Page 7 of The Miracle of Love
Lady Miranda appeared to be as confused as she was. “I invited Grace to spend Christmas with us while she tries to sort through her family situation. Her mother is too overset to manage their affairs and relies on Grace for everything. Dear boy, kindly explain what is going on.”
“Something very bad, Aunt Miranda.” He ran a hand through the waves of his dark hair, almost a raven black, that seemed to enhance the predatory blue and amber swirls in his eyes.
Despite the winter’s chill outside, Grace felt uncomfortably warm beside him.
The man exuded heat.
She tried not to look at him, but it was an impossible feat when he was standing so near and no one could overlook his presence, especially when he said, “You can forget about my sleeping on the library sofa. I am staying right here with Grace.”
Grace erupted in a fit of coughs. “Are you mad? I have no idea what little jest you are playing at, but you most certainly will not get cozy with me. Lady Miranda…Mrs. Quinton…talk sense into your son. I am not sharing a bedchamber with him. And as for you, Mr. Quinton, rid your head immediately of any such notion.”
He did not appear in the least bit moved by her demand. “If you think to keep me out, thenyouhad better rid your head of any such notion. Consider me on assignment as of this moment. This is no jest, Grace. Your father and brother have made some powerful enemies.”
“What has this to do with me? Well, I suppose we have all been tarred with their bad deeds. Those in thetonwho were once my friends now toss jests behind my back and call meLady Disgrace.”
“Then they were never worthy to be your friends.” He glanced around the hall, obviously preferring not to have more of an audience as he told them of the situation. “All of you, step back inside Grace’s chamber. This is going to be a serious discussion.”
His mother began to fret her lip. “Deklan, dear. You are giving us a fright.”
“I’m sorry. It cannot be helped. I wish I could give you more encouraging news. Come in, and I will tell you why I am here.”
“It isn’t for our holiday celebrations?” his mother asked.
“No. Although I had hoped to find time for those. I’ve been away from home too long and dearly missed you all.” He led them back into the bedchamber and shut the door. “A valuable heirloom was stolen from a foreign royal family shortly before the Montford family’s activities were shut down by the Crown agents. Grace, the Home Office believes–”
“You mean the Duke of Wooton?” Lady Miranda said. “He runs the Home Office.”
“Is he the one they call the Duke of Ice?” his mother asked.
“Yes to both your questions,” he said with thinly veiled impatience. “Now will you let me finish? They believe Grace’s brother, Richard Montford, is the one who planned the theft and the only one left alive who knows where this treasure is hidden.”
Grace felt her legs go weak.
With shaking hands, she clutched the bedcovers as she took a seat on the bed and tried to absorb this latest infamy perpetrated by her brother. “Mr. Quinton, I thought your fellow agents managed to retrieve all the stolen artifacts. I was there when your own brother, Rafe, along with the Duke of Edgeware and a horde of the magistrate’s men descended on our townhouse. They impounded everything and anything found in our home, in our art galleries, our warehouses, and anywhere else they knew to search.”
“It wasn’t enough. Some items have yet to be recovered. This one, a royal crown used for the ceremonial investiture of every reigning monarch since the existence of this foreign country, is among the few still unaccounted for. It is easily the most important item missing and not merely for the value of the jewels encrusted in the crown. It is the symbol of that foreign royal house, and without it, there is a good chance their monarchy will fall.”
“Oh.” Grace’s stomach sank into her toes. “Which country?”
“I am not at liberty to tell you. It is highly sensitive information and must remain a secret. Needless to say, their royal family is enraged. Indeed, they are beyond enraged. Relations have always been fragile between our two countries, and this theft has made matters worse.”
Lady Miranda pursed her lips. “Do they think our government is behind the theft?”
“They do not know what to think and no longer trust anything we say. Our diplomats are now in discussions with them at the highest levels, trying to assure them there was no government involvement. As a token of our good faith, we have turned over all the information we have on the Montfords and their activities, and have promised to do all in our power to find their crown and quietly return it. This is why I was sent home, to discover its whereabouts.”
“What has Grace to do with this political intrigue?” his mother asked.
“Mr. Quinton, please believe I had nothing to do with any of it. But I will do all I can to help you,” she assured. “However, I am confused. Why are you at all concerned with me when it is retrieving this royal heirloom that matters most?”
“Now that they know who committed this crime…”
Grace gave a short, bitter laugh. “How could they not? My family’s downfall was front page news in every London paper.”
“That’s right, and you were mentioned in several of these articles. It was enough to draw their attention to you.”
A shiver of foreboding tore through her. “To me?”
He nodded. “They are now out for blood and intend to take something precious from your family to hold hostage in exchange for return of their crown. They wantyou, Grace. They are demanding you be sent to them and held as their hostage.”
