Once Upon A Diamond (A sweet Regency Historical Romance)

by Teresa McCarthy

  Tristan scratched the back of his head. The stallion of Devin’s was one thing, but that cousin of his...well, hell! He had obtained a few broken bones from that last meeting and his foot still paid the price, not to mention his pride having been bested by a fluffy ball of pink.

  He had enough to think about with the blasted diamond, he didn’t need Devin’s cousin stuck to his side like some barnacle.

  Kate drew in a deep sigh as she fell onto the soft mattress of her four poster bed. She was in heaven. Her chambers were as grand as a palace. Long blue velvet curtains hung over the fourteen-foot windows overlooking the back gardens. A plush Aubusson rug blanketed the floor. There were rosewood chests and a giant wardrobe for her clothes. The air smelled of sweet rosewater, and a fire crackled in the hearth.

  It was such a change from her travels the past month, she almost wished she were staying for longer than the Season. The only thing she worried about now was how to keep her distance from the earl?

  There was a light tap on her door and she sat up. “Come in.”

  “Katherine?”

  Surprised, Kate blinked. “Lady Charlotte?” The girl had said not a single word during dinner.

  Without asking, Charlotte shut the door and plopped beside her cousin on the bed. Shocked, Kate had no time to move.

  Charlotte smiled. “Forgive me for not receiving you earlier, but you see, I was in the garden. No one mentioned you were here until you had already retired to your chambers. I had no wish to bother you after your long trip, and at dinner, my mother prefers to talk, so I decided to seek you out at a later time, which is now.”

  Kate blinked again when Lady Charlotte rolled over on her back and stared up at the ceiling. “I knew you probably needed a friend to talk to after all you had been through. And my brother can be insufferable. I heard he gave you a cold reception."

  Kate managed a smile. “Well, yes. His greeting was a bit on the cool side.”

  Charlotte giggled. “You do know though, we shall have to fatten you up before you go out, socially that is. I can tell that you have beautiful features. I suspect you will be the bell of the ball, not like me, of course. But I am delighted you have come to stay a while.”

  Lady Charlotte’s hands moved as fast as her mouth. “Perhaps you have an idea how to catch a gentleman. You see, I have set my cap for the man from Lancewood Hall.”

  Kate’s mouth dropped open again. An unwanted stab of jealousy pierced her heart. Her cousin wanted Tristan? Alarmed at her own reaction, Kate tried to dismiss her wayward thoughts.

  “However, I don’t have designs on the earl,” Charlotte added, “He’s Devin’s best friend and all. No.” She rolled over. “I fancy his younger brother, The Honorable Mr. Edward Fullerton.”

  “I see,” Kate said, rather relieved.

  He’s Devin’s best friend. That answered one question for Kate.

  As time passed, Charlotte and Kate continued their conversation, and the two women felt an instant bond of friendship. Kate eventually confided everything about her voyage to England, including details of the night at the inn.

  Charlotte clasped her hands together in shock and delight. “The earl spent the remainder of the night with you? In his chambers? In the chair? Why, if anyone discovered that sordid fact, you’d be married immediately. Society, you know.”

  Kate’s brows knitted into a frown. Perhaps she should never have said anything to Charlotte at all. “You must promise not to tell anyone about the inn, Charlotte. I would be mortified if you did.”

  “Oh, I promise. But do you really think the earl believes you’re residing in the village? He is not one easily deceived. His pride is well known about the ton."

  “Well, I called him a pompous windbag when we had a disagreement. I don’t think he appreciated that." Kate’s heart beat with satisfaction as she thought about her jab to his arrogant ego when she had rattled off the initials P.W.

  Charlotte looked horrified. “You didn’t?”

  “I did,” Kate replied adamantly, recalling his rigid jaw.

  “You didn't?”

  “I did.”

  “You do realize that if you were a man, he would have called you out, even though duels are illegal. Tomorrow, at dawn, you would have been facing him with a pistol in your hand.”

  A sense of unease filled Kate. “Truly?" Her throat suddenly went dry.

