Lady Regina narrowed her eyes. “Do I know you?”
“No.” Lady Regina gestured with the poker. “Now stand back.”
The girl studied her closely. “You look very much like Emma—Lady Carpenter, that is.”
“Obviously, I‟m not.” Who was this Emma person?
“No.” Miss Harrington shook her head. “Your hair is much darker. The light in here is weak but you do bear a striking—”
“As much as I hate to interrupt you, I must be on my way.” Gabriella clenched her teeth. She didn‟t have much time before the rest of the household finally responded to the young woman‟s calls. It was something of a miracle no one had come yet. “I am going to break this window, so I suggest you stand back.”
“I cannot allow you to do that!”
“You cannot stop me.” Gabriella turned away from the girl, aimed the poker, and drew it back.
“But I can.” A familiar male voice rang through the room. “Drop the poker! Now!”
Gabriella sucked in a hard breath. This was it, then. Even if she broke the window, she would never be able to climb through it before he grabbed her. She released the poker and let it clatter to the floor, then turned to meet Nathanial Harrington‟s gaze.
He gasped. “You!”
Gabriella resisted the urge to drop a sarcastic curtsy. “We meet again, Mr. Harrington.”
“And again in the library.” He had taken the broadsword from his sister, and for a fraction of a second she saw him as a knight of old. Strong and powerful and menacing. And for an even
briefer moment, regretted that he was her enemy. He studied her through narrowed eyes. “How very interesting.”
“Where have you been?” his sister snapped. “Why didn‟t you come when I called? I could have been murdered, assaulted, kidnapped!”
“I‟m very dangerous, you know.” Gabriella stared at him with a bravado she didn‟t quite feel.
“Oh, I am well aware of that,” he said coolly. He addressed his words to his sister, but his gaze remained on Gabriella. “One of the servants thought he saw someone on the grounds. Quint and I went with him to look but he was mistaken. We found no one.”
Gabriella fought to keep relief from showing on her face. At least Xerxes was safe. At once her confidence returned. She could take care of herself, she always had. She smiled in a pleasant manner. “I assure you, I am quite alone.”
Harrington raised a brow. “Forgive me if I find anything you say to be less than trustworthy under the circumstances.”
“I say, what is going on here?” Quinton Harrington stepped into the room, followed closely by a woman Gabriella recognized as his mother, the Countess of Wyldewood, and his older brother, the earl.
“What is all the commotion about?” Lady Wyldewood asked. She and the earl were both dressed in nightclothes and had obviously just awakened. “And who is this?”
“That‟s the question, isn‟t it?” The earl stepped forward to stand beside his brothers. Even in a dressing gown and with his hair disheveled, there was an air of command about him. “Who are you and what are you doing in my library?”
Under other circumstances, Gabriella might have found the three Harrington brothers—all
sharing a similarity of height and build, and all undeniably handsome and dashing—to be an enticing display of the best of British manhood. If only two of them weren‟t the scoundrels she knew them to be.
“She‟s a thief and I caught her.” Regina smirked, and nodded at Nathanial. “And he knows her.”
“All I know,” Nathanial said slowly, his gaze locked with Gabriella‟s, “is that I have never kissed her in the moonlight.”
“Pity.” A half smile curved Quinton Harrington‟s lips, and his gaze traveled over Gabriella in a most improper manner. She‟d never especially considered how revealing men‟s clothes were
before, but now had the uneasy feeling he was seeing her without benefit of any clothing at all. “I would have.”
“Quinton,” his mother said sharply. “This is not the time for your nonsense. And do light some additional lamps so that we may see her properly.”
“I saw her rather well,” Quinton said under his breath, and proceeded to comply with his
mother‟s request.
“Now, then,” the earl began. “Who are you and what are you doing here?”
Gabriella hesitated. Apparently her courage wasn‟t entirely up to this task, after all. She squared her shoulders and met the earl‟s gaze firmly. “I am here to find proof that your brothers stole an artifact of no little significance from my brother. That theft ultimately led to his death.” She drew a deep breath. “My name is Gabriella Montini.”
Nathanial stared. “That‟s why you look so familiar. You bear a striking resemblance to your brother.”
“Don‟t be absurd.” Quinton snorted. “She doesn‟t look the least bit like Enrico Montini. He was a good twenty years older and considerably darker in coloring than she.”
