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“What happened to Madame Fontaine’s ?” Thorpe’s voice drew her attention

“Solass”

Thorpe shuffled in the chair “Someone?”

“We were in our beds and woke to the sound of it shattering” Whilst in a dreaht it was thunder

“What time was this?”

“Around six o’clock The costerh with their barrows, and theto a house in the street A penny each bought a description of the culprit Theto himself”

“And his clothes?”

“Clean Neat Those of a gentleman”

“And what conclusion did you draw?” Thorpe sed aher intently over the rile look, theand taken the bench “Do you believe it a drunken prank?”

“I rather hope so But you would be surprised what secrets ladies tell their modiste As you know, information fro personal inforerous”

“That does not answer the question”

Daphne shrugged “The truth is I have no idea It could have been a drunken prank It could have been soown for an important client and has until tomorrow to finish it Consequently, I have not had an opportunity to question her fully on the matter”

“But you do not think it is the same person who broke into Madame Fontaine’s shop earlier this week?”

Thorpe was speaking of the theft, not of the mysterious shadow-of-a-man who followed Daphne from place to place

“Logic would suggest they are different entle “The thief entered the shop at night under a blanket of darkness He stole two of Madaentleman who smashed thedid so in front of witnesses Such erratic behaviour suggests anger, resentment, an irrational person”