Page 15 of The Earl's Error
Shock reverberated through the room and hit Joceline right between the eyes. Catching her breath, she moved quickly forward, seeing her mother’s white face as their eyes met.
“What do you mean, stolen?” It was Lord Albury who now took control of the situation, striding forward and grasping his mother’s hand. “What are you talking about?”
Lady Albury let out a half-gasp, half-sob as Joceline came to stand beside her mother, aware that she would need her support. This would now ruin her mother’s soiree, Joceline was sure, for the rumors and whispers would start almost immediately. Whether Lady Albury’s necklace truly had been stolen, then the twisting words would already be wreathed around this soiree for the days and weeks to come.
“Oh, Albury!” As Joceline watched, Lady Albury practically collapsed into her son’s arms. “The necklace! The heirloom! It has been stolen!”
“How can it have been stolen, Mother?” he asked, as Joceline felt her mother’s hand settle on hers, gripping it tightly as asmall shudder ran through them both. “It does not make sense for it was clasped about your neck, was it not?”
“I am sure that no one here would have stolen your necklace, Lady Albury.” Aware now that her mother was in too much of a shock to speak clearly, Joceline kept her tone steady but gentle. “Would there be any possibility of it slipping accidentally from your neck? Mayhap it has fallen somewhere and can be found.”
“No, no, youfoolishgirl!” the lady exclaimed, sending another wave of shock – followed swiftly by embarrassment – through Joceline. “The necklace was an heirloom! It was made to the highest standards and certainly cannot have simply fallen from my neck! You are ridiculous indeed to suggest such a thing.”
Joceline blinked, swallowed, and looked away, feeling the heat rising in her cheeks. Everyone in the room was rapt with attention, listening to every word spoken which meant that every guest had heard her being called a ‘foolish girl’.
“Mother, you might well be upset but there is no reason for you to speak in such a way to Miss Trentworth.” Lord Albury cast Joceline a very quick glance but there was a glittering in his eyes that Joceline could not fully comprehend. Was it that he thought her suggestion foolish, just as his mother did, though he had not said that aloud to her? Or was it fear… or some other emotion? Her throat grew tight but she kept her head held high, doing her best to continue as best she could.
“Might I suggest that we search regardless?” she asked, trying to smile. “I am certain we can find it.”
Lady Albury opened her mouth to retort, a sharpness in her eyes that spoke of pure anger but Lord Albury quickly caught her hand and then spoke. “Thank you, Miss Trentworth. That is certainly a wise suggestion and should be undertaken with the greatest of speed, before any other conclusion is reached.”
Joceline glanced to her mother who quickly came to stand beside her, a tiny touch of red on each cheek though, Joceline hoped, that came from a growing strength. “I think my mother will be able to arrange that.”
“I shall.” With a nod to Joceline, Lady Melford continued. “Might I suggest that the guests all remain in either the drawing room or the music room for the next few minutes? The staff will need to be summoned and a thorough search conducted.”
“I can do that, Mama,” Joceline murmured, as Lady Melford glanced at her. “Lady Albury will need to rest.”
A tiny nod told Joceline that she was free to do so and, with a quick look towards Lord Albury himself, Joceline made her way from the room. There came a few footsteps behind her and, with a breath of relief, Joceline took Miss Sherwood’s hand for a moment.
“Thank you, Eugenia.”
“I thought you might need a little help.” Miss Sherwood clicked her tongue. “This is most extraordinary. I am so very sorry that it has happened.”
“I must find the necklace,” Joceline answered, aware of the swirling in her stomach. “That is the only solution.” Snapping her fingers, she beckoned the butler to her once she had caught his attention. “The servants must search all the rooms the guests have been in.”
Miss Sherwood touched her arm. “They must search every room, no?”
A little confused, Joceline turned to her friend. “Allof the rooms? Do you mean the entire house? Why should l do such a thing?”
After a pause, Miss Sherwood explained herself. “We do not know what has happened to the necklace. We believe that it has fallen from her neck but what if… what if there was something untoward?”
Joceline said nothing, a little upset over what her friend was suggesting.
Miss Sherwood hesitated, then continued. “Do you understand what I am saying?” She looked long at Joceline but still, she did not respond. “It may be that this necklacehasbeen stolen and we do not know by whom. Therefore, if someone has taken it, they may have hidden it within the house.”
A nudge of relief pushed against Joceline’s heart.She means one of the guests, not one of the servants here.
As though she knew all of Joceline’s thoughts, Miss Sherwood spoke on with her explanation. “I do not mean to suggest that your servants are atallguilty, however. I know that you expect their loyalty, as do we all!”
Joceline winced, aware of her own bias. “But there is still a chance that one might have done so.”
“I would be surprised if a servant attempted to do such a thing. My suggestion is that, if it truly has been stolen, then another guest has found a way to take it and, in their jealousy, placed it somewhere in the house in the hope of fetching it later in the evening.”
Understanding her friend perfectly now, Joceline nodded slowly, her nerves beginning to jangle. “Yes, I see exactly what you mean and you are quite right. I should conduct a search of the entire house, though how long that will take I do not know.” She bit her lip. “I cannot keep the guests here for hours.”
Miss Sherwood considered this, then light came into her eyes. “Then why do you not continue the entertainment? Allow the evening to progress as it should whilst you search the house – along with the servants and myself, of course.”
Appreciating her friend’s clear thinking, Joceline’s determination centered and she spoke directly and firmly to the butler. Within a few minutes, she had organized the servants to search the house, sending three at a time to search differentrooms – including her own, though that felt a little shameful. She certainly had not taken the necklace, had no knowledge as to where it was, but all the same, she had to be fair. When it came to it, she would have to be honest and say that every room of her house had been searched, and that included her own bedchamber.
