Page 3 of When the Rogue Returns
“Yes, we know,” her sister said, her tone sharp. “I’m sure you simply forgot to tell us about the prince’s guard coming this morning for the jewels. You weren’t really planning to let it pass without comment.”
“Of course not,” she mumbled, unable to meet her sister’s eyes. This couldn’t be happening.
“Thank God Victor said something as he was leaving here,” Jacoba said, “or we would have missed our chance entirely.”
Dear heaven. “Where’s Victor now?” Isa headed for the door. She had to find out if he’d really done this outrageous thing.
“He’s gone.” Gerhart tucked the necklace into his coat pocket. “He’s the most at risk of being caught, so he had to head straight off to Antwerp as soon as his shift was over. They won’t expect him back at the shop until this evening, and perhaps not even then, given that his post as guard ends today. Meanwhile—”
“You’re saying Victorleftme?” With her blood pounding in her ears, she whirled on them. “My husband left me?”
“Not exactly,” Jacoba said, oozing sympathy and concern. “After he sells the earrings in Antwerp, he’ll join us in Paris. That’s where we’re heading with the necklace, bracelet, and brooch. Victor suggested that we split up, in case anyone comes after us. They’ll expect two couples traveling together. They won’t expect you to go with us and him to go another way.”
“Not that we think your imitations won’t hold up under scrutiny,” Gerhart said, “but it’s better that we be well away, in case they don’t. The jeweler won’t expect you at the shop until tomorrow, since Victor already told him how sick you are—fortuitous for us. That gives us time to put some distance between us and here.”
“And the beauty of it is that if your diamondsdoescape notice, no one will ever even know about the theft!” Jacoba crowed. The unnatural light in her eyes made Isa shiver. “Victor left a letter behind with your landlord saying that you both got lucrative positions in Frankfurt. The jeweler will certainly find that plausible, especially with Victor’s post coming to an end. It’s the perfect plan!”
“Except that I wanted no part of it!” Isa cried.
Gerhart narrowed his gaze on her. “That’s not what you said. You said you were waiting for the right moment.”
Her mouth went dry. “Well, I—I lied. I don’twantto be a criminal. I just want to cut diamonds and design jewelry and have a regular life.”
“What kind of regular life do you think you’d have with a husband out of work?” Jacoba snapped. “How long do you think it would be before you lost your position to some man? And then what?” She jerked her gaze from Isa as if disgusted. “At least your husband saw the sense of our plan.”
Determined not to be a mouse this time, Isa thrust out her chin. “I just can’t believe that Victor would have agreed to—”
“He’s not here, is he?” Jacoba pointed out. “And you heard him say he would be here to fetch you home. Yet it’s well past the time for him to do so.”
The truth of that struck her hard. “I still just don’t—”
“How do you think we got the diamonds, you little fool?” Gerhart strode up to her in a temper. “We couldn’t have breached the strongbox ourselves. The thing takes five men to lift, and the locks are intricate. It could only be opened with the keys.Victor’skeys.”
Isa’s blood thundered in her ears.
He let that sink in, then added coldly, “He was more than happy to help when he realized it was the only way to make sure he could provide for his wife.”
I will find work after this, even if the jeweler doesn’t keep me on. Don’t worry about that.
Tears sprang to her eyes. Had she sent him off to do this awful thing by making him believe she was worried about his ability to find another post?
“And I shouldthink,” Gerhart pressed on, “that you’d be grateful for all the trouble we have taken to provide for you. Instead, you stand here mewling—”
“Gerhart, darling,” Jacoba said in soothing tones, “why don’t you go pack our things and let me talk to my sister?”
Gerhart glared at Isa, who was clutching her stomach in a fruitless attempt to quell the fear roiling inside her. With a snort, he walked out.
As soon as he was gone, Jacoba came to Isa’s side. “My dearest, I like Victor as much as you, but you must admit that you hardly know him. He rarely even speaks of his previous life. For all you know, he may have done this kind of thing before. Consider all those languages he speaks—has he ever even said how he knows so many?”
She swallowed. She’d never asked. He just seemed worldly, a man who’d learned things far beyond her ken, even though he was only two years older. “Hewasa soldier in the Prussian army,” she pointed out.
“That explains his knowledge of German. But how does he know English? Or French? Surely not just from being a soldier. I daresay he did a few things during the war that required special... skills.”
Since she’d often wondered about his reticence, she could hardly ignore that possibility.
“Besides,” Jacoba went on, “soldiers are practical sorts. And since you never mentioned our plan to him, how do you know he wouldn’t have embraced it?”
The words cut her right through. She didn’t. She had only her instincts to go on, which said that Victor would never steal. But could she be sure? Or did she just believe it because she’d placed him so high in her esteem?
