Radiance (Diamonds of the First Water #3)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

R adiance wasn’t sure she’d heard Edward correctly.

“What are you saying?”

“There is no other way to keep it safe.”

“Impossible!” she declared.

“Not with your skill. Listen to my reasoning. If the Koh-i-Noor is in danger, then what better way to safeguard it than to create a forgery as a decoy?”

“And then what?” she demanded.

“When the Queen and Prince Consort return from Scotland, we shall give them the genuine Koh-i-Noor. Meanwhile, the thief shall have time to steal the fake and reveal himself.”

“Mr. Sully is in jail,” she pointed out.

He glanced around them at the disarray. “And now we know he wasn’t working alone.”

“Did you not think Mr. Sully reminded you of someone else we know? Both in his features and the color of his eyes and hair.”

Edward frowned. Then his eyes widened. “The ankle-rubber!”

She startled. “Is that truly all you recall of Mr. Rathmond?”

He looked down at her. “Well, yes, I suppose it is. I wasn’t thrilled to think of him taking liberties. I didn’t even like him sitting next to you again today. In any case, he was in the meeting, watching Garrard give me the Koh-i-Noor.”

“Mr. Rathmond came to see me once at Bonwit’s.”

Edward’s expression was shocked. “You never told me!”

“No,” she agreed. “We weren’t ... that is, at the time, you and I were not as close as we are now. Besides, the next time I saw you, I learned you had forgotten to send our letter to Mr. Neble.”

“My negligence drove everything else from your sensible mind, I suppose.”

“Yes,” she agreed. “In any case, he frightened me with his questions and a certain menacing manner. He even suggested the Queen had no right to rule India. I ended up running out of the store.”

Gently, he pulled her close. “I wish you had told me.”

She sighed in his arms, relishing being held against his warmth, feeling his strong heartbeat — and knowing it beat for her.

“He is a possible suspect, don’t you think?”

“Even if you are correct, it is not as though I can knock upon Rathmond’s door, point my finger, and accuse him of ransacking my home.”

She sighed, rested a moment longer in the comfort of his arms, and then pushed away. In the midst of the mess of Edward’s workroom, Radiance placed the Koh-i-Noor in an empty space on the table. After lighting his table lamp, he dragged two chairs from across the room where they lay on their sides.

They both sat and stared at the jewel.

“It is more beautiful now,” she said, “where before it was impressive only for its sheer size. I would almost swear it isn’t the same stone.”

“I think the Dutch did a remarkable job,” Edward agreed, “although it seems Sir Brewster was correct after all, regarding the amount that would need to be cut to remove its flaws and improve the refraction. I didn’t think the size would diminish quite so vastly. In any case, its regular, symmetrical brilliant cut makes what I am suggesting easier.”

Edward rose again. “Let me show you something.”

He went toward his cabinet before realizing its contents were all around his feet. She tried to see what he was retrieving as he searched through one pile and then another while Monty wove his way through the mess, complaining loudly.

“Move off,” Edward ordered his cat. And then, “Thank God it’s here!” When he turned, he had something in his closed right hand.

“Open your hand, palm up,” he directed.

“What now?” she asked. He could place the Dresden or the Nassak diamond in her hand, and she would hardly be any more surprised than by what had already occurred. Still, she did as he directed and presented him with her palm.

With his own hand yet tightly closed, he hovered over hers before releasing a large stone. She gasped. It appeared to be a diamond, clearer than the original Koh-i-Noor but close to it in size.

“Is it real?” she asked. “A diamond, I mean.”

“You tell me,” he challenged. “Examine it.”

If it were truly a diamond, then it was superior, due to having both the magnitude and the clarity the Koh-i-Noor lacked before the Dutch cut it.

Studying it, Radiance held it close to the table lamp, then asked for his magnifying spectacles, which he also found on the floor and handed to her. Donning them, she peered at it again.

“I am no geologist,” she said, “but I believe this is not a diamond.”

“It isn’t. It’s a white topaz. How did you know?”

“Its refraction is ... how can I describe it ... simpler than a diamond’s. It produces only a pale gray sparkle,” she added, “whereas a diamond shines with all the colors of the rainbow.”

“My clever fiancée,” he said, and her gaze lifted to his.

“Say it again,” she demanded.

His tempting mouth turned into his adorably lopsided grin, and his dimple appeared. “Fiancée,” he said.

