Alexander rubbed his eyes wearily as he made his way towards the room with the rest of the group. He had been sent out to take a break from the vigil that he had kept over the woman who, surprisingly, he had come to strongly admire. Although Primat had been sleeping mostof the time from the laudunam, he had been reluctant to leave her. As Alexander reached the room, he became instantly alert upon hearing the name of Lord Dunnett and paused to listen.

Tummett's announcement had a most chaotic effect resulting in everyone talking at once.

" 'ey! 'ey!" Tummett exclaimed. This pronouncement having no effect upon the din, he emitted a shrill whistle (a skill that had been learned from one of his previous positions). Once silence was established again, he informed his captive audience, " 'owever, the bloke what beat up 'is lordship did his job well."

With one eyebrow raised August drawled, "Well, are you going to enlighten us as to what exactly that means?"

"Yes sir, guv, I means as that 'is lordship is still knocked out of time."

"Then go guard his lordship and let us know when he is lucid again."

"Cor, whut's that jawbreaker mean?" Tummett queried. August rolled his eyes in exasperation, "Talking and making sense, you dolt."

"Oh, aye sir. I'll let yer know imedjutly." With a slight bow to the assembled group, Tummett left the room eagerly to take care of his new duty knowing that his chosen lady had insisted upon staying and taking care of the newest invalid.

As Tummett left the room, Alexander barged his way past him.

"What the deuce is that idiot Dunnett doing here?" he demanded.

"Now calm down Erskyn. We believe that he has vital information that..."

"Yes, Falcon, you are one for being calm aren't you?"

August started to advance towards Alexander with a glitter in his eyes that Gordon recognized well. Placing a restraining hand on August's arm, he told him, "Now August we can't be fighting amongst ourselves man, we don't have time. We need to get going on our plans and decide what our next step is going to be."

"Gordie, always the level-headed one. Fine, I shall go see if I canlight a fire under the good doctor and get our lordship awake and talking." August nodded to them all and left the room.

"Get Erskyn a brandy. He looks as if he could use one." Uncle James commanded Flora.

Alexander sank into the nearest chair. "Yes, you are right. I am damnably tired and don't know that I will be of much help but I shall endeavor to do so. Please tell me the whole that I have missed."

After filling him in on everything that had happened, Alexander gave a low whistle, "Whew! How on earth are we going to find out what is in that jewelry box?"

The door to the room opened abruptly. Sir James Knight stood in the hall.

"Which one of you overdressed libertines is taking responsibility for the half-dead idiot down the hall?" Knight asked brusquely, ignoring Falcon's asides about the limitations of his bedside manners.

"Which half-dead idiot?" asked Alexander Erskyne.

"The latest," Knight answered.

Both August Falcon and Alexander Erskyne pointed to themselves.

Sighing, Knight bade them both to follow him to the darkened bedchamber where Dunnett lay still on the bed, Miranda Dickens sitting quietly in the corner.

"He's back in this world, "Knight said gruffly, "but he doesn't much want to be. You can talk to him for a few minutes, no more."

Falcon knelt at the side of the bed. Alexander stood back in the shadows, his arms folded across his chest.

Dunnett coughed weakly. Dickens brought a glass of water, and Falcon held it to the injured man's lips. After a sip, Dunnet's eyes fluttered open. He looked around in confusion, his eyes flying from Falcon to Knight and Dickens.

"Dunnett" Falcon said. "Can you tell us anything?"

Knight began to mutter about Falcon's bedside manner being no better than his own, but stopped when Dunnett began to speak softly.

"The queen... "Dunnett coughed again, and took another sip of water. Falcon patted his hand awkwardly. "The queen..." Dunnet began again, "tiara..."

"The Marbury tiara?" Falcon said. "Yes, what about it."

"The box." Dunnett's voice got weaker. "The box."

Falcon leaned forward encouragingly. "The box for the tiara. Is there something in the lining of the box for the tiara?"

Dunnett's voice was faint. "Poison."

"Poison?" Falcon spoke quickly. "But the queen has already worn the tiara, and nothing happened. She is safe."

"No... More than once... "Dunnett said weakly. "Wear it more than once... "His eyes closed and his breathing grew deeper.

James Knight stepped forward. "Do you mean the effect of the poison is cumulative?" he asked.

Dunnett nodded without opening his eyes.

Knight and Falcon looked at each other. "We must send word to the palace immediately," Falcon stood up.

Alexander stepped forward from the darkness and approached the bed. "Dunnett," he said sharply.

Dunnett's eyes flew open. His pale face grew whiter as he recognized the speaker. His eyes widened. His mouth opened as if to scream, but he made no sound except a low pitiful wimper.

"Why did you attack my brother?" Alexander demanded.

"Are you mad?" Knight rounded on Alexander as Dunnett lost consciousness.

Knight grabbed Alexander's arm and dragged him out of the room. "You may have killed him." Falcon followed them into he hall.

"Can we keep our mind on one crisis at a time?" Falcon said. "We have to warn the palace. We need a messenger who will get through. Seaforth likely will have someone. Marquis always do."

"Seaforth cannot be disturbed," Knight said. "He was seriously injured, yet as far as I can tell, every male in the house has been dancing a jig while standing on his head for the past three days. I have sent him to his room and dosed him. He is not to be disturbed under any circumstances."

