Radiance (Diamonds of the First Water #3)

Chapter Nine

R adiance was humming softly to herself. How wonderful to have fallen into such an adventure! And all because she knew why a diamond was blue and, thus, got to see the Hope up close. Except it turned out that it wasn’t the Hope after all.

Perhaps, if she helped Mr. Lockwood, then she would get to see the real one, maybe hold it in her hand. And then, there was the Koh-i-Noor!

Besides the gemstones, she was forming an association with the dashing geologist. Clearly, he was held in high esteem by Mr. Hope. And if he’d been invited to Buckingham Palace, then he was also admired by the royal family.

Unable to calm her heartbeat the morning of the meeting, Radiance had donned one of her finest day dresses. Nothing that smacked of vulgarity or pretentiousness in case she really did see Queen Victoria, although she could hardly credit such a thing. A demure pale-jade gown, with cream-colored piping and buttons, and a matching jade felt and satin bonnet.

In the drawing room, she awaited Mr. Lockwood, who insisted on picking her up. Another exciting novelty — riding in a public cab!

“You must take Sarah with you,” her mother had reminded her earlier before taking a seat on the sofa to help her pass the time.

Radiance smiled. Their maid had more opportunity to relax and read than even she herself did.

Then she heard the sound of carriage wheels, just as she had all morning, and ran to the window like a youngster awaiting a promised gift. This time, however, she wasn’t disappointed.

“He’s here!” she exclaimed as a hansom cab drew up out front, and she darted toward the door.

“Ray, please calm yourself,” Carolyn Diamond said, halting her daughter’s unseemly rush.

Rising to her feet at the same moment that Mr. Dunley crossed the foyer beyond the open drawing-room door, the countess called out to their butler, “He must come in and be introduced.”

“We are not going out together upon a social occasion,” Radiance protested. “It isn’t as if Mr. Lockwood is escorting me to the theater.”

Her mother laughed — a lovely familiar sound. “Not yet, anyway.”

Radiance shook her head, then she heard Mr. Lockwood’s voice. A moment later, his handsome face and his tall, well-formed physique appeared in the doorway.

“Good day,” he greeted.

“Indeed, it is a good day,” Radiance gushed, unable to contain her eagerness a moment longer. “I am looking forward to our mission. Mother, this is Mr. Lockwood.”

Coming in, the geologist gave a smooth and appropriate bow. “I am honored to meet you, Lady Diamond. Your daughter has a keen eye for gems.”

“Yes,” her mother said, taking Mr. Lockwood’s measure. “She certainly does.”

Radiance knew her mother was insinuating she had an interest in the man that wasn’t merely professional. Maybe that was because all she could speak of for the past twenty-four hours had been Mr. Lockwood this and Mr. Lockwood that.

He cleared his throat, perhaps uncertain what to say to her mother’s quip. Then he asked, “Does Lady Radiance take after you in her interests as she does in her features?”

“Oh, no,” Lady Diamond said. “My daughter is one of a kind in our family. I tend to enjoy reading poetry more than studying gemstones. But my husband has an interest in gold, particularly owning it, so perhaps she takes after him.”

With that topic exhausted, Radiance hoped to herd Mr. Lockwood toward the door.

“As soon as I send for Sarah,” Radiance said, “then we can set out.”

“I shall await you on the doorstep. It was a pleasure to meet you, my lady,” he said to her mother before retreating.

Her mother called after him. “I trust you will keep my daughter safe and take fine care of her.”

After a pause in the doorway, Mr. Lockwood nodded, sent Radiance a wary look, and departed the drawing room.

She rounded upon her mother. “What are you doing?”

“I like that young man,” the countess said with a satisfied nod.

“May I remind you that you have only just met him?”

“Regardless, I can appreciate his fine appearance, obviously appealing to you. Moreover, he looked me directly in the eye, spoke well, dressed tidily, and thinks you are wonderful.”

“He never said any such thing.” Radiance thrust her head around the doorway and into the hall. “Mr. Dunley, please tell Sarah we are ready to leave.”

Then she glanced back at her mother. “Don’t start matchmaking. But I’m glad you like him.”

“ Ah ha ! You are interested in him in a romantic way.”

Radiance’s cheeks warmed. “There isn’t much not to like about him, I admit.”

“And he is unattached,” the countess added.

“How do you know that?”

Her mother shrugged. “Your father and I would never let you interact closely with a man without first doing our due diligence and having him investigated.”

Radiance had to close her mouth and breathe in some patience. “When did you have time to do that?”

“Before you went to a second lecture.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “That was absurdly premature.”

“Maybe so,” her mother said unconcerned, “but at least we weren’t caught out when you said you had accompanied him to Mr. Hope’s home and intended to be his guest at the Palace. Imagine if we’d had to hire someone to investigate him on such short notice.”

Radiance supposed her parents were used to marriageable daughters and the men who caught their eye. She was the third, after all. By the time Bri found someone who interested her, Lord and Lady Diamond would probably already have the man’s shoe size.

