"How fascinating." Her gaze alighted on Edgar, sitting opposite. "But dear Edgar has studied that period, too. As I recall, his conclusions were different?" Her tone made the words a question. Everyone at the table held their breath.

Except Edgar, who launched into his own perspective.

To everyone's amazement, even, Patience suspected, Edith's and Edgar's, Whitticombe listened. His attitude had about it the air of gritted teeth, but he heard Edgar out, then nodded curtly. "Quite possibly."

Patience caught Gerrard's eye and fought to suppress a giggle.

Edmond, still pale and limply disheveled, chased a pea around his plate. "Actually, I was wondering when we might be heading back to the Hall."

Patience stiffened. Beside her, Gerrard straightened. They both looked at Minnie.

So did Edmond. "I really should get on with my drama, and there's precious little inspiration, and a great deal of distraction, here in town."

Minnie smiled. "Bear with the foibles of an old lady, my dear. I've no immediate plans to return to the Hall. Besides, there's only a skeleton staff left-we gave the maids leave, and Cook has gone to visit her mother."

"Oh." Edmond blinked. "No cook. Ah." He subsided into silence.

Surreptitiously, Patience grimaced at Gerrard. He shook his head, then turned to speak to Henry.

Patience glanced-for the fiftieth time-at the clock.

The door opened; Masters entered, his expression stiff. Approaching Minnie's chair, he bent and spoke quietly. Minnie blanched. Her face grew instantly old.

From the end of the table, Patience looked her concern and her question. Minnie saw; sinking back in her chair, she gestured to Masters to speak.

He cleared his throat, gathering all attention. "Some… gentlemen from Bow Street have arrived. It seems a report was lodged. They've come with a warrant to search the house."

An instant of stunned silence ensued, then cacophony enlpted. Exclamations of shock and surprise came from all sides. Henry and Edmond competed for prominence.

Patience stared helplessly up the table at Minnie. Timms was patting Minnie's hand. The cacophony continued unabated. Lips setting, Patience grasped a soup ladle and wielded it against a dish cover.

The clangs cut through the din-and silenced the din makers. Patience raked the offenders with an irate glance. "Who? Who notified Bow Street?"

"I did." Pushing back his chair, the General stood. "Had to be done, don't y'know."

"Why?" Timms asked. "If Minnie'd wanted those dreadful Runners in her house, she'd have requested it."

The General flushed a choleric red. "Seemed that was the problem. Women-ladies. Too softhearted for your own good." He slid a glance Gerrard's way. "Had to be done-no sense in ducking it any longer. Not with the pearls missing, too." Regimentally stiff, the General drew himself upright. "I took it upon myself to notify the authorities. Acting on information received, don't y'know. Plain as a pikestaff it's young Debbington at fault. Search his room, and it'll all come to light."

Premonition seized Patience; she shook it off as irrational. She opened her mouth to defend Gerrard-he kicked her ankle. Hard. Sucking in a breath, she turned-and met a very straight stare.

"Let be," Gerrard whispered. "There's nothing there-let them play out their hand. Vane warned me something like this might happen. He said best to shrug and grin cynically and see what transpires."

To Patience's utter amazement, he proceeded to do just that, managing to convey an impression of patent boredom.

"By all means-search all you like." He grinned cynically again.

Pushing back from the table, Patience bustled to Minnie's side. Minnie clasped her hand tightly, then nodded to Masters. "Show the gentlemen in."

There were three of them, subtly unsavory to a man. Standing at Minnie's shoulder, firmly clasping her hand, Patience watched as, sharp eyes darting about the room, the Runners edged in and formed up in a row. Sligo slipped through the door after them.

The tallest Runner, in the center, bobbed a bow at Minnie. "Ma'am. As I hope yer man told you, we've a-come to search the premises. Seems there's some valuable pearls gone missing and a villain about."

"Indeed." Minnie studied them, then nodded. "Very well. You have my permission to search the house."

"We'll start with the bedchambers, if you don't mind, ma'am."

"If you must. Masters will accompany you." Minnie nodded a dismissal. Sligo held the door open, and Masters ushered the men out.

"I think," Minnie said, "that we should all remain here until the search is concluded."

Gerrard slouched, relaxed, in his chair. The others shifted and looked uncomfortable.

Patience turned on Sligo.

"I know, I know." He held up a placating hand as he reached for the door. "I'll find him and get him here." He slipped out. The door closed softly behind him.

Patience sighed and turned back to Minnie.

Half an hour had passed, and Patience was certain the face of the ormolu clock on the mantel was indelibly imprinted on her mind, before the door opened again.

Everyone straightened. Breaths caught.

Vane strode in.

Patience knew an instant of giddy relief. His gaze touched her, then passed on to Minnie. He went straight to her, pulling up a vacant chair.

"Tell me."

Minnie did, her voice lowered so the others, now gathered in groups about the room, could not hear. Aside from Minnie with Timms beside her, and Patience hovering, only Gerrard remained at the table, alone at the other end. As Minnie whispered her news, Vane's face hardened. He exchanged a charged glance with Gerrard.

Glancing up, Vane met Patience's eyes, then he looked back at Minnie. "It's all right-a good sign, in fact." He, too, spoke softly; his words reached no further than Patience. "We know there's nothing in Gerrard's room. Sligo searched only yesterday. And Sligo's very thorough. But this means something, at long last, is afoot."

Minnie's look was tremulous.

Somewhat grimly, Vane smiled. "Trust me." Minnie drew in a breath, then smiled, weakly. He squeezed her hands, then stood.

He turned to Patience. Something shifted in his face, in his eyes.

Patience lost her breath.

"I apologize for not arriving this morning, but something came up."

He took her hand, raised it to his lips, then changed his grip and grasped firmly; Patience felt warm strength flow into her, around her. "Anything helpful?" she asked.

Vane grimaced. "Another blank wall. Gabriel heard of our problem-he has some surprising contacts. While we learned nothing about where the pearls are, we did learn where they haven't been. To wit, pawned." Patience opened her eyes wide. Vane nodded. "It was another possibility, but we've exhausted that avenue, too. For my money, the pearls have never left Minnie's household."

Patience nodded. She opened her mouth-

The door swung open and the Runners returned.

One glance at their triumphant expression, and Patience's premonition returned with a vengeance. Her heart stopped, chilled, then sank. Vane's grip on her fingers tightened; she curled her fingers and clung.

Carrying a small sack, the senior Runner advanced portentously on Minnie-then spilled the contents of the sack onto the table before her. "Can you identify these baubles, ma'am?"

The baubles included Minnie's pearls. They also included everything else that had gone missing.

"My comb!" Gleefully, Angela swooped down and plucked the gaudy trinket free.

"Dear me-there's my pincushion." Edith Swithins poked it aside.

The items were nudged apart-Timms's bracelet, the pearls and their matching earrings, Patience's bud vase. Everything was there-except-

"Only one." Agatha Chadwick looked down at the garnet drop earring she'd separated from the pile.