Devils Bride (Cynster 1)

"I daresay," Honoria replied, keeping her voice low.

"Hurst knows nothing, nor does Gilford."

Without turning around and risking one of Devil's cousins noticing her, Honoria couldn't tell which one was reporting. But she knew Devil's voice. "Vane's checked with Blackwell. Try Gelling."

"Nice sandwiches, these." Lady Harrington took another. "There's Lady Smallworts-she knows your grandfather, too. Here-Dulcie!"

Lady Harrington waved at another bedizened lady; behind Honoria, another report was coming in. "Nothing from

Dashwood and yes, I leaned heavily. He's not holding anything back. Not his style, this sort of caper."

There was silence, then Devil asked: "Anyone else here from that part of town?"

"I'll try Giles Edgeworth."

Some older gentleman approached Devil, and he was forced to converse; Honoria grasped the opportunity to give her attention to Lady Smallworts.

"Dear me, yes!" Lady Smallworts was examining her face through lorgnettes. "There's a definite likeness there, don't you think, Arethusa? About the chin."

Making a mental note to examine her chin when next she glanced in her mirror, Honoria plastered a smile on her lips and set herself to getting the two old dames chatting. Then she tuned her ears to the activity behind her.

"No luck with Farnsworth, nor Girton either."

Devil sighed. "There has to be something, somewhere."

"Must be-we'll just have to keep looking until we find it." After a pause, whichever cousin it was said: "I'll try a touch on Caffrey."

"Careful-I don't want this all over town by morning."

"Trust me."

Honoria could almost see the Cynster smile that went with the words.

Again Devil's attention was claimed by others; Honoria put her tuppence worth into the discussion over whether sprigged muslin would still be all the rage next Season.

It was some time before another of his cousins came to Devil's side. Guests were starting to depart when Vane reported; Honoria recognized his voice. "Forget Hillsworth or, I suspect, any of that ilk. If the problem's in that line, we'll need to get Harry to dig deeper."

"Speak of the Demon…"

"No go with any of my lot."

"Here come the others," Vane said.

"Not a whisper-not so much as a twitch."

"No luck."

"Not so much as a hint of a suspicion."

"Which means," Devil said, "that we'll have to go hunting."

"But in which direction?"

"In all directions." Devil paused. "Demon, you take the tracks and all connected enterprises. Vane, the guards and the taverns. Gabriel, the dens and finance in general. Scandal-you can do what you do best-chat up the ladies. Which leaves the catteries to Lucifer."

"And you?" Vane asked.

"I'll take the local angle."