Page 76 of How to Fall for a Scoundrel
She introduced Harry as “Henri Bonheur, a friend of Mr. King’s.”
“This is the stone in question,” Ellie said, holding it up.
“It’s certainly the right size and shape,” Fox said approvingly. “But appearances can be deceptive.”
He withdrew a jeweler’s magnifying glass from his coat pocket and set it into his eye, then held the stone up to the light, inspecting it with calm thoroughness.
“You’re checking to see if it’s paste, or colored glass?” Ellie asked.
“I am. Real aquamarines show different colors when viewed from different angles. And they typically don’t contain any visible flaws or bubbles. This also feels cool to the touch, which is another test to differentiate glass or paste from a true gem.”
“So it’s real?” Daisy asked.
Fox gave a smile. “It is indeed.”
Ellie’s shoulders relaxed and she sent a glance over at Harry. He didn’t seem remotely surprised; he’d probably known the stone was genuine the minute he’d seen it, given his intimate acquaintance with precious gems.
Fox patted his pockets again and withdrew a piece of paper. “Mr. Rundell authorized me to give you this bank draft as payment if the stone was real.”
Tess glanced at it and sent him a wide smile. “Thank you. I’ll be sure to relay Mr. Rundell’s appreciation to Mr. King. He’ll be delighted to have another happy customer.”
Fox placed the aquamarine in a small velvet bag. “Do you know the story behind this particular gem?”
“I’m afraid I don’t.”
Fox lowered his tone as if to impart a juicy piece of gossip. “Can you keep a secret?”
Tess shared an amused glance with first Ellie then Daisy. “Better than anyone you know, Mr. Fox.”
“Most people don’t know this, but a large proportion of the jewels used in any royal coronation don’t actually belong to the royal family. They’re almost all borrowed, hired for a four percent fee, from various jewelers. As soon as the pageantry is finished, they’re removed from their settings and returned.”
“I had no idea,” Daisy murmured.
Fox nodded sagely. “This stone was in King George’s coronation crown, some fifty years ago. It wasnotone that had been borrowed, however. It was part of the permanent royal collection. One of Rundell’s silversmiths had been tasked with removing the hired gems from the crown after the ceremony, but he took the opportunity to swap this aquamarine with a glass replica that he’d made. The substitution was only noticed months later, during a routine cleaning, by which time the culprit had fled the country.
“Old Mr. Rundell was mortified that a once-trusted employee had sullied their reputation. He and Bridge secretly paid the king two hundred pounds for the stone, and vowed to get it back, no matter how long it took.”
Fox gave a wry smile. “And now, finally, it’s back in their possession. Mr. Rundell will be ecstatic.”
“Will he sell it back to the king?” Ellie asked curiously.
“Oh no. He plans to give it to the crown. As a noble subject, he wants to return the missing jewel for the glory of England.”
Harry gave a cynical smile. “That’s very patriotic.”
“It’s notentirelyaltruistic,” Fox chuckled. “We receive an excellent income from all the royal commissions the prince regent sends our way. It makes good businesssense to stay in his good graces with a benevolent gift every now and then.”
Harry snorted. “Of course.”
When Fox had gone, Ellie composed a letter to the Lord Chamberlain’s Office requesting a private tour of the Tower. “I’m not sure how long it might take to get a reply. It could be days, or even weeks.”
Harry rolled his shoulders. “I suppose we’ll just have to be patient. I’ve been without a name for so long, a little bit longer won’t make any difference.”
The following week dragged by with the speed of honey falling from a spoon. Two new cases came in: a request to investigate the theft of a painting during a country house party in Kent, and a complaint from a woman who suspected that her absent husband had married another woman, therefore committing bigamy.
Ellie would normally have relished the thought of diving into either one of those cases, but concentration eluded her.
Harry seemed to be keeping his distance. He didn’t call at King & Co., and she didn’t see him at any of the social functions she attended with Daisy and Tess.