“I do like the sound of that,” she admitted, before looking again at the gem. “Is it yours?”

“Yes, one of my favorite, earliest finds. I want you to cut it to look like the newly improved Koh-i-Noor.”

“Me?” Radiance now had a lump in her throat as big as the gemstone in her hand.

“Who else?” he asked. “Right now, for nearly two days, we shall have the Koh-i-Noor in our possession.”

“Not even two full days —” she began.

“And nights,” he added. “Plenty of time.”

She nearly laughed at his assertion, reminding him, “It took the Coster jewelers over thirty days.”

“Thirty-eight, to be exact. But they were making magic, or supposed to be. Although they didn’t do what they promised, did they? Lopping off over eighty carats.” He shook his head. “But you won’t be trying to polish a diamond, only copy one.”

She finally took her gaze off the topaz and looked at him.

“You are serious, aren’t you? But we are committing a criminal offense, surely.”

“If the thief tries to take it or, God forbid, succeeds in stealing it, then we will be saving the most important royal jewel of our era.”

“And if no one tries to take it, then we shall have produced an illegal forgery and appear to be thieves ourselves.”

“We shall happily but discreetly return the Koh-i-Noor at that time.”

She shook her head. “How can I do this, here? Now?”

Edward shrugged. This time, he simply lifted a piece of cloth from the other table in the room.

“A lapidary’s mill,” she said, wishing she would wake up because she was suddenly frightened this was real, and he was relying upon her.

“How fortunate the intruder didn’t break it,” Edward said. “He also didn’t mistake my prized topaz for a diamond, which means he knows his gemstones.”

“Therefore, he will know this to be a fake,” she pointed out.

But Edward shook his head. “We only need him to be fooled long enough to snatch it. When he does, he shall be apprehended red-handed.” He gathered a few things as he circled the room.

“Emery and rottenstone,” he said placing pots of both before her.

“I prefer to call it by its other name, tripoli,” Radiance said, feeling chilled. She was very pleased when Mrs. McSabby returned with the tea and coffee service.

“Regardless,” Edward said, “I have everything you will need to make a perfect replication of the new Koh-i-Noor.”

“I don’t know if I can.” After all, she could barely breathe.

“Of all my worries,” Edward said, “that is not one of them. I know you have the skill. Mrs. McSabby shall keep you well nourished, and I will be right here sorting out my workroom and offering support in any way I can.”

Again, she shook her head. “I cannot stay here all night and tomorrow.”

“Send word to your parents. And of course, Sarah must come stay as well.”

“This is madness!” she insisted, but she was beginning to be a little excited by the prospect of such a challenge. Taking off her evening mantle, she tossed it over the back of her chair.

“It won’t be as difficult as you expect,” he promised. “The topaz is not as hard as a diamond, nor even a sapphire.”

“I know,” she said softly, before sipping the tea. “An eight on the Mohs scale.” She had polished a topaz many times. “I suppose you think it’s like butter.”

“Well, maybe not that easy,” he admitted, “but at least you don’t have to figure out the planes yourself. Simply copy what the Dutch have done.”

“Simply copy!” Radiance rolled her eyes. Taking in a deep breath, she noted how Edward’s golden gaze was drawn to and lingered upon the rise and fall of her breasts. Immediately, she felt another type of excitement and wondered how she would concentrate with him nearby.

“I will give it my best attempt. And while my parents won’t be missing me until two in the morning at the earliest, I would like to send word within the hour. What am I allowed to tell them?”

Soon, having dispatched a letter back to Piccadilly and fortified with tea and cake, Radiance began to work.

“It is a shame to lose your glorious white topaz,” she said while preparing the mill. “I know it is extremely rare.”

“Not lost,” he mused. “Merely altered and by your hands. The stone will make a fine brooch for my wife.”

This made her head feel hot and her body tingle. She wished she was already married to Edward and could skip the waiting in between.

“Discipline,” she muttered under her breath. First, she must help the Queen.

Hours later, just about the time she would be going home from the ball, she had to stop.

“Dancing at this hour is one thing, but my hands are trembling. I need to take a short break,” Radiance confessed.

Edward had consulted on the progress of the forgery whenever she’d asked his opinion. And after much improving the state of his workroom, he had alternated between pouring them both endless cups from the pots Mrs. McSabby replenished and keeping Radiance company by reading aloud from one of the books she wished she owned.

