Chapter Three
It was nearly midday before Isa finally emerged from her bedchamber, and it was all Louisa could do not to pounce on her immediately and question her about the diamonds. Instead, she asked for breakfast to be brought to her in the library. It was everyone’s favorite room in the house, so they might as well take advantage of the small size of their party and be as informal as they wished. Coincidentally, it also happened to house her great-great-grandmother’s portrait that featured the tiara, necklace, and earrings made from rare, very valuable pink diamonds.
Isa was already eating when Louisa reached the library, as was Lady Concord. Thornbrook sat in a chair on the other side of the room, intently searching the ornithological encyclopedia for who knew what. He didn’t appear to have spoken with Isa yet about the jewelry.
Since Nubbles wasn’t allowed at the table, he leaped onto Thornbrook’s lap and made himself comfortable atop the book. He raised a brow at her and shifted her dog into a less intrusive position, but didn’t comment.
“Good morning, ladies. Thornbrook.” Louisa sat at the table and poured herself a cup of tea. “I trust you are feeling better since you’re eating.”
Isa smiled. “I am much recovered. Thank you for asking.”
“In that case, I have a pressing question for you.” She leaned closer. “Look at great-great-grandmother’s portrait. Do you notice anything”—no, unusual wasn’t the right word—“that you might’ve missed before?” In the portrait, her ancestor wore a gown of cream lace accented with gold, as well as the tiara and the other jewelry made of pink diamonds. During their search for the tiara, Isa had astutely noted that the background of the picture did not exist at Walsley, and in the end discovered it was a clue in one of the books in the library.
Slanting slightly toward the painting, she studied it for several seconds before answering. “No. What was I supposed to have seen?”
Louisa guessed it was too much for her to have realized immediately that they had overlooked the other jewelry. “It might not be anything, but last night we realized that in addition to the tiara, she is also wearing a pink diamond necklace and earrings that we haven’t located yet.”
“I noticed,” Thornbrook said without looking up from his book.
Louisa bit back a smile. Thornbrook was currently wearing his rake mantle. Even if she couldn’t get him to drop his shield in front of the others, it was enough that he had agreed to try to be genuine with her. Despite having allowed herself to get a bit carried away last night, she wasn’t interested in him romantically. She couldn’t allow herself to be, since she was going to stay at Walsley and he had his own properties to manage.
Lady Concord glanced at the two of them, but declined to comment, wisely leaving Isa to do the talking.
“Hmm. I guess I assumed they had been sold off with the contents of the house.”
Louisa nodded. “So did I, but in retrospect, that doesn’t make sense since the tiara was hidden many years before great-great-grandfather died, so it stands to reason that the other pink diamond jewelry was hidden at that time as well. Why would great-great-grandmother go through all the trouble of hiding the tiara and then allow her husband to sell the matching jewelry?”
“I suppose it’s possible that she hid them as well, but I don’t recall any mention of the other pieces in the journal, and as you both know, we didn’t find any other jewelry with the tiara,” Isa said.
Thornbrook shrugged. “If it is hidden somewhere else, maybe there’s a second cipher we have yet to find.”
Isa frowned. “Again, it’s possible, but not likely. Why wouldn’t she just have hidden them with the tiara?”
“Because she hated her husband and wanted to torture him?” he said.
Attempting to cover her laugh with a well-placed cough instead, Isa said, “Separating them would have made it more difficult for him to find both. I suppose the only way to be certain is to reread the journal and study the clues.”
She started to stand, but Louisa held out her hand to stop her. “I’ll read the journal. Perhaps I might notice something that you and Edward did not.”
Thornbrook popped out of his chair and held his hand up. “Wait. Why do you get to read it first when I was the one who so astutely noticed the other jewelry?”
Louisa crossed her arms and stood her ground. “Because it’s my house and my family’s journal, so I’m entitled to have it first.”
“Maybe you should read it together,” Isa said around a bite of ham.
She couldn’t seriously expect them to spend hours huddled on a sofa, heads close together, their legs touching, hands brushing… “No.”
Thornbrook raised a brow. “It’s not the worst idea I’ve ever heard, and likely the only way I can be sure you won’t go off and search without me.” One side of his mouth turned up in a seductive grin.
