In these desperate times, a lady of the demimonde might indeed threaten exposure to a gentleman due to come into means. Any whiff of scandal would make Mr. and Mrs. Wright whisk their debutante daughter far out of Summerville's reach.

"I understand," I said. "Tell me where you left it, and I'll fetch it for you." I'd find the stick and make Summerville promise to stay home from now on.

"That's dashed good of you," Summerville said, his good-natured smile returning. " Only… there are any number of places it might be."

"Any number? What the devil did you get up to last night, Summerville?"

He flushed. "Several things, as I recall." Quickly he told me the worrisome places he'd visited, and I noted them in my memory.

"The devil's own luck you found me today," I said.

"Not really. I called in at your rooms earlier, and your man told me where you'd be."

My valet had once been Grenville's footman, as pleased as his former master about my ability to find the un-findable. I scowled. "I will make the inquiries. For old times' sake."

"God bless you, Lacey." Summerville beamed like sudden sunshine.

He returned to his party with considerable cheer. Summerville chose a diamond bracelet for his blushing fiancee, then the foursome said their farewells and left the shop.

The proprietor returned to me less hopefully.

"I'll have this." I pointed to a slim gold chain that was a little longer than a bracelet. A tiny bell with a golden clapper dangled from it.

"Ah." The proprietor smiled at me, his interest awakened. "A most interesting choice, sir. A most interesting choice."

I decided to visit the last name on Summerville's list first.

I found the small house in Bishop's Lane, near Oxford Street, without mishap. The lane was so narrow that my hired hackney had to stop at the top of the street and let me down. I hobbled the rest of the way on my own in the rain, the tapping of my walking stick echoing from the close walls.