“Montini,” Lady Wyldewood murmured, more to herself than the others, the oddest look on her face.
“Not that brother.” Nathanial waved off Quinton‟s comment. “The brother who confronted me in Egypt.”
Good Lord, he still didn‟t realize she was the brother who had confronted him. Gabriella sent a silent prayer of gratitude heavenward. “The brother you lied to and sent on a wild goose chase to Turkey?”
“You what?” The earl glared at his younger brother.
“I was protecting my brother,” Nathanial said sharply.
Quinton shrugged. “Not necessary but appreciated nonetheless.”
“Regardless, she looks exactly like that brother,” Nathanial said. “Are you twins?”
“We are…like one,” Gabriella said, ignoring a twinge of conscience. It wasn‟t exactly a lie but it certainly wasn‟t the truth.
Regina glanced toward her mother. “I thought she looked remarkably like Lady Carpenter.”
“Yes, of course,” the older woman said thoughtfully.
“I fear, Miss Montini,” the earl said in the cool tone of someone used to being obeyed without question, “that I require a more detailed explanation for your presence here tonight. Unless you would prefer that I send for the authorities.”
“You can‟t have her arrested,” Nathanial said without warning.
Surprise widened Gabriella‟s eyes. “Why not?”
The earl stared at his brother. “Why not indeed?”
“She has a legitimate complaint. Not with us,” Nathanial added quickly. “We did not take the seal. But someone did and has caused her irreparable harm. It doesn‟t seem quite right to have her arrested.”
Regina scoffed. “She did break into the house.”
“Frankly, my lord, I would prefer to avoid arrest,” Gabriella added.
“What seal?” Impatience rang in the earl‟s voice. “I want to know what this is all about, and then I shall decide what should be done with her.” He turned to Gabriella. “Miss Montini, if you will.”
She nodded, then paused to gather her thoughts. “My brother, Enrico, spent his life engaged in the same sort of work as your brothers. The study of archeology and the search for the lost treasures of the ancients.”
“Is this going to be a long story?” Regina said under her breath.
“Perhaps it would be best if we adjourned to the parlor, where we could all be seated.” Lady Wyldewood smiled at Gabriella. “I find my mind works much better at this time of night if I am not shifting from foot to foot.”
“Yes, of course,” Gabriella murmured.
Within a few minutes they were all seated in a large parlor, somewhat extravagant but tastefully furnished. A hastily dressed servant the earl addressed as Andrews, who Gabriella assumed was a butler, appeared with brandy. Lady Wyldewood and her daughter settled on one sofa, Gabriella sat on another. The earl and Nathanial each took a chair. Quinton remained standing, leaning idly against the mantel piece.
Once everyone was served, the earl glanced at Gabriella. “Miss Montini, if you will continue.”
“Very well.” She thought for a moment. “My brother found an ancient Akkadian seal, made of greenstone I believe. This sort of seal is cylindrical in shape. It‟s incised with symbols. They were quite common in the ancient world. When rolled across wet clay, the carving produces an impression. It can be a message or a story or have religious significance.”
The earl nodded. “I am familiar with them. My father had a collection. It‟s in a case here somewhere.”
“The seal Enrico found made a reference to the Virgin‟s Secret, and had a symbol carved in it for the lost city of Ambropia,” Gabriella continued. “While it‟s been mentioned in the writing of the ancient Greeks, there has never been solid evidence of its existence. The very name means
„immortal place,‟ and even that is a Greek interpretation of a far older name that has since been lost. It has long been thought to be nothing more than a legend or a myth.”
“As much as Troy or Atlantis or Shandihar have been or still are believed to be nothing more than stories,” Nathanial said.
“But Enrico believed his seal went beyond merely being the oldest discovered written reference to Ambropia.” She leaned forward and addressed the earl. “He thought it was one of a set of seals that together would reveal the location of the city itself.”
“The Virgin‟s Secret,” Nathanial said softly.
Lady Wyldewood raised a brow.
“The city was said to be under the protection of an ancient virgin goddess,” Nathanial explained.
“Her name too has been lost.” He shrugged. “Until now, it‟s only been a story.”
“That is a find,” the earl murmured.
“Is there a great deal of treasure in this city?” Lady Regina asked.
“The treasure, dear sister, is in the knowledge of history to be obtained,” Nathanial said firmly.
