Before anyone could answer the knock, Edmund entered. The door swung open with unnecessary force, then closed just as abruptly behind him. His hair was dishevelled, his collar uneven, and his waistcoat bore a crease as though he had dressed in haste. He removed his spectacles and polished them against the edge of his coat, though his hands trembled visibly.
“Forgive the intrusion,” he said, his voice pitched low. “I must speak with you—privately.”
Marcus looked around the table. Catherine had already risen, her countenance sharpened with wary attention. Yet Marcus raised a hand, gently but decisively bidding her remain.She quickly complied, though her eyes stayed fixed upon Edmund.
“Catherine is my wife,” he said flatly. “What concerns me under this roof concerns her also.”
Edmund hesitated for a moment. Marcus silently gestured for Alexander and Rosalind to leave, which they did without remark. Only once the door closed behind them did he speak again.
“Very well,” he said. He reached inside his coat and withdrew a leather folder. He opened it with care, then passed the contents to Marcus. “This is my official identification.”
Marcus examined the papers. The seal was unmistakable, the signature equally so. Edmund watched his reaction; his mouth pressed into a thin line.
“You are not merely an academic,” Marcus said with surprise.
Edmund shook his head.
“No,” he said. “And I regret the concealment, though I trust you will permit me to explain.”
Marcus nodded.
“Go on,” he said, trying to keep the terseness out of his words.
Clearing his throat, Edmund steadied himself.
“I am seconded to an investigative branch operating under the Home Office,” he said. “For some months, I have pursued an operation that preys upon private collections of antiquities—most often those lent or exposed during scholarly gatherings.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“Criminals disguised as scholars?” he asked.
Edmund nodded solemnly.
“Some are scholars,” Edmund said quietly. “At least in appearance. Others pose as assistants or use false credentials. Their methods are precise, their objectives singular. They gain access to valuable collections, evaluate targets during scholarly review, then replace individual items with expert forgeries.”
Marcus sat down slowly.How odd that such a man should be in our midst at precisely the same time an item from my collection goes missing,he thought, not without some suspicion.
“And you believe that has—that is, that it will happen here?” he asked.
Edmund frowned.
“Has something occurred?” he asked, suddenly more passionate and attentive than Marcus had seen him yet.
Marcus glanced at Catherine. They held gazes for a moment before nodding in unison. Briefly, Marcus summarised what they knew of the missing Roman piece. Edmund listened, his expression growing graver with each word Marcus spoke.
“I regret to tell you that it fits the pattern exactly,” he said, looking from Marcus to Catherine. “Highly portable, easily replaced, and valuable enough to fetch attention on the black market. I had hoped to complete my investigation before any damage was done, but I was mistaken.”
Marcus folded his arms. Was it possible that the timing of both the investigation and the theft was a coincidence? Or had he just revealed their knowledge of the missing piece to the perpetrator after all?
“Who could it be?” he asked, almost demanding.
Edmund’s brow furrowed. He did not answer immediately.
“I cannot name suspects without further evidence,” he said. “There are many here who I believe plausible culprits. Many possess the requisite knowledge. Some present documentation of meticulous appearance, though it is ever derived at second hand. I have observed closely, but as yet nothing has proved conclusive.”
Marcus nodded as understanding struck him at last. The way Edmund watched Harold so closely and lingered nearby whenever Harold was moving about rooms must have been because he considered him a suspect. He did not want to press the man to divulge any sensitive information before due time. However, it was his home, and something had already gone missing. Did he not have the right to know?
Catherine leaned forward.