"Holt then. He's in the army," Alexander offered.

"He's in worse shape than Seaforth." Knight steered them back into the room they had occupied before. "I must go back to Dunnett." He glared at Alexander, turned on his heel and slammed the door.

"What about Tiele? He's got naught to do but guard the ladies?" Falcon said as he paced on the carpet. "And given how he's not in the petticoat line, that task should leave him free to help us get through to the palace. It's not such an emergency, after all, as it is the middle of the afternoon. One would suppose even Her Majesty would not feel the need to wear a ruby tiara --"

"Surely you're not suggesting that death befits a woman who wears a ruby tiara before sundown, Falcon. That's too harsh, even for you." Alexander flung himself into an armchair.

Before Falcon could reply there was a crash in the hallway. The chamber door was flung open. Two Seaforth footmen stood in the doorway, each clutching an arm of a struggling boy.

"I has to give the note to the proper gent!" the boy shouted.

The footmen apologized for disturbing the gentlemen, but the boy was insistent and it seemed that bringing them to see Mr. Falcon and Mr. Erskyne was the most sensible thing to do.

Falcon instructed them to release their captive and stand guard at the door.

The boy brushed himself off. "I has to give the note to the proper gent," he said, calmer but insistent. "Only to the proper gent, and to no one else."

Tummet marched over to him. The boy shied away, and tucked his grimy hands under his shirt.

Falcon waved Tummet away and strolled over to the boy. He raised his quizzing glass and eyed the boy through it.

What note?" he drawled.

"The one in his hand, obviously," answered Alexander, positioning himself next to Falcon. "The more sensible question is, what gentleman?"

Tummet stepped between them. "Now, now, gents, no need to get into a garden gate."

Duncan Tiele strode into the room. "What state?" he asked. An appreciative Tummett explained about the note and the urchin while Falcon watched with raised eyebrows and Alexander pursed his lips.

"Who gave you the note?" Tiele asked.

The boy shook his head. "All I know is he gave me a shilling. Said the gent inside would give me one as well."

Falcon crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. Alexander snorted.

The footmen stood respectfully aside as Seaforth hobbled into the room. He held out a coin." Take it then, and give it to me."

The boy eyed the money, then examined Seaforth with narrowed eyes as the injured marquis began to sway. After a minute, the boy shrugged. "You're not the gent he said to give it to."

Tiele helped Seaforth to the armchair Alexander had vacated.

Jacob Holt limped though the doorway. "This is dangerous business, boy. I command you to give me the note, by order of the King's Army." He reached for the boy and collapsed. Fortunately, Tiele caught him before he hit the floor and eased him into the chair next to Seaforth.

"I didn't mean to do nothing," The boy wiped his nose on his coatsleeve. "I just wants me shilling."

"Who are you supposed to give the note to?" Tiele asked the boy.

"Whom," murmured Falcon under his breath.

"To whom," muttered Alexander.

The boy closed his eyes in concentration. "I is supposed to go to Seaforth house," he recited, "knock at the front door, and say I has a note for the gent what dresses like a peacock and thinks he is God's gift to the ladies of London."

Both August Falcon and Alexander Erskyne stepped forward with hand outstretched.

"That's what he said when he come to the door," the first footman said.

"So, natural, we brung him to this room," the second added.

Tummet sighed and gave the boy a half-crown, muttering about how it was worth it to spend his own blasted money rather than have the two of `em in a not-so-nices for the rest of the blooming day, what with all the bleeding battling the villainous varmints they was going to have to be doing.

The boy tossed the note at Tummet, snatched the coin and bolted.

Everyone gathered round as Tummet unfolded the grimy paper. The message was to the point. "Do nothing to interfere or Marguerite Templeby and Flora Havershaw will not live to see tomorrow."

Falcon held fast Andante's head while the Seaforth grooms saddled the black stallion. In the next stall, Alexander Erskyne was helping ready one of Seaforth's famous bays.

"I still don't understand why the devil Tiele didn't know she was missing," he snarled.

Alexander adjusted the saddle to his satisfaction. "He was alone with her for nigh half an hour, Falcon. More than past propriety. He couldn't very well stay with her when she announced she was going to her bedroom to rest. Snort as much as you like, but it's true."

"As if any female friend of Flora Havershaw would be going to her room to rest." Falcon said, mounting the prancing Andante. "Only a complete nodcock would believe a Banbury tale like that." Alexander sighed. "He hasn't known Miss Flora and her friends as long as we have, August. In any event, I don't think you can blame the poor dolt any more than he's blaming himself."

"Where the devil did he go? I vow, I never saw someone move so fast. Especially when he nigh swooned when Seaforth read the note."

"He didn't swoon." Alexander eyed Falcon's horse warily.

Falcon shrugged and brought Andante to a stop.

Alexander climbed onto the bay. "You're just angry because he ran off, and we got stuck going to the palace."

"Where, according to Seaforth, Holt and Tiele, we are to do nothing but hang about, watching their Majesties – " Falcon cast about for the suitable expression.

"Majestize?" offered Alexander.

"Do you not have a twin brother already?" Falcon asked, nudging Andante out of the Seaforth stableyard. Within seconds, both horses were galoping through the busy London streets.