Love and Larceny by Regina Scott Page B

arms. Perhaps he’d thought himself about to be apprehended.
Still, Lord Brentfield was right. Why would a thief venture so near
the house when he had to have seen the lights blazing and known
people were up and about? It made no sense.
    “Perhaps it was a groundskeeper,” Wynn
offered, “concerned about disturbing your guests.”
    Lord Brentfield nodded. “Very likely. We’ve
had trouble with poachers.”
    Lady Rollings eyed Wynn. “A logical
explanation, it seems. Perhaps he wasn’t as mean-spirited as I
thought. Thank you for the suggestion, Mr. Fairfax.”
    Was that praise? He could hardly believe it.
Daphne must have found her mother’s words encouraging, for she was
grinning at him as if he’d done something utterly marvelous.
    Lady Emily turned to Lord Brentfield, who did
not seem relieved at Wynn’s explanation.
    “You can question the staff tomorrow, my
lord,” she said, “but I warrant you will not find one willing to
admit to being on that terrace. Someone is stalking Brentfield.
There is nothing for it. You must allow us to investigate.”

Chapter Eight

    Daphne watched Lord Brentfield. His head was
cocked, his blue eyes narrowed as he studied her friend, as if he
would see inside Emily to the truth. He truly could not refuse her
request to investigate, not with everyone, including Daphne’s
mother, regarding him as fixedly.
    “Very well,” he said, then quickly raised a
finger as Emily brightened. “But under two conditions: you will
tell me what you intend to do before you do it, and you will report
to me after it’s done. We’ve made extensive repairs on the house,
but there may still be places that are dangerous. I won’t have
anyone else injured.”
    Daphne nodded, but she could see Wynn
frowning. She hadn’t told him about the end of their first
adventure at Brentfield. The story was part of Priscilla’s Dreaded
Family Secret, after all. Priscilla’s aunt was the former Lady
Brentfield, the lady married to this Lord Brentfield’s distant
cousin who had held the earldom previously. Only a chosen few knew
about Lady Brentfield’s involvement in the previous thefts or the
injuries to mind and body she had sustained in her attempt to
escape justice. Even though Priscilla was off the marriage mart,
the story of a mad aunt cared for by keepers could still affect her
family’s standing on the ton should it become widely known.
Daphne and her friends had all worked too hard to avoid scandal to
embrace it now.
    “I would like to add a condition of my own,”
Daphne’s mother put in. She leveled her gaze on Daphne, who tried
not to squirm under it. “No one is to wander about alone. You must
take at least one other person with you, and young ladies must be
properly chaperoned.”
    Daphne nearly groaned aloud. Her mother
simply would not give up. Who would think anything remotely
improper could happen while chasing after a thief? What did her
mother think, they’d chance letting the dastard get away because
they simply had to stop for a kiss?
    Daphne’s gaze met Wynn’s and knew he was
thinking the same thing.
    Lord Brentfield, however, nodded. “Wise
advice. Well, Lady Emily? Do you and your friends agree to our
terms?”
    Lady Emily glanced to her Jamie, who touched
his forelock in salute, and then to Daphne, who nodded
encouragement. She stood taller. “Yes, Lord Brentfield, I do. And I
will tell you the next step. Tonight, you must set a footman to
watch this area of the house. It may be that the thief was looking
for a way in, and you can foil him.”
    Lord Brentfield nodded again. “Agreed. And
tomorrow?”
    “Tomorrow,” Emily said, “we will interview
the staff, particularly those who claim to have heard noises or may
have had cause to enter the secret passages.”
    Lady Rollings frowned. “Secret passages?”
    “Built earlier in the house’s history,” Lord
Brentfield explained. “Their construction has deteriorated with
time. I had most of them sealed off earlier