Page 82 of Beauty and the Rake
“What? You didn’t confront him about it?”
He arched a brow. “I didn’t realize it until after he’d left.”
“You need to confront him on how he came in possession of the ring.”
“I intend to, but I need to think it through before I go accusing him of theft.”
“You’re right, of course, though I can’t imagine there’s a second ring out there that looks like my father’s. Yes, we need to think it through.”
He patted her hand. “Enough about that. We can talk it through with Arthur when he arrives. I’m sure he’ll have thoughts on what we need to do next.”
“I think you’re on to something, especially hearing this. He’s hiding something.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Have you plans for this afternoon?”
“No. I have already gone to the nursery and seen Mary.”
“And how is she?”
“Perfect. She’s smiling now, though Nanny says it’s nothing more than gas.”
“What does Nanny know? I’m sure it was a true smile.”
“Of course it was. We have the most perfect daughter.”
It made Graham’s heart fill with love and pride to hear his wife refer to his illegitimate daughter as her own. Not all women would have it in them to even allow the child of a paramour to take up residence in her house, let alone have anything to do with the child. The child would be non-existent. But Roxanne was gracious. Despite the horrid years she spent in a marriage of convenience, she never lost track of who she truly was.
*
The evening approachedand dinner would be upon them in a short time. As Roxanne raised her glass of wine to her lips, she noted the chiming clock on the mantel read eight. Arthur was late, which was uncommon for him. He was one of the most punctual men she knew. He’d always been that way. She placed the glass on the table beside her before smoothing the skirt of her plum silk gown. It was a gown she’d picked up in Paris on her last trip. Her trip home. She loved how the lavender color used as trim set the gown off.
She hated that the owner of two ships they wanted to purchase had not gone as planned. Graham had mentioned they weren’t going to let him go that easily. He and Arthur would keep the investigator and continue their quest to find out more about this man. Especially now that they discovered the ring Crenshaw wore had belonged to her father. It confirmed her suspicions something bad had happened to her parents while en route to India. How else would he have it? Her father never removed it, and he wouldn’t have started then. She would support whatever Arthur and Graham decided.
A familiar pair of voices could be heard on the other side of the door. She wondered how long her brother had been here, or if he was just arrived.
“Look who I found in the grand entry,” Graham said.
“You know you’re late, don’t you?” came her quick response.
He nodded as Graham motioned him over to the sideboard. He poured each of them a healthy swallow of whiskey. He knew Roxanne wanted to pounce and ask her brother and him a long list of questions. Arthur nodded when his glass was half full. He thoughtfully swirled the amber contents then took a swallow.
“Yes, but it couldn’t be helped.”
“Why’s that?”
He took another sip before walking toward her. He sat down on a cream-colored damask chair. “There was a horse in themeadow. Not one of mine and I’m unsure who it belongs to. I tried approaching it, but the beast fled.”
“Could it be one of Graham’s?”
“No. At least, I didn’t recognize it as one of his.”
“From Arthur’s description, it’s not one of mine,” Graham said.
“A feral horse?” Roxanne asked.
Arthur shook his head. “Doubtful. We would have encountered it before now.”
Knowing they were dancing around the subject, Roxanne decided to see her brother’s reaction to the ring which would have been his. “Graham says that Crenshaw is wearing a ring belonging to our father. Did you see it?”
