Page 14 of Not His Usual Style (Diamonds of London #10)

Hyde Park

London

Grey sat in his closed carriage watching the Mayfair world go by from the window. He was on his way to Hyde Park for two reasons—he needed to clear his thoughts, and that was where he’d been told Victoria had gone.

With nothing else to do, he retreated into his thoughts.

Last night, after he’d lost his damned mind and did wicked things to Victoria after only knowing her less than three hours, she’d fallen asleep on the sofa while waiting for her father to return home.

So, Grey had covered her with a blanket he’d found draped over the back of a chair.

Then he’d occupied another chair, finished his brandy, and kept guard until the baron had come home.

That hadn’t been such a bad thing, for she was beautiful in repose, like an angel who’d lost her way, and damn, he didn’t know what to do about her.

She just wasn’t in his usual style, and he was engaged besides.

It was then he’d had to explain that Victoria had been snooping about Lord Dawson’s study, discovered the diamond necklace, and then had absconded with it shortly before Dawson realized it was missing.

He told Irvington that he’d thrown his lot in with hers because she needed protection and help.

After that, he pulled the necklace from his pocket and presented it to the baron, telling him that Victoria suspected it might have belonged to Marie Antionette.

Irvington had promised that he would authenticate it and investigate its provenance if he could.

Once he had answers, he would summon Grey.

Then he thanked him for taking such good care of his daughter.

After that, there was nothing else to be done except take his carriage and return to his own home knowing his fiancée was in bed with her lover while he was wracked with guilt for what he’d done to Victoria.

Yet during the time when he’d had his hands and mouth on her body, eating her out and pleasuring her within an inch of her life, he’d been particularly alive.

It was almost as if he’d only been existing before he’d met her accidentally in that library.

Everything after that had been intriguing, captivating, exhilarating.

As if he’d stumbled upon her and she offered him the missing piece of himself he didn’t realize he’d lost years ago.

It was odd and he couldn’t explain it. All he knew was that the hunger she’d managed to ignite yesterday in his blood continued to burn.

He should be ashamed of himself, for he’d broken his engagement bond with Sarah and had left Victoria ruined…

slightly, but he wasn’t. In fact, he hadn’t gotten her out from beneath his skin at all.

He wanted her more now than ever, yet if he were to remain a gentleman and to keep himself above acting the rake or blatantly flaunting his infidelity like Sarah did, he needed to maintain space between them

Which meant he needed to clear his head.

His thoughts.

The damned stiffness in his prick.

Unfortunately, he was still curious about Victoria and the necklace, to say nothing of both of their fates since he’d been the one who’d carried the diamonds out of the house last night.

Complicating the matter was the fact that Dawson had no doubt summoned Bow Street last night. Were they even now scouring London for the stolen jewels? Would they interview everyone who was at the rout?

Grey shoved a hand through his hair as he sat ineffectually in his carriage then was obliged to retrieve his top hat that he’d knocked off.

As he put it on, he frowned. God, he needed to protect her.

Even if she said it wasn’t necessary. He’d been the one to concoct the plan to remove her from Dawson’s townhouse, which meant he was just as implicit in the theft as she was, for he’d not put a stop to it last night.

Perhaps it was impossible, but because he felt responsible for her, Grey had called at her father’s townhouse earlier this afternoon but was told by the butler that Irvington was at his shop, while Miss Amherst had gone to Hyde Park to walk since it wasn’t raining.

Which was why he was headed there now. He needed to see her, to know for himself that she was all right and that she didn’t hate him for what he’d done last night.

By the time he alighted from the carriage at the north entrance, he was quite anxious to find her, and since he had no idea in which section of the park she would gravitate toward, he told his driver to return in an hour, for no doubt he would see Victoria home once he located her.

There was a crispness in the air that indicated the chill of autumn would soon be upon them, and while he welcomed the change in seasons, he dreaded it as well, for that would mean he’d be wed to Sarah, and the next phase of his life would get underway.

And how the hell could he survive having a wife who cared nothing for him except friendship?

