“Ross, if you don’t mind, I should return to my room now. I would like—”

A shout arose in the hallway, and cries of “fire” sent Ross running to the door. In the hallway footmen ran every which way, a low curl of smoke drifting between their legs.

Ross grabbed the closest footman. “What in the hell is going on?”

“Och, sir, we’ve two more fires on our hands.”

“Two?”

“Aye!” The footman gulped, obviously unhappy to be the one to have to report distressing news. “A tapestry in the main galley burst into flames at almost the same time a rug in the front hall began to smolder.”

“Damn it, that can’t be an accident!”

“Ye wouldn’t think it, sir. But it appears someone put a candle too close to the tapestry and forgot to snuff it this mornin’.”

“And the fire in the front hall?”

“It was caused by a hot coal from the bucket the sweeps carried after cleanin’ the fireplace.”

God bless Buffon. Right on time, too.

“Damn it! I hope that wasn’t one of the Danish tapestries; they cost me a bloody fortune.” Ross turned to Moira. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but I must go; I shall have a footman escort you back to your room.”

“Thank you, but I believe I can find my own way.”

Ross took her hand and pressed a hasty kiss upon her fingers. “I hope we may ride again soon.”

She dropped into a curtsy. “As do I, my lord.”

With obvious reluctance, he released Moira’s hand and disappeared down the now-deserted hallway, calling for his butler.

Robert immediately climbed out from under the desk, then smoothed his coat before joining her. “I’ll walk you to the steps leading to our bedchambers, but then I plan on using Buffon’s disturbance to search a few more rooms.”

“I assumed this was his doing. I caught a glimpse of him at the end of the hallway when I first arrived. That’s how I knew you were hiding in there.”

Robert pulled her hand through his arm and strolled into the hallway, through the running servants who paid them no heed. “Thank you for hiding my shoe. I had no idea it was in sight.”

“I take it you didn’t find anything.”

“Not a damn thing. Wherever the secret chamber is, it’s not in that room.”

“So what do we do now?”

“You will return to your room, for you’re far too noticeable wearing that habit.”

“And you?”

“As I said, I shall wander about a bit more and see what I can discover. If anyone sees me, I’ll tell them the noise awoke me and I had to come see the madness for myself. Did you learn anything from our illustrious host?”

“Beyond what you heard in the library? Not really. Riding isn’t conducive to conversation.”

“Perhaps you can lure him into revealing more at dinner.” He turned the corner, where a large tapestry smoldered on a wall, footmen with buckets standing around. A large puddle of water pooled upon the floor, and he carefully led Moira around it and on to the stairs.