
PREFACE.
HONOR OF THIEVES. - CHAPTER I. THE ANTECEDENTS OF PATRICK ONSLOW.
CHAPTER II A FORTUNE FOR THE PAIR OF US.
CHAPTER III. THE REQUIREMENTS OF MRS. SHELF.
CHAPTER IV. BUSINESS AT A BALL.
CHAPTER V. BIMETALLISM.
CHAPTER VI. THE TEMPTING OF CAPTAIN OWEN KETTLE.
CHAPTER VII. £500,000—IN GOLD.
CHAPTER VIII. THE SEND-OFF.
CHAPTER IX. GROUND-BAIT.
Set in the bustling social world of late‑nineteenth‑century London, the story follows the enigmatic Patrick Onslow, a man whose reputation as a globe‑trotting gentleman is as polished as his dancing shoes. When the witty and observant Amy Rivers is coaxed onto the ballroom floor, she discovers a partner whose effortless grace seems to anticipate her every move, turning a simple waltz into a mesmerizing dialogue of steps and silences. Their interaction hints at a deeper history of charm, daring, and the kinds of secrets that thrive behind society’s glittering facades.
Through the eyes of Amy’s friends—sharp‑tongued Fairfax and the ever‑curious Miss Rivers—the narrative paints a vivid portrait of a world where reputation, intrigue, and moral ambiguity intertwine. As rumors of Onslow’s wanderings from Tehran to Timbuktu swirl, the listener is invited to wonder whether the man’s allure stems from genuine adventure or the clever stories he weaves. The opening promises a tale of elegance, deception, and the thin line between admiration and suspicion.
Language
en
Duration
~6 hours (352K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2021-10-31
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1866–1944
Best known for lively adventure fiction, he wrote the popular Captain Kettle stories and the imaginative lost-world novel The Lost Continent: The Story of Atlantis. His work blends sea-going action with early scientific romance, making him an interesting figure in late Victorian and Edwardian popular fiction.
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