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“ C ome.” Theodore glanced up from his papers as the butler came in. “Yes?”

“My lord.” The butler appeared a little uneasy, glancing at the door before he came a little closer to him. “My lord, there is a young lady here who has come to call.”

“A young lady?” Theodore repeated, setting his quill down. “And her mother or father, I presume?”

The butler shook his head. “No, my lord. Though she did say it was on an urgent matter and she would not be more than a few minutes standing with you.”

Theodore took the card from the butler, his eyebrows lifting as he saw the name. He knew that Miss Trentworth was a little unorthodox given that she was a bluestocking but to call upon a gentleman without a chaperone was more than that! It was deeply improper, for if anyone was to find them alone together, then a good deal of difficulty might follow thereafter.

“Send her in.”

Surprising himself by the eagerness and fervency with which he spoke, Theodore rose to his feet. “Send one of the maids in also. And leave the door wide open. I know why she is here and it is on a very grave matter indeed, so you are not to breathe a word of her presence here this afternoon to anyone. Not even the housekeeper.” Knowing full well that he could trust the butler implicitly, he gestured to the door. “Show her in. And make sure whichever maid you choose is also one who will stay quiet.”

The butler nodded and then disappeared, leaving Theodore to prepare for Miss Trentworth’s arrival. Though he was surprised at her coming unannounced and unchaperoned, there was also a sense of happiness within him that he would, once more, be in her company – and without anyone to interrupt them! Ever since he had accepted her offer of help, there had been a slow-growing change in their connection, especially when he had seen just how little she held against him despite his suspicions and poor behavior. Knowing that she was a bluestocking actually brought within him a sense of admiration rather than criticism and the more time they spent together, the more Theodore appeared to desire it.

Though once we find the necklace, then what shall become of our relationship such as it is? That thought brought a frown to his face and Theodore turned his head away, looking out of the window rather than gazing expectantly at the door. He ought not to care as to whether or not Miss Trentworth had a close connection to him… but his heart appeared to be demanding otherwise.

“Thank you for letting me speak with you, Lord Albury.”

“Miss Trentworth.” Theodore took in her flushed cheeks, the sparkle in her eyes, and the small smile dancing about her lips and felt his heart turn over in his chest. She was, he had to admit, quite lovely in her own way. Recalling how they had danced together, how he had been able to take her in his arms, Theodore felt his face heat and, hastily, directed Miss Trentworth to a chair. “Sit down, please. Shall I send for tea?”

It was a foolish suggestion given that the lady ought not to be here alone in the first place and Theodore was not in the least bit confused when she refused.

“No, I thank you. I will not be long.” She pressed her lips together, her green eyes fastened to his. “I know that coming to call without a chaperone is most untoward and I do hope that both yourself and your mother will not think poorly of me for it.”

“My mother is gone to visit Lady Yarmouth – her sister and my aunt – and shall stay there for dinner,” Theodore reassured her, “and I quite understand. If there is something urgent to be said then there is every need for you to be here.”

At this, Miss Trentworth’s shoulders dropped and she smiled a little easier. “I appreciate that understanding, Lord Albury, for I have come with some news and with some questions.”

He spread out his hands. “I should be glad to hear both!” When she leaned forward in her seat, clearly eager to tell him all, Theodore’s heart ricocheted in his chest and he was forced to drop his gaze from hers for fear that something more – something more obvious – would show in his expression.

“I was speaking with the other ladies and we have determined that we ought to speak to Hamilton and Sons, for that is the establishment that many of the ton use when they require some paste jewelry.”

Theodore’s eyebrows lifted. “Is that so?”

Miss Trentworth nodded. “In addition, though we have previously discussed that the person who switched the necklace would have had to have seen it on more than one occasion, we did not appear to make the connection that it would have to have been a long-established relationship.”

A little uncertain as to what she was saying, Theodore frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“Only to say that the person responsible would have had to have known your mother for a very long period of time, where they would have seen the necklace regularly.” Her eyes searched his. “I presume that the necklace was not often worn?”

Theodore shook his head, beginning to understand what it was that the lady meant. “My father permitted my mother to wear them on occasion but it was not a regular occurrence.”

“So, then,” Miss Trentworth continued, getting to her feet and beginning to pace up and down the room as she thought aloud. “We can ascertain that the person who switched the necklace must have been at most of these events, yes?”

A dull thud of his heart made Theodore close his eyes, a sudden thought coming to him. No. Surely it could not be?

