Page 21 of The Earl's Error
“No,” he said, suddenly, making her jump. “That cannot be so.Ihad possession of the heirloom before my mother took the necklace and the earrings without my knowledge. She took them knowing that I had forbidden her from taking them. They were to be returned to my estate but I can assure you that the earrings are genuine. I looked at them earlier today once I became aware of what had happened with the necklace.” He leaned forward but there was not the same darkness in his eyes as had been there before. “There must have been something that took place when my mother lost her necklace. The exchange must have taken place then, though I do not yet know by whom or how it was done.”
“The heirloom was worn by your mother without your consent?” Joceline could not help but ask, a little relieved that he did not appear to be as furiously angry as he had been before. “Could it not be that –” She stopped quickly, heat in her own cheeks as she realized what she had been about to say. In her foolishness, she had been about to suggest that the lady herself might have had something to do with it, given that she had been forbidden from wearing them.
Lord Albury’s eyebrows drew closer together again. “Surprisingly enough, Miss Trentworth, I had the same thought. Though it appears that she did not. I have had to send her to recover in her bedchamber, such was her shock.”
“Then you suspect one of the guests?” Joceline asked, trying to push away his suspicions. “Surely it would have taken someone with a full awareness of the necklace to have done such a thing, for the paste jewels would have had to been prepared in advance.”
Lord Albury’s expression lifted just a little. “That is, again, something that I have already considered, thanks to my discussion with Lord Castleton,” he said, a little more quietly now. “Though my suspicions are many, Miss Trentworth.”
And still pushed towards myself or my mother,Joceline considered, a knot in her stomach. If she hid the truth from him about where the necklace had been found, then when it was discovered, orifit was discovered, then would she not be all the more under his consideration? She opened her mouth to tell him the truth, only to shut it again as Lord Albury rose to his feet, evidently intending now to end the conversation.
“I shall take my leave, Miss Trentworth. I do hope that you will inform your mother about all that I have told you here this evening.”
Panic tore through her and Joceline, getting to her feet, put out one hand and caught his, pulling herself closer to him, her breathing tight. “And I do hope, Lord Albury, that you do not intend to tell thetonthat your necklace has been stolen? You do not, I hope, intend to tell everyone about what you have discovered?”
Lord Albury’s eyes flickered, his gaze dropping to where her hand caught his but Joceline did not release him. Her fear was too great, her worry too profound. If he told society what he had told her, then her reputation and her mother’s reputation would be completely and utterly broken. Thetonwould, without any evidence, believe that they had been involved in the theft and all hope of her ever finding a suitable gentleman to wed would be gone.
“You expect me to keep this to myself, Miss Trentworth? How ever am I to find the truthandmy necklace if I stay silent?”
“Think of what will happen if you share it with all and sundry!” Joceline exclaimed, refusing to let his hand go. “You will be ruining any hope that I have of a suitable match. You will bring my father’s good name into disrepute and all without any evidence that we have done anything wrong whatsoever! That cannot be fair, surely?”
It took a few moments but eventually, Lord Albury let out a slow breath and then nodded, letting Joceline release her tight grip upon his fingers. She did not care one jot that she had grasped his hand so, even though it was more than a little improper. The realization that she could lose everything were he to say a word to the gossipmongers of London had forced her into action, and she was glad that she now had his understanding.
“I shall be very careful,” he said, as she stepped back. “Forgive me for my lack of thought, Miss Trentworth. That was a little negligent.”
She could only nod, feeling suddenly fatigued.
“I shall take my leave of you now.”
Her eyes caught his again. “I did not steal your necklace, Lord Albury. I shall repeat myself over and over again if I must until you believe me. I swear to you that it is the truth.”
He did not say a word to her. He did not say that yes, he believed her or no, he did not. Instead, all Lord Albury did was search her face with his blue eyes as she held her breath, desperate for him to see the truth in her expression… until, finally, he turned and walked out of the door, leaving her alone and with her mind whirling with a thousand terrifying thoughts.
10
“What are you going to do?”
Theodore leaned back against the wall of the drawing room he stood in, watching a few of the other guests. “I am not yet sure.”
“You will have to find a way to get the list of the guests,” Lord Castleton said, handing him a whisky. “That will be the first thing to do.”
“I already have it,” Theodore muttered, swirling his whisky around. “Lady Melford sent me a strongly written letter along with a list of the guests present that evening.”
Lord Castleton looked astonished. “Did she? Did you write to her to tell her about what had happened?”
Theodore winced. “No, I did not. I did something… else.”
His friend frowned. “Then what did you do?”
Taking a sip of his whisky, Theodore let out a small sigh. “I acted foolishly, I will admit. I strode into Lady Melford’s townhouse and spoke directly to Miss Trentworth.” Seeing his friend’s eyes widen, he closed his for just a moment. “There was no one else present and I am well aware that it was improper.”
A series of small, strangled exclamations escaped from Lord Castleton’s throat but Theodore only sipped his whisky, aware that he deserved every word of chagrin that was now bound to follow. Hehadacted in a most ridiculous manner, letting his anger, upset and confusion push him into behaving in a way that he would never have done otherwise.
“Do youwantto be wed to Miss Trentworth?”
“Wed?” Theodore’s head whipped around. “Of course I do not! Why should you ask me such a thing?”
Lord Castleton rolled his eyes. “Because that is precisely what will happen if you continue to do such foolish things. What would have happened if Lady Melford had walked into the room and seen you together?”