Walsley was too important to her. If she allowed herself to get closer to him, she was afraid her resolve would shatter. “I’m not stupid. I would never go off alone, although that doesn’t mean I plan to take you with me now.” This was her chance to show Papa how capable she was, and she wasn’t about to let Thornbrook take credit for it. No one knew the house or property better than she did, not even her mother or Edward, and she deserved to inherit Walsley.
They stood facing one another, arms crossed. It was a stalemate.
Louisa attempted to reason with him. “It would never work. Surely we don’t read at the same pace.”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “That’s true. I’m certain I read faster than you do.”
“What—”
“Enough.” Isa swiped a napkin across her mouth, then stood and walked over to the shelf that held the journal. Treating it with reverence, she gently lifted it and hugged it to her chest. “Either you two agree to read it together, or I will be the first to read it for a second time.”
Thornbrook returned Louisa’s frown, not giving an inch. So much for her thinking him a gentleman. He was the only person who could rile her so easily and make her forget she was a lady.
“All right,” Louisa ground out.
“Excellent.” Isa grinned at both of them. “Knowing you two, I think I need to set a few ground rules. Neither of you may read it alone without the other’s permission.”
“But—”
Isa held up a finger to silence her. “No exceptions. You also may not search on your own. Essentially, you must do nothing in pursuit of the jewelry without the other present. Also, there will be absolutely no biting, kicking, hitting, or other bodily injury. Is that clear?”
Thornbrook grinned, the wretched man. “I don’t think—”
Isa stomped her foot. “I’m not finished yet. If either of you break any of these rules, I will send a missive to the duchess. I have no doubt that she would leave immediately for Walsley, and I don’t think any of us want to summon her only to find out that there are no clues and therefore no need to search for missing jewels.”
Though Louisa resented the way Isa had taken over, working with Thornbrook was preferable to having Edward or her parents return early and ruin her chance to find the jewels. Isa glanced back and forth between them. “Do you both agree to my terms?”
“Yes,” they said in unison, then rushed forward simultaneously to be the first to grab the journal from her hand, as if they were two children fighting over a new toy.
Gavin glanced at Louisa as she clutched the journal. As far as he was concerned, this was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Even if it turned out to be a wild goose chase, he would get to spend many hours, possibly even days, in close proximity to Louisa.
He motioned toward the sofa. “After you, my lady.” Isa and Lady Concord had already retreated from the library, but the footmen were still clearing food and dishes from the room.
Ever the conscientious hostess and lady of the manor in her mother’s absence, Louisa asked the footmen to store the small table in the corner of the library so they wouldn’t need to keep hauling it back and forth at each meal.
Once she was settled, he sat next to her, wishing he could hold her in his arms, which would be a much more comfortable position for both of them to read the journal together. Of course, Nubbles had other ideas and quickly inserted himself in the miniscule space between them. Gavin briefly wondered if the duke had secretly trained the dog to do that.
“Before we commence reading the journal, would you care to make a wager?” His question clearly took her by surprise. Just as he had hoped.
“That depends on the terms. But it’s only fair that I warn you now that you won’t win.”
“Overconfidence is a flaw, not a virtue. Besides, how can you be so certain you’ll win when we have yet to discuss the terms?”
“Because I always win.”
The little vixen. It required much restraint not to pull her to him and kiss her until she agreed to anything he wanted. “Forgive me if I fail to admit defeat at this time. Here are my terms.”
“Why do you get to determine the rules?”
“Because I proposed the wager.” Good heavens, the woman knew how to argue. Perhaps it was a result of growing up surrounded by a large family. He wouldn’t know. He made a show of straightening his cravat. “Now, please be quiet. You’re taking all of the fun out of this. My terms are as follows. If I find the jewelry first, or the clue that leads to either of us finding the jewelry, you have to agree to allow me to formally court you for three months, and you must take my suit seriously.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Fine. I agree to your terms.”
Relief surged through him momentarily. Then wariness swept over him. Her agreement had come much too easily. “And what do I have to agree to do if you win?”
“You have to tell me what scandal prompted my father to throw you out of Walsley during winter break of your third year at Eton.”
His heart froze in place. Of all the things she could have asked, this was the most damning. Revealing his disgrace would only cement her perception of him as the most worthless sort of philanderer.
