Richard threw the ring in the air, caught it, and looked up as he did so. So close. I nearly burst. I called out to him in my mind, but he didn’t see me, didn’t seem to feel my presence.

Terry’s heavily jowled face held an expression of mild surprise. “Really, sir, I don’t think we need to get so intemperate.”

“Yes we do,” Richard stated. “We’ve been making certain enquiries on our rampage through the villages. I never hoped to find them, but I’ve found out certain other facts, and I’ve gained some counters. You’ll deal with me, Terry.”

Terry kept his expression of surprise. “Well, I’ll do what I can, as you know I don’t hold myself aloof from these people as others do—” He glanced at Sir George enquiringly.

Richard waited for the fat man’s full attention. “We know you’re more directly involved than that.”

“You have proof of this, I presume?” drawled Terry urbanely.

“We don’t need proof,” Richard said, “since we don’t propose to take this to the authorities.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Terry leaned back in his chair, his hands steepled, his expression one of polite interest.

What would happen if I screamed? One of us would be shot, but they would hear us, and know. No, it wasn’t worth the risk. That man couldn’t miss. One of us would die.

“You know us, we know you,” Richard said. Terry looked at him enquiringly and Richard sighed. “Very well. You and the Cawntons are in league together and you share the profits of these runs. You know my man here,” he indicated Carier with a courtly gesture, and Terry bowed his head low, smiling in mockery. “He has offered to act as go-between, should this business require one.”

“I shall appoint my own,” Terry said.

So far, Gervase hadn’t spoken, but he was looking, looking all the time. While Richard was speaking to Terry, keeping his attention, Gervase examined every part of the room from floor to ceiling. I began to pray.

“You have my property,” Richard said flatly. I knew immediately that he, too, had realised what Terry would do if he knew how much I meant to him. “I want it back. In perfect condition.”

“It might be a little—sullied.” Terry smiled.

Richard’s chest rose sharply when he took a short breath, but the expression on his face remained the same. “It would be extremely unfortunate if it were damaged in any way.” His urbane tones indicated nothing. He might have been talking about anything, a piece of furniture perhaps, or a dinner service.

“Would it still be acceptable to you?” said Terry.

“It depends,” was the measured reply. “What are your terms?”

Terry crossed to the sideboard beneath us and poured himself a glass of wine. The others refused when he motioned at them with the decanter. He went back to his seat and sipped. “Tomorrow night,” he said eventually, when they had waited long enough, “is the biggest run of the year so far. It must not be jeopardised, and we need more resting-places than usual. You, Sir George, will provide us with what we need, and you, Lord Strang, will prevail upon Sir James—I mean, of course, Lord Hareton, to do the same. When we have moved the items away, if things go according to plan, this should be Sunday, you will get your property back. Maybe. If you don’t comply, you will not see them again.”

Richard sighed regretfully. “That’s not acceptable.”

“You’ll find it is,” Terry said, a little more strongly.

“No.” Richard glanced at Gervase, then Carier, then back at his quarry. “We’ll give you your precious run, even the storage space, but the exchange must take place on the night of the run, before the goods are brought ashore.”

“Exchange?”

Richard raised a delicate eyebrow in mild surprise “You think I came here with no bargaining counters at all? Cap in hand, ready to capitulate? What guarantees will you give me that you will fulfil your side of the bargain?” He paused. “None at all. Why should I believe you?”

“You have no choice.” Terry looked uncertain now.

“We have two counters you might find useful,” Richard continued. “They’re both called Cawnton. They have information you don’t possess. We know you need them, so don’t pretend not to care. How do my terms sound now?”

I wanted to clap my hands and shout “bravo!”

Terry finished his drink, frowning. “I misjudged you, my lord.”

“But I didn’t misjudge you, did I?” Richard said grimly. “The Cawntons brought me the tokens of proof, so I took them as well as their tokens. I can’t think what possessed them to come in person, but it was a gift I took gladly.” He had turned the exchange. Without a bargaining position, Terry could have killed us, and if Terry thought his secret safe, he would have done so, to keep us from talking.

“Where are they?”

“Where are your hostages?” Richard countered. Gervase still looked about, but I dared not move, dared not let out a sound. Our peephole must be cleverly concealed. His searching gaze had passed over it more than once.

Terry snorted. “The elder Cawnton wanted that ruby.”

“He has a good eye.” Richard flattened his palm with the ring on it, the ring that had been winking on my finger so recently. “But a little greedy, I think. We’ll restore them to you, if you bring my property. We can make this exchange and then we’ll go, and you’ll have what you want.”

“What proof will I have you won’t welsh