"We'll have to talk later," Lucifer murmured as he went up the stairs beside Luc.
Luc nodded. "And not just talk." He met Lucifer's blue gaze, almost as dark as his own. "We need to come up with a plan."
Chapter 20
By general consensus, they waited until Emily, Anne, Portia, Penelope, and Miss Pink retired at the end of the evening before broaching the topic uppermost in all their minds.
Helena held up a hand the instant the door closed behind Miss Pink. "You must start at the beginning, if you please. There is no point rambling about any bushes with such a matter, not when we are all family."
Luc, Amelia, Lucifer, and Phyllida exchanged glances, then Luc complied. He sketched the known actions of the thief within the ton, then Lucifer and Amelia described the pieces of the puzzle they'd stumbled across.
Standing before the hearth, Luc concluded, "We do not at present have any idea who the thief is. However, whether by design or sheer coincidence, his activities are making it appear that the culprit is…" He paused, then, face hardening, went on, "One of us. One of the Ashfords."
Helena, more serious, more disapproving than Amelia had ever seen her, nodded decisively. "Yes. It will be said it is one of your sisters. But as we have seen today, that is quite impossible."
Luc studied her, then asked, "Why do you say it's impossible?"
Helena stared at him, then blinked. "Ah, I see — you wish me to state it. Very well. It is impossible that Emily or Anne could be the one who has taken the General's thimble because both are jeunes filles ingenues—they are not capable of dissembling to hide such a thing, not before me, and Louise and all here. This is not credible. Also, Amelia has said they did not know anything about the quizzing glass. It must be, I think, Lord Witherley's — I will look at it later. But again, neither their actions nor Amelia's reading of them supports the idea of either being involved. So they are not."
Helena's expression grew somber. "But that means we must find who is, and soon, for both Emily and Anne are… susceptible. Their lives can be ruined by suspicion and rumor, if those are allowed to run amok."
Luc inclined his head. "Thank you. I agree. That is the situation in a nutshell."
Martin, seated in an armchair, Amanda perched on its arm, looked at Luc. "Do we know of anyone who would wish to harm the Ashfords?"
Luc met his gaze; Amelia watched the cousins' silent exchange, but it was Minerva who sighed, and said, "There's Edward, of course."
Everyone looked at her, but it was Luc whose gaze she met. "Neither you nor I ever managed to understand him. Given what he's done in the past, how can we say he wouldn't do this — even this — too?"
Luc grimaced and looked at Martin. "It won't, however, be Edward himself."
Martin nodded. "An agent, or agents. We all know it could be done."
"Except," Amelia put in, "Edward doesn't have much money — not enough to pay agents." She looked at Luc. "Does he?"
"He has his allowance, but I doubt it'd stretch that far."
"Actually, that would fit nicely." Lucifer stretched out his long legs, crossing his ankles. "Edward could simply suggest where these friends of his could pick up little items, and in doing so make him happy, too. Of course, that does presuppose Edward has those sorts of friends, and moreover, that they would be willing to consider his wishes."
Luc shook his head. "We were never close — indeed, we'd been deliberately distant for more than a decade. I've no idea of Edward's associates."
Lucifer grimaced. "If he is behind this, he'll be counting on
that."
Amelia didn't care who was behind the plot as long as it was ended. "Regardless, we have to expose the thief who's here, on the ground, soon. We can't let things go until the rumors build and people start pointing fingers. The one most likely to be suspected is Anne, and" — her gaze sweeping the circle of faces, she saw comprehension and agreement—"we can't let that happen."
Arthur, sitting back, calmly watching, stated, "We need a plan — one to flush the thief out."
Martin leaned forward. "We need to strike now, before he gets any inkling we might be after him."
Luc met his gaze, nodded. "So — how do we catch a thief?"
"That," Helena declared, "is simple." When they all turned her way, she raised her brows. "We dangle before his covetous eyes something he will not be able to resist stealing."
"A trap?" Luc considered, then asked, "Baited with what?"
Helena calmly answered, "With my pearls and emeralds, of course."