myself. I’ve known from before I met you that you were a scoundrel and rake not to be trusted with anything. I knew there had to be a reason you were called one of the Terrible Threesome. You wear your title well, Lord Dunraven.”
“I’m not as bad as the tittle-tattle has led people to believe. I only switched the cards because I thought you were working for the Mad Ton Thief.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.”
“Think again, Millicent. It was a plausible idea.”
“No sane person could think that. Whatever made you come up with a connection like that?”
“Logic. The first item was stolen just about the time you came to Town. At two different parties, I found you in parts of the house where as a guest you shouldn’t have been—making notes on your dance card.”
She blinked. “You saw me twice?”
“The first time was the evening we met in the narrow hallway and later that week when you were in a private room in front of the fireplace.”
“You saw me in there?”
“Yes, writing on the back of your dance card, again.”
“You were watching me, hoping I would lead you to the Mad Ton Thief?”
“More or less that’s how it was, yes.”
“How could my making notes on my dance cards possibly connect me with the likes of a robber?” Millicent asked indignantly.
“I thought perhaps you were making notes of items in the house that could be easily stolen and hidden under a coat or cloak. Something that could be taken out of the house without notice.”
This was unbelievable. “Oh, my heavens! You think I’m a thief?”
“An accomplice. I thought you were giving your notes to the thief so that he could come back later and steal one of the items you listed.”
Millicent was almost speechless—almost. “That’s absolutely wretched of you. I don’t believe this. You were watching me all this time, talking to me, dancing with me, and you kissed me so passionately in that shop thinking that I was a thief. How could you have done that?” The thought mortified Millicent.
“No, I didn’t think that of you at the time I kissed you in the shop. By then, I had reasoned that you were merely making notes of names and titles and things about people so you could remember who they were next time you met them. I kissed you because I wanted to and for no other reason.”
Millicent shook her head. “This is too inconceivable. You only spent time with me because you wanted to watch me, get close to me until you discovered who I worked with.”
“Not entirely. I find you extremely attractive, Millicent. You must know that. But, I also want to find the thief and recover the raven.”
“I think it’s perfectly horrible that you thought I had something to do with that contemptible creature who is taking things that don’t belong to him.”
“It’s no more horrible than writing about people’s private lives and publishing them in the newspaper.”
“Oh but it is, sir,” she argued fervently.
“How? You seem overly indignant for a lady who writes gossip.”
“I’m not stealing anyone’s personal property.”
“No, you’re only stealing their privacy and their good names.”
Millicent opened her mouth to tell him that she was only doing it to help her father’s sister, but even though Chandler had found out who she was, he still didn’t know who Lord Truefitt was, and, for her aunt’s sake, Millicent had to keep it that way. She turned away and said nothing.
“Why do you do it?”
Keeping her back to him she said, “I have nothing more to say on the subject.”
“Is it for the money?”
That made her to turn around and face him. “No.”
“Is someone forcing you to do this?”
“Of course not.” She walked away from him and closer to the settee, but unfortunately he followed her. She glanced toward the door. How long did it take Glenda to ask Mrs. Brown to speak to the cook about a pot of tea?
“Tell me why?”
Millicent wanted to tell him the truth and include the fact she didn’t find any satisfaction in what she was doing, but she dared not. She was caught, not her aunt. Millicent couldn’t let him know that her aunt was really Lord Truefitt. She came to help her aunt keep her employment, not expose her and force her to lose it.
“My reasons are of no concern to you and I won’t share them with you.”
“I suppose that the Heathecoutes and Lady Beatrice are not aware of what you are doing.”