Once Upon a Diamond (11 page)

Kate blinked again when Lady Charlotte rolled over on
her back and stared up at the ceiling. “I knew you probably needed a friend to
talk to after all you had been through. And my brother can be insufferable. I
heard he gave you a cold reception."

Kate managed a smile. “Well, yes. His greeting was a bit
on the cool side.”

Charlotte giggled. “You do know though, we shall have to
fatten you up before you go out, socially that is. I can tell that you have
beautiful features. I suspect you will be the bell of the ball, not like me, of
course. But I am delighted you have come to stay a while.” 

Lady Charlotte’s hands moved as fast as her mouth. “Perhaps
you have an idea how to catch a gentleman. You see, I have set my cap for the
man from Lancewood Hall.” 

Kate’s mouth dropped open again. An unwanted stab of
jealousy pierced her heart. Her cousin wanted Tristan? Alarmed at her own
reaction, Kate tried to dismiss her wayward thoughts.    

“However, I don’t have designs on the earl,” Charlotte
added, “He’s Devin’s best friend and all. No.” She rolled over. “I fancy his
younger brother, The Honorable Mr. Edward Fullerton.”

“I see,” Kate said, rather relieved.

He’s Devin’s best friend.
That answered one question for Kate.

As time passed, Charlotte
and Kate continued
their conversation, and
the two
women
felt an instant bond of friendship.
Kate
eventually confid
ed
everything about her voyage to England,
including details of the night at the inn.

Charlotte clasped her hands together in shock and
delight. “The earl spent the remainder of the night with you? In his chambers? In
the chair? Why, if anyone discovered that sordid fact, you’d be married
immediately. Society, you know.”

Kate’s brows knitted into a frown. Perhaps she should never
have said anything to Charlotte at all. “You must promise not to tell anyone
about the inn, Charlotte. I would be mortified if you did.”

“Oh, I promise. But do you really think the earl believes
you’re residing in the village? He is not one easily deceived. His pride is
well known about the ton."

“Well, I called him a pompous windbag when we had a
disagreement. I don’t think he appreciated that." Kate’s heart beat with
satisfaction as she thought about her jab to his arrogant ego when she had
rattled off the initials P.W.

Charlotte looked horrified. “You didn’t?”

“I did,” Kate replied adamantly, recalling his rigid
jaw.

“You didn't?”

“I did.”

“You do realize that if you were a man, he would have
called you out, even though duels are illegal. Tomorrow, at dawn, you would
have been facing him with a pistol in your hand.”

A sense of unease filled Kate. “Truly?" Her throat
suddenly went dry.

Charlotte moved closer. “The
on-dit
in the ton is
that the earl’s anger explodes at the smallest incident. I would wager he never
gets married.” She gave Kate a confident nod and sat back.

Kate managed a tremulous smile.

“He’s obsessed with some crazy quest.” Charlotte
delivered the news with gossiping pride. “Did you know he has been searching
for a family diamond ever since his father died months ago? But Devin told me
that Tristan is planning to take some time to join the ton this Season for a
bit of amusement.” 

The girl giggled. “Not to say that he hasn’t had
amusements. I’ve heard the most detailed accounts. And if you ask me, I believe
he thinks he’ll find answers about the diamond while he’s in London, and that’s
why he’s going to present himself during the Season.” Charlotte shrugged. “But
what do I know. Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me.”

While Charlotte chattered on, Kate’s mind returned to the
conversation with Tristan and the missing diamond. She had innocently insulted
him and had felt his fury shake the coach, the very same fury she’d seen in his
eyes that she encountered ten years ago. But he had not told her the diamond
was a family heirloom. That changed everything.

“Were you scared?” Charlotte asked.

Kate blinked. “No.” Her eyes twinkled. “Well, mayhap a
bit. But most of the time, he was extremely kind.” 

Kate pursed her lips, knowing her attraction to Tristan
didn’t help.

