Page 68 of How to Fall for a Scoundrel
Chapter Thirty-Four
“Good morning,Mr. King,” Tess teased drily as Harry sauntered into the King & Co. offices the next morning, looking as handsome as ever, and bringing a waft of cedar-scented air with him. “Would you like some tea?”
He sent her a charming smile. “That would be lovely, thank you.”
Ellie rolled her eyes as Tess poured him a cup and added milk. Had she forgotten he was a scoundrel? And possibly a shameless liar, as well?
He could still be lying about being the lost earl. She felt a little stab of remorse for continuing to doubt him, but herjobwas to doubt things until sufficient evidence had been provided to ascertain the truth.
“Tess and I just returned the Book of Hours to Mr. Bullock,” she said, sliding behind her desk.
Harry leaned against the edge of it, and took a sip of tea. “Was he annoyed by the damage?”
“He didn’t react half as badly as I thought he might,” Ellie conceded. “I’d removed the shot, and pressed thegold back into shape a little from the inside. None of the jewels had been broken, and when I explained how it had been dented, he became almost giddy.”
“He actuallylaughed,” Tess said. “He said he was never one to let the facts get in the way of a good story, and that he liked the book even better now. He’s going to put it back on display exactly as it is, and tell everyone the shot that made the hole was fired at Napoleon himself!”
Harry shook his head. “See how the truth can get distorted? You can’t believe everything you hear.”
He glanced over at Daisy, who was using a cotton cloth to apply a thin layer of oil to the blade she’d received at Hyde Park, and whistled in admiration.
“That is an impressive weapon. I’m quite jealous.”
Daisy grinned. “Isn’t it? I’ve been doing a little research, and this type of blade is more common in Italy than here. They call it acinquedea, which means ‘five fingers,’ because that’s the width of the blade here at the base, next to the guard.” She pointed to the fattest part of the lethal-looking blade.
Harry nodded. “I’ve encountered a couple of those myself, on my travels. It’s basically a long dagger. See how the leather scabbard has a loop on it? That’s for attaching to your belt, at the back, horizontally. That way, you can easily draw it with your right hand. It’s designed for close combat and self-defense.”
Daisy looked delighted. “I’ve persuaded a friend of Devlin’s to give me some extra lessons with it. I’m not bad with a rapier, but I need to practice my knife skills.”
Harry made a face. “As if you weren’t terrifying enough.”
Daisy chuckled at the compliment.
Harry turned back to Ellie. “Have you shown them our spoils from last night?”
“Not yet.” She slid open the drawer in her desk and held the blue stone up to the light.
It was impossible not to appreciate the beauty of it. The angled facets made it sparkle, and the pale blue color reminded her of the sky in springtime.
“Pretty,” Tess murmured. “Let’s hope it’s real, and the one Rundell’s been looking for. I’ll invite him to come and inspect it for himself.”
Harry took another sip of tea. “So, now that I’ve paid your fee, how do you mean to prove my identity?”
“We need more information,” Ellie said. “We’d like to talk to Hugo, since he’s known you the longest. He might be able to tell us something that will help the investigation. How is he feeling?”
“I had Dr. Wilson come and look at him. He really did damage a couple of ribs wrestling with Sofia in the park. He’s been told to rest and not do anything strenuous, but he’s certainly up to receiving visitors. He’s driving me mad, he’s so bored.”
Ellie started to rise. “In that case—”
“I need to get something, first,” Harry said.
He glanced at the basil plant she’d relegated to the corner of the room. “I’m glad to see you’ve been taking care of my gift. Do you remember I told you it’s supposed to bring good luck and ward off poverty?”
“It’s brought us Bullock’s five hundred pounds.” Tess smiled. “And that aquamarine. So maybe there’s something to that superstition.”
Harry put down his teacup and rounded the desk. “I meant it in a more literal sense.”
He picked up the plant pot and placed it directly in front of Ellie. “I apologize in advance for the mess.”