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“That…that…” Of course with his swollen beak, it came out more like “Dad…dad…” making Caroline work to suppress an utterly inappropriate grin. His last word, however, came out quite clearly, and wiped any trace of a smile from Caroline’s countenance. “Hussy!”
    Caroline bristled, though she should have expected him to blame her. They always did. Never mind that she’d never once given any of her employers the least bit of encouragement in a romantic direction.
    “It seems Mr. Wemberly has slipped and fallen into the console table,” Caroline said evenly. “I’m sure he isn’t seriously injured.”
    “ Miss Bristol!” Mrs. Wemberly quivered in outrage as her husband roared his denial. “Do you care to explain this utterly unacceptable behavior?”
    Caroline sighed and shook her head. “Not at all. My conscience is completely clear. It is certainly no fault of mine that Mr. Wemberly has consumed far too much brandy and fancies himself irresistible. I shall pack my things and be gone at once.”
    “Levenger, summon the constables immediately.” Mrs. Wemberly spun and addressed the butler. “Please have two footmen restrain this…this…creature, in the meanwhile.”
    “I don’t think you wish to do that, Mrs. Wemberly.” Caroline kept her tone soft and almost pleasant. “Not unless you want me to take out an advertisement in the Times , detailing the times and places Mr. Wemberly has accepted money in exchange for revealing confidential information about his banking clients. The list is safely in the hands of a dear friend of mine, and she has instructions to publish it if anything happens to me.” Calling the head of the ladies’ book club a dear friend was a bit of an exaggeration, but the other woman had agreed to take out the advertisement if Caroline turned up missing.
    Wemberly narrowed his beady, watery blue eyes and glared. “You know nothing, you worthless tramp.” Again, it was more like nudding and dramb , but Caroline registered both the challenge and the insult with the lift of one eyebrow.
    “Don’t I? November fifth, at Lady Joseph’s piano recital. You gave Baron Rotherton the names of four companies in precarious financial circumstances. He handed you a large bundle of banknotes in exchange for the list. The baron subsequently managed to obtain controlling interest in each of them and was able to merge them into one rather more successful enterprise. Really, sir, if you’re going to betray your employers, you should be more careful not to be overheard. There are six other incidents on the list. All will be able to be verified, should they come to light.”
    After her first employer had nearly raped her, then had her hauled off in chains when his wife had come upon them, Caroline had learned both to defend herself physically, and to make sure she had sufficient leverage to be certain she’d never be arrested for defending herself again.
    Mrs. Wemberly swooned, and was neatly caught by Levenger, who handed her off to a footman to be taken up to her room. Levenger and Mrs. Dennis remained, both maintaining utterly stoic facades.
    “Whad do you wand?” Wemberly snarled.
    “Only what I’m owed,” Caroline said with quiet determination. “I’ll take this quarter’s wages in cash, if you please. I’d like a hackney summoned to take me to a respectable hotel as soon as my bags are packed. I do not expect a reference, but I also insist that none of this is ever discussed publicly. If anyone asks why I am no longer in your employ, the answer is to be the same one I shall use. We simply ceased to suit one another.”
    She cast a stern eye at the housekeeper and butler. “That includes the staff, if you please.”
    Levenger tipped his head in a civil nod. The butler was a reasonable sort, even if he did feel he owed his loyalty to his employer rather than to Caroline as the aggrieved party. “Of course. Mrs. Dennis, if you will send a maid and footman to Miss