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He swiftly utilized the avenue provided by her curiosity "Tomorrow, I intend to take you to the Royal Academy of Art You can see for yourself how others perceive ?" She frowned Oddly, he liked that as much as her hint of a suesswork out of wondering as on her mind "I suppose that’s the best way to expose me and lure the culprit out"

"I would never use you as bait It’s et instead" He took care to fold the list neatly "Over the next several weeks, you and I will be spending a great deal of tier a threat I will become"

She watched him tuck the folded paper into a pocket of his waistcoat

"In addition," he went on, "I will need to meet with your man of affairs"

"Why?"

"So their private matters examined, discreetly or not And I must ask about your investments and Lord Melville’s activities"

Her face took on an appearance of great interest "You suspect another motivation"

"It’s a possibility Malicious intent can be incited by eance are at the top of the list You are wealthy, others are not If any of your invested, there is motive there If anyone holds ill-will toward Melville, hurting soaze "Personally, I can understand why soths to win you But to take it to the point of injury against you…I cannot wait to learn the identity of our reat relish"

Eliza did not appear to be alarrateful for your attention to the task"

"You would not accept anything less"

She stood, and he stood with her Her head tilted back to maintain eye contact "Mr Lynd and the Runner I hired both see to be treated as limpse, I suppose, of what Melville bears with terrible frequency"

"Is that one of the reasons why you resist e? For your uncle’s benefit?"

"No He’s quite capable of caring for himself, at least to the extent that he ee the aze moved to the clock on the mantel "Today I am at home to callers Will you be one of them?"

"Will it settle your ht shake "Here at hoh"

"Then I shall refrain I think it will be more effective if I’m not one of the ether, and you will be granting me your undivided attention That will establish my connection with you in a ossips Do you know of someone ill suffice?"

"I’ll see to it What do I say to those who ask about you? What reply can I give to inquiries about your people and situation?"

He breathed in her scent with a deep inhalation, one last delay before revealing a truth no one else knew "You may tell them I am the nephew of the late Lord Gresham of County Wexford, and our fao"

"Oh…"