“Of course, you’ll probably encounter him if my brother
escorts you about Town,” Charlotte offered. “Tristan, that’s what I call him
since he is a family friend, will probably attend every social gathering we do
because of his title and availability. And though I’ve known him forever, you
shall have to call him Lord Lancewood, you know.”

Oh, Kate knew all right.

“And if I were you, when you do run into him, I would
refrain from calling him a pompous windbag too. No telling what he’ll
do." 

Kate shuddered at the thought. How had she ever let
Matthew talk her into visiting England in the first place? 

Her lips thinned. He hadn’t talked her into visiting at
all. He just hadn’t been able to take no for an answer, not to mention that he
had used her vulnerability at the time of her father’s death  to tip the scale
in his favor.

“D
on’t look over
your shoulder, but the baron’s coming this way.” Devin spoke over the rim of
his wineglass as he sat beside Edward. The two men had recently arrived at White’s,
one of London’s gentlemen’s clubs located on St. James’s Street.

 “And I daresay,” Devin continued, “the roof may blow
all the way to Brighton if Tristan makes a show in the next few minutes.”

Edward’s brow creased with worry as he stared at the oncoming
baron. “The devil of it is, Tristan should be here any minute. After he caught
Douberry cheating, he played him for a good sum and embarrassed the man. No,
won’t be a nice scene if the two of them run into each other so soon.”

Lord Douberry, a baron twice Edward’s age, approached
the two men. “Evening, gentlemen. Game of cards?” 

Devin sent Edward a knowing glance when a strong whiff
of whiskey came blowing their way. “How much you willing to wager this time, Douberry?”

Douberry stumbled into an empty chair, his portly body
banging against the edge of the table. “How much, gentlemen, depends on you.” 

“How much?” At the sound of Tristan’s steely voice, the
three men lifted their heads. Tristan’s mouth took on a dangerous twist. “You wish
another game with me, Douberry?"

The baron narrowed his eyes on the earl. “I think not. My
funds are a bit low. Believe I shall find my entertainment elsewhere.” With a scowl,
the man shoved his chair from beneath him. “However, I do believe I shall make
a gentleman’s wager…”

Tristan’s lips thinned. “A gentleman’s wager? I was led
to believe that after the last 8,000 pounds you lost to me, you’d do yourself a
favor and not gamble anymore."

Douberry forced a grin, showing a gap between his two
front teeth, then staggered sideways, his drink sloshing in his hand. “I shall
wager,” the baron hiccupped, “that you have yet to find your precious diamond.”
With a raucous chuckle, the baron scurried away.

Tristan shoved his jaw forward, his eyes glued to the
baron.

Edward grabbed his brother’s arm when he saw him start
for the man. “He’s been foxed all night, Tristan. Poor soul has nothing else
left but his drink.” 

Tristan glared at Edward. “Drop your hand. I have no
wish to make a scene with my own brother.”  

Frowning, Edward released him. “Don’t call him out. You
won his coin free and clear, and made him look like an idiot. He has nothing
else left but to fish for entertainment, and he knew you would bite. Word has
it, his wife has developed the same vice as himself.”

“She’s taken up drinking?” Tristan hated to think of a
man ruined by a female.

As if sensing his brother’s softening demeanor, Edward
continued, “No, the lady’s been gambling away the family fortune.”

Tristan dragged a chair to sit beside Devin.

Edward lowered his voice. “The thing is, it’s going
about that Lady Douberry has been visiting one of those clandestine gaming
hells somewhere in London. High stakes and high risk. It’s rumored the gambling
house is only for a select group of women. I’ve heard that more than a handful
of High Society ladies attend."

Tristan sat back with a frown. “I’ve heard of such
activities, but never knew any woman who has attended one of those things. I
believe that would drive any man to drink.” He scoffed, thinking of the girl from
the inn. “Women.” 

Devin smiled. “Now, now, all females are not like that.”

Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. “Do tell, then
why are you not married by now?”

“You know very well why.”

