"I know," Marcello replied. "And we don't want that. You can't risk your reputation by getting involved in a family feud that will look like you're simply throwing your weight around for petty personal reasons. Have you explained that to Duncan? It's going to make him look bad, too. Is he aware of that?"

"Marcello, I have not spent a great deal of time trying to rationalize with the man," she said, tight but patient. "I haven't explained anything to him. I know exactly what it's going to look like and I suspect he does as well. He has very little to lose in all this. I don't think he e'en wants Cabhon; he's just supporting someone else's claim."

Marcello frowned. "Do you know why he's doing it, then?" he asked. "Just for his cousins? Will he get something out of it? Or is he in some kind of trouble?"

She shook her head. "It's none of my business. So he says. I've been arguing that it is my business. I'm already in this to my neck; the last thing I want is to find out I've been funneling silver to the next Eleanor Oisin."

Marcello nodded. "I know. Do we know anything about these people?" he asked. "Are these the ones who were caught here?"

"I think they must be. I'm not sure. Either I'm no good at fishing or he's very good at not letting things slip." She bit her lip. "I think, at the moment, we may have him at an impasse. They don't have anything from me yet, and if he tries to go forward with exposing me, I won't be in much of a position to keep my end of the bargain."

Marcello nodded. "You have a point," he replied. "I still don't like that he's the sort of person who would try to blackmail you. What can I do? I'll talk to Scarlet, what else?"

"Do you still want to talk to him?" she asked. "What would you say?"

"I'm not sure yet," Marcello replied. He shook his head, and gave her a sheepish look. "I mostly want to know why the hell he felt it was necessary to blackmail you rather than just speak to you about it."

She let out a long sigh. "He hinted; I assured him I had no interest."