By half past one, he, too, seemed to be flagging.

“Very well. A few hours rest should do you the world of good. And me, as well.”

Nodding, she rose to her feet and didn’t protest when he put an arm around her waist when they left the room. Together, they climbed the stairs, stopping outside the guest chamber where Sarah already waited.

Her maid had arrived hours earlier, but having her sit and watch the proceedings seemed pointless, and thus, Radiance had sent her up to bed.

“You did remarkably well tonight,” Edward praised her. “As always, you have impressed me.”

In truth, she’d started slowly, hesitantly, but as her confidence had grown, she’d begun to cut the facets more quickly.

“As the hours went by, it became easier,” Radiance agreed, feeling proud. Recalling why they were doing such a rash plan, she asked, “You don’t think the thief will come back tonight, do you?”

“I don’t. He has already ravaged my home once this evening.”

“And where will you keep it? The real one?” she asked, leaning back with exhaustion against the bedroom door.

Radiance could scarcely believe she was spending the night in Edward’s house, but upon hearing the circumstances, her parents had given their permission, written a congratulatory note upon being apprised of her engagement, and sent Sarah to ensure nothing indecorous went on.

“I intend to put the Koh-i-Noor directly under my pillow,” he said, “along with my pistol.” Then he cocked his head. “Would I be entirely too rakish if I kissed you?”

“Not entirely,” she said. Frankly, it had been a difficult night, working in close quarters with this handsome man she adored, who made every part of her body spark with life.

Instead of drawing her close, he pressed her back against the door. Gasping softly at the exciting sensation of his hard body against her curves, she wrapped her hands behind his neck.

Edward’s eyes shone brilliantly golden in the light of the sconce beside them. They were twin beacons of warmth and passion, of happy times ahead, of being together by a flickering hearth-fire, or welcoming babies into the world.

And at that moment, she wished he could truly make her his own.

“All I can think about is having you beside me in my bed,” he whispered.

With his thoughts echoing hers, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the instant his firm lips pressed her own. A moment later, his hands cupped her breasts. When his thumbs brushed her nipples in a teasing sweep, she felt them stiffen. Her knees began to tremble.

“I wish,” she began when he broke the kiss to let them both draw in long breaths.

“As do I,” he said, leaning his forehead against hers.

Radiance had a dreadful thought, but he was not bound by the same limitations as she was. “You won’t ... satisfy yourself elsewhere, will you? I wouldn’t like that either before marriage or afterward.”

Drawing back, his body started to shake. He was laughing! At her? she wondered. Was her request too outrageous? Both her sisters’ as well as her brother’s marriages were faithful. Of that, she had no doubt. But she had within her circle of friends some unhappy ladies who knew — as did everyone around them — that their husbands thought nothing of taking a mistress.

“You don’t have to worry,” he said. “I apologize for how it struck me as humorous. But why would I want to? You must know you are extraordinary in mind and body. Truly, a diamond of —”

“Don’t,” she said.

He smiled. “I am sure you have heard it before. But as a geologist, I am more qualified than anyone to say you are a diamond of the —”

“Surely, with your extensive knowledge, you can say something original.”

“Very well. You are a diamond from the deepest stratum of the earth, with the utmost clarity, like a still crystalline lake. If women were measured in carbon, then you would contain 99.95 percent.”

Radiance couldn’t help smiling at his silly and dear compliment.

Suddenly, he sobered. “I can tell you something else I hope you have never heard from a man before. I love you with every atom of my being.”

Her smile faltered, and she found it difficult to swallow as tears pricked her eyes. She must be extraordinarily tired for his words to make her feel so weepy.

“I am glad to hear you say so. I thought it unladylike to be the first to speak the words — too forward, as my dear Purity might say. But you have entirely captured my heart, George Edward Lockwood. I love you.”

He scooped her close again. “Then it is probably acceptable for us to spend the night together in one bed.”

“I think not,” she returned, knowing he was teasing by his crooked grin. “Sadly, not acceptable at all.”

She found the door handle behind her back and gripped it, anchoring herself because she would most likely give in if he weren’t speaking in jest.

“Kiss me again,” she demanded, “and then I shall retire.”

He did, making her tired toes curl in her slippers before she managed to push the door open. Radiance backed into the room with a last glimpse of her fiancé’s beloved face.