Marcello took her hand. "I know," Marcello replied, and then burst out laughing, in that nervous way people do when things get very tense. "You've barely had time to have sex with me. I didn't think you were sleeping with anyone else."

She let out a short, stuttering laugh of her own and squeezed his hand tight. "Actually the last time I did talk to Dierdre I was complaining that the only thing I wanted to do in bed was sleep. I . . . I've wondered if he isn't spying on me and Dierdre when we're alone together. I don't know to put it off on my being nervous, but sometimes he . . . he says things that seem as if . . . as if they're commentaries on things Dierdre and I have said in private. It's so subtle that I want to say I'm imagining it, or maybe they're things she's told him, but . . . "

Marcello frowned. "Can you think of an example?" he asked. "I...Love, this is making me worry for you. And for Dierdre. You could both be in a lot of danger, if he's spying on you for...to have things to use against you."

"The . . . the one I remember most was that . . . back during that month you were gone, Dee and I were talking about something that happened ages ago. Dee once thought she'd lost her mother's silver chain when we were out walking, and it was a huge fuss. We turned the whole house upside down, trying to find it before she had to leave, only to find out she hadn't e'en brought it with her--it was still at the big house in Brideslea." She looked embarrassed to even bring it up. "And then later that same day, I was sewing something, and my spool got away from me and went behind one of those heavy trestles in the little hall, the ones you can't move. Duncan happened along and offered to get it for me, and while he was fishing for it, he asked me, just joking: 'are you sure you didn't leave it at your other house?'"

Marcello frowned. "That's...if you hadn't heard that story that day, it wouldn't have even made sense out of context. That does sound like he's listening to you. Did you ask Dierdre, if she'd told him." He rubbed his chin. "Because I would be concerned."

"I didn't ask. I couldn't catch her alone for the rest of the day, and by the time I did, I'd half-convinced myself I'd made it up." She gave Marcello a crooked smile. "We have a game we play. We both pretend I hate him because I'm a silly jealous little girl. It gives me an excuse to avoid him in public."

"But you're not one," Marcello replied. "And that's not fair to you, to let Dierdre think that about you. And it's not fair to Dierdre, to let her think that. What would you do if it were me, and not her?"

She held up her hands. "I don't know. I'm afraid of what he might do if I tell her and afraid of what will happen if I don't."

Marcello sighed. "Ah, love. You don't need to decide right now. Let me talk to Scarlet. Maybe I can find out what she knows. Is that all right? I suppose we can wait to act a little longer, as long as waiting doesn't hurt anything. Get the full picture. If...if Duncan weren't blackmailing you, and he had asked for help with his family, what would you have done?"

She shook her head. "I don't want to fight. It's not worth it. If I wanted to take Cabhon, I would do it, and get a full share of the profits and put someone I trusted in Lady Dierdre's place. But this is only going to look as if I'm going after them out of spite, to finish them off. Like Titania," she finished weakly.