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“ N ow, remind me what it is we are to do.”

Joceline smiled at her friends. “Lady Amelia and Lady Rosalyn are to distract the staff whilst myself and Miss Sherwood go in search of their ledger. It is bound to have the names of those who have ordered from them within the last few months.”

“While I stand and keep watch in case you are in danger of being caught,” Lady Isobella said, as Joceline nodded. “I will come to warn you if that is to happen.”

A mixture of nervousness and anticipation rolled around in Joceline’s stomach. “Thank you, my friend. Now,” she said, looking around at the others. “Are we quite prepared?”

With a nod and a smile, each lady turned and walked into Hamilton and Sons, leaving Joceline to follow them. After her conversation with Lord Albury, Joceline felt the weight of responsibility on her shoulders all the more keenly. Evidently, he had thought of someone who might be responsible for this dreadful situation, and now, in looking at these names, Joceline might be able to assist him with it all. She did not know whether the ledger would detail what each person had ordered from Hamilton and Sons but, if it did, then she would not only have the name of the person who had purchased it but, most likely, be able to connect them in some way to Lady Albury.

“You have not spoken much about your conversation with Lord Albury.” As they stepped into the shop, Miss Sherwood caught Joceline’s attention. “It was three days ago now, was it not? And still, you have said very little.”

Joceline sent a sidelong glance towards her friend. “There was very little to tell you, aside from the fact that he did think that this would be very helpful. Once we have the names, it may be that he will recognize one who has been long connected to his family. We can proceed from there.”

“I am well aware of all of that,” Miss Sherwood answered, though her words were gentle rather than fierce. “What I mean to ask is whether you felt the visit… helpful for you .”

When Joceline frowned, Miss Sherwood let out a quiet laugh and put one hand to her forehead for a moment. “Goodness, I am not explaining myself well at all! You must forgive me, for I am trying to ask you something without speaking so directly that I embarrass either you or me!” She closed her eyes for a moment. “Joceline, what I am trying to say is that I have noticed an interest in Lord Albury that, to my mind, appears to go a little further than this hope of finding the necklace. When you danced with him, there was a smile on your face that I have never seen before and whenever you speak of him now, a pink comes into your cheeks, though I am not certain you are aware of it.”

Horrified, Joceline pressed both hands to her cheeks. “Does it?”

Miss Sherwood chuckled. “My dear friend, you need not look so horrified! To be drawn towards a gentleman is not something I will criticize, for it is quite natural a thing!”

“Drawn to him?” Joceline repeated, trying to make light of the conversation so she would not have to think about it with any real seriousness. “My dear Eugenia, I am not in the least bit captivated by him. My only hope in all of this is to free myself from these trappings by finding the necklace.”

“Even though Lord Albury no longer has any suspicions towards you?” her friend asked, gently. “You could simply state that now you know he does not doubt you any longer, you are leaving the matter solely to him.”

That made Joceline’s stomach drop low. “You know I could do no such thing! I have given him my word and for my honor, I cannot step back from him now.” Nor do I want to.

“Tell me truthfully,” Miss Sherwood said, coming to stand directly in front of Joceline, her eyes a little narrowed. “Do you have any feelings towards Lord Albury? Do you have a flickering interest in him? Do you long to be close to him, to be in his company just as often as you can be?”

Joceline swallowed hard, not quite certain how to answer. Thus far, she had noticed her interest in the gentleman but she had also determined to set that aside, for the necklace was of the utmost importance. Though calling upon him when she had been without a chaperone had been a little daring, Joceline had chosen to do so regardless, thinking of the matter as urgent… and what had transpired was the awareness of her heart beginning to yearn for him. When his hand had touched hers, she had wanted to lean into him, had wanted to pull herself close but had refrained, both astonished and confused by the depth of feeling that presented itself to her. “It has all come upon me rather quickly,” she said eventually, seeing Miss Sherwood’s eyebrows rise. “I confess that I am surprised that you saw this before I was able to even fully consider it!”

Miss Sherwood smiled. “You are my friend. I can tell when there is something that has caught your interest.”

“And you think that Lord Albury has caught my interest?”