“Do not keep him waiting,” her mother said, “or the Queen.”

Radiance nodded and joined Sarah in the foyer. Examining her bonnet in the hallway mirror and seeing it perfectly situated, she smoothed her hands down the front of her dress before allowing her maid to drape her mantle in the matching shade of pale green around her shoulders.

After tugging on her gloves in the blink of an eye, she and Sarah were out the door and aided into the awaiting carriage by Mr. Lockwood himself.

He’d secured a four-seater cab, with plenty of room for Radiance and her maid on the forward-facing side.

“Have you been to Buckingham Palace before?” Mr. Lockwood asked when they were underway.

“Yes,” she said, “but not without my mother and sisters.”

He nodded. “You are probably more knowledgeable of the ways and customs of court life. I fear I am always putting my foot in it.”

She liked his self-effacing manner. But after his conversation with Diana, she could well believe it. Still, she decided to be encouraging. “You have seemed entirely capable in any situation in which I’ve seen you so far.”

“I am in my element in a lecture hall or with a straight-forward individual such as Mr. Hope.”

Radiance considered whether he was speaking in jest and decided he was serious.

“If I catch you doing anything inappropriate, I shall ... I shall tap my chin with my pointer finger, like so.” Radiance did precisely that. Her sister Purity would surely approve of her attempting to help someone in a social situation.

“Very well,” Mr. Lockwood said distractedly, looking out the window as they rode into the Palace’s central courtyard and under the cover of the West Portico’s entrance.

In the next instant, he hopped out while the carriage was still rocking and, before the driver could descend from the dickey, assisted first Radiance and then her maid.

“M’lady,” Sarah whispered, halting and staring at the awaiting footman and then up at the royal residence’s facade of creamy golden Bath stone. “I cannot go in there.”

“She is your Queen, too,” Radiance reminded her. “Don’t forget, you are every bit a subject of the Crown as I am.”

“Yes, m’lady, but —”

“I shall allow no buts,” Radiance interrupted. “If you cannot bring yourself to look upon the face of Her Majesty or have her look upon yours in return, then you may stop just outside the chamber. But you will come inside with me.”

Radiance didn’t know where her fortitude was coming from, but she was giving herself the same orders as she gave to Sarah, except she wouldn’t be allowed to remain in the hallway of the Queen’s drawing room.

“This way,” said the footman, who had obviously been awaiting them. “Our Lord Chamberlain requested I take you and her ladyship directly to Her Majesty upon your arrival.”

Radiance’s nervousness blossomed like a rose in June. This was no ceremonial situation, such as being presented to the Queen at the tender age of sixteen. She was going to see her as an adult female with thoughts in her head, not as a vacuous debutante who had eagerly accepted the monarch’s kiss upon her forehead, the same as was offered to every daughter of the peerage.

Her stomach did a queer flip when they walked up the gilded grand staircase, craning their necks at the larger-than-life paintings.

Luckily, before Radiance could think too much more about what she was doing there, it was too late. The footman invited them to enter Queen Victoria’s drawing room overlooking the Palace gardens. As suggested, Sarah stopped at the double doors, practically melting into the wallpaper.

With a nod to her, Radiance continued into the magnificent room where more of the Queen’s footmen stood next to a door at the far right. In between was a floor-to-ceiling window of more panes than she had time to count. There was a tapestry-covered wall and another with an equally massive painting of an ancient battle. Under their feet was a richly weaved carpet, and overhead hung a vastly oversized chandelier that Radiance knew she could swing from without doing it any damage whatsoever.

Without a bevy of white-clad young ladies whose mothers fussed with their long trains, as well as their honored relatives and sponsors looking on, the room seemed even larger than she recalled.

Through the entire time from the cab to the reception room, Mr. Lockwood had walked silently beside her.

“Here we are,” he said unnecessarily.

“Yes,” she agreed.

Thankfully, they weren’t in the intimidating throne room, in which formal balls were held and dignitaries were hosted, although there were two thrones in this room as well. Radiance wondered if the Queen always needed one for when she decided to sit in the presence of visitors.

“You have been here before?” she asked, as they strolled to the other end, halting a few feet before the golden thrones with the red velvet seats, one ever so slightly smaller than the other. “To this room, I mean?”

“Yes,” Mr. Lockwood said. “The few times I’ve been summoned, it has been to this room.”

“I have been here, too,” she said.

He didn’t ask her about it but merely nodded.

Radiance thought he looked nearly as discomfited as she felt. Who could blame them? There was something awe-inspiring simply about being in the Palace, let alone speaking with the Queen.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Pardon?” Radiance jumped at his tone. “What am I doing?”

“You were humming.”

“I wasn’t. Was I?”

“You were,” he sounded uneasy. “I would not if I were you.”

“I shall not,” she promised. “I didn’t realize ...” Radiance trailed off as a ripple went through the room — of seriousness and grandeur and gravitas. Each liveried footman stood straighter and seemed to hold his breath.

Somehow, they knew Her Majesty was approaching.