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individual or individuals. Yes, I think I can offer you some employment, madam.
Victoria glowed.  How thrilling.
Caleb abruptly turned away from the dance floor. He appeared distracted.
 If you will all excuse me, I must be off, he said.
Leona examined his humorless expression.  Are you ill, Mr. Jones?
 What? He seemed baffled by the question. Then his face cleared.  No, I m well, thank you, Miss
Hewitt. I m leaving because I have work to do. I promised Gabe I would put in an appearance here
tonight, but now I must get back to my laboratory. I am working on Hulsey s notes. There is something
about the manner in which he organized his experiments that may provide a clue to the way he thinks. If I
can comprehend the pattern, I will be able to devise a plan to locate him. He nodded brusquely.  Good
night.
Victoria watched him leave.  Odd, even for a Jones.
 I believe Caleb is sinking deeper into his obsession with patterns, Thaddeus said quietly.
Leona smiled.  About my part-time career in the enquiry business.
Thaddeus held up both hands, palms out, and smiled.  Enough, my love, no more arguing about the
matter. I refuse to ruin the evening worrying about all the things that might possibly go wrong if you were
to get involved in another investigation. I will take your advice; I am going to think positive.
 I am delighted to hear that.
 For tonight, at least. One step at a time. He took her arm, mesmeric eyes heating.  Dance with me, my
love. It will go far to ensure that I maintain my new optimistic outlook.
She laughed, happiness effervescing through her as light and intoxicating as champagne.  Anything to
assist you in your goal to think positive.
He responded to her laughter with his wolfish smile and drew her into the glittering pool of dancers.
 I love you, my beautiful sorceress, he whispered.
 I love you, Thaddeus. You are the man I have waited 
She stopped midsentence, aware that Thaddeus was not listening. His attention was fixed on the far side
of the room.
 What in blazes? He brought her to a halt in the middle of the floor.
Annoyed at the interruption of what had been one of the most romantic nights of her entire life, she turned
to follow his gaze.
A visible ripple of awareness accompanied by murmurs and whispers was sweeping through the crowd.
Heads turned. At the center of the moving wave was a tall, distinguished-looking gentleman elegantly
attired in black-and-white evening clothes. The light of the chandeliers gleamed on his silver hair and
sparkled on his diamond stickpin.
The room seemed to waver and shift around her. For the first and only time in her life, Leona wondered if
she might faint.
The silver-haired man reached the edge of the dance floor and looked around expectantly, searching for
someone. The last waltzing couple stopped midturn. The musicians fell silent. A hush gripped the crowd.
Leona seized fistfuls of her skirts in both hands and flew toward the newcomer, weaving a path through
the maze of dancers.
 Uncle Edward, she shouted. You re alive.
54
IT WAS NEARLY DAWN. Through the glass walls of the conservatory Leona could see the first faint
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blush of morning light. She was still in her spectacular ball gown, its satins and silks turned to warm
amber gold in the gaslight.
Thaddeus had removed his black evening coat, unknotted his tie and opened the collar of his pleated
shirt. Lounging against the edge of a workbench, he picked up the brandy bottle he had brought from the
library, filled two glasses and handed one to Leona.
 To good old Uncle Edward, he said. He raised the glass in a small toast.  And to his amazing powers
of positive thinking.
 I knew he would come back someday. Leona sipped her brandy, savoring all the joys, large and small,
that the night had brought.  But to be perfectly honest, I wasn t entirely certain that he would ever be
able to repay the investors.
Thaddeus laughed.  Thought the crowd was going to turn into a mob when they realized who had walked
into their midst. I swear, if Gabe hadn t taken command of the situation, the first Spring Ball of the
Arcane Society would have turned into a full-blown riot. But tomorrow I suspect that everyone who was
in that room tonight will be standing in line begging to invest in your uncle s next investment scheme.
Once the excitement had died down and the news that the mining investment had finally, if somewhat
belatedly, paid off, it seemed everyone had wanted to talk to Edward. He had spent the evening regaling
the attentive crowd around him with stories of the profits to be made in American investments.
Leona gave a tiny shudder.  Between you and me, I can t help thinking that it was luck, not positive
thinking, that saved Uncle Edward this time. It sounds as if everything that could go wrong in America
did, indeed, go wrong. It was adisaster.
Being the positive thinker that he was, Edward had not dwelt on the unpleasant details, but it was clear
that the past two years had been fraught with hardship and peril. There was a brief mention of a
deceptive banker and an extraordinarily beautiful and charming woman who had turned out to be
somewhat less than trustworthy. Finding himself accused of fraud and embezzlement in San Francisco,
Edward had been forced to fake his own death, change his name and lie low for some time while he
crafted another investment scheme. The second project had proved spectacularly successful, making
more than enough money to pay off the original investors.
 All s well that ends well, as we who think positive like to say. Thaddeus set aside his glass and drew
her into his arms.  Really, my love, you must learn to take a more optimistic view of life. Where s the
good in dwelling on the negative?
She laughed and went into his arms.  You re right. I don t know what came over me.
She raised her face for his kiss.
Love flared, an invisible aura that she knew would warm their hearts for the rest of their lives.
**THE END**
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Quick, Amanda. The Third Circle / Amanda Quick.
p. cm.
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