Once Upon a Diamond (21 page)

A minute later Kate opened the door and poked her head
inside the drawing room. “Have you two finished gossiping about me?”

Matthew threw a grin her way and turned toward Devin. “What
was the name of that play we’re going to view from your father’s box? Was not
one of the characters named Kate?” 

Kate threw her hands to her hips and scowled. “Matthew,
please do not embarrass me.”  Her brother was an expert on all of Shakespeare’s
plays and able to recite most of them by heart. He never gave up a chance to
tease her.

Devin laughed. “How perceptive, Matthew. The name of the
play is,
“The Taming of the Shrew."

Chapter Thirteen

“F
rom
the looks of things, my lord, Fletcher seems to have met his death by some
vicious means. No diamond in sight.” Andrews paused to take out a dirty yellow
handkerchief and blow his nose. An evening fire crackled in the library of the
Lancewood townhouse as Tristan listened to the Runner’s findings.

A
shadow danced on the far wall as Tristan rose from his chair and peered at the
sparks sputtering from the hearth. What the devil was going on here? “Where was
he found?”

“The magistrate said the body was found by the docks. Another
body was found in the river, caught on one of the piers.” 

Sinking his hefty body into the sofa, Andrews scratched
his head. “Both throats slashed. One seemed to be a sailor. Clothes and all. Ghastly
way to go, I say. The other body had clothes of a gentleman. I knew the dead
man could be Fletcher so I sought out the man’s sister. She identified the rare
pocket watch found on the body. It was Fletcher’s all right. The man never went
anywhere without it.”  

Tristan unbuttoned his blue brocade coat and picked up
his brandy glass, raising it slowly to his mouth. Was the diamond in the enemy’s
hand? Or was it truly lost now?

“What do you make of all this, Andrews?”

“I believe Fletcher was murdered because he carried
something of value. If he did have the diamond, any greedy villain would kill
for that. The tavern owner mentioned that he thought he saw a man of Fletcher’s
description having a drink with a young sailor. Fits, don’t it. And it seems
many knew about Fletcher’s involvement with the diamond.” 

Andrews blew his nose again and sniffed. “But then
again, my lord, may have nothing to do with the diamond at all. Cutthroats and
thieves aplenty down by the docks.”

Tristan placed his crystal glass upon the mahogany end
table and weighed the information. Could someone be after the diamond for pure
greed? Or could it be possible someone wanted to cause more havoc in India by
having the gem disappear altogether? Could England’s enemy be biding their
time? 

He turned to Andrews. The motives were endless. “Perhaps
Fletcher knew about the intruder at the inn.” And Kate. Tristan’s heart leapt
in alarm. Could someone believe she had the diamond or relevant information? 

Andrews shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “There is one
more thing, my lord.”

Tristan pressed his lips together. “Go on.”

“I was investigating Lord Douberry. A Captain Sharp, if
you know what I mean.”

Tristan nodded, scowling as he recalled the baron’s
insult and the man’s threat to Kate. But the notion of the man working against
England set his teeth on edge. He was beginning to think the blasted diamond
was cursed after all.

“Douberry’s a gambler, well-schooled in his cheating
habits,” Tristan offered. “As I mentioned before, I not only humiliated him by
exposing him, I emptied his pocketbook at the same time." 

Andrews leaned forward. “I was looking into all the
possibilities of anyone wishing you harm. The baron seems to fit that category
perfectly. As you probably know, the baron’s wife  has a propensity to gamble
as much as her husband. I have it from my best sources the lady has involved
herself in a woman’s gambling house, or should I say houses. She loses her
husband’s money faster than Prinny can spend his. She is also a slave to her
laudanum.”

“Opiates? It’s not unheard of. I hear many in Society
have a liking for it.” 

“It’s not just a liking, my lord. They go mad if they don’t
have their fix of laudanum. Stark raving mad.”

Tristan glanced at the clock, not wanting to miss the
entire play or Kate. He still had time. He wanted to see her. He needed to see
her. He would have to send word to Whitehall about Andrews’s findings as well. What
a devil of a mess. “I was hoping for more information about the diamond. Is
that all you have for me tonight?”

