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“And you think that means he should have known better.” He shrugged one of his shoulders. “I’ll not argue that.”

“Is that why you suggested he would be rolling over in his grave to see his collection sold off? Because he’d assumed his beneficiaries would keep it intact.”

“Oh, no. He knew better than that. Made specifications in his will for how the collection should be handled. Even chose the auctioneer himself.”

This seemed entirely contradictory to what he’d told me before, and I opened my mouth to say so when he continued.

“No, if he could see it, he’d be rolling over in his grave simply from the pain of watching it be dismantled. He loved that collection. More than he loved any person, I always thought.”

I couldn’t tell if Sir James had been deliberately misleading before or if he’d just spoken poorly.

Whatever the case, if I were to point it out, I could already tell he was the type of man to adopt a condescending demeanor and insist the error in misunderstanding was mine.

So instead, I swallowed my irritation, reminding myself this was at least added confirmation of what we’d already been informed about Lord Eldin’s will.

However, Sir James seemed to view my momentary agitation as an opportunity to sidle closer to me yet again.

It was all I could do to not stomp on the man’s foot, but such an act in my thin dancing slippers would hurt me more than him.

I couldn’t decide whether his intent was to make me feel flustered and flattered, or if the roué was actually attempting something. Either way, I was having none of it.

“It’s dreadful what happened to Mr. Smith,” I said as I moved a full step away, not bothering to conceal the fact I was putting distance between us.

However, Sir James only smiled, and I remembered too late how Lord Marsdale had once told me that some men delighted in the chase.

That the pricklier I became, the more determined they would become.

I was beginning to suspect Sir James was one of those men, which made me wish I’d chosen a different response in order to temper his interest. Though my even having to give such consideration to the matter infuriated me more. He was the one misbehaving, after all.

“Aye,” he agreed rather indifferently as he turned to survey the other guests clustered about the ballroom. “But all things considered, it could’ve been worse.”

“Not for Mr. Smith’s family,” I couldn’t help but counter. His callous demeanor left much to be desired.

He didn’t respond to this, and neither did he look chagrined. In fact, he seemed determined to simply ignore it, nodding to a passing acquaintance. I was about to excuse myself when he spoke again. “You should come to dinner one evening.” He turned to look at me then, a challenge in his gaze.

I knew then that he was toying with me, playing one of the silly, frivolous games that members of society indulged in because they hadn’t found anything better to do with their time, careless of whom they hurt—even themselves—so long as it alleviated their ennui.

It was all I could do not to scoff out loud in disgust.

“My husband and I?” I retorted instead.

His response was a beat too long in coming. “Of course.”

I couldn’t help it. I rolled my eyes and walked away. I was relieved when a few steps across the room, I met with Gage.

“There you are,” he murmured cheerfully. But after one look at my face, his brow pleated. “What is it?” He searched the space over my shoulder even as I shook my head.

“Can we go?” The evening had been somewhat ruined by Sir James’s insinuations and the ache behind my eyes.

His gaze shifted abruptly back to me, assessing me. “If you wish.”

I’d not spoken to even half the people I’d intended to, but I was suddenly too tired to even contemplate it. “I do.”

He nodded once, pulling my arm through his as he guided me toward the door and down the corridor, navigating past all the wide skirts and equally wide sleeves.

I spared a moment’s thought for Henry and the fact we hadn’t said goodbye, but he’d arrived without us and would undoubtedly come to call the following day. I could make my excuses then.

In short order, we were once again ensconced in our carriage, wrapped in our outer garments.

For added warmth, Gage’s arm was draped around me, cradling me close to his side.

His clothes reeked of the tobacco the other gentlemen had been smoking, but if I leaned close enough, I could still smell the starch in his cravat and the spiciness of his cologne.

His fingers gently brushed the curls away from my temple. “Tell me, did your wanting to leave have anything to do with the smug look on Sir James Riddell’s face?”

The carefully modulated tone of his voice and seeming lack of concern did not fool me. I knew perfectly well how protective Gage could be. So I lied.

“No. Though the man is quite coldhearted. He was entirely unmoved by Mr. Smith’s demise, as if one death mattered little,” I replied sharply, feeling hostility stir again. I knew I had to tell Gage something to explain my anger. Better this than Sir James’s private dinner invitation.

I sighed heavily, rubbing my forehead. “I feel a megrim beginning. One that tells me that perhaps I’m not as recovered as I wish to be.”

“Honestly, I’m not either,” he admitted in chagrin. “Just the repetitive motion of laying down those cards aggravated my shoulder.”

I pressed a consoling hand to his chest. “Something you were only doing in order to extract information from Sir James. But it didn’t work, did it?”

“He was a far more focused player than I would have ever credited him as being. But the effort wasn’t entirely wasted. He did speak to you .”

I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t have preferred that Gage had extracted the information from Sir James himself, given his behavior.

“And I did overhear something interesting.”

I peered up at him when he didn’t continue, seeing he was still gnawing over the implication of whatever he’d heard.

“Apparently, several of the men were under the impression that the laws had been changed. Specifically, after that incident in Kirkcaldy. They were…” I straightened at this pronouncement, and he broke off. “You heard something similar?”

“I was speaking with Reverend Jamieson. The man who Mr. Innes quarreled with,” I reminded him in case he’d forgotten. “And a gentleman who approached him implied much the same thing.”

