“No. I just know this wouldn’t happen in Germany. Their work is too important to allow them to be involved in tawdry scandals.”

Phyllida made a small choking sound.

I turned to Lady Bennett and said our good-byes before taking Phyllida by the arm and leading her out of the parlor.

“Why do they let people like that into the country?” Phyllida growled.

I wasn’t certain whether the ladies heard us. I certainly didn’t care.

After leaving our calling cards at a few more houses, we returned to discover the duke sitting in the most comfortable chair in our parlor. He rose when we walked in and bowed to Lady Phyllida. “I hope you ladies will attend the theater with me tonight. It is the final performance of Shakespeare for the season at the Lyceum. Everyone will be there.” He put a slight emphasis on everyone.

“I’m afraid Phyllida and I already have an escort to that play,” I answered.

“What?” Even his questions could sound like commands.

I lowered my voice as I stepped close to the duke, ensuring the servants couldn’t eavesdrop. “You wanted me to question Sir Henry. Not only will I be able to do that, I will get a chance to search his study. We’re having dinner at his house.”

“That’s not safe.”

“You think he’s involved with the theft and you want me to question him. We need to find out if the plans are in his study.”

“How are we supposed to begin our affair if you’re seen with Sir Henry?”

I grinned. “You’ll have to work harder. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Your Grace, we need to dress for dinner and the theater.”

“Georgia, be careful. One lovely, courageous woman was killed over those blueprints. We don’t want to lose another.”

My smile widened. It was nice to see Blackford discomfited. “It won’t be the first time I’ve done something like this. Just in nicer surroundings this time.”

He reached out and grabbed my wrist. “Georgia, I’m serious. This man has a dangerous reputation.”

“So do you, Your Grace.”

“Georgia.” He stared into my eyes, and I glimpsed a flash of fear.

I slid my hand around to hold his wrist. I could feel his pulse speed. “It’ll be all right, Ranleigh.”

Blackford drew in a deep breath, his face taking on the expression of his pirate-raider ancestors before a massacre, and strode out of our parlor.

“Oh, dear,” Phyllida said.

CHAPTER SEVEN

OH, dear, indeed. The dinner party turned out to be just four of us: Sir Henry, his brother Robert, Phyllida, and me. The two men shared a town house laid out like the Gattengers’, with the dining room in front on the ground floor.

The study—every gentleman had a study—would be the room behind the dining room or one floor up behind the parlor. I hoped I’d find it on the ground floor, which would make my job easier. But I had no idea how Phyllida would be able to keep both men occupied while I searched Sir Henry’s desk.

The clear soup course was good. The next, an ordinary fish, was fair. We discussed the weather, gossip about the royal family, and, on Robert Stanford’s part, the dearth of interesting people in London during this heat wave. It turned out he was leaving the next day for a holiday at a hotel in Torquay, where he claimed the fashionable were staying.

“Are you in the shipbuilding business with your brother, Mr. Stanford?” I asked.

He shuddered. “No, I’m a barrister in Gray’s Inn.”

“I hope I never have need of your services,” Phyllida said.

Sir Henry smiled weakly and said, “I suppose, Mrs. Monthalf, you had quite an experience with solicitors while sorting out your late husband’s business affairs. Especially since it was a large fortune.”

“I don’t know that I’d call it a large fortune, but Edgar made certain I’d be more than comfortable.” Phyllida and I had never considered how much money my fictitious husband left me. I didn’t think the question would come up. Discussion of money was never allowed in proper society.

“I hope you have it invested wisely,” Sir Henry said.

At that moment, the maids served the fowl course, some rather dry chicken, and conversation stopped. As the maids were leaving with the fish plates, I decided to turn the conversation away from money. “Mr. Stanford, as a barrister, have you heard of the case of Mr. Kenneth Gattenger, accused of murdering his wife? He’s innocent, of course.”

“Yes. Interesting case.”

“His wife was my husband’s cousin.”

“Oh? Who’s Gattenger’s solicitor?”

“Do you know, I’ve never thought to ask. We must remember that the next time we visit him, Phyllida.”

Phyllida gave me a faint smile.

“The newspaper reporters have already started circling the Inns of Court about the Gattenger murder. It will be a sensation. Do you know why Whitehall is holding back the prosecution?” With the scandalous gossip he’d already shared and the eagerness in his voice, Robert was leaving a bad taste in my mouth. He was not someone I’d want to see on a regular basis.

Phyllida looked like she might be ill.

Sir Henry must have seen the looks on his guests’ faces, because he said, “That’s enough, Robert.”

“I’m sorry. I let my enthusiasm for the law run away with my good manners.”

We both nodded to him, and Phyllida asked if he ever had time with his busy profession to read literature.

The mutton course, the salad course, and the iced fruit course passed without me finding a way to check out the study. As the coffee and cheese course arrived, Robert stood, wished us enjoyment of the play, and said he had a previous engagement.

We said how nice it was to meet him without displaying a trace of irony. Listening to his footsteps, I could tell he went out the front door immediately after leaving us.

After waiting a moment to make sure he didn’t return, I asked if there was somewhere where I could freshen up. Sir Henry reddened and gave me directions to the back of the house on the landing between this floor and the next.

I gestured toward Sir Henry with my eyes as I looked at Phyllida, hoping she read my meaning. Then I rose and excused myself.

Phyllida started a stream of talk aimed at diverting Sir Henry before he had time to resume his seat or I had left the room. There were no servants in sight as I hurried to the door toward the back of the ground floor.

It was still daylight out and the draperies were open when I looked inside to see I’d found the study. Now if I could search it thoroughly without anyone finding me, the evening would be a success.

I started with the drawers in the desk. Knowing the blueprints would be bulky, it wasn’t hard to eliminate possibilities quickly. Most of the books on the shelves were too thin, even hollowed out, to hold the plans. The few that were thick enough were intact. None of them were law books. Robert must have his study upstairs while Sir Henry used this room.

The only place left to check was a handsome file cabinet. Locked.

I pulled out a hairpin and began to poke around in the lock. I heard a click and slid the first drawer open. Blueprints.

Dozens of blueprints. I’d have to look at them all to make sure Gattenger’s warship plans weren’t there.

I checked the other drawers. More blueprints. I pulled out one page. I could tell it was for a ship, but I couldn’t tell which one. It was dated from three years before and numbered. Sliding the paper back into place, I checked another, and then one from a different drawer. Different pages, different dates, probably different ships.