“No, my lord,” Andrews said with a hesitant look. “It
has come to my attention that your mother has been involved in these clandestine
gambling meetings for quite a while now.”

Tristan’s jaw dropped. “You jest?”

Andrews cleared his throat. “No, my lord. I have it from
a most reliable source.”

A full moon illuminated the duke’s entourage as the
carriage rolled toward Drury Lane. Wearing a low cut, green silk gown, Kate was
eager to enter the theater with Matthew and her cousins. She was grateful her
brother had not gone into full-blown hysterics over the incident at the inn,
though he had been quite upset. Kate could only breathe a sigh of relief at his
softening attitude. Perhaps his list of suitors might be tossed into the fire
after all.

As they walked into the theater, Kate noticed the back
of Matthew’s head drop as he whispered something to Devin. What were they up to
now? She fell a few steps behind the group, her mind running a hundred different
directions when her arm was jerked aside as she was about to enter the duke’s
box.

“Miss Wilcox, you do look lovely tonight,” Lord Douberry
sputtered, holding her elbow.

Kate turned to the man, more surprised than shocked. The
smell of cheap wine engulfed him. From the corner of her eye, she noticed that
Matthew had spun around to confront the swaying man. If looks could kill, the
baron would be a dead man!

Kate’s mouth stretched into a thin-lipped smile as she
extricated herself from the baron’s grip. “Lord Douberry, so good to see you
again. I do hope you enjoy the play.” With a quick step, she nudged her way
into the box, explaining to Matthew that the man was foxed.

Matthew gave her one of those fatherly frowns and took
his seat. “And where is the illustrious earl? I would gather that this play
might do him some good with the likes of you.”

Kate shot her brother a twisted smile. Matthew was
comparing her to a shrew similar to the character in the play. With a twinge of
regret, she recalled that Tristan had conveyed his apologies that he might be
late tonight due to an important business engagement. Something about that
diamond, she supposed. Or maybe it was Lady Helen. Kate had been formally
introduced to the woman days ago, and Tristan probably had no idea.

“You are quite the jester, are you not, dear brother?”

Matthew shrugged, his blue eyes twinkling.

Kate ignored him and kept her gaze on the half-empty box
across from her where Edward and his mother sat. Kate picked up her opera
glasses and caught sight of the countess staring at her with eyes as cold as
the Thames in winter.

A ripple of uneasiness trickled down her spine as she
lowered the glasses. The lady hated her. That much was obvious. It wasn’t as if
Kate was going to marry Tristan. He didn’t love her, so why should his mother’s
loathing bother her?  

Tristan descended from his carriage and hurried toward
the theater, cringing as he recalled Andrews’ words
, “Your mother has been
involved in these clandestine gambling meetings...”

At first, Tristan felt only contempt for his mother’s
behavior, having finally understood why her pockets had always emptied so
quickly. But then his heart softened when he realized that a life without a
husband at home must have been so unbearable that she’d sought comfort elsewhere,
even if it were gambling.

He recalled Perkins telling him of a fall she had taken
right after Tristan was born. The countess had never been the same after that. But
Perkins had held back from saying something else. It was as if the man thought
the fall was not an accident. Had someone pushed her?

Not knowing exactly what he would do when he confronted
his mother on the subject of gambling in the darker world of London, Tristan was
determined he would help her break the horrid habit. The fact that she didn’t
love Tristan was beside the point. The icy feeling, even for his mother, was
melting. Yes, Miss Katherine Wilcox had a tremendous positive effect on his
heart and his way of life.

“Oh, Lord Lancewood! Over here!” Only two steps away
from the door to Drury Lane, Tristan froze at the sound of that peacock whine.

Feigning a smile, he twisted around to view Lady Helen
swiftly approaching with her father by her side. Blast and double blast. The
little chit had cornered him again. He fought back a frown and squared his
shoulders.

“Lord Lancewood,” she said breathlessly. “I see you are
late as well. How fortunate.” 

Before Tristan could answer, the lady gestured to her
father to continue inside the theater without her. Tristan blinked in awe. He
was alone with her.

