Radiance (Diamonds of the First Water #3)

Chapter Thirty-Three

A large sapphire from Prince Albert’s wedding gift brooch and the missing emerald from the Queen’s coronet sparkled in the sunlight.

Beside her, Sarah exclaimed, “Aren’t they spectacular?”

“Indeed, they are,” Radiance agreed, barely stopping herself from reaching out and touching. Instead, she kept her hands in her lap, her fingers tightly gripping her reticule. “Where did you get them?”

Her question was met with silence. And then Mr. Sully said, “Why do you care? You will be the envy of every lady when I set these in a tiara, with diamonds you can choose today.”

“You said you had cut them yourself,” she reminded him. He had certainly cut some exactly like them, a green tourmaline and the blue spinel for which poor Mr. Minton was blamed.

Thus, Mr. Sully might have shot at her, she realized. Moreover, at any moment, he could recall she was the same female entering St. James’s Palace with Edward, who may have been the actual target.

“That would indicate you purchased the uncut stones yourself. Might I know the country of origin or the story behind each, so I may tell any admirers?”

Mr. Sully scowled. “That is of no matter. I purchased the uncut stones here in London.”

What should she do? Radiance would have to give Mr. Sully the bank note she had tucked inside her reticule. And then all she could do was wait. She might have a tiara with the Queen’s jewels by the end of the following week.

More likely, given his history, he would give her a tiara containing two more forgeries, and the royal jewels would be lost to her and possibly to the Queen forever. She had to take them with her.

“I have changed my mind about wanting a tiara. I would simply like to purchase the two jewels.” Having said that, she gave in to her earlier impulse and scooped them both off the smooth, worn leather inset.

Both men jumped.

“Impossible!” Mr. Sully said while she clutched them tightly in her fist. “What would you do with them?”

Radiance rose to her feet, hoping to display a little of her mother’s composure, grace, and iron-willed fortitude.

“That is not your business, sir,” she said, trying to sound imperial and unchallengeable. “Rather than pay you to work with these stones, I shall buy them as they are.”

She held her breath. Perhaps Mr. Sully would go along with it. Or perhaps he’d sold them to others a few times already, yet never delivered the true stones. Suddenly, she had a thought.

“How do I know they are real gemstones?”

“Real?” Mr. Mendelson repeated, aghast. “What can you mean? They are not glass! You are in a jewelry exchange, and we sell noble metals and genuine gemstones. Are you questioning the integrity of Fogg’s? Of all Houndsditch?”

As he raised his voice, his face turned alarmingly red. Radiance had a feeling she had committed a dreadful faux pas .

For his part, Mr. Sully had gone over all ashen. “They are genuine stones,” he insisted softly. “Why would you think otherwise?”

Would Mr. Mendelson support Mr. Sully if he knew the truth about the latter’s actions?

“I meant only that you wouldn’t be the first men of business to try to fool a simple woman.”

“ Simple woman!” Sarah exclaimed.

A dreadful time for her maid to have found her tongue. Radiance hushed her.

“However, I will take the risk and buy them today.” Surely the Queen would ensure Radiance got her father’s money back.

Mr. Mendelson frowned. “You are implying a risk that does not exist. I examined them myself when Mr. Sully brought them to me to sell. Now you are questioning my knowledge!”

“I did not intend to,” she said, wondering how quickly she could get out of the room with the stones.

“Intended or not,” the man fumed. “ Are they real? What a question! You have even insulted all the other buyers. Do you think all those men out there would be foolish enough to buy fake stones?”

“Then why haven’t they sold in three months?” she snapped.

Radiance would have clapped her own hand over her mouth if she’d had a free one, but one held the proof that Mr. Sully was the forger and the other, her reticule.

Mr. Sully narrowed his eyes. “How would you know how long ago I gave Mr. Mendelson the gems to sell?”

How would she know that? In fact, she only knew how long ago the second forgery had been discovered. She gritted her teeth.

“I think she is a trouble-maker,” Mr. Mendelson declared, looking directly at her. “You are hoping to get a better price by questioning the integrity of our goods, but that won’t work here. The reputation of Fogg’s is impeccable.”

“I am not questioning the integrity of Fogg’s,” she insisted. “I came to buy these gems, and I shall buy them.”

Mr. Mendelson looked at Mr. Sully. “What is the price? If it is good, you should sell to her and get rid of her quickly. If I can get you more, even with my percentage, then I will advise you not to sell to this one.” He gestured with his chin.

Mr. Sully turned his back to her, speaking into the ear of the market vendor so she couldn’t hear his words. But she watched Mr. Mendelson’s eyebrows raise. Then the man eyed Radiance carefully.

“You had an agreement. Mr. Sully is a jeweler, an artist. I have seen his work. He is not a seller of gems. You said he could create a piece for you that would ensure his reputation.”

“I want the gemstones,” she insisted. “When I decide how I want them set, then I’ll return to him to make the piece. But I don’t think they are right for the tiara.”

