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."
"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, m1ord?"
"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 Fo -rbidden Rings had circulated wildly through the community'of shops and collectors who specialized in antiquities. The excitement
W i t h T h i s R i n g
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 tattered woolen scarf away from the bodice of her faded gown. The front of the dress did not quite cover her painted nipples.
"Care to sample the wares, m1ord? I'm a bit younger than those old relics in Sibson's shop. And a good bit livelier too, I'll wager."
She was young, though not as young as some. They aged quickly on the streets, Leo thought. "No, thank you." He took a few coins out of his pocket and dropped them into her hand as he made to walk past her doorway. "Go get yourself something to eat."
She glanced at the coins, briefly baffled. Then her fingers closed convulsively around the money. She searched his face. "Are ye certain ye won't have a quick toss? No need to use the doorway. I've got me own room upstairs."
"I'm rather pressed for time at the moment."
"Pity." She. gave him a hopeful look. "Maybe another day?"
"I don't believe that will be possible," he said gently. "Oh." She sighed with disappointment but she did not look surprised. "Expect yer accustomed to the fancier sort, eh?"
"As I said, I'm in a hurry. Good day to you, madam." Leo started to move past her.
A m a n d a
His politeness made her giggle. The youthful laughter reminded him of how young she was. "Such a gentleman ye are, sir. Not like the other gentry coves what came to Cunning Lane to visit Sibson's shop. Most of 'em look at me as if I was a pile o'rubbish in the doorway, they do."
Leo stopped. He turned slowly back to look at her. "Do you work in this doorway every day?"
"Every day for the past three years." She brightened. "But I won't be here forever. I'm savin'me money. Tom over there at the Drunken Cat wants to retire. He says he'll sell
"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, m1ord?"
"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 Fo -rbidden Rings had circulated wildly through the community'of shops and collectors who specialized in antiquities. The excitement
W i t h T h i s R i n g
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 tattered woolen scarf away from the bodice of her faded gown. The front of the dress did not quite cover her painted nipples.
"Care to sample the wares, m1ord? I'm a bit younger than those old relics in Sibson's shop. And a good bit livelier too, I'll wager."
She was young, though not as young as some. They aged quickly on the streets, Leo thought. "No, thank you." He took a few coins out of his pocket and dropped them into her hand as he made to walk past her doorway. "Go get yourself something to eat."
She glanced at the coins, briefly baffled. Then her fingers closed convulsively around the money. She searched his face. "Are ye certain ye won't have a quick toss? No need to use the doorway. I've got me own room upstairs."
"I'm rather pressed for time at the moment."
"Pity." She. gave him a hopeful look. "Maybe another day?"
"I don't believe that will be possible," he said gently. "Oh." She sighed with disappointment but she did not look surprised. "Expect yer accustomed to the fancier sort, eh?"
"As I said, I'm in a hurry. Good day to you, madam." Leo started to move past her.
A m a n d a
His politeness made her giggle. The youthful laughter reminded him of how young she was. "Such a gentleman ye are, sir. Not like the other gentry coves what came to Cunning Lane to visit Sibson's shop. Most of 'em look at me as if I was a pile o'rubbish in the doorway, they do."
Leo stopped. He turned slowly back to look at her. "Do you work in this doorway every day?"
"Every day for the past three years." She brightened. "But I won't be here forever. I'm savin'me money. Tom over there at the Drunken Cat wants to retire. He says he'll sell
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