Jane's eyes gleamed with momentary amusement behind her mask. "I am sure marriage is very distracting in the beginning, Sophy. Do not chide yourself."

"Well, she's learned it's useless to try to alter the pattern of a man's behavior," Anne observed. "Having made the mistake of getting married in the first place, the best one can do is ignore one's husband as much as possible and concentrate on more interesting matters."

"You are an expert on marriage?" Jane asked.

"I have learned a lot watching Sophy. Now tell us what these more important matters are, Sophy."

Sophy hesitated, wondering how much to tell her friends about the black ring she was wearing. Before she could make up her mind a tall figure dressed in a black, hooded cape and a black mask glided up to her and bowed deeply from the waist. It was impossible to see the color of his eyes in the lantern light.

"I would like to request the honor of this dance, Lady Gypsy."

Sophy looked into shadowed eyes and felt suddenly cold. Instinctively she started to refuse and then she remembered the ring. She had to begin her search somewhere and there was no telling who might give her the clues she needed. She sketched a curtsy. "Thank you, kind sir. I would be pleased to dance with you."

The man in the black cape and mask led her out onto the floor without a word. She realized he was wearing black gloves and she did not like the feel of being close to him when he took her into his arms. He danced with perfect grace and decorum but Sophy felt vaguely menaced.

"Do you tell fortunes, Lady Gypsy?" the man asked in a low, rough voice tinged with cold amusement.

"Occasionally."

"So do I. Occasionally."

That startled her. "Do you, sir? What sort of fortune do you predict for me?"

His black gloved fingers moved over the black ring on her hand. "A most interesting fortune, my lady. Most interesting, indeed. But, then, that is only to be expected from a bold young woman who would dare to wear this ring in public."

TWELVE

Sophy froze. She would have tripped over her own feet if her partner had not tightened his grip quite painfully for an instant. "You are familiar with this ring, sir?" she asked, striving to keep her voice light.

"Yes."

"How strange. I did not know it was a common thing."

"It is most uncommon, madam. Only a few would recognize it."

"I see."

"May I ask how it came into your possession?" the hooded man asked quietly.

She had her story ready. "It is a keepsake given to me by a friend of mine before she died."

"Your friend should have warned you that the ring is very dangerous. You would be well advised to remove it and never wear it again." There was a slight pause before the stranger concluded softly, "Unless you are a very adventurous sort of female."

Sophy's heart was pounding now but she managed a seemingly careless smile beneath her half-mask. "I cannot imagine why you should be so alarmed at the sight of this ring. What is there about it that makes you think it is dangerous?"

"I am not free to tell you why it is dangerous, my lady. The wearer must discover that for herself. But I feel it my duty to warn you that it is not for the faint of heart."

"I think you tease me, sir. But truthfully I cannot believe the ring is anything more than a rather unusual piece of jewelry. In any event, I am not fainthearted."

"Then perhaps you will find a most unusual type of excitement with the ring."

Sophy shivered but kept her smile in place. At that moment she was extremely grateful to be wearing a disguise. "I am quite certain, sir, that you are deliberately taunting me because of the costume I chose to wear this evening. Do you enjoy sending chills down the spine of the poor fortune-teller whose job it is to send chills down the spines of others?"

"Do I send chills down your spine, madam?"

"A few."

"Are you enjoying them?"

"Not particularly."

"Perhaps you will learn to find pleasure in them. A certain type of female does eventually, after a bit of practice."

"Is that my fortune?" she asked, aware that her palms were growing as damp as they had that very morning when she had confronted Charlotte Featherstone.

"I do not believe I want to spoil the joy of anticipation for you by giving you a peek at your future. It will be far more interesting to let you discover the nature of your fortune in due course. Good evening, Lady Gypsy. I am certain we will meet again." The man in the black cape released her abruptly, bowed low over her ringed hand and then vanished into the crowd.

Sophy watched anxiously as he disappeared, wondering if she might be able to follow him through the throng. Perhaps she could catch him without his mask outside. Many people were leaving the ballroom in order to cool off in Lady Musgrove's lovely gardens.

Sophy picked up her skirts and started forward. She got all of ten feet before she felt a man's hand clamp firmly around her arm. Startled, she whirled around to find herself looking up at another tall man dressed very much as her previous partner had been in a black cape.and mask. The only difference was that the hood of this main's cape was thrown back to reveal his midnight dark hair. He gave her a slight bow.

"Pardon me, but I seek the services of one such as yourself, Madam Gypsy. Will you be so gracious as to dance with me while you tell me my fortune? I have been somewhat unlucky at love lately and I would like to know if my luck is going to change."

Sophy glanced down at the large hand on her arm and recognized it immediately. Julian had roughened his voice and pitched it even lower than usual but she would know him anywhere. The familiar sense of awareness she always experienced when he was in the vicinity had grown stronger during the time she had been living with him.

She felt a curious sensation in her stomach as she wondered if Julian recognized her. If he did, he was certain to be angry with her for what she had done when she had awakened from her nap to find the bracelet on the pillow beside her. Warily she looked up at him.

"Do you wish your luck to change, sir?"

"Yes," Julian said as he swung her into the dance. "I believe I do want it to change."

"What… what sort of ill luck have you been experiencing?" she asked cautiously.

"I seem to be having great difficulty in pleasing my new bride."

"Is she very hard to please?"

"Yes, I fear so. A most demanding lady." Julian's voice seemed to roughen even further. "For example today she let me know she was annoyed with me because I had not thought to give her a token of my affection."

Sophy bit her lip and looked past Julian's shoulder. How long have you been married, sir?"

"Several weeks."

"And in all that time you have never given her such a token?"

"I confess I did not think of doing so. Very remiss of me. However, today when my lapse was pointed out to me I took immediate steps to remedy the situation. I bought the lady a very charming bracelet and I left it on her pillow."

Sophy winced. "Was it a very expensive bracelet?"

"Very. But not expensive enough apparently to satisfy my lady." Julian's hand tightened slightly on Sophy's waist. "I found the bracelet on my own pillow this evening as I was dressing to go out. There was a note with it that said she was not amused by such a paltry trinket."

Sophy stared up at him, desperately trying to decide whether Julian was angry or simply objectively interested in her reasons for refusing the bracelet. She still could not be certain he even recognized her. "It would seem to me, sir, that you misunderstood your lady's complaint."

"Did I?" Without missing a step he adjusted the brightly patterned scarf that was starting to slide off her shoulders. "You don't think she likes jewelry?"