Page 79 of The Scholar's Key
“Mrs. Compton is a most interesting woman, is she not, Noah?” Percy said, leaning forward and placing her hand on Noah’s thigh. They had made no secret of their feelings for one another and had told the rest of their party that they would soon be married. Percy had written her parents and was waiting for their response. She assumed from her previous conversation with her mother that her engagement would be welcomed, although she was slightly unsure of her father. Noah had sent his own note, in the hopes of determining when they would be in the same area so that he might ask for Percy’s hand.
“She is,” he agreed. “You have a most interesting family history, Ashford.”
“So we do,” Cassandra said. “And it is time we told Aunt Eve about its most recent history. She deserves to know, and the next time we see her, we will be sure to share. It is such a pity that the jewels were lost again. I know they are worth something, but it is more than that. They have such significance for our family. My grandfather gifted them to my grandmother many years ago.”
“I was worried they might be stolen again,” Noah said. “It seemed so easy for the thief to capture them the first time. Why would he – or she – not do so again?”
They began to debate who might have stolen the jewels when the butler appeared in the doorway, clearing his throat. “Excuse me, my lord,” he said, with a bow toward Lord Ashford, “but a package has arrived for you.”
“From the post?” Ashford said, walking over and accepting it.
“No,” the butler said. “It was on the doorstep in a box.”
“I see,” Ashford said with interest. He placed the package down on the table in the middle of the room before carefully opening the lid. “Well, I’ll be.”
He reached in and pulled out the ruby necklace, much to the shock of everyone in the room.
“I don’t understand,” he murmured. “Why would this be stolen only to be returned? We are in the country. It is not as though we are in London with a great deal of passersby each day.”
“And the necklace went missing in Bath, which is a fair distance away,” Noah said, walking over and holding out his hand. “May I see it?”
“Of course,” Ashford said, passing it over, and Noah immediately nodded as he checked the back of the heart, where the keyhole was.
“This is the same necklace,” he said.
Ashford was tapping his chin with his index finger.
“Do you still have the key?”
“I do,” Noah said, fishing it out of his pocket, where he had kept it close.
“Try turning it again — just to ensure that nothing else is within.”
“Very well,” Noah said, taking no offence at Ashford’s request. They had, after all, been fairly excited about their discovery last time.
He pulled the key out, placed it in the hole, and turned it — to find the empty space inside.
“There is not much room,” he said, passing the necklace to Ashford — but as Ashford put his hand to one side and Noah was just releasing the other, there was a clinking sound, and a piece broke off in Noah’s hand.
“Bollocks,” Noah whispered under his breath, looking up at Ashford’s astonished face. “My apologies, I—“
“Wait a moment,” Ashford said. “I do not think that it’s broken.”
He held his hand out for the piece, which Noah passed over.
“You see?” He said. “It can snap right back in, but also — it is the perfect size to hold in your hand. Perhaps this is part of the next clue.”
“But what could it be?” Percy asked, and Noah looked around to find they had all moved in close.
“I have no idea,” Ashford said, shaking his head. “I suppose that will be up to Ferrington to find out.”
“So whoever stole the necklace just… gave it back?” Lord Whitehall said incredulously from his chair in the shadows of the room, the one of them who had not joined their circle.
“Apparently,” Ashford said.
“Are you sure about this next step?” Hope asked with hesitation. “From the name of one city in Spain, Lord Ferrington is going to travel across the ocean to look for… what? How will he even know where to go, what to do?”
“I’m sure I’ll figure it out,” Lord Ferrington said cheerfully. “I’m a rather resourceful sort. Besides, my Spanish is exemplary, and I am a friendly sort, so I will get along well with the local people.”
