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that very seriously. “I do not subscribe to that particular theory myself. I believe like-minded people are drawn together, not true opposites. But I knew Society would jump to the wrong conclusion. Most people think that those of opposing natures are attracted to each other.”
    “And it was Society that needed to be convinced.”
    “Aunt Zoe feared my plan would not work, but I assured her that it was our only hope.”
    “Ah, yes. Your little scheme to catch a blackmailer. I had almost forgotten about it.”
    She glowered at him. “You do not believe a word I have said, do you, sir? I knew that you were very intelligent and everyone said you were quite arrogant about the fact, but I had not realized that you would be so stubborn.”
    He chose to ignore the observation. “Tell me about your Aunt Zoe.”
    “What do you wish to know?”
    “There are a number of Zoes in Society. Which one is your aunt?”
    Iphiginia’s brows snapped together. “She is Lady Guthrie. I must warn you that she and I have kept our family connection a secret, however. I felt it would be easier to carry out the masquerade if no one knew the truth. If people knew that I was her niece, it might give rise to too many questions about me, you see.”
    “Of course,” Marcus murmured. “It was essential that you remain a mystery to the Polite World.”
    “Extremely essential, sir. One question would soon lead to another and I might have been unmasked before I had accomplished my goal. At the very least the blackmailer might have realized that I was not your mistress.”
    “I see.”
    “Society believes Zoe and I to be friends, but nothing more. That explanation provides an excuse for us to be seen together rather frequently.”
    Marcus mentally ran through a list of the people whomoved in his world. His memory was excellent. He was quite certain he had never met Zoe, Lady Guthrie. “I seem to recall that a certain Lord Guthrie belonged to one or two of my clubs. I believe he died a year ago.”
    “Aunt Zoe is Guthrie’s widow.”
    “I do not believe that I have had the pleasure of meeting her.”
    “No. That is the curious thing about all this,” Iphiginia said quickly. “Aunt Zoe told me that the two of you had never been introduced. She has seen you from a distance at parties and balls and Guthrie had mentioned your name in a casual way, but that was all.”
    “Yet your blackmailer claimed that we were both on his list of victims?”
    “Yes. Rather odd, don’t you think?”
    “I find this entire situation rather odd.”
    “My lord, I swear to you, this is not a joke or a game. There really is a blackmailer out there somewhere and he is threatening my aunt. I concluded that there must be some connection between your circle of acquaintances and that of my aunt’s.”
    “You’re forgetting one thing here, Mrs. Bright,” Marcus said calmly. “I am not being blackmailed.”
    She scowled. “You’re quite certain of that, my lord?”
    “It is not the sort thing that would slip one’s mind.”
    Iphiginia’s soft mouth firmed. “No, I suppose not. But why would the blackmailer make reference to you when he threatened my aunt?”
    Marcus glanced out into the busy night streets. “The reference, if it was made, was obviously a ruse designed to terrify your aunt and convince her to pay the extortion money.”
    “The reference was indeed made, sir,” Iphiginia insisted.
    “Tell me, just how far did you get in your investigation?”
    “Well, as to that, I was making considerable progress,”she said eagerly. “I have already succeeded in searching Mr. Darrow’s and Lord Judson’s studies.”
    “You
what?”
    She tilted her head and gave him a quizzical glance. “I said I have had opportunities to search Darrow’s and Judson’s studies. I took advantage of invitations that I received to soirees that were held in their homes. I managed to slip into their studies in the course of the evening and search their desks.”
    She