As a gentle breeze played with his greatcoat that he’d left unbuttoned, he finally spotted Victoria near the deeper section of the Serpentine, and damn if his heart gave a queer leap of recognition.

Clad in a cheerful blue dress with an ivory pelisse on top and a bonnet that hid her glorious blonde hair, he recognized her instantly even if she looked nothing as she had last night.

As he approached the location where she stood near the edge of the water watching the various species of waterfowl glide on the surface, he saw that the satin ribbons decorating the straw bonnet matched her dress and jacket, but there was also a cluster of white, silk berries on the crown of the headgear, nestled within a trio of ivory silk roses.

“Miss Amherst,” he said in a modulated voice so he wouldn’t startle her.

She glanced over her shoulder, and when she realized who he was, her eyes rounded, and a blush stained her cheeks. Was she remembering what they’d done last night? “Greystone.” With a look around the immediate area, she frowned. “What are you doing here?”

“I called at your home first but was told you’d come here.” He shrugged. “I wanted to see how you fared after… things from last night.”

The blush in her cheeks intensified. “Do you refer to the jewel theft or the scandalous activities that followed once I was returned home?”

Heat seeped up the back of his neck. “Both?”

With a sigh, she led him over to a wrought iron bench that faced the water but was a good ten feet away from the edge.

Once she sat, he settled himself next to her, but that was immediately a mistake, for like a siren’s song of old, her very presence called out to him with heat and that bakery scent and the knowledge that her plush lips practically begged to be kissed.

“When I woke at some point in the night, I was disoriented to find I was still in the drawing room, but on my way up to my room, I realized that my father hadn’t retired. I found him in the study where he has a private workshop.”

“Does that mean he was able to authenticate it?”

“I spoke with him briefly this morning before he went to his shop. It does appear the piece is old enough that Marie Antionette could have owned it, but he wants to remove a few of the stones from their settings to further examine them. Apparently, there is a written record of large, cut jewels stemming from that time period he’ll need to access and cross check.

And I believe there is also a list of jewelry that once belonged to Marie that might be in the archives at the British Museum.

He will check it too.” She slid her gaze to him.

“He told me there was a way of metalworking during her reign that would lend credence to my claim. After that, we can make plans.”

“It is forward movement, so that is a good thing.” When a black swan flew into the water, he frowned.

This would prove a problem soon, and the explanation would cause him embarrassment, but he didn’t care.

Any excuse to sit next to Victoria was its own reward.

“Did he indicate when he would know for certain?”

“He did not. This process can’t be rushed.” She stared at her hands that were clasped in her lap. “What will happen now, do you think?”

“I couldn’t say, for I am not privy to the plans, but I’m almost certain Lord Dawson has called in Bow Street to head up the search for the jewels and the thief.

” Who, of course, Grey already knew. “Dawson is imbecilic, which is why he’s lost his head knowing the diamonds have gone missing.

It’s a good certainty that he acquired them by illegal means. ”

“But with Runners engaged, it is just a matter of time, isn’t it?” Finally, she lifted her head and met his gaze. A trace of fear was reflected in those blue-gray depths. “Will they come for me?”

“Not if I can help it.” Of course, with him being engaged to someone else, he couldn’t take her under his protection…

unless she agreed to become his mistress, and even then, there was only so much he would be able to shield her from.

“I will protect you as much as I can, but in the meanwhile, you’ll need to extend your acting skills to throw them off your trail. ”

She nodded. “What if they wish to speak with my father because he’s a jeweler?”

That could prove more of an issue. “Let us not worry about that right now. However, you might counsel him as to the need for secrecy, especially if he wishes to keep the necklace safe.” When he glanced at the water again, the black swan had paddled almost to his end.

Shit.

“Good idea. He’ll know how valuable those diamonds are soon enough, and he’ll side with me in that they should be taken back to France.” Yet there were questions in her eyes, and he had a feeling what she wanted to ask. “Regarding last night…”

“Again, I apologize. What happened wasn’t well done of me. I took advantage of you, of your innocence, perhaps even of my position. Regardless of how much I wanted you, how you willingly gave me permission, I…”