Beyond Compare by Candace Camp Page B

native art or a gem or something. He sent Mother a lovely paisley shawl from India, and he sent Reed that abacus, you remember, Papa?”
    The duke nodded vaguely. “Yes. Although I wouldn’t have thought that he would have sent something so ancient. He and I had rather an argument about that the last time he was here, you know. He had become quite adamant about a country’s ancient treasures remaining in that country rather than being taken abroad for study. Of course, I am against the practice of destroying ancient sites to remove the treasures to sell. But on the other hand, one cannot simply stand by and watch those artifacts turn into rubble, can one? Inattention, lack of care, lack of money…” The duke frowned, his face reddening as he recalled the argument.
    “I am sure Theo agrees with that,” Kyria said soothingly. “He would not want to see anything bad happen to an ancient treasure. Perhaps that was the case with this one. Maybe that is why he sent it here.”
    “Sir, I don’t want to interfere here,” Rafe began,“but I can’t help remembering how that box got here. That the fellow carrying it was attacked and killed. His attacker bent over him after he stabbed him, and he didn’t run away until he saw me running at him. I can’t help but wonder if he wasn’t after that box. If maybe that box is the reason he killed him.”
    Kyria nodded worriedly. Broughton stared at Rafe, horrified. Clearly his interest in the ancient object had pushed other considerations out of his head.
    “Are you saying…do you think there is a danger of him trying to steal it?”
    “I think there could be a danger, sir, to whomever has possession of that box,” Rafe replied flatly, and his eyes went to Kyria.

5
    T he duke drew in his breath in a sharp gasp. “To Kyria? You think that this puts Kyria in danger?”
    Kyria shot Rafe an irritated look and turned to her father. “No, Papa, I am sure that I’m not in any danger. Mr. McIntyre is just raising a possibility. We have no way of knowing that that was why that man was stabbed. It could have been a private argument between them. Or he could have just been a robber in general, not after that box in particular. Perhaps he simply saw the man walking and thought he would be a vulnerable target. Isn’t that right, Mr. McIntyre?”
    Kyria turned back to Rafe with a significant look. Rafe looked back at her blandly.
    “No point in taking any chances,” he replied. “I’m just suggesting that we ought to take precautions. We don’t know exactly what that box is or how much it’s worth, or even for sure why that man was bringing it to you. But given how old you say it is and given that whopper of a diamond on it, I would say it’s something somebody might want to steal. And whoever killed the man who delivered it could have knowledge of the box, and that could have been the reason he attacked him.If so, then he knows that that thing is now inside this house. I’m not saying that he knows that Kyria has it or that he would try to harm her to get it, but I can’t help but think that this thing would be a lot safer if you locked it up in a secure place.”
    “Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right,” her father said. “You mustn’t take it to your room, Kyria. Perhaps I could lock it in my collections room. The cases all have locks, and the room itself has a very stout lock on the door.”
    “And there are bars on the windows,” Kyria added. “It gives the house a certain prisonlike appearance.”
    Rafe grinned. “I saw that the other day from the garden. I wondered if you had some mad relative locked up there.”
    “No. Only Papa,” Kyria said, linking her arm affectionately through her father’s. “I agree with you, Papa. I think it would be safest to put the box in your collections room. The diamond alone is valuable, let alone the value of the box.”
    The duke patted her arm. “Very well, my dear.” He picked up the box, saying, “I shall take this