“Gentlemen, gentlemen, how about another round of drinks?”
Edward grabbed the decanter of red wine and poured the liquid into three
goblets. “A toast. To a great Season, and may we all have luck with the
ladies.” 

Tristan and Devin eyed each other and downed a good
amount of the wine.

Edward eyes gleamed with mischief. “And may my brother
find a beautiful and loving bride before the Season ends.”

Tristan sprayed his drink over the table. “The devil, Edward.”

Edward and Devin cackled with laughter.

Devin slapped his hand down on the table. “I believe the
chances of him getting married are as slim as him finding that diamond.”   

The
diamond.

Tristan’s
stomach clenched. He couldn’t tell Devin or Edward the real reason he sought
the gem. But in truth, he wondered if England was the only reason he had taken the
quest.

He
was almost glad he had the government backing the search. After checking in
with his superiors only hours ago, he received information that the Napoleon
sympathizers were hot on the diamond’s trail. Important papers relating to the
case and the people working on it had been stolen from Whitehall. If the
diamond fell into the wrong hands, the damage to English trade could be
enormous.

“What
say you to a marriage this Season, Trist?” Devin asked, amusement dancing in
his eyes.

Tristan shot his friend a cool glare. Devin knew how he
felt about marriage. Both of them would eventually have to tie the knot and
produce an heir, but Tristan was not inclined to move too quickly.

He was not going to involve himself in a miserable
marriage like his parents.

Moreover, he would never love a woman. He knew that much.
At the moment, his search for the diamond was quite enough. Later, when duty
required, he would begin his search for a wife and enter into a marriage of
convenience.

Not caring for the flow of conversation, he decided to
inquire about Kate’s presence in the village. “By the by, any new people
roaming about Ridgewater lately?"

Devin stared at him in surprise. “What a peculiar
question. You go straight from marriage to servants. How many drinks have you
had?” 

Tristan meant the village of Ridgewater, not the duke’s
home. “Perhaps I’m in need of a new servant at Lancewood Hall," he said.

How was he to find out about Kate and her relationship
to the vicar without setting off a string of questions? It had been at least
three weeks ago. What had happened to her since? 

He tried to tell himself that she still resided safely
in the country with the vicar, but her stubbornness worried him to no end.

Edward peered over his drink. “Mrs. O’Hara is in charge
of hiring, is she not? Perkins certainly isn’t up to the job. Truly, I didn’t
realize you were looking for more help, Trist. Unless you want to double up on
the butler and housekeeper. You know, have a set in the country and a different
set in Town.”

“No, no. Mrs. O’Hara can still travel, and Perkins is
getting too old and stubborn for his own good, but I don’t have the heart to
set him out to pasture.” Tristan realized he was getting absolutely nowhere
with this line of questioning. “But a good servant is hard to come by these
days.”

“Indeed.” Devin thrust his empty glass onto the table. “I’ve
had quite the trouble with one of them. Webster, in particular.”

“Webster?” Tristan asked. “Why the man can do no wrong.”

Devin scowled. “Hear me out and then make your judgment.
Weeks ago, at Ridgewater, I took a ride on Killer, to your place, no less.” 

Tristan smiled. “I have no sympathy for you or that
stallion.”

“That stallion was nothing compared to this, I tell
you.”

Curious now, Edward flipped his hand in the air. “Forget
about my brother and the horse. Go on with your story.”

Devin slouched in his seat. “Webster caught me before I
slipped out. My mother was detained, and therefore, chose me to entertain my
American cousin who had just arrived and was waiting in the drawing room. I
told Webster to tell my mother that I had left for the afternoon. But he had
the gall to obey my mother and insist that I meet with my cousin immediately. He
kept repeating,
‘Lord Roxdon, your presence is required in the drawing
room.’
”

Edward could not keep from smiling, but Tristan frowned.
It was clear Devin was not about to relieve him of escorting his cousin during
the Season. Yet Tristan’s main goal was to find that diamond. Though Whitehall
had asked him to join in the Season’s festivities in hopes of uncovering the
Napoleon sympathizers while he still searched for the rare gem, Tristan wasn’t
excited about escorting Devin’s wild cousin at all.

