Prudence's lovely eyes had shone with enthusiasm behind her spectacles. "You are going to try to identify the person for whom that special mixture of snuff is blended?"

"Yes." Sebastian sliced into a plump sausage. "Now that the busi­ness of our wedding is settled and we have got you moved in here with me, I believe we can at last get on with our investigation."

Her gaze turned curiously opaque. "Poor Sebastian," she mur­mured. "You had no notion of the commotion our wedding would cause, did you? I expect you thought you could simply put an an­nouncement in the papers and that would be the end of it." weddings which I had not anticipated," he said, "but I am hopeful that the worst is behind us."

In truth, they had not had any peace since their return to London, Sebastian thought, vastly annoyed. He had fully intended to spend the majority of his free time during the past four days in bed with his new wife. The polite world deemed otherwise. To his disgust, he had dis­covered that weddings—even quiet, uncomplicated ones—generated a great deal of fuss and attention.

On the morning of the wedding Hester had cheerfully reminded him that the marriage was bound to create a sensation among the ton. She had been accurate in her prediction. There had been a steady stream of visitors to Sebastian's town house. A new mountain of cards and invitations arrived every morning. The presence of Lord and Lady Angelstone was requested at every soiree and ball in Town.

Sebastian had been strongly inclined to ignore every visitor and all the invitations. But Prudence had put her dainty foot down on that notion. His reputation for ill-mannered behavior was bad enough, she had explained. She was not going to see it savaged any further simply because he could not be bothered with a few social niceties.

"Do you regret our marriage, then?" Prudence had inquired in a suspiciously neutral voice from the far end of the breakfast table.

"What an idiotic question. Of course not. We are perfectly suited, as I have gone to great lengths to explain." He eyed her warily, won­dering what had made her ask such a question. The possibility that she, herself, had a few regrets made him once more aware of the cold place inside himself.

He did not see how she could doubt for a moment that she be­longed with him. She looked right at home sitting there at the other end of the breakfast table. The morning sun streamed through the window behind her. It turned her hair the color of the warm honey that was in the little pot next to the toast. A shaft of lazy desire went through Sebastian as he remembered how Prudence's hair had looked earlier when it was fanned out across the white pillows of his bed.

"I shall accompany you to interview the tobacconists," Prudence announced.

"No, you will not." He forked up another bite of sausage. "I intend to make as much progress as possible today. There is no way of know­ing how many shops I shall be required to visit."

I brows snapped together in a straight line across the rim of her specta-■ cles. "I would remind you that we are supposed to be a team, sir."

Sebastian knew it was time to tread warily. He was rapidly learning the business of being a husband, he thought wryly.

"You misunderstand me, my dear." He smiled benignly. "The fact of the matter is that if the pair of us are seen visiting a series of I tobacconists, someone might notice and think it odd. Questions might I be asked."

"Perhaps I could disguise myself as a footman or a groom. No one would question my presence if I looked like a member of your house­hold staff, would they?"

"My entire household staff would certainly wonder about it," Se-I bastian said brusquely. "Not to mention anyone else who might's chance to recognize you." The thought of Prudence traipsing about in I men's attire sent a wave of outrage through him.

Prudence frowned in thought. "I think it would work very well, my i‘ lord. I believe that after breakfast I shall just nip downstairs and see I what I can find in the way of livery."

At that point Sebastian abandoned strategy and diplomacy and fell | back on ruthless threats.

"If you try that trick, madam, I promise you I will find myself I unable to accompany you to the Arlington ball tonight."

"Sebastian, you wouldn't." Acute dismay filled her eyes. "You I must put in an appearance tonight. I am told that several members of I your family will be there, including your aunt and your cousin Jer-I emy."

"As far as I'm concerned, that is an excellent reason for not put-I ting in an appearance. In any event, I wouldn't be surprised to learn I that Lady Arlington has deliberately planned her damned ball with i the express purpose of producing a scene for the ton."

"Come, now, Sebastian, that is highly unlikely. She is trying to be polite."

"My dear, you may be very intelligent, but you are amazingly naive I at times."

"Lady Arlington's ball will be the first occasion on which the mem-I bers of your family will all be gathered together in public. If you don't turn up, the Fleetwoods will be humiliated in front of the ton."

He was thoroughly amused. "Do you think that matters to me?"

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well that if you fail to show up tonight it will add fuel to the notion that there is a feud within your family."

"The feud is very real, Prue." Sebastian put down his knife and folded his arms on the table. "And you would be well advised to remember just which side you are on. Furthermore, it would be most unwise of you to try to play peacemaker. I want no part of the Fleet-woods, and that's final."

"Really, Sebastian."

"Yes, really." Having taken his stand, Sebastian knew better than to back down. Prudence would spot any weakness in his defenses in an instant. "Now, then, if you wish me to put in an appearance at the Arlington ball, you had best forget any notion of dressing up in a footman's livery."

"Now, see here, Angelstone, just because we happen to be mar­ried, you must not get the idea that you can start giving orders and making threats in the manner of ordinary husbands."

He gave her a cool, quizzical smile. "You do not consider me an ordinary husband?"

"Certainly not." She refolded her napkin and set it beside her plate with an air of grave precision. "Our alliance is supposed to be a partnership. Two like-minded individuals joined together by the bonds of mutual interests, if you will recall."

"I recall the terms of our bargain very well." Sebastian got to his feet.

Prudence watched warily as he walked toward her. "Sebastian?"

Sebastian said nothing. When he reached the far end of the table he leaned down and kissed Prudence full on her surprised mouth. She tasted delicious. He had a sudden urge to make love to her right there on the breakfast table. The only thing that stopped him was the real­ization that Flowers could enter the room at any moment.

"As you said, ours is an alliance based on mutual interests." He brushed his mouth across hers again and felt her tremble in response. "And some of our mutual interests were particularly stimulating last night. I look forward to more of the same tonight."

She glowered at him suspiciously through her spectacles. "Do not think that you can manipulate me with… with that sort of thing, Angelstone."

"What sort of thing would that be? This, perhaps?" He nibbled her earlobe and let his hand drift down over the modest fichu that

"You know precisely what I mean, sir."

"Do I?" He palmed her breast and was well satisfied by the re­sponse he got. Prudence's cheeks turned pink and a delightfully flus­tered look replaced the wifely chastisement in her eyes.