potentially a very dangerous endeavor."
"I believe the true danger lies in failing to uncover the truth," she said.
"You do not know what you are talking about. I told you last night that men have died in pursuit of treasure." "Uncle Reggie may be among that number. If that is the
case, I intend to discover who murdered him and then I will try to recover some of the money he lost."
"I understand your concerns." Leo straightened. "After thinking the matter over last night, I came to the conclusion that if the Rings exist, it would be best if they are found quickly."
A m a n d a Q u i c k
She watched him warily. "What are you saying, sir?" "I have arrived at a solution that will resolve the dilemma."
"Indeed, my lord?" She braced herself. "What is it?"
"I have decided to accompany you back to London tomorrow," he announced. "I myself will make inquiries into the affair of the Rings."
"You will search for them?" Beatrice stared at him in amazement. "I do not comprehend you, sir."
"It is quite simple. You will stay out of the matter entirely. I will deal with it."
Realization dawned. "You want the Forbidden Rings for yourself, do you not?"
"Mrs. Poole, even if it were possible for you to discover the whereabouts of the Rings on your own, which is highly unlikely, it would be extremely dangerous for you to possess them. I am far better equipped to handle that sort of thing."
"How dare you, sir?" She drew herself up and glared at him over the tops of the ferns. "If you think for one moment that I will abandon my inquiries and leave the field to you, you are very much mistaken. Those Rings and the money they will fetch belong to my cousin Arabella. Uncle Reggie intended her to have an inheritance."
"Damnation, it is not the money that concerns me." "I comprehend that perfectly."
He looked slightly mollified. "I am relieved to hear that." "Money would never be a primary consideration for a man of your temperament." She narrowed her eyes. "But there are other things which would no doubt arouse the, shall we say, acquisitive side of your nature?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Admit it, Monkcrest. You wish to get your hands on those Rings because you wish to discover the truth of the legend. You seek the treasure that is supposedly hidden in the alchemist's Aphrodite."
"Hell's teeth, madam."
W i t h T h i s R i n g
"I do not blame you. It would be a brilliant coup, would it not? Just think of the paper you could write for the Society of Antiquarians. After all, how often does it come about that a man who studies legends gets an opportunity to prove one true?"
"The legend has nothing to do with it." Leo took his hands off the plant bench and flexed his fingers with a quick, savage motion. "At least not directly."
"Rubbish. You have just told me that it is the nature of the Mad Monks to pursue their interests with obsessive enthusiasm. You are passionate about the investigation of ancient legends and 1, fool that I am, have dropped the possibility of a fabulous discovery concerning one straight into your hands."
"Mrs. Poole, this is not a game of hunt-the-treasure. We are discussing a potentially dangerous situation."
She spread her palms wide. "What a bloody idiot I was to seek your help. Talk about walking straight into the jaws of the wolf."
"Kindly forgo the melodrama. As it happens, you have come to the one man in England who just may be able to salvage matters for you."
"Forgive me, my lord, I am overwhelmed by your modesty and humility." She whirled and walked quickly toward the far end of the greenhouse. "The one man in England who could help me, indeed. I'll wager there are any number who could assist me."
"You know damn well that is not true." He pursued her down the adjoining aisle. "I am the man you need for this venture. That is why you came here, if you will recall."
She stopped and swung around to face him across a field of unnaturally large daisies. "Let me make one thing very clear, my lord. I came
"I believe the true danger lies in failing to uncover the truth," she said.
"You do not know what you are talking about. I told you last night that men have died in pursuit of treasure." "Uncle Reggie may be among that number. If that is the
case, I intend to discover who murdered him and then I will try to recover some of the money he lost."
"I understand your concerns." Leo straightened. "After thinking the matter over last night, I came to the conclusion that if the Rings exist, it would be best if they are found quickly."
A m a n d a Q u i c k
She watched him warily. "What are you saying, sir?" "I have arrived at a solution that will resolve the dilemma."
"Indeed, my lord?" She braced herself. "What is it?"
"I have decided to accompany you back to London tomorrow," he announced. "I myself will make inquiries into the affair of the Rings."
"You will search for them?" Beatrice stared at him in amazement. "I do not comprehend you, sir."
"It is quite simple. You will stay out of the matter entirely. I will deal with it."
Realization dawned. "You want the Forbidden Rings for yourself, do you not?"
"Mrs. Poole, even if it were possible for you to discover the whereabouts of the Rings on your own, which is highly unlikely, it would be extremely dangerous for you to possess them. I am far better equipped to handle that sort of thing."
"How dare you, sir?" She drew herself up and glared at him over the tops of the ferns. "If you think for one moment that I will abandon my inquiries and leave the field to you, you are very much mistaken. Those Rings and the money they will fetch belong to my cousin Arabella. Uncle Reggie intended her to have an inheritance."
"Damnation, it is not the money that concerns me." "I comprehend that perfectly."
He looked slightly mollified. "I am relieved to hear that." "Money would never be a primary consideration for a man of your temperament." She narrowed her eyes. "But there are other things which would no doubt arouse the, shall we say, acquisitive side of your nature?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"Admit it, Monkcrest. You wish to get your hands on those Rings because you wish to discover the truth of the legend. You seek the treasure that is supposedly hidden in the alchemist's Aphrodite."
"Hell's teeth, madam."
W i t h T h i s R i n g
"I do not blame you. It would be a brilliant coup, would it not? Just think of the paper you could write for the Society of Antiquarians. After all, how often does it come about that a man who studies legends gets an opportunity to prove one true?"
"The legend has nothing to do with it." Leo took his hands off the plant bench and flexed his fingers with a quick, savage motion. "At least not directly."
"Rubbish. You have just told me that it is the nature of the Mad Monks to pursue their interests with obsessive enthusiasm. You are passionate about the investigation of ancient legends and 1, fool that I am, have dropped the possibility of a fabulous discovery concerning one straight into your hands."
"Mrs. Poole, this is not a game of hunt-the-treasure. We are discussing a potentially dangerous situation."
She spread her palms wide. "What a bloody idiot I was to seek your help. Talk about walking straight into the jaws of the wolf."
"Kindly forgo the melodrama. As it happens, you have come to the one man in England who just may be able to salvage matters for you."
"Forgive me, my lord, I am overwhelmed by your modesty and humility." She whirled and walked quickly toward the far end of the greenhouse. "The one man in England who could help me, indeed. I'll wager there are any number who could assist me."
"You know damn well that is not true." He pursued her down the adjoining aisle. "I am the man you need for this venture. That is why you came here, if you will recall."
She stopped and swung around to face him across a field of unnaturally large daisies. "Let me make one thing very clear, my lord. I came
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