Thick As Thieves by Joan Smith

evening, ladies." He made an exquisite bow, and left.
    "I think you have lost your wits, entertaining a gentleman alone at such an hour!" Hennie exclaimed.
    "And who, may I inquire, was playing propriety with you and Lord Brockley until one-thirty in the morning?"
    "I am an old lady, well past such things."
    "What things, Hennie?" I teased. "Mr. Dalton came to pick up my jewelry for safekeeping."
    "So he says. We don't know a thing about the fellow but what he chooses to tell us. You may never see those things again, or like Mrs. Minton's ring, they will come back wearing glass stones."
    I felt a perfect fool. I had been so worried what Mr. Dalton's opinion of me that I never gave a thought to my opinion of him.
    "What was he doing loitering outside of Parker's shop in the first place?" she continued. "Who is to say he was not waiting for a quiet minute to slip in and sell his stolen wares? Remember how sly he was about pretending he could not find the emerald ring? There are strange kinks in that lad."
    "Don't be ridiculous. He is top of the trees."
    "Aye, but who is he? He does not have a handle to his name, does he?"
    "I fear Lord Brockley's handle has gone to your simple head. I am going to bed now, Hennie. I suggest you remove your rouge and do the same. And the next time I invite a gentleman into this house, I would prefer if you not insult him." I rose, bristling with dignity, to hide my concern. "Did you lose your ten pounds?" I asked.
    "Yes, and I am glad I did. It has cured me of gambling. Ten pounds whistled down the wind inside of thirty minutes. Let it be a lesson to us. A fool and her money ..."
    "I am going to visit the modiste with Lady Filmore tomorrow morning. You are welcome to come with us, if you wish."
    "I shall be driving out with Lord Brockley," she announced, and poured herself a glass of wine.
    Hennie never had wine before going to bed. Had I perverted her, as well as myself, with this hankering for society?
    I took my worries upstairs with me. I thought of my box of jewels, handed over to Mr. Dalton without so much as a receipt. I went to the side window to see if I could spot the man he said he had guarding my house. There was not a sign of him. I looked at Dalton's house. Only the rear of it was visible behind an old yew hedge.
    There were lights on in one room. Was he even now prying out the diamonds and rubies and sapphires? Weighing my pearls, which had so entranced him. Planning how he would replace them with fish paste. Well, he could not achieve it in one night, and tomorrow I would certainly demand the whole collection back. I was a fool to have trusted a stranger, and one whose behavior, when exposed to the clear light of reason, was questionable on many points.
    Who was to say Dalton was not Tom himself, running a new rig since society must have taken precautions against him by now? He had no shortage of money, nor had he ever mentioned how he came by his fortune. I was easy pickings for him—a greenhead with a large fortune, and no family or close friends to guide her. He knew exactly how I was situated, too. Foster was familiar with my background, and he had access to Foster.
    Between my worries and the surf pounding, I really did not need the pair of amorous felines who took to caterwauling outside my window that night. They were at it till all hours, uttering the most unabashed sounds, as they wallowed in animal ecstacy. At three o'clock I opened the window and threw my silver evening slippers at them. There was one louder meow than before, then a rustle of grass and finally blessed silence. Except, of course, for the demmed surf pounding. A wind had arisen, and trees took to whipping around.
    I saw by a streak of lightning that the clock said three-fifteen; then I put my head under the pillow and finally slept.
     

Chapter Nine

 
    My sleepless night left me cranky and hagridden. Hennie, on the other hand, had rejuvenated to girlhood. When she asked if she might borrow one of my