10. 8 September, 1826

Derek paced the drawing room in his Grosvenor Square townhouse, stopping every few laps to touch the pillow covered with a red floral print which looked sadly out of place in his austere abode when he was in town. His neat townhouse on Grosvenor Square was decorated in browns and creams. The cheerful floral print looked as if it held secrets he didn"t want guests in his sitting room to guess at.

He walked to the chair where he"d settled his guilty stolen pillow, picked it up, and shamelessly inhaled the remaining scent of his housekeeper. The kidnapped pillow had recently graced her cozy little parlor, and he prayed to God she wouldn"t notice the poor thing was missing. Her special scent evinced a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, and something else suspiciously smelling of fresh bread. The final scent overlaying the mix was a little like rain and fresh grass.

If he"d had to explain to any sane person why he"d taken the pillow, he was certain he"d be seen as a simpleton of the first order. After perusing the pillow for a few more seconds he realized the perfect place for the poor thing. His bedchamber. He swept the drawing room with a furtive look, fearing a servant might see him walk up the finely polished staircase to his upper floor chambers...with a bright patterned pillow tucked beneath his arm.

When he stealthily opened the door to his bedchamber sitting room, he nearly jumped in fright. His valet, Bharat, poked his head around the dressing room door where he"d been polishing boots. He took one look at Derek and then his gaze slid to the bright-colored cushion. "Are we redecorating, sir?" He tinged the question with the just the right amount of sincerity, but Derek knew. He"d been caught out.

He and Bharat had been together through too much to prevaricate. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I stole this from my housekeeper."

Bharat smiled. "Mrs. Collins, I presume?"

He nodded and could not for the life of him think of anything plausible to say to explain the pillow to his valet, so chose to remain silent.

Bharat said, "A great choice in a pillow to steal. Your Grosvenor Street housekeeper has exquisite taste." With that, the man returned to his polishing, and Derek tossed the telltale pillow onto the settee at the foot of his bed.

9 September,1826

Framlingwood"s Grosvenor Square Townhouse

Col and Derek leaned over his library table and studied the latest warning from the blackmailer. This time the man had escalated the warning:

Time"s up - Silence is golden and worth a great deal. Otherwise, fair faces will darken again. Directions in today"sTimes notices, etc.

Derek"s hands turned cold, and he had to sit down. Col"s reaction was at the opposite end of the spectrum. "We have the bastard now--." He was positively gleeful.

"I"m glad you"re so encouraged. It"s all I can do to keep from casting up my accounts." Derek leaned over and held his head, supporting his elbows on his knees.

Col slapped him on the back. "Cheer up. All we have to do is find a copy of the Times."

"Go over and pull the bell for Bharat. We always have a copy somewhere in the library."

When Derek"s valet appeared, Col explained what they needed, and the man located the copy within minutes.

Col spread the pages out on a side table, and they immediately spotted the message in the notices section: