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pocket, just in case.”
    â€œAll right, then. What do you think?”
    Adair’s head was throbbing and he was finding it hard to think at all. He said wearily, “Those who know me well would also know that if I was no longer welcome at my parents’ house I’d be less welcome at my club. A logical guess would be that I’d turn to a friend. You and Jack Vespa are friends who’d likely stand by me, and Vespa’s not using his Town house just now.”
    â€œ Ergo —a lucky guess,” muttered Broderick. “But—you’ve other friends who’d help out, my dear fellow.”
    â€œPerhaps”—Adair stifled a yawn—“perhaps there were brick-carrying louts watching their houses as well. It’s jolly good of you to let me camp here for a spell, Toby. You’re sure Vespa won’t mind?”
    â€œLord, no. Jack won’t live here, y’know. He keeps the house open for his mama, but she’s down at Richmond for the month. Jack told Manderville and me that we could stay here whenever we pleased, so long as it didn’t inconvenience Lady Vespa.”
    â€œIt’s a jolly fine house. I only hope my occupancy doesn’t bring a brick or two through the windows.”
    â€œDeuce take it, I hadn’t thought of that! I simply must break myself of this foolish habit of collecting notorious friends! No, I mean after all, Manderville’s known to be a rascal; Vespa’s father damn near swindled the government and went about murdering anyone who got in his way; and now look—a Lieutenant Colonel who’s persona non grata from the Hebrides to Guernsey! Dreadful!”
    Adair smiled wryly. “I suppose I must get used to it. Being ambushed, I mean. The devil’s in it that I can’t blame people.”
    â€œThe trouble is that ambushes are so blasted hard to guard against,” said Broderick, looking grave. “Well, you’ve only to glance at history, haven’t you? Of all people, one would think Julius Caesar would have had the sense to protect himself—fella was a genius, no doubt of that. But having irritated people by wanting to be declared a god, what must he do but go swaggering back to the Senate and then wonder why he was done away with! And look at poor Königsmark—dallied with a prince’s wife, and—”
    â€œ Poor Königsmark? From all I’ve read of him, the man was a murderous adventurer who’d slit your throat as soon as look at you!”
    â€œOh, very likely, but he must have been short of a sheet to jaunter about when he knew the prince was out for his blood. Nobody knows for certain what happened, of course, but there’s a widely accepted theory that hired assassins surrounded his carriage and put a period to him. Only think how foolish he must have felt to have failed to take precautions. Now Marat, you’ll agree, il est toujours premier en classe! No, really. I mean what idiot with half a brain-box wouldn’t think it a trifle unusual if a strange young woman popped in to interview him in his bathtub? If he’d had the commonsense of a mangel-wurzel he’d have kept an eye on the wench and she’d not have had a chance to finish him off with her handy little knife. You have to admit…”
    Broderick, a brilliant scholar, was known for his tendency to launch into learned discourses. His voice was soothing, the leaping flames on the hearth were mesmerizing, the room was warm, and Adair was very tired. His head started to nod, but he roused when Broderick said, “… if you don’t object, that is.”
    â€œEh? Object to—what? Oh, Gad! I’m dashed sorry, Toby. Didn’t mean to drop off like that. You were talking about ambushes, I believe?”
    Too good-natured to take offence when his friends failed to benefit from his little lectures, Broderick grinned. “Some time ago. And you were about to tell me what