thing, others can husband their resources to bid against you. We nee

or a moment. "Once I bid, or you bid

essary we can set up a secret

down the street and his voice

snuffbox from your pocket when you wish to bid, an

ondently. "That won't w

reintroduced those devastating creases at the cheeks. It struck Juliana forcefully that Chase's reputation as a rake was likely neither exaggerated nor undeserved. A woman would find it hard to resist his

ase was her ticket to acclaim as a powerful and respected bookseller.

k at something ex

a luxurious bauble had much sparkle to it. Fifteen minutes later he found himself seated

marvelous about

p your voice down," she muttered.

sation could be private. But every man appeared absorbed in the examination of books. Not reading, merely looking at them.

ous solemnity of these book buyers couldn't have presented a greater contrast to the bright costumes and cosmetics, the gau

verent air Mrs. Merton opened the dull brass clasp that held the cove

this?"

am Caxton, the first English printer." From the vene

it. It's in

ead it." She looked at hi

Books are mean

ertinent gaze. "It's far too precious to read." Surpr

d to tease her. "I do now. A very impo

terested in literature than pure historical sign

two a year, but I do enjoy the

collection features many

s good, I imagine. Why n

ink so. The enthusiasm dropped from her voice. She held u

He was also amused by her efforts to persuade him to other purchases. But the name Shakespeare affected her and he wa

und in red leather were the first collected editions of Shakespeare's pla

and disappeared after his death. T

A prickle of excitemen

out. Mrs. Merton wasn't telling him everything she knew. He needed to purs

object. Just to provoke a reaction he jounced it up and down in one hand. "It's heavy, rather too big for reading

. Though she tried to look inscrutable, her emotions were written on her face and she appeared to undergo an internal stru

he folios?" Eagerly calculat

lowed to read them, could y

hakespeare's plays. Scholars find it important bec

red with eagerness, incidentally rubbing he

f what might be so thoroughly hidden beneath the yards of bla

d in individual volumes known as quartos." Her voice had changed again. It seemed almost d

hese quartos?" he ask

perhaps a dozen in all, were deposited in front of the

t direction, Lord Chase had, just like a man, unerringly settled on the books s

s of the audience. It means the texts are often inaccurate." She selecte

glances from their neighbors. "

owned

nds like a name for a dog. Wh

ine 'To be, or not to be

any good ones? What abo

he volume in the brightest binding. She'd always loved

reveal a penciled signature. "Cassandra Fitterbourne, 1793." The sight of it had never f

rt tone of his voice told her she'd roused his curiosi

pose," she replied, st

wasn't entirely satisfied with her

dicated the annotation benea

ollectors often use a code to re

w m

e code." That at

the binder's blanks to the title page. "An excellent conceited

alized she'd raised her voice, and reduced it again to a furious whisper. "You shouldn't be allowed to buy boo

g the room, told her he was displeased. This was no way to treat an important customer. Jos

ng his sleeve to reclaim hi

nd in a mercurial switch

you have to say about Shakespeare. I find myself intrigued by the previous owners of the books. Do you s

only had her client shown a surprising knowledge of Shakespeare, he'd also asked the que

couldn't have them. They were hers by every moral right. He could have the folios, but she wasn'

ull bindings; and a reputation as a rakehell. She had his measure and knew just the book for him: a French edition of Aretino's Dialogue

ou, my lord." She looked around for a porter and f

amined each volume, looking for Cassandra Fitterbourne's signature. Several of the volumes were inscri

likely a prim spinste

worm was unaware of Cain's unsavory reputation, or he didn't care. Cain subjected him to a rapid assessment. Iverle

ou know of a book collector named F

. From Wiltshire. Died three or four ye

e been his wife? Or

e of approval, as though any man should be congratulated on the lac

rely in a different manner, one he understood and appreciated. During the pas

hole point of his presence here. He would enjoy getting the information out of her,

pparently, invisible. Were they all blind? Speaking for himself, he found the view of her excessively well-formed derrière, swaying