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Wakley regarded her with a knowing smile. “The Eastern physicians have prescribed it for millennia and documented its effectiveness. Alas, our proper Western society is far too prudish to acknowledge such a treatment.” He winked. “It is quite effective on my wife, and I daresay you should have little trouble experimenting with it on a certain patient. I may even want to publish a portion of the results.”

Her blush deepened. “I shall have to keep that in mind.”

After Wakley departed, Cassandra rang for a bath, feeling a decadent thrill as she added scented oils. Afterward, Mrs. Smythe helped her dress in a sapphire tulle confection adorned with frothed lace and brushed her hair until it shined like burnished copper.

She glanced at the clock, eagerly awaiting Rafe’s return so she could begin.

The sound of the front door opening and slamming shut made her heart jolt with excitement. Rafe had returned.

It was time to start her seduction.

Eleven

Clayton bared his fangs at William, who had been cowering against the sideboard ever since he entered Clayton’s town house. “What do you mean, she refused to escape? How could you have possibly bungled matters so much that the chit would want to remain a willing prisoner?”

Damn it all, Lady Rosslyn’s escape would have further discredited Villar, as well as providing a handy place to set blame for Lenore’s disappearance. Of course, Clayton would not have allowed the countess to leave the city alive, but no one needed to know that.

William flinched. “I played my role exactly as you instructed me, word for word, I swear! But she insisted on remaining with Villar so she could study him.”

“What do you mean, study him?” Clayton narrowed his gaze on his incompetent lackey.

The other vampire shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know precisely. Most of what she says is in physician’s gibberish and somehow involves desecrating human remains. She even has a surgeon coming round to give her lessons in cutting up corpses.”

Physician’s gibberish…human remains… Clayton’s eyes widened as comprehension dawned. Rafe had told them all that the woman fancied herself a doctor. The memory of her pulling out a journal and quill played in his mind. It all made sense now.

Rounding on William, he snarled, “Why didn’t you tell me this sooner? Isn’t it obvious what she’s doing?”

The fool shook his head in confusion.

Clayton threw up his hands in frustration with such idiocy. “She’s trying to learn all of our secrets! She’s writing them down in a book, for Christ’s sake! And what does one do with a book? They share it! Blast it all, she’ll expose us to the world and have mobs pursuing us with stakes and torches, bent on exterminating our race!”

“Good God.” William gasped, eyes wide as saucers.

Clayton stroked his chin thoughtfully. “However, this is a good thing for us.”

“How so?” The lack-witted sod looked even more perplexed.

“We now have the perfect means to fully discredit Villar.” Clayton’s mind raced, savoring the possible outcomes…all in his favor. “Hell, if I notified the Elders now, they would execute them both.”

William grinned. “Well, that solves everything. Would you like me to fetch you parchment and quill so you may begin the missive?”

Clayton shook his head emphatically. “No, not yet. If the Elders arrive before I prove myself a competent leader, they may very well install a replacement of their own choosing.”

“So what do we do then?”

“Villar has less than a month before he must decide whether to kill or Change the countess, correct?”

“Yes.” William appeared pleased to have an answer for something at least.

“And a message can take up to a fortnight to reach the Elders’ motherhouse.” Clayton paced the length of the drawing room, running a hand through his hair. “A reply would take about the same time. Yet, I believe in this circumstance, they will either send a representative to see to the matter or perhaps even come here themselves, which could take anywhere between a sennight and mere days.”

William nodded in agreement, though his gaze was hazy with confusion again.

Clayton continued. “I think we should inform our people about the little countess’s dangerous book before bringing the Elders into this matter.”

Doubt filled the other vampire’s features. “You want to begin the revolt so soon?”

“In political matters, sometimes it is best to act quickly, before your opponent has the chance to prepare,” Clayton countered. “It is indeed time to set the wheels in motion. Tonight I want you to gather all our known allies, but first I need you to tend to my own prisoner.”