  Charlotte moved closer. “The on-dit in the ton is that the earl’s anger explodes at the smallest incident. I would wager he never gets married.” She gave Kate a confident nod and sat back.

  Kate managed a tremulous smile.

  “He’s obsessed with some crazy quest.” Charlotte delivered the news with gossiping pride. “Did you know he has been searching for a family diamond ever since his father died months ago? But Devin told me that Tristan is planning to take some time to join the ton this Season for a bit of amusement.”

  The girl giggled. “Not to say that he hasn’t had amusements. I’ve heard the most detailed accounts. And if you ask me, I believe he thinks he’ll find answers about the diamond while he’s in London, and that’s why he’s going to present himself during the Season.” Charlotte shrugged. “But what do I know. Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me.”

  While Charlotte chattered on, Kate’s mind returned to the conversation with Tristan and the missing diamond. She had innocently insulted him and had felt his fury shake the coach, the very same fury she’d seen in his eyes that she encountered ten years ago. But he had not told her the diamond was a family heirloom. That changed everything.

  “Were you scared?” Charlotte asked.

  Kate blinked. “No.” Her eyes twinkled. “Well, mayhap a bit. But most of the time, he was extremely kind.”

  Kate pursed her lips, knowing her attraction to Tristan didn’t help.

  “Of course, you’ll probably encounter him if my brother escorts you about Town,” Charlotte offered. “Tristan, that’s what I call him since he is a family friend, will probably attend every social gathering we do because of his title and availability. And though I’ve known him forever, you shall have to call him Lord Lancewood, you know.”

  Oh, Kate knew all right.

  “And if I were you, when you do run into him, I would refrain from calling him a pompous windbag too. No telling what he’ll do."

  Kate shuddered at the thought. How had she ever let Matthew talk her into visiting England in the first place?

  Her lips thinned. He hadn’t talked her into visiting at all. He just hadn’t been able to take no for an answer, not to mention that he had used her vulnerability at the time of her father’s death to tip the scale in his favor.

  Chapter Seven

  “Don’t look over your shoulder, but the baron’s coming this way.” Devin spoke over the rim of his wineglass as he sat beside Edward. The two men had recently arrived at White’s, one of London’s gentlemen’s clubs located on St. James’s Street.

  “And I daresay,” Devin continued, “the roof may blow all the way to Brighton if Tristan makes a show in the next few minutes.”

  Edward’s brow creased with worry as he stared at the oncoming baron. “The devil of it is, Tristan should be here any minute. After he caught Douberry cheating, he played him for a good sum and embarrassed the man. No, won’t be a nice scene if the two of them run into each other so soon.”

  Lord Douberry, a baron twice Edward’s age, approached the two men. “Evening, gentlemen. Game of cards?”

  Devin sent Edward a knowing glance when a strong whiff of whiskey came blowing their way. “How much you willing to wager this time, Douberry?”

  Douberry stumbled into an empty chair, his portly body banging against the edge of the table. “How much, gentlemen, depends on you.”

  “How much?” At the sound of Tristan’s steely voice, the three men lifted their heads. Tristan’s mouth took on a dangerous twist. “You wish another game with me, Douberry?"

  The baron narrowed his eyes on the earl. “
I think not. My funds are a bit low. Believe I shall find my entertainment elsewhere.” With a scowl, the man shoved his chair from beneath him. “However, I do believe I shall make a gentleman’s wager…”

  Tristan’s lips thinned. “A gentleman’s wager? I was led to believe that after the last 8,000 pounds you lost to me, you’d do yourself a favor and not gamble anymore."

  Douberry forced a grin, showing a gap between his two front teeth, then staggered sideways, his drink sloshing in his hand. “I shall wager,” the baron hiccupped, “that you have yet to find your precious diamond.” With a raucous chuckle, the baron scurried away.

  Tristan shoved his jaw forward, his eyes glued to the baron.

  Edward grabbed his brother’s arm when he saw him start for the man. “He’s been foxed all night, Tristan. Poor soul has nothing else left but his drink.”

