Page 72 of The Miracle of Love
The breath caught in her throat.
How could he possibly know?
She ran to his side and gripped his hand partly out of fear and partly out of excitement. Her heart pounded and she took several deep breaths. “Oh, Deklan. Yes. This is exactly the spot.”
A ray of sunshine struck the damp earth as though shining a beacon to guide them.
Deklan was in his leopard stance, his eyes scanning the area, and all his senses on alert as he knelt and lightly touched the ground. “The grave has been disturbed.”
She inhaled sharply. “How recently?”
“When was your brother’s last trip home from the Continent? Three months? Four? That’s probably when he dug it up to bury the crown.”
They had stopped to purchase a shovel in one of the small towns along the way and Deklan now went to retrieve it.
When he returned, Grace watched him dig into the hard ground. The earth was frozen and it took all of his impressive strength to break through.
She had not meant to cry while watching him, but so many feelings rushed to the surface the moment she saw Vixen’s bones and her tears would not stop flowing. Since she did not want to distract him from his purpose, she stepped back and quietly withdrew the handkerchief she had tucked in her sleeve.
“Grace?”
“Don’t mind me.” She dabbed her eyes and tried to stay silent as a mouse while Deklan worked.
Several times, she tried to peer over his shoulder, but all she saw was earth and bones. “The crown isn’t here.”
“It is, Grace. It has to be. He’s buried it deeper, no doubt beneath the remains. Don’t worry, I’ll treat Vixen’s bones with reverence. I know this is important to you.”
“Thank you, Deklan.” She appreciated the extra effort not to disturb the grave, and stood by quietly as he carefully dug around and then beneath it.
“Here we go,” he said at last, setting aside the shovel and removing a large tin container from the hole. He unfastened the lid to reveal a blue velvet cloth bag. “Ready to see what’s inside?”
She merely nodded, for her heart was beating so rapidly, she could not speak.
He reached in the bag and withdrew a magnificent, jewel-encrusted crown. “Blessed saints,” he muttered, holding it with exquisite care. “How did your brother ever sneak this massive thing out?”
“Oh, my heavens. I have never seen so many jewels in all my life. Our Crown jewels pale in comparison. Do not tell His Majesty I said that.”
He glanced up and grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of it. He’s quite vain about our royal treasures and will lock me in the Tower for uttering the blasphemy. He’ll be green with envy over this prize. No wonder everyone wants to get their hands on it.”
“Yes, I can see why.” Sunlight reflected off the gemstones creating prisms of light in a dazzling array of colors. Ruby red, sapphire blue, emerald green, and diamonds in crystal white and subtlest pink. The gems were attached to an artfully crafted frame of gold, and the crown was finished in dark velvet with ermine trim.
Deklan held it out to her. “Care to try it on?”
“No!” But after a moment she knelt beside him. “Really? You would let me?”
“Yes, princess.” He cast her a tender smile that melted her heart as he placed the crown on her head with exquisite care.
She steadied it so that it did not slip off. “It’s heavy.”
“Henry IV thought so, too.Deny it to a king? Then happy low, lie down. Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”
“Shakespeare.”
“The man understood his monarchs.” He carefully removed the crown from her head and tucked it back in its velvet bag. “Wooton will dance a jig when Donal and Lorcan present this prize to him.”
“Will he be happy enough to forgive your ignoring his orders?”
“Are you fretting about that, Grace?” He placed the wrapped crown back in the large tin. “He and I have been butting heads for years. He always forgives me and would have done so even if we had not found this crown.”
