Page 27 of The Allure Of Lord Devlin
Rosemary nodded. “Me either. Where should we start?”
“Let’s start at the beginning and work forwards. What do you remember of the night your father died?”
While Rosemary thought, Dharma rose and pulled the bell. They’d need more tea. “I haven’t got long. I’m due at Charlotte’s for lunch and then Fencourt is picking me up from His Grace’s house at one for a walk in the square.”
“I too will take a stroll with Hawthorne this afternoon.”
They poured fresh tea and treated themselves to a scone.
“I was only eleven when my father died. He came to my bedchamber that night, which was unusual. He kissed me good night and told me not to believe anything I may hear about him, and he gave me a jewelry box and told me not to lose it, as it contained a treasure I had to keep safe. When I opened the box the next morning, it held a beautiful pair of diamond earrings.”
“Can you describe the box?”
Rosemary shrugged. “It’s quite large. It’s a golden box with two columns of embedded jewels in a zig-zag pattern in its lid. The sides are lined with columns of jewels in a spiral pattern, each column dropping into the next, forming a floral pattern. The lid is decorated with a Greek goddess in gilded relief, her hair tied in an array of curls, her eyes shut in an appearance of repose.”
Her heart beat faster. She bit her bottom lip and then asked, “Is the goddess’s gown green and black?”
“Yes, it is. Have I shown it to you?”
“No, but my mother had a box very similar. Did you find the secret compartment in the bottom?”
Rosemary frowned. “What secret compartment? Does my box have a secret compartment? Maybe father put something in there. That might be the treasure to keep safe.”
“That’s what I was thinking. I think we should check the jewelry box. I’ll come to your house after our walk. I think your father gave that box to you for a reason.”
Rosemary stood and paced the room. “Why didn’t he give it to Devlin?”
That’s what Dharma wanted to know. Was it to protect him? “Perhaps he thought Devlin wasn’t ready to confront the villains. He was only just coming into manhood.”
Rosemary stopped pacing and turned to face Dharma, her face a mass of agony. “Then I’ve let father down. I should have thought to look more closely at the box long ago. Or I should have given it to Devlin.”
“You were too young to understand anything about what your father was up to.” Dharma rose and approached her friend. She laid her hand on Rosemary’s arm. “The box may contain nothing. We are perhaps just being fanciful. Promise me you’ll wait for me before you open the box.”
Rosemary hesitated a fraction before nodding. “After our walk and before we head to the opera.”
“Oh, I’d forgotten about the opera.”
“You invited me to accompany you in Their Graces’ box.” When Dharma raised her eyebrow. “I told Hawthorne I would be attending.”
“Who am I to stand in the way of love?” She smiled. “Will Devlin let you out of the house?”
“I’ll sneak out if I have to.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” She looked at the clock on the mantle. “I’m sorry, but I’m due at Charlotte’s. I shall see you soon and if not, I shall get Lord Fencourt to drop me at your townhouse. Then we shall look at the box.”
“It’s going to be so hard not to look for the secret compartment, but I will wait until you arrive. I’ll entertain Mrs. McTavish instead and see what I can learn.” Rosemary pressed a kiss to her cheek and was gone.
Alice was waiting for her in the foyer with her cape and soon they set off down the street to the Duke of Sinclair’s residence. At least Sin hadn’t deserted his friend. It was the one thing that kept thetonfrom cutting Devlin direct.
On the walk to Charlotte’s, Dharma considered how much to reveal to her stepmother about the situation with Devlin. While Charlotte was keen for Dharma to marry Devlin to help with his financial situation, she also wanted Dharma to be happy. Charlotte genuinely thought Devlin would make Dharma a fine husband. Would he? And the likelihood of that happening anytime soon was anyone’s guess.
She would not let Rosemary down. She would help her friend gather information for Devlin. Dharma wanted to free Devlin from the burden he’d carried all these years. It is a heavy yoke to carry, to be a Marquis but still face society’s scorn. Devlin shouldered the consequences for his mother and Rosemary. Devlin would want to see Rosemary make a fine match. Something that had evaded her so far because of her father. Then there were his brothers. Harry was in India, fighting for Britain. Risking his life to prove he was nothing like his late father. The other, George, was a lost soul. Touring the world trying to find meaning to it all.
It was going to be a long afternoon because all Dharma wanted to do was open the secret compartment in Rosemary’s jewelry box.
ChapterEight
If Devlin were a bird, his feathers would truly be ruffled. He’d indulged Fiona since they’d arrived a week ago and still she’d revealed no more. What was she waiting for? He could guess. She was watching and analyzing his life. It was the main reason he’d broken off his understanding with Dharma. He didn’t trust the beautiful Scottish widow any more than he’d trust a rabid fox.