“Lord Albury?”

Opening his eyes, he looked at her. “I have had a thought, Miss Trentworth, that is all.”

She quickly stopped her pacing. “Oh?”

“I cannot… that is to say, it is not worth expressing it at the moment,” he said, slowly, as her lips pressed tight together. “It is only that… well, someone has come to my mind but I cannot understand why they would do such a thing, nor why they would then place the necklace into your bedchamber! That does not make any particular sense and thus, I do not feel confident in sharing the name as yet.”

“Oh.” Miss Trentworth nodded but looked away. “I understand, Lord Albury, truly. Though might I ask if there is a way to determine whether or not your suspicion is right?”

Theodore hesitated, looking back at her and, after a moment, rising to his feet so that he too might meander around the room. It appeared to help his myriad of thoughts settle just a little, though there came with that a growing tightness in his chest.

“Yes, there is,” he said, slowly. “If you are to go to Hamilton and Sons, then I presume that, somehow, you are to find a list of names of those who have ordered paste jewels of late?”

She came closer to him. “Yes, we are. Quite how we are to go about that, we have not yet decided but the intention is there.”

“Good.” Running one hand over his chin, he looked away again, aware that her increasing nearness was distracting him from his thoughts. “Might you be willing to share that list with me, once you possess it?”

She stepped closer still. “Of course, Lord Albury. There is nothing that I would keep from you.”

As he turned to look into her eyes, the tightness in his chest disappeared in an instant, though his heart began to beat at a furious pace. “Thank you, Miss Trentworth,” he managed to say, fearful that she would hear the slight huskiness of his voice, a hoarseness that had only just come on. “I – I am sorry that I have ever thought you guilty of this theft.” It was not something he had meant to say in this conversation but, in hearing her fervency and in seeing the hope in her eyes, he realized just how foolish he had been in thinking her responsible. “I can see now that I have been entirely mistaken.”

For a few moments, Miss Trentworth did not say a single word. Her eyes were a little rounded at the edges, her lips in a flat line as though she was trying to ascertain whether he truly meant such a thing. Theodore could do nothing but look into her face and pray that she believed him.

“Well, Lord Albury, this is a little unexpected!” Again, she took a step closer to him, a hint of a smile gracing the corners of her mouth and, to his surprise, a teasing note in her voice. “Though did we not state that, when the time came for you to admit that you were wrong in your belief, you would make me a most profuse apology? And that, indeed, you would make multiple apologies until I was satisfied?”

The smile on her face grew and Theodore could not help but return it though, within him, there came a squirreling, nervous sensation, a little concerned that this was what she desired from him. “I believe that I did agree to that, yes.”

“Then will you do it?” she asked, a glint in her eye that did nothing to help Theodore ascertain whether she was being genuine in her request.

He swallowed. “If – if you wish it from me, Miss Trentworth, then I shall do so until you are satisfied.” Taking in a breath, he lifted his chin. “Indeed, I shall go on my knees before you and beg for your forgiveness, if you wish it.” Without giving her time to respond, he made to kneel only for Miss Trentworth to let out a shout of laughter and catch his forearm, making sure to keep him on his feet.

“I hardly think that you need to do such a thing, Lord Albury!” she laughed, though her hand remained where it was. “I was only teasing you, for I can tell from your expression that you are sincere.” Her laughter faded though her eyes still shone with light. “That means a great deal to me. I am grateful that you now see that I am telling you the truth.”

“I ought never to have doubted you.” Her fingers were still around his arm, near to his wrist, and ever so slowly, it felt as if his entire body was slowly being consumed with fire. “I was already angry about the heirlooms and, as I have said, my mother wearing them without my awareness. When I realized they had been stolen, my only thought was how to retrieve them, feeling myself shamed and –”

“Shamed?” Miss Trentworth sounded surprised, looking up at him with wide eyes that reminded him of the very emeralds he had lost. “Why? You had nothing to do with their loss.”

Theodore opened his mouth and then closed it again, a little surprised at just how much he wanted to be honest with her. A tentative frown danced across his forehead, seeing her waiting for his response and, after another few moments of consideration, he gave it.

“The heirlooms were given to me by my father. They have been passed down from generation to generation and he instilled in me just how much value they had – not only in monetary worth but to our family name.”

Miss Trentworth’s lips pursed, making Theodore hesitate.

“Is something wrong?”