Devin slid his empty glass back and forth across the
table. “Webster must have repeated himself ten times before I reluctantly
succumbed to the meeting.”

“Homely chit, eh?” Tristan asked. “I remember her being
on the pretty side. Big brown eyes, reminded me of a squirrel.”

Devin cleared his throat. “Let me put it this way, and I
shall include you in this as well.” He pointed his finger at Edward whose eyes
had widened in horror. “I shall take you and your noble brother here up on your
offer to escort my cousin to a few balls and outings this Season.”

A corner of Tristan’s mouth twisted. “It wasn’t exactly
an offer. And I suspect you have a host of women you would rather enjoy this
Season instead of her, am I correct?”

“Yes,” Edward said, frowning. “What about that opera
singer I saw you with last evening? And why the devil should we be involved in
your evasion of your cousin?  Ask Kastings or Bridges to do the job.”

“Married men?” Devin said, acting quite shocked.

Edward’s face turned red. “You know what I mean. They
are safe. We are not!”

“Face it, Devin, I believe Edward would rather study his
books on crop rotation then escort your cousin.”

Edward nodded. “Yes, yes, I would. And as I recall, I’ve
seen Devin juggle more than three women in one Season. One simpering miss
should be nothing.”

“Gentlemen, I implore you to hear me out,” Devin pleaded.
“I’ve not been back to Ridgewater Manor since our first encounter, but my
mother is furious with me. You know how she is with her matchmaking schemes. I’ll
have to return tomorrow and face the consequences. Father tried to speak to me,
but I had already departed. He’s sent me a letter to return to Ridgewater Manor.
I have put it off far too long. Jupiter, one would think the way he wrote the
missive, his life was at stake. Hell’s teeth, I’m a score and seven!"

Edward exchanged worried glances between the two men. “Well,
believe it or not, I have plans for my own life and they are not all focused on
crop rotation.”

Tristan raised a brow. “It seems we have other plans,
thanks to our nicely organized marquess here.”

“But I have plans,” Edward protested. “You don’t
understand.”

“You promised, Trist,” Devin said, jutting his jaw
forward in determination.

Tristan’s gaze fell on Edward’s pitiful expression. What
plans was Edward talking about? Whatever they were, Tristan needed to share the
burden of escorting Devin’s cousin this Season because he would need all the
time he could in order to find that blasted diamond.

“Devil take it, Edward, I did promise,” Tristan said. “And
it seems Devin is going to need your help as well. You cannot bow out now.”

Edward’s hand curled into an angry fist. “Oh, I will
make quite a dashing figure with Devin’s cousin, is that what you think? It’s
absurd! I have my plans I tell you!”

“That settles it then,” Devin said, smiling. “The three
of us shall take turns escorting my cousin this Season.”

Edward rolled his eyes. “I don’t have to like it. I
shall take her to Hyde Park for an afternoon ride and that is all.”    

“Ride?” Tristan could barely contain his laughter. “I
was wondering, Devin, does your cousin still steal horses?” 

Edward’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“I don’t care if your friend got himself killed. I paid
him right and tight, then
that American chit had to ruin it all.
” 

The angry growl came from inside the darkened carriage
parked along the Thames.

“Yes,
but I want him dead when I say so.”

The
bald man leaned forward, his shoulders blocking the door. “Ye want the chit
dead, too? Two for the price of one, eh?”

“No,
don’t touch the gel. Not now.” A sinister snort emerged from the shadows. “I
suppose you didn’t mind your partner’s death since it was you who inherited his
belongings, including that nice satchel of silver he received last time we met.
Silver he received for nothing but getting himself killed by his own knife.”

“He
was me partner. I ain’t about taken anything that weren’t mine. The way I see
it, he owed me.” The bald man scoffed. “Owed me big, he did. I ain’t going nowhere,
so ye let me know the time and the place when yer ready.”