"Altogether too dangerous. Crowley would have prised it out of Archie Douglas before they'd got to the first ring." Gabriel looked at Vane. "I take it Archie was sufficiently compos mentis to recognize you?"
"Definitely-he was remarkably sober, but then it was before noon."
Gabriel looked at Gerrard. "Nothing for it then-we've got to get you out of sight."
Gerrard shrugged. "I could go home to Derbyshire for a bit."
"No-too far. You have to be within reach of London and the courts. We'll need you as a witness to corroborate the details of the company's proposal to investors."
"How do you think Crowley will react?" Vane asked.
"I think," Gabriel replied, "that he'll pause and take stock. He's been in this game too long to act rashly. And he's very close to calling in his notes. I think he'll reason that Gerrard will have consulted me after the meeting-there's no reason he should suspect I knew anything about the meeting beforehand. Indeed, if Gerrard had mentioned one of Crowley's schemes to me ahead of any meeting, I would have advised against the meeting taking place. So he'll imagine I was consulted afterward, and that I've advised Gerrard against the investment. He hasn't heard from Gerrard again, and now he'll know why. He's so close to getting his hands on a small fortune, he'll be very hesitant over unnecessarily rocking his boat. I don't think he'll come searching for Gerrard yet, but I do think he will, and with a vengeance, the instant he hears there's a petition lodged against the company."
"How dangerous is he?"
Gabriel met Vane's gaze. "He'll kill without a qualm." Vane's brows rose. Gabriel continued, "The information I've received suggests he's plowed every last penny into this venture-if the company's notes fail, he'll be ruined. And he'll likely have some rather unsavory and irate creditors after him, too. Basically, I'd rate Crowley as more dangerous than a rabid rat cornered."
"Hmm." Vane's gaze shifted to his wife, chatting animatedly with Alathea three feet away. "I'm concerned about Patience. She seems rather pale, don't you think?"
Gabriel considered the bloom of health blushing Patience's fair cheeks. "Definitely peaked."
"A short sojourn in Kent would be just the thing to restore her. Fresh air, sunshine-"
"Scores of your workers in the fields surrounding the manor. Just what the doctor ordered." Gabriel swung to Gerrard, who had listened in silence. "Of course, as a dutiful brother, you'll accompany your sister into the country."
Gerrard grinned. "Whatever you say-I can sketch there as well as here."
Vane gestured to Patience and Alathea. "Shall we break the news?"
Ten minutes later, Gabriel and Alathea stepped once more into the crowd. Alathea smiled. "That was very thoughtful of Vane to be so concerned over Patience, even if there is no need. She's perfectly well."
"Yes, well, husbands have to do what husbands have to do, especially when they're Cynsters." Gabriel glanced at her. "Did you learn anything useful?"
"We were talking abo
ut pregnancy."
"I know."
Alathea took one more step, froze, then whirled on him. "What do you-? You don't-?"
He opened his eyes wide. "Don't what?" The musicians started up. Sliding one arm about her waist, he drew her to him, into his arms, onto the floor.
Staring straight over his shoulder, Alathea drew in a tight breath. Ignoring the color burning her cheeks, she categorically stated, "I am not pregnant."
His deep sigh feathered the curls about her ear. "Ah, well, one lives in hope."
His hand moved on her back in soothing little circles. Alathea bit her lip against a sudden compulsion to blurt out the truth-that she didn't know if she was or not. She was not, definitely not, going to talk about such things with him. Especially not with him.
"You will be pregnant with my child one day-you know that, don't you?"
She shut her eyes-tried to shut her ears to the words but they kept falling, straight into her mind, her heart, her empty, yearning soul.
"You love children-you want children of your own. I'll give you as many as you like."
They circled, neither paying any attention to the dance, moving to a tune heard on a different plane.
"You want to have my child-I want that, too. It'll happen one day, Thea-trust me, it will."