he will very likely kill her.”
Adam’s fine brows rose. “What of yourself, sir? You appear to want the stone as badly as Delbridge did. That makes you equally dangerous.”
“Not to Leona. I will take the stone from her because she is in serious jeopardy every moment that it is in her possession. But I will not hurt her.”
“So you say.”
“She saved my life. I have no reason to harm her. All I want is the crystal.”
Adam eased one hand into the pocket of her overcoat. “Leona told me that you were a powerful hypnotist. Do you intend to use your talent on me to force me to give you her address?”
He considered telling her that if mesmerizing her had been part of his plan, he would have been on his way to Leona’s address by now and she would be looking at photographs on the wall with no memory of the conversation. But, willingly or not, Adam had helped save his life last night. She deserved better, a reassuring lie at the very least.
“Calm yourself,” he said. “I can see that you do not know a great deal about hypnotism. Allow me to assure you that no hypnotist, regardless of his powers, can put an unwilling person into a trance.”
Adam seemed to relax a bit at that, but she remained suspicious. “I would have you know that I am armed, sir.”
“I do not think you will shoot me dead here in public. It would make for a great many questions from the authorities, and something tells me that you would rather avoid that sort of close scrutiny.”
“I admit I would prefer to avoid any and all conversations with the police. However, if you do attempt to employ your powers of mesmerism on me, I will not hesitate to use my pistol. I would rather have an awkward conversation with the authorities than betray a friend.”
Thaddeus inclined his head. “I respect your sense of loyalty. But if you care about Leona you will give me her address. She is in grave danger from Delbridge.”
Adam hesitated uneasily. “Leona told me about the dead woman you found. Do you think Delbridge murdered her?”
“I do not know, but he is most certainly capable of cold-blooded murder. He has killed twice already to acquire the crystal. He will not stop now.”
“What of your own intentions? Do you want the crystal for your own collection?”
Thaddeus felt his patience start to fray. “You must believe me when I tell you that I am not looking for Leona because I want that damn rock for my personal collection of antiquities. The crystal is the rightful property of a group devoted to research and study of the paranormal. I am here as an agent for that society.”
Adam blinked, startled. “What is the name of the society you represent?”
Thaddeus hesitated and then decided there was no reason not to tell her.
“The Arcane Society. I doubt that you have heard of it.”
Adam groaned. “I should have guessed.”
Thaddeus frowned. “You know it?”
“I count the wife of the new Master of the Arcane Society as one of my friends.”
It was Thaddeus’s turn to be caught off guard. “You are acquainted with Mrs. Venetia Jones?”
“Indeed. I am a great admirer of her photographs.” Adam waved languidly at the framed pictures displayed on the walls of the gallery. “As it happens, I came here today to examine her latest portraits.”
“If you know Mrs. Jones, then you know that you can easily verify that what I am telling you is true. Will you give me Leona’s address?”
“Probably.” Adam stepped around him and started once more toward the door. “But first there is someone you must meet. He will make the final decision.”
Thaddeus fell into step beside her. “Who is this person?”
“His name is Mr. Pierce. And I suggest very strongly that you avoid employing your mesmeric talents on him. He would be most annoyed. People who annoy Mr. Pierce live to regret it.”
12
THE DAY WAS CLEAR and warm. The leaves in the tiny scrap of a park were that perfect shade of green that was the banner of early
Adam’s fine brows rose. “What of yourself, sir? You appear to want the stone as badly as Delbridge did. That makes you equally dangerous.”
“Not to Leona. I will take the stone from her because she is in serious jeopardy every moment that it is in her possession. But I will not hurt her.”
“So you say.”
“She saved my life. I have no reason to harm her. All I want is the crystal.”
Adam eased one hand into the pocket of her overcoat. “Leona told me that you were a powerful hypnotist. Do you intend to use your talent on me to force me to give you her address?”
He considered telling her that if mesmerizing her had been part of his plan, he would have been on his way to Leona’s address by now and she would be looking at photographs on the wall with no memory of the conversation. But, willingly or not, Adam had helped save his life last night. She deserved better, a reassuring lie at the very least.
“Calm yourself,” he said. “I can see that you do not know a great deal about hypnotism. Allow me to assure you that no hypnotist, regardless of his powers, can put an unwilling person into a trance.”
Adam seemed to relax a bit at that, but she remained suspicious. “I would have you know that I am armed, sir.”
“I do not think you will shoot me dead here in public. It would make for a great many questions from the authorities, and something tells me that you would rather avoid that sort of close scrutiny.”
“I admit I would prefer to avoid any and all conversations with the police. However, if you do attempt to employ your powers of mesmerism on me, I will not hesitate to use my pistol. I would rather have an awkward conversation with the authorities than betray a friend.”
Thaddeus inclined his head. “I respect your sense of loyalty. But if you care about Leona you will give me her address. She is in grave danger from Delbridge.”
Adam hesitated uneasily. “Leona told me about the dead woman you found. Do you think Delbridge murdered her?”
“I do not know, but he is most certainly capable of cold-blooded murder. He has killed twice already to acquire the crystal. He will not stop now.”
“What of your own intentions? Do you want the crystal for your own collection?”
Thaddeus felt his patience start to fray. “You must believe me when I tell you that I am not looking for Leona because I want that damn rock for my personal collection of antiquities. The crystal is the rightful property of a group devoted to research and study of the paranormal. I am here as an agent for that society.”
Adam blinked, startled. “What is the name of the society you represent?”
Thaddeus hesitated and then decided there was no reason not to tell her.
“The Arcane Society. I doubt that you have heard of it.”
Adam groaned. “I should have guessed.”
Thaddeus frowned. “You know it?”
“I count the wife of the new Master of the Arcane Society as one of my friends.”
It was Thaddeus’s turn to be caught off guard. “You are acquainted with Mrs. Venetia Jones?”
“Indeed. I am a great admirer of her photographs.” Adam waved languidly at the framed pictures displayed on the walls of the gallery. “As it happens, I came here today to examine her latest portraits.”
“If you know Mrs. Jones, then you know that you can easily verify that what I am telling you is true. Will you give me Leona’s address?”
“Probably.” Adam stepped around him and started once more toward the door. “But first there is someone you must meet. He will make the final decision.”
Thaddeus fell into step beside her. “Who is this person?”
“His name is Mr. Pierce. And I suggest very strongly that you avoid employing your mesmeric talents on him. He would be most annoyed. People who annoy Mr. Pierce live to regret it.”
12
THE DAY WAS CLEAR and warm. The leaves in the tiny scrap of a park were that perfect shade of green that was the banner of early
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