“Me?” Sophia’s hand went to her middle. She was really beginning to feel sick. “Me, cross-questioning you? You called me in here—”

“I called you in here because you’ve allowed this unsavory matt—”

“Oh, Daddy.”

“—to push and wheedle his way into our house, to seduce you—he has seduced you, hasn’t he?”

“What are you talking about? Seduced … That’s insane. I’m a grown—”

“You’ve allowed him to seduce you and push his way into this house for the sole purpose of getting his hands on that triptych. If you’re such a grown-up woman then you should’ve known better. You should’ve exercised a little judgement.”

Sophia, practically cowering beside the sofa, practically cried out, “You’re not making any sense. Why would Richard want to do something like that?”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not—”

“Because he’s a criminal.”

“He is not.”

“He’s a sneaking, murdering—”

“Murdering?”

“—filthy bastard who doesn’t care a damn about you.”

“He does! Stop it! You’re talking utter shit! Stop it!”

Quickly, Sophia pressed the back of her hand to her mouth. The wind blew the rain up hard against the window. A fork of lightning stabbed down into the hills, hurling the shadow of the abbey wall across the headstones. The sudden upsurge of rage had taken her completely by surprise, had left her feeling shaken and ill. She could not remember the last time she had spoken like that—had raised her voice at all—against her father.

He turned his shoulder to her. Lifted his chin. Frowned down across the room at her with his eyes hot and foreign and terrifying.

“I’m sorry, Sophia,” he said. “I didn’t realize he had got so far with you.”

And, sick as she felt, she was angry again on the instant. Helplessly, she felt her eyes fill with tears. “Don’t say that. Don’t say that to me. How dare you? I think Richard may be the single most decent and straight-forward person I’ve ever met. What would he want with the Rhinehart triptych?”

Sir Michael waved her away.

“What do you want with it?” she said.

And with one more sharp glance, he showed her his back, faced the rain-scored window.