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“No!” Honoria tapped her fingers against the edge of the bedside table. “Lydia, are you out of your mind?”

Lydia bit her lip. “No?”

“You couldn’t get the ring off him in the stealthy way—which is supposed to be your forte—and now what? You’ve decided to play a highwayman?”

“Highwaywoman,” Lydia corrected. “Which, in case you’ve forgotten, I did spend quite a chunk of my life being.”

Honoria stood abruptly. “He’ll be surrounded by his footmen and the coachman. This is dangerous.”

“I don’t have to be alone,” Lydia protested, her fingers curling into her skirts. It would’ve been better if she weren’t there at all—if she’d just hired someone to do the job for her. But this job was too delicate to trust to anyone else.

She couldn’t trust hired thugs to be thoughtful and not to harm Art or his servants. She couldn’t trust them not to double-cross her and keep the jewel for themselves, either.

“No,” Honoria interrupted, her tone firm. “You are not getting other people involved.”

“No innocent people,” Lydia agreed, lifting her chin. “But during my time as Mist, I made the acquaintance of quite a few people who are far from innocent. Many would jump at the chance to help the infamous thief.”

“And you trust them not to deceive you?” Honoria countered. “Do you trust your viscount not to fight back—and perhaps hurt them? Or worse, you?” Her voice softened. “Or for them to hurt him?”

Lydia licked her lips, her confidence faltering. No, she didn’t. “He is not my viscount,” she muttered, the only protest she could muster.

“This could go wrong in so many ways; I can’t even begin to list them.”

“Fine, Honor! What’s your plan? We just keep corresponding with him ‘til the end of days?”

Honoria grimaced, sinking back onto the bed. “I’m sorry. It’s just… I know that you’re doing this for me. You don’t have to take this job to live comfortably in London. It’s me who needs to get away. And I don’t want you to unnecessarily risk your life and those around you.”

Lydia looked at her queerly. “I don’t need this? Have you forgotten the nature of this job—who I am confronting in all this? Do you think it’s easy for me to live in the same city as the man who abandoned me and threw me out onto the streets? The man who is the core of all my problems and who is now about to happily marry and have a family of his own? No.” Her voice cracked. “It’s not a pleasant prospect, and I need to leave England as badly as you do.” Lydia let out a shuddering breath. “Besides, if I don’t finish this job on time, Hades’ proprietress is going to throw me to the wolves. And that prospect does not seem pleasant either.”

“I understand,” Honoria said softly, “but we need to be smart about it.”

Lydia tossed her head. “Did you just call me daft?”

Honoria chuckled. “I did not! Unless you go through with your daft plans.”

Lydia gasped in feigned outrage. “You are impertinent!”

Honoria chuckled. “Someone needs to be.”

Lydia shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. Honoria was right. Lydia could not risk going about it all wrong. She needed to do this right, or they both risked major consequences.

“Very well,” she said slowly, another idea taking root. “There is another way I can get the jewel without involving anyone at all.”

“Oh?” Honoria blinked curiously, inching closer to the edge of the bed.

“But it’s high risk, high reward.”

“Do go on?”

“Since I don’t seem to be able to sneak up on him and you dislike the idea of accosting him, there is a third option. Meeting him face to face.” Honoria opened her mouth, but Lydia quickly continued, not letting her friend interrupt, “At the masquerade.”

“The masquerade?” Honoria’s voice rose with alarm. “You mean Hades’ masquerade? The one that’s happening on the last day Miss Monroe allotted you to hand over the jewel?”

“Yes, I told you. It’s high risk.” Lydia entwined her fingers at her midsection, then began pacing again, her steps deliberate, matching the measured cadence of her thoughts.

“And why is it high reward exactly?” Honoria’s tone bristled with skepticism.

“Because unlike every other scenario, I won’t need to be afraid that he’ll see my face. I’ll be wearing a mask! Everyone will be wearing a mask. I can write to him where to meet me, show up, stand as close to him as I please, and get the jewel, all without the risk of him recognizing me.”