Mr. Grant popped up at Quill’s elbow, his face wreathed in smiles. “I see that our long-lost prince has met with your approval, my lady.” Surely it wasn’t just Quill who caught heartfelt relief in Charles Grant’s voice.

“Well, how could he not?” Gabby’s eyes were liquid innocence. “I have not seen Kasi since he was a mere child, and I am remarkably impressed by his”—she waved her hand—“his elegance, his demeanor, his princely bearing.”

The supposed Kasi Rao smiled at her. Quill had to admit that the lad was the best impostor he’d ever seen. He looked exactly as one might expect an Indian prince to look, with large brown eyes and an innate sense of majesty. Where on earth had they found him? Not in a gutter in Jaipur, that was for certain.

Quill shook his head and slipped away. Unless he missed his bet, his wily wife had more to do with the appearance of the “lost” prince than he had known. In fact, he wouldn’t be surprised if she had manipulated Grant into finding the lad in the first place. So much for Grant thinking that he was the next thing to the English government. Lady Gabrielle Dewland was running circles around him.

Briefly thereafter, the Indian prince was formally presented with a jewel-studded crown, courtesy of the East India Company. Colonel Hastings read aloud a letter written by the governor-general himself, Richard Colley Wellesley, for the occasion.

The restoration of Kasi Rao Holkar to his hereditary rights by the aid of the British power was, in Wellesley’s hyperbolic prose, highly creditable to the justice and honor of the British.

Gabby stood just to the side of Kasi Rao Holkar, her face alight with approval and pride. She curtsied gracefully to each and every member of the Board of Directors, reiterating her pleasure in the fact that they had managed to locate the lost prince and were restoring him to his rightful place.

Quill said nothing and merely threw Gabby an ironic look when she chattered breathlessly in the coach about how lovely it was to meet her childhood friend again.

But Breksby was no fool. He kept looking at Gabby with an assessing air, until he finally turned to Quill and said, “Do you know who the man is?”

Gabby stopped mid-chatter.

Quill shrugged. “No. But he seems to be a decent candidate for the throne.”

Breksby turned back to Gabby with a charming smile. “You see, my lady, soon after you arrived from India, we became aware of your visits to the house of Mrs. Malabright. Naturally, we never shared that information with the East India Company directors. However, it appears that you have stolen a march on us, have you not?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Gabby said with some dignity.