“If he still has it. What if you find nothing?”
That would be rather problematic. “Father seemed to believe Lavisham still had the brooch when he assigned me this task. So do I.”
That sounded brave. I’m not sure at all.
“You are risking a great deal, Josephine. If you are caught breaking into Lavisham’s home, you’ll become a pariah, no matter that your brother is a duke. And I,” Willa said dramatically, “will be sent off to live with Aunt Priscilla to spend my days smelling of camphor. I don’t even know how to tat lace,” her voice raised an octave.
“You need to stop saying that.” Josephine waved a hand. “No one will even guess that you’ve accompanied me. Even if Lavisham is in residence, which Iassure youhe is not, the duke would be unlikely to notice me roaming about his home. I told you, I’m stealthy. Like a spy.”
“Josephine, you are not. You are the furthest from stealthy.”
“I am. I’ve been practicing. I’m entirely capable of stealing the brooch.”
“Oh, good grief. We are doomed.”
“Willa, I cannot be the only Harrington daughter who must do without her inheritance. Father set this task before me, and there must be a reason.”
Father must have been deep in his cups to wager Grandmama’s brooch, which he’d considered an heirloom, though no one else in the Harrington family seemed to. Probably mortified to have lost it to Lavisham. Thus, Josephine must regain the family honor.
“I don’t think he intended that you shouldrobLavisham of the brooch.”
“We don’t know what my father intended. Possibly he didn’t care for Lavisham. Our acquaintance has been brief but I think the duke unpleasant.”
“You’ve never spoken.”
“He’s scowled at me and appeared somewhat menacing. Now,” Josephine said as the hack neared their destination. “I will sneak in through the gardens?—”
“Stop. Have you given any thought to where the brooch might be, if, of course, he still has it.” When Josephine didn’t answer immediately, Willa said. “It is a valid question.”
“In a box with his markers and other winnings. I’ve already said as much,” Josephine said in exasperation.
“Yes, butwhereis this box? You can’t possibly mean to search the entirety of Lavisham’s home in a few hours.”
“I don’t need that much time. I would imagine that Lavisham keeps his winnings in his study, which is at the back of the house, facing the gardens.”
“How do you know that?” Willa said.
“I told you, I am observant.”
Part of the bawdy tale Wilkes had related about Lavisham was that he had unintentionally interrupted the duke with a female companion in his study, in the middle of the afternoon. He’d been so startled, Wilkes had gone to the window to stare at the roses in the duke’s garden until Lavisham’s companion departed. Thus, the study faced the garden.
“But—there might be staff about.”
“As I said, I will use stealth to avoid the servants.”
The hack rolled to a stop a short distance from Lavisham’s home. “Here.” Josephine rapped on the roof of the hack to stop the driver.
After she and Willa hopped out of the hack, Josephine pointed to a spot down the street. The moon was out, and there was just enough light for them to navigate safely, so there wasno point to lighting the small lantern she carried. Once the hack disappeared, she took Willa’s hand and pulled her around the corner to the tall hedge surrounding the duke’s property.
“You’ll hide just there.” She pointed to an especially large bush set along a long wall of stone. “Wave the lantern if anyone comes this way. Obviously, light it first.”
The upper half of the garden wall was comprised of wrought iron, topped with small spikes, which gave Josephine pause.
Splendid. How did I miss that while observing his home?
“How will that help?” Willa whispered. “Waving about the lantern?”
“I’ll be watching the windows for a flash of light which is your signal for me to retreat. Just be sure and wave the lantern high enough.”
