Page 70 of A Proposition for the Comte

‘Is it safe here, Aurelian? Will anyone have followed us?’

‘No. I promise it.’

‘The law has a far reach though?’

‘And we are on the right side of its jurisdiction.’

‘But for how long? If Cummings is involved he will find a way to blame us for the deaths of those at the inn.’

‘The man outside your cell was a known felon. I recognised his name and he had papers in his pocket that cannot be ignored.’

‘Papers?’

‘A docket for the payment of twenty guineas. An order for his services in your kidnap perhaps? We might be able to trace that.’

‘Was there a signature?’

‘No, unfortunately. The second man was French and the third one had this in his breast pocket.’

Aurelian placed a charm wrought in gold on her palm. ‘Do you recognise it?’

She knew this piece of jewellery immediately for it was the same as the one she kept hidden in the crack of her floorboards. The shock of it made her stand. ‘I do. It is a part of a necklace, a lost segment. I have another piece at home almost identical.’

His own interest was apparent. ‘Where did you find it?’

‘In Harland’s library at Addington Manor. He had been arguing with a woman and when they left I found a sapphire and four gold segments of chain beneath his table.’

‘Do you know who the woman was?’

She felt anger surge. ‘He had many liaisons after...he began to dislike me. I never saw her though and I don’t know her name.’

‘Do you remember anything of her voice?’

Violet shook her head. ‘I was upstairs and the door to his library was closed. It was the tone of the words I remember most clearly.’

‘The tone?’

‘Anger. Fury. All those things he used to be with me. If the sapphire is indeed a part of a necklace then it could be found. Jewellers tend to note such valuable articles and if we are careful we may be able to trace it.’

‘I will put out the word.’

‘Could it have been the jewellery of the one you spoke of? The Frenchwoman who you saw leave Cummings’s house?’

Aurelian laughed then. ‘You sound just like Shay. A sleuth in the making.’

‘I will take that as a compliment.’

‘It is.’

And just like that the feeling between them changed, the air becoming thinner and the skin on her arms rising into need. The power of sensuality surprised her.

He felt it, too, she could see he did, for his gold eyes flared as he stood, bringing her in to him, his fingers on her cheek where she had been hit and his voice hoarse.

‘Does it hurt?’

‘No.’

‘If it had been worse...’