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Chapter Four

    Victoria walked to Sophie’s house hoping her friend could give her a little advice. After spending most of the night brooding over her meeting with Lord Somerton, Victoria prayed Sophie would tell her everything would be all right. Perhaps Sophie could use her skills as a medium to let her know Somerton wasn’t the man from her past.
    Although, Victoria was beginning to think he was the man.
    “Good afternoon, Miss Seaton,” Sophie’s butler said as he opened the door for her.
    “Good afternoon, Hendricks. Is Miss Reynard home?”
    “I believe she has a caller, but let me see if she would like you to wait.”
    “Thank you.” Victoria sat in the velvet-padded chair in the hall.
    Hendricks returned quickly with a smile. “She asked you to wait in the salon.”
    As she started up the stairs to the salon, she heard a commotion from the back corridor. Loud footsteps stomped forward. She backed herself against the wall as if to disappear.
    “Anthony, wait,” Sophie called to the man.
    Victoria watched as Lord Somerton halted and turned toward Sophie. Anthony…Tony? Her breath caught. Oh, dear Lord, it must be him.
    “I have nothing to wait for except more lies from you.”
    “I told you the truth yesterday. She was there,” Sophie said.
    “Sophie, if you know her name then you can tell me if she is in service to the Selbys or not.”
    Sophie sighed. “No, she is not.”
    Somerton grimaced. “Then it is as I thought.”
    “What will you do?”
    “I do not have any ideas just yet. But friend or not, she will pay for what she did.”
    Sophie straightened. “Just as you shall pay for what you did.”
    “Fair enough.” Somerton walked toward the door. Hendricks opened the door, and Somerton started out. He turned as if to say one last thing to Sophie when he caught sight of her.
    Sophie glanced up and noticed her standing on the staircase. Her eyes rounded in surprise.
    He started to step back into the house, but Sophie was there with a hand to his chest.
    “Sophie,” he said in a low voice.
    “Not now. You know nothing yet, and you know better than to make assumptions.”
    “Good afternoon, Miss Seaton.” He stared up at her with cold eyes.
    “Good afternoon, Lord Somerton.” Fear made her tremble. He knew nothing, she told herself again. If he knew she’d taken the necklace, he would say or do something.
    “Have a pleasant afternoon, Miss Seaton. Be warned, I hear the evening may turn nasty.” He turned and left without another word.
    Victoria wondered about his words. His ominous tone sent a trickle of apprehension through her. Did he suspect she was the thief?
    Sophie walked quickly to her. “I had no idea you were there, Victoria.”
    “I am sorry. I didn’t mean to overhear you. I didn’t know you knew Lord Somerton. Is he a client?”
    Sophie had become quite the thing as a matchmaker among the ton . Perhaps Somerton was looking for a wife.
    “No, he is not a client,” Sophie replied flatly. “We met many years ago.”
    Victoria walked into the salon expecting Sophie would continue, but she did not.
    “Now, what brings you here today?” Sophie asked as she sat in the brocade wingback chair.
    “I need some assistance,” Victoria started slowly. She had to know if the handsome man making veiled threats was whom she thought he was. “There is a man in my past.”
    “And he wasn’t exactly a gentleman, was he?”
    Victoria frowned and looked over at her friend. How much could Sophie know about this? “No, he was a gentleman but did not act as such. I fear he may be returning to my life, and I was hoping you might tell me if that is true.”
    Sophie bit down on her lower lip. She reached over and clasped Victoria’s hand. “Yes, it is true. I think in your heart, you already knew this, didn’t you.”
    Victoria trembled again. “Does he know who I am? Do you? ”
    Sophie nodded. “I know you are not Victoria Seaton.”
    Victoria slapped her hand over her