Page 16 of The Earl's Error
The moment she had finished directing the servants, however, her mother came out of the room, hurrying to her. Her eyes were wide with concern and she was wringing her hands, her cheeks flushed hot now. “Joceline, whatever shall we do? Lady Albury is telling everyone that there is a thief in our house! She is suggesting that one of our servants has taken the necklace.”
At that moment, Joceline felt herself aligned with her mother, no longer an adversary as they had been for the last few weeks. Her father was not present and therefore it was down to her to come alongside her mother and find a solution to this difficulty. Their family’s reputation was at stake and that held great seriousness. “With Eugenia’s help, I have organized a search of the house. I am quite sure that nobody has stolen the necklace and that we will be able to prove it to Lady Albury once it is found.” Joceline spoke with more determination than she truly felt, for she feared the consequences if the necklace could not be found. Yet, as she looked back into her mother's fearful eyes. Joceline told herself that she had to trust that all would be well, even if only for her mother's sake. To show worry and fear now would only alarm Lady Melford further.
“Did you say that you have sent the servants to search the house in its entirety?” Lady Melford frowned. “Even our own rooms? What purpose is there in that?”
“Because I think it best to say we have conducted a thorough search.” Seeing her mother's displeasure, Joceline spread out her hands. “I am not suggesting for a moment that I agree withLady Albury that one of our servants has taken her necklace. But all the same, I think it's right that we make sure every room has been looked at. If it has been taken, then it might have been hidden somewhere to be taken up later – and that could even have been by one of our guests, though I dare not suggest who it might be.”
At this, Lady Melford’s face grew dark with clear anger, though to Joceline’s relief, it was not directed towards her. “Now that I think of it, it may very well be that Lady Albury herself has deliberately lost the necklace to bring shame upon us and to ruin our soirée!” Flushing and heedless to Miss Sherwood’s presence, Lady Melford continued with sharp, angry words. “That would be just the sort of thing she would do for it is precisely the sort of character she possessed. She is determined to prove herself greater than I, even though my husband was wealthier than hers ever was!” She threw up her hands. “This is something she would do to push herself to the fore again. You are quite right, Joceline. We must search every room of the house for she could easily have hidden it somewhere to then discover it again. That way she can claim that you or I or some other in our household has stolen the necklace from her and in that way, destroy our reputation.”
Joceline sent a quick glance to Miss Sherwood, but her friend was staring wide-eyed at Lady Melford. A little embarrassed that her mother had spoken with such ferocity and yet all the same understanding where it came from, Joceline could only nod.
Lady Melford lifted her chin. “What you have done is very good, Joceline. Continue with the search and inform me the moment you have discovered anything.”
Joceline nodded. “I shall. Might I suggest, Mama, that the evening entertainment continues regardless of the search? That way the guests will, I hope, forget a little bit about the seriousness of this necklace being missing and might continueto enjoy themselves. And it would be a shame for all the money you have spent on the entertainments to be wasted! Once the necklace is discovered and returned to Lady Albury, all will be well.”
“An excellent suggestion.” Seemingly now a good deal surer of herself, perhaps fuelled by the anger directed towards Lady Albury, Lady Melford gave Joceline a firm nod. “I shall return to the guests and make sure that they all understand that nothing is amiss. Let us pray that the search is successful.”
Watching her mother leave, Joceline let out a long slow breath, helping to calm her quickening heart. Although she had not shown it to her mother, her fear still lingered, clawing up at her chest and into her throat. Something her mother had said brought with it a fresh understanding of the consequences that could follow if their search was unsuccessful.
If the necklace is not found, then I am ruined forever. Lady Albury will make sure of it.
“We will find it.” With a gentle squeeze of her hand to Joceline’s arm, Miss Sherwood gave her a small smile as if she knew her thoughts. “Come, let us help with the search.”
“Joceline.”
Joceline turned to see Miss Sherwood beckoning her from the doorway of the parlor. “What is it, Eugenia?”
“I think we have found it.”
Relief billowed in Joceline’s chest and she hurried towards Miss Sherwood, only for her friend to hold up one hand, palm out towards her, stopping her at her steps. A little confused, Joceline frowned. “Is something wrong?”
Miss Sherwood hesitated, the light in her eyes flickering. “There is one thing I must tell you. Yes, we have found the necklace, but… it was found in your bedchamber, Joceline.”
It was not relief that spread through her this time, but shock and then worry. Worry that this would soon be spreadall through the house, the servants whispering that the emerald necklace had been found within her room. Worry that her reputation, even with the necklace found, would be shattered once the truth was out. “I... I did not take it.”
“Of course you did not!” Miss Sherwood grasped her hand. “I know you had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with it, but all the same, the necklace has been found in your room.”
“Who found it?”
Miss Sherwood stepped to one side and indicated a maid standing just to her right. The girl was standing with her hands clasped in front of her, though her eyes were wide and her face pale, as though she feared that she might get into difficulty, even though she had done nothing wrong.
“You found it, Bessie?” Joceline stepped closer to the girl, who quickly nodded. “Where? Where was it in my room?”
The girl blinked rapidly. “It was sitting on your bed, my lady, as though someone had just placed it there.”
Joceline trembled with a sudden confusion, mingled with fear. This had been done deliberately, she was sure. There was no reason for that necklace to be in her room, no reason for it to be placed just so. Perhaps it was as her mother had suggested, perhaps Lady Albury had done such a thing to discredit Joceline and her family name, pushing herself to the fore as she did so.
“The maid came straight to me with the necklace.” Miss Sherwood smiled tightly. “She has not told anyone else.”
“And you will not tell anyone else.” Joceline's heart hammered furiously as the maid nodded quickly. This was her only chance to save her reputation. Perhaps Lady Albury - or whoever had planted the necklace on her bed- intended for the search to go about in an entirely different way. Perhaps they had hoped that it would be discovered by another guest, and therefore, Joceline would be ruined utterly. At least Jocelinerecognized that now, she had the opportunity to save herself! All that was required was the maid's silence.
“Bessie, if I hear even a whisper of rumor about this, then I shall know it was you who has spoken of it. Understand that if I hear such a thing, the consequences will be your dismissal with no suitable references given.” It was not that she wished to speak harshly, more that she did so with such great firmness so that there could be no misunderstanding. The servants were often inclined to gossip, but Joceline could not have that. Not now. There was too much at stake.
“I understand” The maid nodded fervently. “I won't say a word, my lady, I swear it.”
“Where is the necklace?”
At this, Miss Sherwood brought out the necklace from where she had kept it behind her back, Handing it to Joceline. Joceline gazed down at it, amazed at its beauty, taking in the colors of the emeralds and seeing how they sparkled in the light. Her heart was still beating madly, but at least now there was a safe conclusion to this entire drama. Lady Albury would receive her necklace back and the evening could continue just as it ought. There would be no loss of reputation, no rumors whispered about her, her mother, or her family name, which meant there was, therefore nothing to concern herself with any longer. With a brief smile to Miss Sherwood, Joycelyn looked down at the necklace again. “I will return it at once.” Reaching out, she took Miss Sherwood's hand and pressed it. “Thank you for your help. This could not have been recovered without you.”
