His hand closed around the wine glass, but it appeared to be too heavy to lift. Rose laughed, and took it from his fingers. Her eyes glowing over the rim, she took a long sip and set it down again. She was surprised at her brazen nature and wondered if remnants of her stepbrother�s spirit had inhibited her.

When the Duchess of Esteron appeared after the final course, she drew Rose aside and asked: "Did you leave that man alone at any time?"

"Perhaps for one minute," she said. "I assure you, he had no opportunity to conceal anything on his person."

"Just the same," Maria said grimly, "I will demand that he be searched! I will not have you robbed because of this 'entertainment' I have provided you!"
It was early the next morning when the Duchess returned. She apologized for waking Rose, but she was anxious to tell her of the terrible aftermath to her dinner party.

"Lorenzo d'Aguilar was found dead this morning," she said somberly. "In his own bed, for no visible cause, but the physician who was summoned diagnosed it with one word. I'm sure you know the word. I see that you are more like your step-brother than you appeared."

Rose gasped, "Maria," she said, "I swear that I did not harm the man! It isn't true!"
Rose appeared as if she were about to weep, but suddenly she whirled and hurried to her dressing table. She made a frantic search among its myriad objects, perfumes and powders and mirrors, and then, with a gasp, she picked up a small pearl-crusted jewel box and stared into its emptiness. Then she began to laugh, a shrill, broken sound that chilled him.

"I pried his secret from him after all," Rose said. "My ring is missing, Maria. The ring Calvin gave me, with the hinged top and the tiny chamber filled with deadly poison. Now we know the secret of the thief d'Aguilar. But this time, his stolen meal was indigestible."

"What?"

"He swallows his stolen jewels, that how he was never caught! But this time he swallowed a deadly  jewel!"
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