Gabriella stared. Was it possible that she had misjudged him?
“Although gold and jewels and items that will fetch small fortunes are always nice.” Quinton grinned and sipped his brandy.
Obviously she had not misjudged that brother.
“Go on, Miss Montini,” Lady Wyldewood said.
“When Enrico went to present the seal to the Antiquities Society,” Gabriella said, and took a bracing sip of her brandy, “he discovered it had been stolen and a seal of no great significance substituted.” She paused. “It was most distressing.”
The earl nodded. “I can well imagine.”
“From what I heard of the story,” Quinton said, “Montini became somewhat enraged. Made all sort of wild charges and accusations.” He shook his head and looked at Gabriella. “The members of the Verification Committee do not take that sort of thing well.”
“No, they don‟t.” She blew a long breath. “His behavior, coupled with the fact that the seal in his possession was not as he had claimed…well, his reputation was shattered. He became
determined to find whoever had taken the seal and recover it.”
She got to her feet and paced the floor, absently wringing her hands. “That was over a year ago.
Enrico left London for Egypt, Turkey, Persia, wherever those few he had told about the seal might be found.”
“Including my brothers?” the earl asked.
“Yes, among a handful of others. His letters grew…” She hesitated. Was it disloyal to reveal just how odd Enrico‟s letters had become? Or, at this point, was it necessary? Perhaps it no longer mattered. “They became less and less rational. His search consumed him. Then six months ago I learned he had died.”
“Do you suspect foul play?” the earl asked.
“I was told he died of a fever, but yes, I suspect everything,” Gabriella said simply. “I have become a most suspicious person.” She resumed her seat. “Now, it is up to me to recover the seal and restore my brother‟s reputation.”
Regina scoffed. “But you‟re a woman.”
“Regardless,” Lady Wyldewood said, “I suspect Miss Montini is up to the task.”
Gabriella‟s gaze met the older woman‟s. “It is my responsibility.”
“I see,” the earl said thoughtfully, then glanced at Nathanial.
“I can assure you, I have stolen nothing.” Sincerity rang in Nathanial‟s voice. Even so, it was her experience that the very best liars were those who sounded sincere.
The earl‟s gaze, along with that of everyone else in the room, shifted to Quinton.
“Why are you all staring at me? I did not steal Montini‟s seal. I haven‟t stolen anything.”
Quinton sipped his drink, then added in a low voice, “Recently.”
“Sterling.” Lady Wyldewood turned to her oldest son. “Can‟t you do something about this?
You‟re on the board of the Antiquities Society.”
The earl shook his head. “It‟s little more than an honorary position, Mother. And only because Father held it before me. Were it not for the significant funding we provide, as well as the possibility of funding in the future, my welcome on the board would be limited.”
“Well, we should do something to help her,” Lady Wyldewood said firmly.
Gabriella drew her brows together. “Why?”
Nathanial studied her. “Yes, Mother, why?”
“It seems to me that until this situation is resolved, and the reputation of Miss Montini‟s brother restored, it hangs over all our heads. The longer Miss Montini continues her efforts, the more likely it is that her brother‟s suspicions as to the possible identity of the thief or thieves will become common knowledge. The Antiquities Society would not look kindly upon that.” Lady
Wyldewood met Nathanial‟s gaze. “While you are not dependent upon the society for funding, you do need to remain in its good graces for reasons of credibility. Your own reputations are at stake.” She shifted her gaze to Quinton. “And yours has never been entirely spotless.”
Quinton shrugged.
“Aside from the especially unwise decision to try to find information in our house in the middle of the night—”
Unexpected heat washed up Gabriella‟s face.
“—and being discovered—”
“Not part of the plan,” Gabriella said quickly.
Lady Wyldewood pinned her with a firm gaze. “And yet it may well work to your advantage.”
She addressed the others. “As I was saying, Miss Montini strikes me as an intelligent young woman. If I were her, I would use a weapon I don‟t believe she realizes she has to ensure our assistance.”
The earl‟s brow furrowed. “What weapon, Mother?”
“If it were to become publicly known that two of the members of this family are suspected of thievery, it would bring scandal down upon us all.” Lady Wyldewood shook her head. “It is in our best interest to resolve this quickly. Even a hint of something like this would have a devastating effect.”