Last Dance in London (Rakes on the Run #1) - Sydney Jane Baily Page 0,80

Ignoring Julia’s request, she went over to the bed, sat heavily upon it, and dropped the jewelry in her own lap.

“And the money?” Her voice had lowered to a whisper.

“Already given to the poor.” Julia confessed.

“You will cease this madness at once.” Her older sister’s tone had an edge Julia had never heard before.

She remained quiet, not wanting to argue, nor lie to her. Yet Julia saw no other way to help, and she’d seen the evidence of how much good the large donations could do.

“Tell me to whom each of these belongs,” Sarah added.

“Why?” Julia felt a quiver of fear.

“Because I intend to return them to their rightful owners. And you will go back to buying posies to help the less fortunate!”

JULIA HAD BEEN UNABLE to talk Sarah out of the idea of reuniting the stolen jewelry with its owner, and that had effectively put a stop to her own adventures since she feared Sarah would search out every piece she brought home and then put herself in danger to return it. She and her sister were at a stalemate.

After Sarah stormed out, Julia proceeded to tear apart her room and, while searching, had shed a few tears at the loss of her one and only connection to her deceased mother. All thoughts of going out that night fled, and she doubted Sarah would let her out of the house anyway. Instead, stepping over the petticoats and gowns and shoes she heaped into piles while searching, she sank onto her bed.

All was lost. Her ring was well and truly gone, she had no more jewels to sell for the poor, and Jasper was a dissolute rake. Julia didn’t care if she ever left her room again.

Chapter Twenty-Three

“At Lord and Lady Stridewell’s dinner party last night, Miss S__ reappeared in public, only to become involved in a case of misplaced jewelry. Shouting ensued with some unwise gentlemen calling Lord M__’s solvency into question before the party ended abruptly.”

-The Times

Ignoring her sister’s disapproving looks, Julia remained in seclusion, awaiting the time when they would head to their father’s. Jasper had written, more than once, but she’d barely glanced at his invitations, given them a surreptitious sniff, and put them aside. That hadn’t stopped her from reading the papers, nor hunting for news about Jasper to torture herself.

Perhaps to punish her further, Sarah left a paper open on the breakfast table.

“Lord M__ has a new lady love. Could Lady V__ be the one to finally trap and tame London’s worst rake?”

Knowing about his wager at White’s, Julia heartily doubted it. But that was the mysterious Lady V’s problem. All she could do was be as good as gold and hope Sarah stopped treating her like a pariah. For in truth, she’d made no other friends in London, except Jasper.

Thus, she was delighted when Sarah came rushing in, cheeks red, calling her name. Had she been forgiven?

“I saw your ring,” her sister declared.

“What do you mean? Where is it?” Julia demanded.

“I went to tea at Lady Bromley’s with all those peahens. The conversation went quickly from the tedious, regarding latest sleeve styles, to the vulgar, with whose husband was being cuckolded.”

Julia nodded. That was the way of it. “Yes, but my ring,” she prompted.

“I ended up beside Lady Stridewell. You know, the baroness.”

Julia shrugged having a vague idea of a portly woman who spoke more than she listened.

“Lady Stridewell drank her tea with the most unbecoming affectation, holding her little finger up while she sipped. And that’s when I saw it. Your ring. In fact, I believe she was trying to show it off.”

“What did you do?” Julia asked. “Did you tell her it was mine?”

“Off course not. I couldn’t just proclaim the lady had your ring. I asked her where she got it, and she said from her husband.”

“Did you press the issue?” Julia hoped for more.

Sarah shook her head. “What could I do?”

Julia’s mind was racing. Her sister might not be able to do anything, but Julia certainly could. All she needed was to get invited to their home for dinner.

WHEN JULIA WALKED INTO the Stridewells’ house later in the week, she had a singular purpose — she would leave with her ring, if she had to take the baroness’s finger with her!

She barely flinched when she noticed Jasper, all his bruises and his black eye healed, standing beside Lady Violet Rearing. A nice enough young woman with two particularly plump features that any man would admire, Julia almost felt sorry