from every disaster was quite maddening. "Give me a hand with this Apollo, please," she said. Emeline glanced doubtfully at the large nude statue Lavinia was attempting to haul across the room. "It will take up most of the space in the last trunk. Perhaps we ought to leave it behind and pack some of the vases instead." "This Apollo is worth several dozen vases." Lavinia stopped halfway across the room, breathing hard from the exertion, and changed her grip on the figure. "He's the most valuable antiquity we've got. We must take him with us." "If we put him in the trunk, we won't have room for your books," Emeline said gently. A sick sensation twisted Lavinia's insides. She stopped abruptly and looked at the shelf filled with the books of poetry she had brought with her from England. The thought of leaving them behind was almost too much to bear. "I can replace them." She took a tighter hold on the statue. "Eventually" Emeline hesitated, searching Lavinia's face. "Are you certain? I know how much they mean to you." "Apollo is more important." "Very well." Emeline stooped to grasp Apollo's lower limbs. Booted footsteps rang on the staircase. Tobias March appeared in the doorway. He glanced at the trunks and then he looked at Lavinia and Emeline. ' "You must leave now," he said. "I cannot risk allowing you to remain here even another ten minutes." Lavinia longed to hurl one of the vases at his head. "I am not leaving Apollo behind. He may be all that stands between us and life in a brothel when we return to London." Emeline made a face. "Really, Lavinia, you mustn't exaggerate so." "It's nothing short of the truth," Lavinia snapped. "Give me the bloody statue." Tobias came toward them. He hoisted the sculpture in his arms. "I'll put it into the trunk for YOU." Emeline smiled warmly. "Thank you. It is rather heavy." Lavinia gave a snort of disgust. "Don't thank him, Emeline. He is the cause of all our troubles tonight." "Always delighted to be of service," Tobias said. He wedged the statue into the trunk. "Anything else?" "Yes," Lavinia said instantly "That urn near the door. It is an exceptionally good piece."
"It will not fit into the trunk. " Tobias pripped the lid and looked at her. "You must choose between the Apollo and the urn. You cannot take both with you." She narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious. "You intend to take it for yourself, do you not? You plan to steal my urn." "I assure you, Mrs. Lake, I have no interest in that damn urn. Do you want it or the Apollo? Choose. Now." "The Apollo," she muttered. Emeline hurried forward to stuff a nightgown and some shoes in around the Apollo. "I believe we're ready, Mr. March." "Yes, indeed." Lavinia gave him a steely smile. "Quite ready. I can only hope that one of these days I shall have an opportunity to repay you for this night's work, Mr. March." He slammed the lid of the trunk. "Is that a threat, Mrs. Lake?" "Take it as you will, Sir." She seized her reticule in one hand and her traveling cloak in the other. "Come, Emeline, let us be off before Mr. March decides to bum the place down around our ears. "There is no call to be so disagreeable." Emeline picked up her own cloak and a bonnet. "Under the circumstances, I think Mr. March is behaving with admirable restraint." Tobias inclined his head. "I appreciate your support, Miss Emeline." "You must not mind Lavinia's remarks, sir," Emeline said. "Her nature is such that when she is feeling hard-pressed she is inclined to become somewhat short of temper." Tobias settled his cold-eyed gaze on Lavinia again. "I noticed." "I pray you will make allowances," Emeline continued. "In addition to all of the other difficulties tonight, we are obliged to leave her books of poetry behind. That was a very difficult decision for her. She is very fond of poetry, you see."
"Oh, for pity's sake." Lavinia swung her cloak around her shoulders and strode briskly toward the door. "I refuse to listen to any more of this ridiculous conversation.
"It will not fit into the trunk. " Tobias pripped the lid and looked at her. "You must choose between the Apollo and the urn. You cannot take both with you." She narrowed her eyes, suddenly suspicious. "You intend to take it for yourself, do you not? You plan to steal my urn." "I assure you, Mrs. Lake, I have no interest in that damn urn. Do you want it or the Apollo? Choose. Now." "The Apollo," she muttered. Emeline hurried forward to stuff a nightgown and some shoes in around the Apollo. "I believe we're ready, Mr. March." "Yes, indeed." Lavinia gave him a steely smile. "Quite ready. I can only hope that one of these days I shall have an opportunity to repay you for this night's work, Mr. March." He slammed the lid of the trunk. "Is that a threat, Mrs. Lake?" "Take it as you will, Sir." She seized her reticule in one hand and her traveling cloak in the other. "Come, Emeline, let us be off before Mr. March decides to bum the place down around our ears. "There is no call to be so disagreeable." Emeline picked up her own cloak and a bonnet. "Under the circumstances, I think Mr. March is behaving with admirable restraint." Tobias inclined his head. "I appreciate your support, Miss Emeline." "You must not mind Lavinia's remarks, sir," Emeline said. "Her nature is such that when she is feeling hard-pressed she is inclined to become somewhat short of temper." Tobias settled his cold-eyed gaze on Lavinia again. "I noticed." "I pray you will make allowances," Emeline continued. "In addition to all of the other difficulties tonight, we are obliged to leave her books of poetry behind. That was a very difficult decision for her. She is very fond of poetry, you see."
"Oh, for pity's sake." Lavinia swung her cloak around her shoulders and strode briskly toward the door. "I refuse to listen to any more of this ridiculous conversation.