“Thornbrook?” She waved her hand in front of his face.
Was the chance to win her worth the risk of confessing the most damning moment of his life?
“You’re pale. Are you ill?”
It was time to make a decision. This was his best chance, his only chance, to win her. If he lost the bet, he’d know for certain that she would never marry him. Either way, he would have the answer he needed to move forward.
“I agree to your terms.”
“Are you certain you’re all right?”
“Yes,” he whispered. “Yes, I’m fine,” he said in a more normal tone.
She studied his face for a moment, then replied, “What do you think? Shall I read aloud, or would you rather we each read on our own?”
Having Louisa read to him was something he could easily grow accustomed to. “I think reading aloud is our best option, and will allow us to discuss any clues as we discover them.”
She wiggled against the pillows, sighed, pushed another pillow behind her, then finally opened the journal. The lilting cadence of her voice put him on edge almost immediately. Not because it was an unpleasant sound, but because it made him want to touch her, to pull the pins from her hair and run his fingers through its lush texture. Just thinking about it made him short of breath. Before he could hope to get closer to her, he needed to figure out how to fulfill her request for him to be more genuine with her. It was a risk he wasn’t ready to take because he feared she would discover that she didn’t like the real Gavin, the one who had learned to remain quiet so he wouldn’t provoke his father’s anger.
He shook his head and attempted to pay attention to her words. “‘Elias returned from the river with a basket of perch. I’ve invited the neighbors to join us for dinner and asked Cook to poach the fish in butter and fresh dill from the garden. Also cauliflower, peas, asparagus, French beans…’”
So the journal was as boring as sin. How on earth had it ever brought Edward and Isa together? A mutual interest in mundane household chores? He listened for several more pages, but it didn’t get any better.
“As scintillating as this is, perhaps you ought to skip ahead to something that will actually be of use to us.”
She raised a brow. “I’d be more than happy to accept your suggestion. Please do tell me where the clues are hidden within the text and I will gladly read them to you.”
He placed his index finger beneath her chin and turned her head toward him. “Louisa, we are supposed to be working together to find the jewelry, and you did ask me to be more genuine with you. Please assume that my words are said both in the spirit of cooperation, and in self-preservation from the mind-numbing boredom that overcame me while listening to your great-great-grandmother’s household accounting.”
She bit her lip and nodded. “It is a bit tedious.”
Finally there was something they could agree on.
She stretched her arms above her and rotated her head back and forth.
“Is your neck stiff?”
“A little bit.”
“If you’ll allow me?” He held his hands out and she nodded. Her flowery scent drew him closer and his pulse raced. He slid his fingers over her soft skin, then pressed his fingertips along the rigid muscle in her neck, gently rubbing until it loosened and she began to relax.
“Oh my. That feels divine. Don’t stop.”
He bit down hard on his tongue to keep from responding to her provocative words. Of course, she had no idea how they sounded to him. Focusing his attention on her neck, he attempted to ignore her small moans and sighs that threatened his sanity.
“Thank you,” she said, and he removed his hands from her immediately lest he give in to the temptation to touch her in other places.
He took the book from her, glad of the distraction. However, his comfort was short lived. She fidgeted as he continued to read, and first her leg, then her arm brushed against him, threatening to light an inferno inside him. Her every movement sent a jolt through him. He continued reading for at least five minutes, and thought he deserved a commendation for not succumbing to the urge to kiss her with as much as she kept innocently touching him. When he couldn’t take it anymore, he stuck his finger in the book to mark the page and subtly shifted away so they were no longer in contact with each other.
“They do seem to frequently share meals with the neighbors.”
Louisa shrugged. “That’s nothing unusual.”
“Perhaps, except that it’s always the same neighbor.”
“You’ve ridden the property at Walsley extensively. Surely you noticed that even now, there are few families who live close by.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” She didn’t have the same sort of experience he had, so she wouldn’t understand his suspicion that her great-great-grandmother was having a dalliance with the neighbor. There wasn’t anything improper about what she had written in the journal, yet his intuition told him there was more to the story.
“Of course, it was her paramour who gave her the jewels.”
He spun around to meet her gaze. “What?”
“You didn’t know that? Her husband made some poor financial decisions and was in need of capital. She hid the jewels so he couldn’t sell them.”
