my humble establishment a visit. I've got some
lovely things in the back."
"I won't have time to view your wares today. I'm here on other business."
Sibson sidled forward into the light. Cadaver-thin and sharp-boned, he seemed to be constantly in
motion. Everything about him twitched or jerked or bounced.
"May I ask what brings you here today, m'lord?"
"I am in search of information. And, as always, I am willing to pay well for it."
"What kind of information?"
"There is a rumor that certain antiquities have made their way to London. I wish to determine the truth of
that gossip."
"What antiquities would those be, sir?"
"A pair of Rings," Leo said softly. "Keys to an old statue of Aphrodite."
Sibson's eyes widened suddenly. His brows jiggled. "There are always a number of Aphrodites and
Venuses floating about but, as it happens, I haven't got any in stock at the moment."
"This particular statue is rather unusual. It is said to contain a fabulous treasure."
Sibson made peculiar sucking sounds. "I know of no such statue, m’lord."
"It is sometimes referred to as the alchemist's Aphrodite." "Oh, that Aphrodite." Sibson snorted
scornfully. "'Tis naught but an old legend. You of all people should know that, m’lord."
"Come, Sibson. You are well acquainted with me after all these years. You know that I can be very
generous."
"I told you, I do not know of any statue that has a treasure stored inside." Sibson's scowl was petulant.
"What about the Rings? The keys to the Aphrodite? I was told they may have passed through Ashwater's
shop."
"Ashwater?" Sibson jerked and bounced with sudden rage. "Ashwater? The man sells nothing but fakes
and frauds. Everyone knows that he has those vases and statues of his made in a workshop in Italy and
shipped here to England. No reputable collector deals with him. Any tale that came from his
establishment can be dismissed out of hand."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Ashwater seems to have left for the Continent for an unspecified period of time. Any notion why he
would do that?"
"Gone to check on his Italian fraud business, I suspect. See here, I know nothing about Ashwater's
journey and I know nothing of any Rings either." Sibson edged back toward the curtain. "M'Iord, I fear
you must excuse me. Very busy at the moment. A new shipment of artifacts just arrived from Greece.
Got customers waiting."
"Sibson." Sibson froze, one hand gripping the edge of the curtain. He swallowed heavily. "Yes, m’lord?"
"You will let me know immediately if you happen to learn anything concerning the Forbidden Rings, will
you not?"
"Yes, m'lord. Immediately. Now, if you will forgive me. . ." Sibson disappeared into the back room and
snapped the curtain shut behind himself.
Leo stood a moment longer in the silent shop, considering the advantages and disadvantages of pressing
Sibson. He decided to wait. Sibson's anxious behavior had told him enough for the moment. It confirmed
what he had learned in other, similar shops tucked away in London's maze of narrow lanes and alleys.
A few months earlier the rumors of the Forbidden Rings had circulated wildly through the community of
shops and collectors who specialized in antiquities. The excitement had evaporated very quickly when the
rumors came to an end at Ashwater's shop. Sibson was right in his estimation of his competitor.
Ashwater's reputation as an honest dealer left much to be desired. It was, in fact, on a par with Sibson's
own.
Both men, however, had tentacles that reached deep into the dark seas of stolen and fraudulent
antiquities. If anything stirred in the depths, they would be among the first to know it. Since Ashwater
was out of town at the moment, Leo was obliged to deal with Sibson.
He let himself out of Sibson's establishment and walked across the street. A young woman with
unnaturally red hair and heavily rouged cheeks smiled at him from a doorway. She pulled a
lovely things in the back."
"I won't have time to view your wares today. I'm here on other business."
Sibson sidled forward into the light. Cadaver-thin and sharp-boned, he seemed to be constantly in
motion. Everything about him twitched or jerked or bounced.
"May I ask what brings you here today, m'lord?"
"I am in search of information. And, as always, I am willing to pay well for it."
"What kind of information?"
"There is a rumor that certain antiquities have made their way to London. I wish to determine the truth of
that gossip."
"What antiquities would those be, sir?"
"A pair of Rings," Leo said softly. "Keys to an old statue of Aphrodite."
Sibson's eyes widened suddenly. His brows jiggled. "There are always a number of Aphrodites and
Venuses floating about but, as it happens, I haven't got any in stock at the moment."
"This particular statue is rather unusual. It is said to contain a fabulous treasure."
Sibson made peculiar sucking sounds. "I know of no such statue, m’lord."
"It is sometimes referred to as the alchemist's Aphrodite." "Oh, that Aphrodite." Sibson snorted
scornfully. "'Tis naught but an old legend. You of all people should know that, m’lord."
"Come, Sibson. You are well acquainted with me after all these years. You know that I can be very
generous."
"I told you, I do not know of any statue that has a treasure stored inside." Sibson's scowl was petulant.
"What about the Rings? The keys to the Aphrodite? I was told they may have passed through Ashwater's
shop."
"Ashwater?" Sibson jerked and bounced with sudden rage. "Ashwater? The man sells nothing but fakes
and frauds. Everyone knows that he has those vases and statues of his made in a workshop in Italy and
shipped here to England. No reputable collector deals with him. Any tale that came from his
establishment can be dismissed out of hand."
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"Ashwater seems to have left for the Continent for an unspecified period of time. Any notion why he
would do that?"
"Gone to check on his Italian fraud business, I suspect. See here, I know nothing about Ashwater's
journey and I know nothing of any Rings either." Sibson edged back toward the curtain. "M'Iord, I fear
you must excuse me. Very busy at the moment. A new shipment of artifacts just arrived from Greece.
Got customers waiting."
"Sibson." Sibson froze, one hand gripping the edge of the curtain. He swallowed heavily. "Yes, m’lord?"
"You will let me know immediately if you happen to learn anything concerning the Forbidden Rings, will
you not?"
"Yes, m'lord. Immediately. Now, if you will forgive me. . ." Sibson disappeared into the back room and
snapped the curtain shut behind himself.
Leo stood a moment longer in the silent shop, considering the advantages and disadvantages of pressing
Sibson. He decided to wait. Sibson's anxious behavior had told him enough for the moment. It confirmed
what he had learned in other, similar shops tucked away in London's maze of narrow lanes and alleys.
A few months earlier the rumors of the Forbidden Rings had circulated wildly through the community of
shops and collectors who specialized in antiquities. The excitement had evaporated very quickly when the
rumors came to an end at Ashwater's shop. Sibson was right in his estimation of his competitor.
Ashwater's reputation as an honest dealer left much to be desired. It was, in fact, on a par with Sibson's
own.
Both men, however, had tentacles that reached deep into the dark seas of stolen and fraudulent
antiquities. If anything stirred in the depths, they would be among the first to know it. Since Ashwater
was out of town at the moment, Leo was obliged to deal with Sibson.
He let himself out of Sibson's establishment and walked across the street. A young woman with
unnaturally red hair and heavily rouged cheeks smiled at him from a doorway. She pulled a
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