  Tristan glared at Edward. “Drop your hand. I have no wish to make a scene with my own brother.”

  Frowning, Edward released him. “Don’t call him out. You won his coin free and clear, and made him look like an idiot. He has nothing else left but to fish for entertainment, and he knew you would bite. Word has it, his wife has developed the same vice as himself.”

  “She’s taken up drinking?” Tristan hated to think of a man ruined by a female.

  As if sensing his brother’s softening demeanor, Edward continued, “No, the lady’s been gambling away the family fortune.”

  Tristan dragged a chair to sit beside Devin.

  Edward lowered his voice. “The thing is, it’s going about that Lady Douberry has been visiting one of those clandestine gaming hells somewhere in London. High stakes and high risk. It’s rumored the gambling house is only for a select group of women. I’ve heard that more than a handful of High Society ladies attend."

  Tristan sat back with a frown. “I’ve heard of such activities, but never knew any woman who has attended one of those things. I believe that would drive any man to drink.” He scoffed, thinking of the girl from the inn. “Women.”

  Devin smiled. “Now, now, all females are not like that.”

  Tristan crossed his arms over his chest. “Do tell, then why are you not married by now?”

  “You know very well why.”

  “Gentlemen, gentlemen, how about another round of drinks?” Edward grabbed the decanter of red wine and poured the liquid into three goblets. “A toast. To a great Season, and may we all have luck with the ladies.”

  Tristan and Devin eyed each other and downed a good amount of the wine.

  Edward eyes gleamed with mischief. “And may my brother find a beautiful and loving bride before the Season ends.”

  Tristan sprayed his drink over the table. “The devil, Edward.”

  Edward and Devin cackled with laughter.

  Devin slapped his hand down on the table. “I believe the chances of him getting married are as slim as him finding that diamond.”

  The diamond.

  Tristan’s stomach clenched. He couldn’t tell Devin or Edward the real reason he sought the gem. But in truth, he wondered if England was the only reason he had taken the quest.

  He was almost glad he had the government backing the search. After checking in with his superiors only hours ago, he received information that the Napoleon sympathizers were hot on the diamond’s trail. Important papers relating to the case and the people working on it had been stolen from Whitehall. If the diamond fell into the wrong hands, the damage to English trade could be enormous.

  “What say you to a marriage this Season, Trist?” Devin asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

  Tristan shot his friend a cool glare. Devin knew how he felt about marriage. Both of them would eventually have to tie the knot and produce an heir, but Tristan was not inclined to move too quickly.

  He was not going to involve himself in a miserable marriage like his parents.

  Moreover, he would never love a woman. He knew that much. At the moment, his search for the diamond was quite enough. Later, when duty required, he would begin his search for a wife and enter into a marriage of convenience.

  Not caring for the flow of conversation, he decided to inquire about Kate’s presence in the village. “By the by, any new people roaming about Ridgewater lately?"

  Devin stared at him in surprise. “What a peculiar question. You go straight from marriage to servants. How many drinks have you had?”

  Tristan meant the village of Ridgewater, not the duke’s home. “Perhaps I’m in need of a new servant at Lancewood Hall," he said.

  How was he to find out about Kate and her relationship to the vicar without setting off a string of questions? It had been at least three weeks ago. What had happened to her since?

  He tried to tell himself that she still resided safely in the country with the vicar, but her stubbornness worried him to no end.

  Edward peered over his drink. “Mrs. O’Hara is in charge of hiring, is she not? Perkins certainly isn’t up to the job. Truly, I didn’t realize you were looking for more help, Trist. Unless you want to double up on the butler and housekeeper. You know, have a set in the country and a different set in Town.”

  “No, no. Mrs. O’Hara can still travel, and Perkins is getting too old and stubborn for his own good, but I don’t have the heart to set him out to pasture.” Tristan realized he was getting absolutely nowhere with this line of questioning. “But a good servant is hard to come by these days.”

