31 Chapter 31

Supper? Entering the brightly-lit hall, Cass knew one thing. This was going an awful lot better than she'd hoped, although what she'd hoped for, she wasn't sure.

She had the phial secure in her sleeve. It would be no trouble to administer it over a quiet brandy, and then search. It was a big house and the papers could be anywhere. In the library. A bedroom. The attic. She tried to keep her gaze from wandering across the checkered floor. A damnable habit but there it was.

Of course, she'd vowed never to steal again. It wasn't just sad to be forced back on her word, when she and Ruby had taken all the trouble of plunging into the Thames and paying a fortune to all sorts of people-the undertaker, in particular, had demonstrated the greed of a sty of pigs--it was appalling. There was no if about this though. She wasn't sleeping with him.

He strode to the library door, again with that slightly uneven gait, as if there was something wrong with his leg. "The papers are in here."