Chapter 30
“Are you happy?”
Evelyn tilted her head to look at him, her smile warm. “Very happy.”
“But…”
“Something still doesn’t make sense.”
Evelyn and Asher stood side by side, staring up at the wall of portraits at the British Institution.
“The puzzle? I thought you solved it.”
She looked over at him in surprise. “I did. But how did you know? I never said anything.”
He smiled. “You didn’t have to. I can tell when your expression changes. You begin to wear this look of relief rather than calculation.”
“You are rather observant.”
“I am when it comes to you.”
“Well, yes, you are correct, I did solve the puzzle some time ago. But that’s not the mystery I’m referring to.”
“You’re still wondering who initially took the Paragon Diamond, aren’t you?”
“I am,” she said with a frustrated sigh. “The only thing that makes sense is that the person who had it in their possession was either in your house or in Norwood’s. There is no other way it found its way into your pocket. It wasn’t Norwood or his wife. So, who was it? A servant?”
“If that was the case, why did they give it back?”
“It was either to implicate you or to help save me,” she said. “One or the other.”
“I don’t suppose we’ll ever know.”
“We have to,” she said stubbornly, as they turned and began walking to the door in silent agreement.
“You won’t let this go otherwise, will you?”
“I will not,” she said, wrapping her arm around his elbow as they stepped out into the light. “What does the rest of the day hold?”
“Well, I need to speak with Thalia. She has been rather distant lately,” Asher said, furrowing his brow. “At first I thought it was due to the threat placed on our family and the rapid change in events—”
“Our marriage.”
“Yes, our marriage, but I believe there is more to it than that.”
“Your family has lost so much over the past few years,” she said. “Perhaps now knowing that the Earl of Norwood was responsible for your father’s death has been difficult for her.”
“I didn’t handle it well, did I?” he said ruefully. “She and my father were actually rather close. I was the disappointment in the family while my brother was the responsible one.”
He stopped walking as he stared at her, for she had stopped completely, staring at him with that look on her face that he’d come to know so well.
“What is it?” he asked, instantly concerned.
“Asher.” She gripped his arm tightly. “I know who stole the diamond.”
Asher had pressed her over and over as they hurried home, needing to know answers, but she had just shaken her head, her eyes glazed over as she was clearly still working through the puzzle in her mind.
“I will tell you everything,” she promised. “I do, however, need you to ask the Marquess of Eastclere, Constable Peters, and the solicitor, Mr. Pine, to come to the house.”
He stared at her for a beat. “Are you mad?”
“Would you like to know the truth?”
“Fine,” he grumbled. “When?”
“Immediately.”
He sighed, but of course he did as she asked – he always would.
And so, a short time later, they found themselves in the long drawing room of Ravenscar House, which felt surprisingly full.
Evelyn crossed the threshold on Asher’s arm, and he remained close as she took her place at the front of the room, in a seat that had been set for her before the rest of them.
The air tightened as they walked in, and he took his place beside the mantel, close enough to support her but still allowing her to oversee the room.
Any stilted conversation halted as everyone present waited for something to happen, even though no one knew the truth of why they had all been gathered.
The curtains had been drawn back to admit the pale afternoon light, illuminating the circle that had formed near the hearth, placing the spotlight on Evelyn.
Thalia lingered near the window, her arms folded, her posture tense with restraint.
The dowager duchess sat upright on the settee, hands folded in her lap, composed but warily watchful.
Evelyn’s father, whom she had invited mostly because he loved a good problem-solving, but also because he was family, sat next to her with the solicitor, Pine, sitting at the edge of the room, interest clear on his face.
Verity sat in a high-backed chair, sharp-eyed as ever, while Julian was lounging in a plush chair, one leg crossed over the other in supposed nonchalance.
And near the far end of the room, the Marquess of Eastclere stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression grave.
He had refused to take a seat until he understood exactly what he was doing there.
Constable Peters, meanwhile, had his notebook out as he sat right beside Evelyn. He seemed about to speak, but Asher took a step forward. “Constable, I ask you to allow my wife to finish and then ask any questions. You are here under my request.”
The constable shot him a look that told him how he felt about being told what to do, but he nodded.
“Pine, most of this is for your information in case there should be any legal issues that arise from it in the future. You were also involved in this from the start.”