  “Indeed.” Devin thrust his empty glass onto the table. “I’ve had quite the trouble with one of them. Webster, in particular.”

  “Webster?” Tristan asked. “Why the man can do no wrong.”

  Devin scowled. “Hear me out and then make your judgment. Weeks ago, at Ridgewater, I took a ride on Killer, to your place, no less.”

  Tristan smiled. “I have no sympathy for you or that stallion.”

  “That stallion was nothing compared to this, I tell you.”

  Curious now, Edward flipped his hand in the air. “Forget about my brother and the horse. Go on with your story.”

  Devin slouched in his seat. “Webster caught me before I slipped out. My mother was detained, and therefore, chose me to entertain my American cousin who had just arrived and was waiting in the drawing room. I told Webster to tell my mother that I had left for the afternoon. But he had the gall to obey my mother and insist that I meet with my cousin immediately. He kept repeating, ‘Lord Roxdon, your presence is required in the drawing room.’”

  Edward could not keep from smiling, but Tristan frowned. It was clear Devin was not about to relieve him of escorting his cousin during the Season. Yet Tristan’s main goal was to find that diamond. Though Whitehall had asked him to join in the Season’s festivities in hopes of uncovering the Napoleon sympathizers while he still searched for the rare gem, Tristan wasn’t excited about escorting Devin’s wild cousin at all.

  Devin slid his empty glass back and forth across the table. “Webster must have repeated himself ten times before I reluctantly succumbed to the meeting.”

  “Homely chit, eh?” Tristan asked. “I remember her being on the pretty side. Big brown eyes, reminded me of a squirrel.”

  Devin cleared his throat. “Let me put it this way, and I shall include you in this as well.” He pointed his finger at Edward whose eyes had widened in horror. “I shall take you and your noble brother here up on your offer to escort my cousin to a few balls and outings this Season.”

  A corner of Tristan’s mouth twisted. “It wasn’t exactly an offer. And I suspect you have a host of women you would rather enjoy this Season instead of her, am I correct?”

  “Yes,” Edward said, frowning. “What about that opera singer I saw you with last evening? And why the devil should we be involved in your evasion of your cousin? Ask Kastings or Bridges to do the job.”

  “Married men?” Devin said, acting quite shocked.

  Edward’s face turned red. “You know what I mean. They are safe. We are not!”

  “Face it, Devin
, I believe Edward would rather study his books on crop rotation then escort your cousin.”

  Edward nodded. “Yes, yes, I would. And as I recall, I’ve seen Devin juggle more than three women in one Season. One simpering miss should be nothing.”

  “Gentlemen, I implore you to hear me out,” Devin pleaded. “I’ve not been back to Ridgewater Manor since our first encounter, but my mother is furious with me. You know how she is with her matchmaking schemes. I’ll have to return tomorrow and face the consequences. Father tried to speak to me, but I had already departed. He’s sent me a letter to return to Ridgewater Manor. I have put it off far too long. Jupiter, one would think the way he wrote the missive, his life was at stake. Hell’s teeth, I’m a score and seven!"

  Edward exchanged worried glances between the two men. “Well, believe it or not, I have plans for my own life and they are not all focused on crop rotation.”

  Tristan raised a brow. “It seems we have other plans, thanks to our nicely organized marquess here.”

  “But I have plans,” Edward protested. “You don’t understand.”

  “You promised, Trist,” Devin said, jutting his jaw forward in determination.

  Tristan’s gaze fell on Edward’s pitiful expression. What plans was Edward talking about? Whatever they were, Tristan needed to share the burden of escorting Devin’s cousin this Season because he would need all the time he could in order to find that blasted diamond.

  “Devil take it, Edward, I did promise,” Tristan said. “And it seems Devin is going to need your help as well. You cannot bow out now.”

  Edward’s hand curled into an angry fist. “Oh, I will make quite a dashing figure with Devin’s cousin, is that what you think? It’s absurd! I have my plans I tell you!”

  “That settles it then,” Devin said, smiling. “The three of us shall take turns escorting my cousin this Season.”