“I am only selling them to you for the tiara,” Mr. Sully protested. “And that piece will make my name. My work is impeccable, and that’s what I want people to learn.” He lifted his chin.

Then why on earth had he done the forgery in the first place? she wondered. By its nature, the act was one of anonymity.

“On the other hand,” Mr. Mendelson began while twisting his beard, “I think you should let this lady buy them for the amount you told me. It is a fair price.”

Mr. Mendelson ought to have said an outrageous price. By his admission, he couldn’t get more for them, or he would have tried. She was paying a queen’s ransom, indeed.

However, instead of agreeing to the deal, Mr. Sully switched tactics.

“Let me polish them for you.” He leaned over the table, his hand outstretched. “They will shine like fire and glitter like the sun.”

“No, they are fine as they are.” She would not relinquish them to him for a second lest he somehow switch them for others. Backing toward the door, Radiance wished her maid would get up and hurry to join her. “Come along,” she directed Sarah.

“I will bring them to you tomorrow,” he insisted. “And surely, you wish for me to write out a receipt.”

“Neither is necessary. I will take them now, and I have no need of a receipt.”

He rounded the table. “They are mine to sell as I wish, and I do not wish to sell them to you.”

“Easy,” Mr. Mendelson said. “You said you wanted to sell them.”

She had her fingers wrapped around the handle, trying to get the door open.

“I have changed my mind. She has insulted me and you and even Mr. Fogg.”

“She has,” Mr. Mendelson agreed, and they both moved toward her.

Shrieking, she yanked open the door, colliding with Mr. Fogg on the other side.

“Well, now, what have we here?”

“She was trying to leave without paying,” Mr. Sully declared behind her.

Mr. Fogg scowled. “We don’t allow such mischief here.”

“It’s a lie,” she declared, although she had done precisely that in her haste.

“He is telling the truth,” Mr. Mendelson said. “She has the gems and the money.”

“Release her,” said a familiar voice. Edward, at last!

Dragging her by her upper arm in a half circle to face her disguised geologist, Mr. Fogg surveyed the newcomer. “And who might you be?”

Edward didn’t answer, merely crossing his arms. “Release her. She has done nothing wrong.”

“I asked you a question,” Mr. Fogg said, although he did as Edward demanded, letting go his hold on her arm.

She took a step toward him, and he reached out a hand, hauling her to his side.

“I’ve never seen either one of you in my marketplace before,” Mr. Fogg said.

Mr. Mendelson, who seemed to enjoy being in the center of it, declared, “She is a troublemaker so he probably is, too.”

With the scene drawing observers, men and a few women formed a circle around them. Sarah, wide-eyed and pale, scooted closer. To Radiance, it seemed as if they were soldiers in an enemy stronghold. How far could they run before the crowd took them down to the floorboards and stomped them to death? For the general mood of the room had shifted from convivial to suspicious and angry rather swiftly.

“Let me escort the lady and her maid out of here,” Edward said.

Mr. Fogg shook his head. “It would seem she owes these men some money.” The crowd murmured their disapproval.

“I do, but only because they startled me.” She pointed at Mr. Sully. “He was trying to renege on a sale.”

Members of the throng gave a small gasp, and she guessed going back on one’s word was also frowned upon. While she’d caused the briefest of distractions, she managed to drop the two stones into her reticule and retrieve the bank note. It might be their only means of escape.

Mr. Fogg glanced at Mr. Sully. “I’ve seen you here before. You are a jeweler, not a vendor.”

“That’s correct. I came to Mr. Mendelson to sell some gemstones.”

“Why didn’t you sell them yourself?”

His cheeks stained red, and he stammered a reply. “Ah ... well ... his reputation preceded him.”

Even Mr. Mendelson seemed surprised by that, but Mr. Sully appeared fed up.

“What does any of this matter?” he demanded. “I don’t want her money. I want my jewels back.”

“Why?” Mr. Fogg asked. “Is the sum fair, Mr. Mendelson?”

“Very,” the man answered, twisting his beard with such vigor Radiance feared it might need some of Edward’s horsehair and glue to repair it.

Mr. Fogg addressed Mr. Sully again. “Then why don’t you wish to sell to this lady?”

Radiance couldn’t believe how quickly the tables had turned. Taking advantage of this, she held out the bank note toward Mr. Fogg. She wanted him to see the large amount.

“This is what I owe him.” It would go a long way to giving her credibility amongst the crowd.

The marketplace owner’s eyes widened at the sum.

“You would be a fool not take it,” he said to Mr. Sully. “Why won’t you?”

Mr. Sully hesitated, looking uncomfortable. “I keep my own counsel.”

In the next instant, he hurried forward and grabbed Radiance’s arm, holding her hand high in the air.

Radiance yelped as he nearly lifted her off her feet and caused her shoulder to twinge painfully. He stared at her empty palm.

“I want my jewels. Where are they?”

“They are not your jewels,” she said.

Releasing her, Mr. Sully swiped for her satin bag, but Edward grabbed his arm. In some fashion she didn’t understand, he suddenly had trapped it behind the jeweler’s own back. Bravo!