Page 77 of Rescued from Betrayal
He smiled and gave it a pat. “One thing is for sure, if you had, I would not need to threaten my least favorite sister-in-law in order for you to recover your possessions.”
Melior’s nose scrunched in confusion.
“Sir Nathaniel mentioned your mother’s deceit with the jewelry. To think she’d stoop to using the servants as her thieves.”
“They are not the only possessions she chose to take for herself. When I left London she kept back a trunk of my gowns. I suppose they are not truly mine though, since they were purchased by my father.”
“Your father? Your father has been living beyond his means for quite some time now. I was the one outfitting you the last three seasons.”
Melior was speechless. This whole time she’d assumed her family was solvent and quite deep in the pockets and yet they’d been living on the charity of her uncle. No wonder her parents feared his marriage.
“But my dowry. How has it stayed intact?”
“It was written into the marriage contracts by your mother’s father. That and a stipulation that should they produce a second or third son, they would inherit ten thousand pounds from your mother’s dowry. It was your grandfather's way of ensuring that your father could not waste away her substantial dowry.”
Melior shook her head slowly. “And all this time I worried that Eddie would be penniless.”
Uncle Percy smiled. “Even if your grandfather had not made provisions, I would never let that happen. And”— he stood— “I shall not let your mother get away with taking jewelry my Lucinda gave to you. Could you make a list of all the pieces you are missing?”
She rose, pulling her dressing gown tight around her. “I can do one better. Mrs. Thompson turned over every letter my mother wrote her. They list all the items she wished to havereturnedto her. All were sent except the cameo brooch of Grandmother Melior. That was still in the housekeeper's possession.”
Melior excused herself while she retrieved the letters. When she returned, she pointed to the second to the last one. “I had not realized until the letters were given to me that she also had great-grandmother’s sapphire jewelry. It was stored in a small drawer under my book box. Mrs. Thompson did not take it, as it had apparently been removed before I left. Mother mentioned needing the ring that goes with the set, but Aunt Lucinda did not give that one to me.”
“That is because I have it. Lucinda wore the ring until the day she died.” He loosened his cravat and reached into his collar. Carefully he extracted a thin leather strap, the familiar sapphire and diamond ring on it.
The action was so touching that tears brimmed in Melior’s eyes. How she wished to have a love as deep and abiding as her uncle’s.
He pulled the strap over his head and untied the leather. Melior stared as he slipped the ring off the strap and onto her finger.
“Lucinda would want you to have it.” He wrapped both his hands around hers and sighed. “And she would want me to move on.”
“I will cherish it.”
“I know you will.” He kissed her forehead and stepped back. “Now, it is time we both get some rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow, and I have a thief to confront.”
Chapter 25
Melior rubbed her hands together inside her muff. The drive back to London was not nearly as cold as the one she’d made a month ago, what with Miss Harris sharing a lap robe with her, but there was something chilling in the reason for their return. Mr. Fairchild’s forward behavior had been extremely disconcerting, but knowing he had been hired to do so changed the whole experience in her mind.
Miss Harris shifted and something flew across the interior of the carriage smacking a sleeping Mr. Roberts in the face. He sat up straight and blinked in confusion. Miss Harris gazed out the window as if nothing had happened. Melior locked eyes with Nathaniel. Laughter and a bit of mischief showed in their green depths.
Mr. Roberts picked up the wadded-up glove. “Is this why you wanted me to travel with you, Javenia, so you could lob your gloves at me?”
“I did not ask you to accompany us. It would have been far more comfortable if you’d have ridden your horse. Besides,how do you know those are my gloves? Perhaps they are Lady Stanford’s.”
Melior blinked at her in surprise. “Me?”
“You are supposed to play along,” Miss Harris whispered.
Both Nathaniel and Mr. Roberts laughed.
Mr. Roberts tossed the gloves back. “Next time, alert your scapegoat of their part before you enact your planned assault.”
Miss Harris huffed. “Lady Stanford will catch on quickly enough with her amount of intelligence. We ladies must stick together.”
Melior grinned. “Very true. But if I am to be your comrade in arms, might we dispense with titles?”
“Yes, indeed. As you already know my parents saddled me with the atrocious name of Javenia.”
