very clean hands after dealing with young Reynold Durant.
Lady Kelby was spending an inordinate amount of time with the reddish-brown thing. She scratched out its description, then paused to measure and cluck over it some more. What was he supposed to do with himself between “finds?” Reyn dug his hand deeper into box number twelve, but there seemed to be nothing but more fabric wrapping . . . until he touched something hard.
Hold on. Reyn pulled out a polished green stone the size of a robin’s egg. Its multiple facets glinted in his palm. “Maris.”
“Umm?”
“Look.”
Her head was still bent over the ledger. “I need to finish with the relic first. You’ll have to learn to be patient. I’m very thorough.”
She was that. “I think you’ll want to see this.”
“Oh, bother. What is it?” She placed the pen in its holder and looked over her lenses. Her brown eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. He could not have asked for a more satisfactory reaction.
“I think it’s an emerald,” Reyn said with some confidence. He’d rubbed shoulders lately with some bejeweled ladies. Sometimes the jewels were all they wore. The Marchioness of Stitham had an emerald set she wore regularly to the Reining Monarchs Society, tiara and all. But none of her stones could compete with the color, cut, and clarity of the huge rock in his hand.
“Good Lord. It’s enormous.”
Reyn set the stone in front of her. “It was at the bottom of the box.”
She picked it up as if it might bite. “I suppose it really belongs to David.”
“Why? You said the box was intended for your husband.”
“Henry’s brother must have hidden it for transport. I’m sure he would have unpacked it himself had he lived.”
“You don’t believe in finders keepers?”
Her lips turned up in almost a smile. “If I did, the emerald would be yours, wouldn’t it?”
“Not at all. I am merely the hired help.”
An emerald that size must be worth a fortune. If Reyn had a brain and fewer scruples, he would have pocketed the thing while Maris was scribbling and no one would have been the wiser. Ginny could have lived out her days in luxury and he need not worry about ever finding a proper job.
Maris looked at him as if she could read his thoughts. “Thank you for your honesty.”
Reyn shrugged. “I’m an honorable chap. Mostly. What will you do with it?”
Maris’s brows knit. “I don’t know. I don’t think I want to disturb Henry over it just yet. I’m sure he would say it was David’s and it would gall him no end to turn over so valuable an object to him.”
“I’d like to meet this blighter David.”
“No you wouldn’t. Although I suppose he’s due any day now. He always turns up when you want him least.”
“Tell me about him again so I can prepare myself for the eventuality.” Reyn sat on the edge of the table watching Maris Kelby’s cheeks flush. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of her blushes.
“He’s Henry’s heir, of course. A few years older than I. He can be very charming,” she said with bitterness.
“Were you raised together here?”
“Oh, no. His parents lived in one of the other Kelby properties in Hampshire. Near Portsmouth, convenient to the Admiralty. His father was at sea for much of his growing up. I supposed that’s why he doesn’t recognize boundaries. His mother spoiled him dreadfully. David thinks he’s entitled to do just as he pleases, no matter who it hurts.”
“I gather his marriage to Lady Jane would have been unacceptable.”
“Cousins do marry. Henry would have swallowed the pill and approved the match. But David refused, even though—” Maris broke off.
“I’m sorry. It’s impertinent of me to ask.”
“No. You should know. It will help you to understand why my husband is so set against David inheriting. You were right. It’s not just about the disposition of the Kelby historical artifacts and books, or even that David trifled with Jane’s affections.” Maris took a breath. “She was pregnant when she took her life. I didn’t know how desperate she was, nor did Henry. We blame ourselves for not understanding what she was going through.”
Reyn shook his head. Something was off. “It doesn’t make sense to me. Surely David would have been guaranteed his position if he’d married the earl’s spinster daughter. Why would he refuse?”
“Because he could. I told you, he likes to do as much damage as possible.”
“Well, he doesn’t deserve this emerald then, does he?” Reyn picked it up and