“Oh, no, not at all.” She flushed red and dropped her hand from his arm, sending a surge of frustration through Theodore, aware that he wanted to do nothing more now than to reach out and take her hand in his again. “Forgive me, it was only that I was sure that Lady Rosalyn told me something about the necklace but mayhap she was mistaken.”

Theodore reached out one hand, unable to resist the desire to catch her fingers in his for only a moment, heedless now to the fact that, aside from the maid, they were quite alone. “What is it? Please, you must know by now that I trust you.”

This brought him a small, almost tender smile. “You are quite right, Lord Albury.” Her shoulders lifted as she took in a long breath. “It was Lady Rosalyn who told me that from what she had read – and she was unsure if you were aware of this – the heirlooms were sold to the Earl of Albury, though that was some decades ago, it seems.”

Shock crashed into Theodore’s chest.

“I do not know who the family was that sold it,” Miss Trentworth continued, seemingly unaware of just how much of a difficulty this was bringing Theodore. “Lady Rosalyn said she could not find out from what she had read, though she did say that the information provided stated it was because of financial difficulty.”

There was such an ache in his throat that no amount of swallowing seemed to rid him of it. The quickness of his breath and the cold hand that seemed to grab at his heart meant that Theodore had to turn away for fear that he would lose his composure directly in front of her.

“I – I have astonished you.” Her hand was at his elbow now, though Theodore sat down heavily, not willing to gaze back into her eyes. “I did not know that you would be so astonished by this.”

Theodore closed his eyes. “I was never told this. I was only informed that the heirlooms belonged to my family and had done for generations upon generations.” He scrubbed at his eyes, then opened them to see her concerned face close to his as she sat down next to him. “Perhaps my father did not know of it.”

“Mayhap he did not.” Miss Trentworth settled her hand on his. “I do apologize, Lord Albury. I should have taken greater care in speaking as I did.”

Theodore shook his head, turning his hand over so he could grasp hers tightly. “You did nothing wrong, Miss Trentworth. Nothing wrong at all.”

There followed a long silence as Theodore did his best to sort his thoughts, one after another, into some sort of coherent order. Miss Trentworth stayed silent, sitting beside him but waiting for him to speak. The heirlooms had not always been in his family, as he had been told. It seemed that they had been purchased from another family, a family who might now want them back.

His breath hitched. “Could it be that someone from that family has now determined to take the heirlooms back?”

Miss Trentworth’s eyes widened. “That is a wise thought, Lord Albury and not one that I had fully considered. It could very well be so… but you would have to find out who it was that sold them in the first place.”

Theodore nodded. “I will speak to my mother,” he said, setting his other hand on top of their joined ones, a sense of determination now pushing aside his shock. “We are close to discovering the truth, Miss Trentworth, I am sure of it.”

She beamed at him then, her eyes suddenly alive with light and colour, her beauty astonishing him. “I am so very glad that you feel that way, Lord Albury, for it is in my heart also!”

Kiss her.

The voice in his head made him snatch in a breath and, rather than do as he had been told, Theodore released her hands and then got to his feet, pushing one hand through his hair. Wherever had such a thought come from? And why had it come upon him so swiftly and without explanation?

“I… I should take my leave.”

There was a tremor in Miss Trentworth’s voice and when he turned to look at her, there was only a small smile darting across her lips before fading again. His reaction had unsettled her but he dared not so much as step close to her again, nor could he explain himself – not when he did not fully understand what was happening to him. “Thank you for coming, Miss Trentworth.” He managed a vague smile but then stepped back so she might make for the door. “You have taken something of a risk in coming to speak with me, I know, but it is appreciated.”

She only nodded and then, with a single glance at him, made for the door.

“You will tell me of what you discover at Hamilton and Sons, will you not?” An urgent desire to keep her close to him enveloped Theodore and he found himself calling after her, wanting her to stay even a few moments longer.

“Of course I shall.” Miss Trentworth gave him another look over her shoulder but her smile was no longer as vivid or as bright. “Thank you, Lord Albury.”

He opened his mouth to say something more but she was gone, the door now closing behind her. Dropping his chin to his chest, Theodore let out a low groan, frustrated not only with himself but with how the conversation had ended. Pursuing her after he had made it clear he thought she ought to take her leave must have been greatly confusing for the lady, though Theodore himself was also struggling with confusion. Ever since he had walked with her in the park, ever since he had begun to trust her words, something else had begun to develop in him. Something that he did not, as yet, want to let go of.

But to cling onto it would only make it grow, would it not? And if it did, then what was he to do with it?