With a laugh, her friend nodded. “I think that he has! Though I do hope you will not shy away from it. Even if this necklace is never discovered, what you have found in your heart for Lord Albury is of even greater importance, I think.”

Joceline had no time to respond, for there came a loud exclamation as Lady Amelia let out what Joceline knew was meant to be a cry of delight.

“Oh, good gracious! Is this not the most beautiful thing you have ever seen?”

Miss Sherwood tilted her head and Joceline, with a nod, followed after her. The two shopkeepers had made their way directly to Lady Amelia, perhaps concerned that something had upset her, which meant that Joceline and Miss Sherwood could now go and search for the ledger.

There was a desk to the front of the establishment though, Joceline noted, no ledger to be seen. Glancing around, she took in a door to her right, a door which was a little ajar and, after a glance to Miss Sherwood, and then to Lady Isobella who came to stand near the desk, Joceline pushed open the door and then stepped inside.

The room was small, with fabric draped on almost every surface. Large scissors were lying on a table at the back of the room and Joceline hurried towards it, with Miss Sherwood going to the other side. Lifting this and that, she looked for anything that might resemble a ledger but could see nothing.

“Joceline! Over here!”

Excitedly, Joceline rushed towards Miss Sherwood, who had picked up a small book from a shelf near to where she stood. “Have you found it?”

“I think so.” Opening it, Miss Sherwood began to run her finger down the list of names as Joceline came to stand as close as she could, craning her neck. No names stood out to her and, a little frustrated, Joceline turned the page.

“We have many months to look through,” Miss Sherwood murmured, sounding a little concerned. “I do not know if we will have enough time.”

“Let us do what we can,” Joceline answered, looking down the second page. “There must be something within the last few months that speaks of emeralds! Why do you not look in this column and I shall look here.” She gestured first to the column that listed the items ordered, and then to the names. “We shall find something. We must. ”

Silence fell as both Joceline and Miss Sherwood looked through the ledger. At one point, Joceline moved them to the table she had been searching at the first to make things easier for them, but still they found no recognizable names.

And then, just as Joceline’s eye caught on something, Lady Isobella’s voice came from the door.

“They are returning to the desk. Hurry!”

Miss Sherwood made to close the ledger but Joceline prevented her, her finger now pointing at the name on one of the columns. Following it across to what had been ordered, her eyes flared wide, astonishment crashing into her chest. “There,” she breathed, as Miss Sherwood frowned. “There. A necklace.”

“But it does not say emeralds and besides which, that name is not one that Lord Albury gave us,” Miss Sherwood whispered, closing the ledger forcibly and then pulling it away from Joceline. “Come now. We must hurry!”

Before Joceline could protest, she was pulled back towards the door and in moments, found herself back beside Lady Isobella with Miss Sherwood beside her. The two shopkeepers smiled warmly as they drew near, clearly not suspecting that anything untoward had taken place.

Joceline barely noticed. The name she had read, the one emblazoned on the ledger, told her precisely who it was that had taken the necklace and yet, it was a name that she could hardly begin to believe. The other ladies laughed and spoke around her, the shopkeepers seeming delighted at whatever purchase Lady Amelia had chosen to make, but Joceline remained silent, staring blankly ahead as the name rose again and again in her mind.

It did not make sense… did it? Her chest grew tight as she began to put the different pieces together, a sudden, desperate urge to make her way to the library and to search until she discovered the truth.

“I – I must go.” Grabbing Miss Sherwood’s hand, she looked straight into her eyes. “I think I know who has done this, who has taken the necklace and sought to blame it on my family. But I must now go to the London Library and search until I can find an answer.”

Miss Sherwood’s eyes rounded. “You know? Are you sure?”

Joceline pressed her lips together but then nodded. “I am. Will you come with me?”

With a nod, her friend quickly murmured something to Lady Isobella before hurrying after Joceline. Together, they stepped out of the shop and hurried to Joceline’s waiting carriage, her heart thundering now with hope, fear, and expectation.

Might it be that she had discovered the answer to this mystery? And if it was who she suspected, then just what would Lord Albury say when she told him?