no problem." He waited but Sir William only nodded thoughtfully so he waved a hand and left.

Once more Sir William opened the file.

His fingers trembled as he re-read Andr`e's covering letter. It's clear enough. The drug in Kanagawa started the chain of events, George's drug. If she'd awakened the man would have killed her, no doubt about that. So she was saved but destroyed. But why didn't the man kill her anyway, why leave her alive?

Doesn't make sense, any of it. And what happened in the French Legation that other night when he returned? If it hadn't been for George ...

And what about George? If he could give her such a drug to help her sleep, to guard her sanity, surely he could easily do the same to Andr`e to remove a blackmailer from the woman he clearly loves. An overdose of the same drug...

George Babcott? Good God I must be losing my wits. Impossible for him to do that!

Is it?

And Angelique, impossible for her to have done all that!

Is it?

What the hell do I do?

"Excuse me, sir," Bertram said.

"Miss Angelique's here."

"Show them in. Then you can leave. Dinner's at nine. Make sure the Belle doesn't leave without my dispatches."

"Yes sir. It's just her, Mr. Skye's not with her."

Sir William eased out of his old chair, tired and feeling bad, Andr`e's file facedown on his desk.

She came in, physically as magnetic as always, but different, her face set, and with an undercurrent he could not read. Topcoat, bonnet and gloves. Black suits her, he thought, sets off her fair skin, so pretty and young, younger than Vertinskya. Curious, has she been crying? "Good evening, how are you, Angelique?"

"Oh, all right, thank you," she said, her voice flat and unlike her usual, poised self. "Mr. Skye told you I needed you to verify my signature tonight?"

"Yes." He went to his desk, his concentration damaged by the pictures Andr`e had painted so vividly. "I... please sit down." She obeyed and as he looked at her another shadow went past her lovely eyes. "What's the matter?" he asked kindly.

"Nothing. I, this afternoon I heard about Andr`e, that he'd, he'd been killed. I would have come earlier but I..." With a visible effort she brushed that aside, took the envelope from her purse and laid the paper on the table. "How should I sign it please?"

He steepled his fingers, unsettled that again, so soon, Andr`e's spectre had invaded the room --not at his whim. "I'm not really sure. I understand from Skye you have agreed with Mrs. Tess Struan, amongst other conditions, to renounce your Mrs. title?"

"Please, you may read the letter if you wish," she said, dully.

"Thank you but that's not necessary," he said, resisting his overwhelming impulse to read the short document.

"What you agree with her is not my business, unless you need my advice?"

Numb, she shook her head.

"Well then... Skye has a legal theory, I'm not certain if he's correct but I see no reason against it. You are renouncing the "Mrs." title for all time. But as he so rightly pointed out, only after you've signed so you'd best sign it, Mrs.Angelique Struan, nee Angelique Richaud and that should cover all possibilities."

He watched her concentrate, his mind filled with the appalling story Andr`e had related from a fiery grave--not possible for her to hide so much from us, not bloody possible.

"There," she said. "Now it's done."

"I feel obliged to ask: you're sure you're doing the right thing--no one's forcing you in any way to sign this document, whatever it contains?"

"I sign freely. She, she offered a settlement, Sir William. The truth is ... the truth is, it is fair. Some of the clauses are badly put, and could be improved, perhaps will be, but Malcolm was her son, she has a right to be distraught." She got up, put the letter into the envelope and into her bag, wanting to leave quickly, wanting to stay. "Thank you."

"Don't go for a moment. Would you, perhaps you'd care to dine tomorrow, just a few of the fellows? I was thinking of asking Jamie and Miss Maureen."

"Well, yes, thank you, I think so but I .... They're nice, and she's sweet. Will they get married, do you think?"

"If he doesn't, more the fool him--she'll be snapped up if he doesn't." Before he could stop himself he said, "Sad about Andr`e, wasn't it? Did Henri tell you how they found him?"

Abruptly he saw her eyes fill and her control disappear. "Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't, I'm already so upset I...

I still can't... Henri told me an hour or so ago, how Andr`e and she together... the Will of God for them, so sad and yet so wonderful."

She sat down, brushing at her tears, remembering how she had almost fainted and after Henri had gone she had rushed to the church and knelt before the statue of the Blessed Virgin--the church oddly changed, lofty without its roof, but the candles alight as always, the Peace there as always. And she had given thanks, desperate thanks for releasing her from servitude--andwitha sudden, heartfelt understanding, for releasing him from torment too, Andr`e as much as her. "I understand that now. Oh Blessed Mother thank you for blessing us, for blessing me and blessing him, he's with her and at peace when he knew no peace on earth but now they're safe in Thine arms, Thy Will be done..."