Evelyn took one steadying breath.
“If you are all prepared,” she said, her voice calm despite the weight pressing against her ribs, “I believe I can explain how this began—why it has unfolded as it has, and who stole the Paragon Diamond.”
“Perhaps we cut to that part,” Eastclere said, but Evelyn shook her head.
“It will not make sense until I explain why I believe the diamond was stolen.”
Eastclere inclined his head. “You have my full attention, your grace.”
She looked at Asher, and he nodded his head at her, telling her that she had his full support in whatever she told the room, even though his curiosity was eating away at him.
“When the Paragon Diamond vanished from Lord Eastclere’s gallery, the assumption was that it had been taken for its value. That was the first error.” She paused. “The diamond itself was never the point.”
Julian straightened slightly. Verity’s brows rose.
“What few knew about the Paragon,” Evelyn continued, “is that the diamond had once been adapted to serve a more discreet purpose.”
Eastclere exhaled slowly. “You know of the compartment.”
“I do,” Evelyn said. “And I know why it existed.”
She turned then, her gaze settling on the dowager duchess.
“The former Duke of Ravenscar discovered evidence of treason during his service on a parliamentary committee which was formed with the intention of discovering who was working against the Crown. Evidence he did not trust to leave unprotected.”
The dowager’s chin lifted, though her fingers tightened together. “My husband believed certain truths required patience,” she said quietly. “And protection.”
“He wrote down his findings and placed them in the Paragon Diamond, which was being used by members of the committee for that very purpose. He shared it with the previous Marquess of Eastclere, who had been intent on loaning the diamond to the Crown, where the document would be discovered, and the treason would come to light,” Evelyn explained.
“Asher and I found parchment with evidence to the treason on it written by Asher’s father in a hiding place here at Ravenscar House, but what he concealed in the Paragon was simpler.
A name. A warning. Enough to condemn a man. ”
Silence settled heavily over the room.
“Naming the Earl of Norwood,” Verity said softly.
“Yes,” Evelyn replied. “And Norwood learned of it. Before the diamond could be given to the Crown, he killed the two men who knew the truth – Lord Eastclere and the Duke of Ravenscar.”
An audible gasp filled the room – all appearing surprised except Evelyn’s father, who had likely begun to deduce some of this himself, and Lord Eastclere.
“You knew,” Evelyn said.
“I guessed, due to the nature of my father’s death,” Eastclere said.
“Then, when the diamond was stolen, I realized that the two incidents must be tied together. I wasn’t sure if the diamond was ill luck for the Eastclere family or if there was more to it, but I was concerned that someone would be coming for me. ”
“That was why you appeared in such disarray when we visited you.”
“Yes,” he confirmed. “I also didn’t know whom I could trust. I had heard my father mention the Ravenscar name time and again, knew that he had met with the duke shortly before his death.”
He stared down at his hands, rubbing his eyes. “I had no idea the duke was on our side.”
“No one did,” Evelyn said. “Well, almost no one.”
Thalia shifted sharply. Evelyn turned toward her.
“The diamond was stolen only once, but your gallery was broken into twice, Lord Eastclere. That’s why the mechanisms appeared so tampered with.
Before he killed the two noblemen, one of them must have confessed to the note, and Lord Norwood decided to not only destroy it, but also use the diamond to his advantage.
Someone in your household – likely Mr. Bloomington – helped Lord Norwood break into the gallery and replace the original note with one of his own, condemning my husband.
But he was discovered. There is one other person currently living at the Eastclere residence – Miss Vale, who has recently become close with our very own Lady Thalia.
She was visiting when Norwood made his change. ”
Evelyn looked at Thalia, who was shifting in her seat, her eyes filled with worry. Why? She couldn’t have – Asher’s shoulders tightened as he realized what was happening. He pushed away from the mantel. “Evelyn—”
“You saw him,” Evelyn said gently, “At Eastclere House. You heard him speak of the diamond—of what it contained—and of his intention to place new evidence inside it.”
Thalia’s jaw tightened as she lifted her chin.
“Thalia, don’t—” Asher pleaded.
“You are right,” his sister said. “He was speaking with Bloomington, and he meant to frame you, Asher.”