Page 6 of Not His Usual Style (Diamonds of London #10)
Why did he care to get involved? There was no immediate answer, only that she was gorgeous and that made him curious.
Beautiful women didn’t skulk about a host’s home, poking into places they weren’t invited and then stealing valuable jewelry on an altruistic bent.
“You are aware that stealing will lead you to Newgate or another prison?”
“Yes, but only if you raise an alarm.” She looked at him with eyes full of hope, long lashes framing said eyes, and a quivering bottom lip.
“Please help me. It’s not right what Lord Dawson has done.
If he wants to sell it at auction and pocket the proceeds, that’s theft as well.
This belongs to the people of France. After all, wasn’t riches what the revolution was all about? ”
“Among other things.” It was damned interesting she implored his help without even knowing who he was. Then he frowned. “Why do you care?”
“My father is a jeweler. I know pieces and the value of stones. This.” She hefted the necklace, and the diamonds resembled large drops of rain in the low light.
“Is priceless and a piece of history. I suspect it once belonged to Marie Antoinette, possibly given to her by her husband upon their wedding.”
Well, shit. That intrigued him even more.
“Let me see if I remember that history.” Keeping access to the garden doors blocked, he crossed his arms at his chest. “Marie Antoinette married Louis XVI, the future King of France, on May 16, 1770, at the Palace of Versailles. The union was intended to solidify the Franco-Austrian alliance, a political move aimed at improving relations between the two nations.”
“Yes, yes, so you are clever at recitation. That proves nothing. Will you assist me or not?” A hint of annoyance wove through her voice.
That urged a half-grin from him. How… enchanting.
“I am not finished.” Feeling oddly tickled with the circumstances, he winked.
“At the time of their wedding, Louis was the Dauphin, the heir apparent to the French throne, and Marie Antoinette was the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Francis I and Empress Maria Theresa. I remember my grandparents talking about the event. From what I can recall, the ceremony took place amidst elaborate celebrations, but it also faced opposition from some French elites and commoners who were wary of the alliance.”
The still-unknown stranger nodded. “Right, and despite the political significance of the union, the marriage faced challenges, including a seven-year period where it was not consummated. Of course, that fed many rumors and gossip.” Her expression suggested she didn’t believe those particular rumors.
“How can someone be married for that long and not succumb to desire or at least drunken curiosity?”
“Ha.” How ironic. Not consummating a marriage for seven years.
Was that something else he faced with his arranged and looming nuptials?
Yet he apparently had information she didn’t know.
“It is said that Louis the XVI had a phimosis, which is a condition that prevents a correct erection and makes coitus painful. Eventually, he had surgery to fix the issue.”
“Now that is interesting.”
“Indeed. It’s been said while the marriage initially served a political purpose and faced opposition from the French, the couple eventually developed a bond and had four children. Of course, they both took lovers, though her string of trysts was more impressive than his.”
“That is sad, really. Perhaps their marriage never found love within it.” She frowned as she trained her gaze on the glittering necklace in her hand. “I wonder if they thought they were constantly in a prison of sorts.”
Well, hell. Of course she couldn’t know the private, tortured thoughts he had been struggling with over the past months, but her words rang far too true.
“I suppose we will never know the parameters of their union. It is all speculation at this point.” He shrugged.
“However, when the couple was guillotined in 1793 during the French Revolution, marking the end of their reign and the monarchy, I also wonder if they were both relieved to be put out of that particular misery.”
A shiver wracked her shoulders. “It is incredible those events took place only twenty-five years ago.” When she met his gaze, there were questions shadowing hers. “Do you ever wonder, also, whether such a thing could happen in the world again?”
“What, a revolution?”
“Yes. I know the disparity between the rich and poor in England currently is a horrid divide, but do you believe the general populace would revolt against the rich and kill them all like what happened in France?”
“I suppose it’s possible, but the people would need to come together and decide en masse that they wish to work toward a common goal.
Unfortunately, from my experience, there is far too much antipathy and laziness for that to occur again.
” He frowned. “Wars against another country? Possibly, but against something inherently wrong right in front of their noses? Not likely. It’s far easier to blame others who are different for those wrongs than the people who created the problems to begin with. ”
As shouts from somewhere within the bowels of the house drifted to their location, the woman before him gasped. Fear shadowed her eyes. “Do you think Lord Dawson has discovered the necklace is gone?”
“There is a good possibility.”
“Oh, no. I thought I had more time.” When she stuffed the diamond necklace into the bodice of her gown, no doubt held in place by the stays, Grey’s mind suddenly jogged to a dark place where he was divesting this woman of said gown… merely to get at the jewels, of course.
Liar!
“It seems that anything remotely connected to the criminal element is always short on time.” Before she could escape, he slipped the fingers of one hand about her delicate wrist. Would he truly give her over to Lord Dawson?
She didn’t have the look of a thief yet there was a king’s ransom of diamonds nestled between her breasts.
“Let me go.” Frantically, she tugged at his hold. “Dawson is the criminal, not me.”
Until he could properly figure out the puzzle and decide if she was telling the truth, he would remain with her.
He met her gaze, yanked her a tiny bit closer to himself, and in the dim illumination, they shared a few breaths, and the heat of her worked to further separate him from his sanity and control.
Damn it all. The woman would be mugged or worse by herself, especially while carrying such precious cargo.
At least it would get him away from the dull rout upstairs.
“I’m coming with you. At least then you’ll be halfway safe.”
“What? That is insane. There is no need to put yourself in danger.”
Yes, indeed, he’d lost his mind. Perhaps it was the floral, lemon scent of her perfume, or perhaps it was the ethereal look of her in those shadows as if she had stepped directly from the midnight sky to bedevil him, or perhaps it was the lure and intrigue of her daring to take away an insanely valuable necklace of dubious provenance.
But whatever drew him, it was enough for him to lead her out of the library, quietly close the doors behind him them, and then escorted her into the shadows of the garden beyond.
What they would do after that, he had no idea, yet the prospect of an adventure before the noose of a loveless marriage and responsibility to his title tightened about his neck. Where it would end he also couldn’t say, but he looked forward to this little bit of madness.
Because perhaps I truly am a nodcock.