“Then perhaps we should just skip ahead and find the part where she starts to talk about him.”
“But I thought we were rereading the journal to make sure that Edward and Isa hadn’t inadvertently missed a clue about the necklace and earrings because they were only focused on the tiara.”
He yawned and rubbed his forehead. “I suppose you’re right. It would be best to read it straight through now so we don’t have to go back and look again later on.”
“Would you like me to take over?” she asked.
“No, thank you.” He needed to pay attention to the clues, because it would be disastrous if he lost the bet.
He began reading again, and sure enough, only a few minutes had passed before she shifted and began brushing up against him. His mouth went dry. Just when he didn’t think he could remain in such close contact with her, her head dropped onto his shoulder. He couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe with her so close.
“Do you mind?” she asked. “My neck is beginning to ache again and I don’t wish to undo your earlier ministrations.”
He cleared his throat. “Of course I don’t mind.” And he didn’t, even if it meant he was going to have an ache of a very different kind that would remain unassuaged. As much as he enjoyed having her so close, it was a strain on his self-control.
Louisa suddenly stiffened then stood. “In the excitement about the jewelry, I completely forgot to ask about the damage from the storm. I must speak with Mrs. Wollard and Mr. Jeffers at once.”
He followed her into the corridor. “Mr. Jeffers is your father’s land steward?”
“Yes.”
“May I accompany you? Perhaps I can be of some use should repairs be necessary.” Though it was unlikely to be the case at Walsley, given Her Grace’s strong personality, it wasn’t unusual for a steward to prefer to work with the man of the house. Louisa would not respond well to having her concerns brushed off, and even if they were not, he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to show her that he was quite capable of managing an estate. After all, he had come into his inheritance more than a decade ago, and had been on his own from the start since he hadn’t any close male relatives to guide him.
“If you like.”
She marched down the corridor and he followed, planning to stay out of her way until an opportunity arose for him to be of use. Most ladies of his acquaintance would have had the housekeeper and steward summoned to her, but not Louisa. In that respect, she took after her mother. They were ladies of action, and he admired that.
Their journey led them to the housekeeper’s chamber. Louisa knocked once and pushed the door open.
Mrs. Wollard leaped from her chair. “My lady, how may I help you?”
“It is I who require your assistance.” Louisa sat. “Please make yourself comfortable.” She paused until the housekeeper sat back down.
“During our journey to Walsley, we noticed felled trees and some broken fencing from recent storms. Have you received any reports of other damage from the tenants?”
“No, my lady, though, that likely would be reported to Mr. Jeffers if the tenants require assistance with repairs.”
“Could you have him summoned, please?”
“I’m afraid not. He is currently visiting another of His Grace’s properties.”
“Then I must ride out in the morning to see to the welfare of the tenants. Is there enough time for you to make baskets for me to deliver?”
“Of course, my lady. We’ve just made a new batch of preserves, and we can easily bake gingerbread.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Wollard. I’m certain the tenants will greatly appreciate your efforts.”
She turned toward him. Every line of her body was tense. “I should have thought of this sooner. Instead, I allowed myself to be distracted by the journal. My parents would never make that mistake. Papa will never give me Walsley if I continue to make mistakes.”
He placed a hand under her chin and forced her to look at him. “Louisa, if there were any injuries or other issues that needed immediate attention, we would already know about it. We will ride out tomorrow morning and solve any problems that may have arisen, but most likely we’ll simply be distributing baskets.”
She sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. “You wish to go with me?”
“Of course. I look forward to having the opportunity to be of assistance. In fact, I’d like to start now. Why don’t I go to the stables and speak to James about the arrangements while you take care of the baskets.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“Oh,” he called back over his shoulder, “and don’t forget to include some candy to give the children. They love me at Rosemere because I always carry candy with me.”
“Somehow it doesn’t surprise me that you’re a favorite among the children.” She softened her comment with a smile.
So far, he had managed the balancing act of showing her more of himself without revealing too much. Though he was still terrified to completely drop his defenses, it was wonderfully relaxing not to have to keep his guard up all of the time. Having to compete with her desire to inherit Walsley might be an insurmountable obstacle, but maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that he could find a way to win her heart.