Unfortunately, it was not inconceivable that he had tried an illegitimate method. She had loved her father dearly, but she was aware of his weaknesses. Perhaps he had scandalous information about some long ago schoolmate and had threatened to reveal it. If so, his intended victim might have decided that it was easier to eliminate a blackmailer than to pay. It wouldn't have been a great risk, for no one would miss an impecunious reprobate.

Except, of course, his daughter.

If her father had tried blackmail, could it have been aimed at his brother? Family secrets would be the easiest to come by.

Maxie's fists clenched so tightly that the nails gouged her palms. She must consider the possibility that Lord Collingwood might have had his own brother killed. Perhaps the villainous looking man from London was a hired assassin.

Was her uncle capable of such a monstrous crime? She wished that she could dismiss the idea out of hand, but she couldn't. Though her uncle had seemed fond of Max, filial affection might have vanished in the face of attempted blackmail. One thing that Maxie had learned in the last months was that the English had a passion for appearances. Threatening to reveal a particularly ripe scandal could easily have gotten Max killed. Her uncle would have undertaken extreme measures with regret, but she did not doubt that he would do what he thought necessary.

It was all horribly farfetched, but then, so was murder. She closed her eyes, wondering if she were going mad. She had always had a vivid imagination-lurid, according to her father-and that imagination was running riot. Perhaps there was a simple, noncriminal explanation of what she had overheard.

If so, she could not guess what it was.

The logical thing would be to ask her uncle what he had meant in that damning conversation, but that did not seem like a prudent course. He was unlikely to reveal what he had gone to such trouble to conceal. Worse, if he were guilty of a crime, he might be a threat to her. She didn't think he would want to harm her, but if he had ordered his own brother's death, he was unlikely to have compunctions about doing the same to his niece.