“I don’t know yet. I have to give it some thought.”

“While you’re thinking, don’t think of me.”

“What?”

“Don’t think of me. Or Jake. We can’t help you with this.”

Elizabeth sighed. She hadn’t really thought it through. “No, of course you can’t.”

Because con artists didn’t interfere with other con artists, even if they didn’t particularly like them or approve of their methods. If she set out to help Mrs. Vanderslice, she was on her own.

—

Gideon was already smiling when he unlocked his front door and stepped inside because he knew Elizabeth would be there to greet him. When she heard him come in, she always rushed out to give him a kiss and let him know how much she’d missed him. And here she was, smiling at him like he’d hung the moon. She was so beautiful and bright and special, and how amazing that she loved an ordinary and unexciting estate attorney as much as he loved her. Even more amazing that they’d found each other in such an extraordinary way.

When she kissed him, he knew a moment’s nostalgia for their monthlong honeymoon cruise, when they could sneak off to be alone in their stateroom whenever they liked. As much as he wanted to take Elizabeth by the hand and lead her upstairs to their bedroom right this moment, he couldn’t possibly do that with his mother waiting in the parlor. He adored his mother but living with her did have its drawbacks.

Elizabeth took his hand and led him into the parlor.

“How was your day, dear?” his mother asked, looking up from her mending.

“Mercifully dull and routine,” he said. Many of his days had been much too exciting since he’d met Elizabeth, and he was enjoying the peace that had followed her vow to give up her old profession.

He sat down beside Elizabeth on the love seat facing his mother’s chair, prepared to hear about his mother’s latest efforts in getting the United States Congress to pass the Woman Suffrage bill. But then he glanced at Elizabeth and saw the glitter in her lovely blue eyes.

“Uh-oh,” he said. “What have you been up to?”

She feigned astonishment, which was successful, and innocence, which was not. “What makes you say that?”

“The look in your eyes. What did you do today?”

She sighed in defeat. She was an excellent actress, but she couldn’t fool him. “Anna came to see me today.” Elizabeth turned to his mother. “Did you know Mrs. Vanderslice has been visiting a medium?”

His mother frowned. “She did say something about it. I’ll admit, I was a little surprised, but she seemed so happy that I didn’t . . . Is something wrong?”

Elizabeth briefly explained the situation.