Gage gestured with his opposite hand. “Now, what exactly these laws were supposed to be changed to, and whether they were supposed to apply to private buildings as well as public, no one seemed to have the answer to.”

“But it has made your mind start turning.”

“What if this law—whatever it was meant to be—had something to do with Lord Eldin? No, he wasn’t a lawmaker, but he was a Lord of Session. So maybe he heard a case related to the Kirkcaldy balcony collapse. Perhaps he issued some ruling that had bearing on the matter.”

“Something that hindered the law change or prevented justice in some way,” I suggested, trying to follow his line of thinking.

He tipped his head to the side uncertainly. “I can’t deduce any specifics at the moment, but I feel…” he frowned “…I feel it should be looked into.”

“It shouldn’t be hard. Much of it would be a matter of public record, wouldn’t it?

And we know the date of the Kirkcaldy incident was sometime in June of 1828.

” I bit my lip, recognizing a potential snag.

“Lord Eldin also resigned from the bench in 1828, though I don’t know which month.

But at least that limits the period of potential overlap. ”

Gage didn’t respond, but I could tell that was because he was already considering his next steps.

It was unlike him to latch on to a theory so quickly and tenaciously, but in this case, I had to concede we had very little to go on in terms of motive and suspects.

In truth, we seemed to be eliminating the ones we had faster than we were coming up with new ones.

At least this information gave us another angle to pursue.

“What did Sir James have to say?” Gage asked, pulling me from my own ruminations. “I assume you broached the topic of his claims about Lord Eldin’s desire for the auction being counter to his will.”

I told him the implications Sir James had made, and the fact they’d tantamounted to our having misunderstood.

Gage seemed to find this skeptical as well.

“Though I did find it interesting that he suggested Lord Eldin loved his collection more than any person. It would seem to corroborate what Mr. Clerk told us about his brother.”

All told, the information we’d gathered during the past few days had not allowed me to form a positive impression of Lord Eldin.

He seemed rather arrogant, self-absorbed, and obsessed with his own consequence.

But then, we’d spoken to only a handful of people—most of whom seemed to have some issue with the man.

Maybe we would hear differently from others.

“What else did Sir James have to tell you?” The tone of Gage’s voice was carefully modulated, but I wasn’t fooled. I sensed he was still suspicious of my reaction to the man.

“Nothing more than I already said,” I replied, feigning a yawn as I rested my head against his shoulder. “Well, he did invite us to dinner,” I conceded, choosing my words with deliberate nonchalance. “But I declined. I can think of much better ways to spend an evening.” I snuggled closer.

Gage took the hint. “Is that so?”

“Hmmm,” I hummed as his fingers traced a trail down the line of my jaw.

It didn’t diminish my headache, but it made me feel better, nonetheless.

Especially when he cupped my chin and tipped my head up toward his so that our mouths could meet.

It was naught but a shallow kiss of lips.

He didn’t attempt to deepen it. But I felt my blood stir regardless.

I thought perhaps Gage would take it further once we’d retired, but when we returned home, Jeffers indicated that Anderley was waiting for Gage in the morning room.

His valet met him in the doorway, conferring with him in a low voice.

He was dressed in the same serviceable but unfashionable attire he’d worn the previous evening when he’d ventured out to attempt to ingratiate himself with Mr. Winstanley’s employees.

It was obvious from their intent whispering that he’d uncovered something.

When Gage returned to my side, I expected him to explain, but he merely pressed a kiss to my brow. “Anderley has someone he needs me to speak to. I’ll explain in the morning. Don’t wait up.”

Then he was off, returning to the morning room and then out the French doors, which I heard close with a click, to the garden and the mews beyond.

Whether they were setting off on foot and didn’t want to be observed from the front or they intended to halt Joe before he unhitched the horses from our coach, I didn’t know, but apparently, I was unwelcome.

I stifled a grunt of aggravation, wishing they’d at least shared where they were going. It would certainly have eased my mind.

Or perhaps not. I supposed it depended on the destination.

I turned to look at Jeffers, who had been waiting patiently for me to hand him my wrap, but I’d already decided it was too chilly inside the house to do so. Not until I’d reached the warmth of my bedchamber. “Did Anderley tell you anything?”

“I’m afraid not, my lady.”

I studied him a moment, trying to decide if he would tell me if he had.

His steady gaze gave nothing away, but our butler was nothing if not loyal.

It was doubtful he would keep something from me or Gage.

If by chance I was wrong, I decided I would instead be glad he knew something about where they’d gone. Better him than no one.

“All quiet here?”

“Yes, nothing to report.”

I nodded, understanding his answer was twofold. Nothing unusual had occurred while Gage and I were gone, and he also had nothing new to report about Mr. Smith. I’d not expected he would.

The wall sconces cast a warm glow over the woodwork and forest green carpet which tracked across the entry and up the middle of the stairs.

It was a sight which always made me feel cheered and secure, for it meant I was home.

Perhaps it was that sense of well-being which gave me the impetus to speak.

All I knew was that the words were out of my mouth before I’d fully anticipated saying them.

“I have someone else I want you to look into.”

If Jeffers was surprised by this request, he didn’t show it. Nor did he react to the name I spoke.

“Sir James Riddell.”

There was something cold and calculating about the baronet, and I was determined to find out if that had made him someone’s target.