Upon entering the theater, the pushy woman clutched his
elbow and ushered him toward the stairs. Tristan racked his brain trying to
think whose box her father could be sitting in.

“Lady Helen, I believe your father is at a loss without
your company. Perhaps I could escort you to his group.”

“Oh,” she said, fluttering her lashes. “No need to worry.
My father’s seated in Rushting’s box. He won’t miss me at all.” 

She tightened her grip on his arm and moved up the
steps. “I believe your box will do quite nicely.”

Tristan gritted his teeth, frantic to escape. Glancing
at his aching elbow, he had a sinking feeling that he was stuck with the brazen
woman for the remainder of the play. He shuddered to think of Kate’s reaction
when she saw him with Lady Helen. Her box stood directly opposite his.

And there was no denying Kate would see him. He drew in
a deep breath, hesitating before he entered his box. Being seen with last
Season’s flame would surely set the ton’s tongues on fire.

The moment Tristan stepped into his box, Edward shook
his head and responded with a curt nod to Lady Helen.

Tristan bent over his brother’s shoulder and whispered
with clenched teeth, “For your information, this was not my idea.”

Edward raised an amused brow and looked away. “Don’t
matter.”

Tristan took his seat and could only imagine what Kate
thought of him now. She had her opera glasses raised in his direction. Frowning,
he turned to watch the play.
The Taming of the Shrew
, he smiled to
himself, how appropriate.

Edward leaned his way, lowering his voice. “Best take
notes. Kate could have doubled for the part. And just so you know, Charlotte’s
giving me the cold shoulder because of you.”

Tristan shrugged. He couldn’t worry about that now. His
attention was focused on the handsome man seated next to Kate. He grabbed the
opera glasses from Edward.

“A woman moved is like a fountain troubled, muddy,
ill-seeming, thick, bereft of beauty...”

Tristan flinched at the fitting words echoing from below
as he eyed Kate frowning back at him. Who the hell was that blond-haired Greek
god sitting next to her? He didn’t need opera glasses to see that the man was
eyeing Kate like he owned her.

Tristan dropped the glasses into his lap.

Fury filled him as he watched the scene playing out in
the Duke of Ridgewater’s box. And was that Lord Douberry glaring at him from
the adjacent box? His hands curled at his sides. He wanted to strangle two men
in the same night. He must be going mad.  

Lady Helen turned a stiff smile upon Tristan. “Forgive
me, my lord, but I detect my father winking at me from Rushting’s box. I do believe
he is in need of my presence. If you would do me the honor of escorting me, I
would forever be in your debt.”

 Tristan answered with a nod and made his way from the
box with Lady Helen attached to his arm. But Kate, the diamond, and Douberry, were
all problems gnawing at his brain like a beaver sawing wood. Each one was a
dilemma growing to monumental proportions and something would have to be done. Soon! 

After depositing Lady Helen to the Rushting box, which
was only three boxes from Kate, Tristan decided to stand guard outside the duke’s
box until the end of the play.

At the end of the last scene, applause erupted
throughout the theater and the curtain fell across the stage. Girding his
resolve, Tristan finally stepped inside the duke’s box, his face a mask of fury.
The blond-haired man was tilting his head toward Kate in an intimate way that
sent Tristan’s blood soaring through his veins.

And then the man did the unspeakable, he glanced up at Tristan,
presenting him with a mocking smile that fueled Tristan’s rage to overflowing. Lifting
a challenging brow, the man began whispering something to Kate, almost pressing
his lips against her snowy soft skin.

It was all Tristan could do not to shove the man over
the railing. He strode forward with one purpose in mind.

Kate spun around and gasped. “Tristan
–
”

But it was too late for explanations. Tristan picked the
blond-haired gentleman up by his cravat, slamming an iron fist into his
smirking face. The blow sent the man him flying into Devin’s lap with a thud,
drawing the attention of many of the nearby boxes.

The duchess, garbed in her fanciest blue silk gown,
watched in horror. “Good heavens,” she screamed a second before she fainted
into her husband’s arms.