by Jane Corrie
Time went by, and no sign of the brooch was found, although the whole house had been searched, apart from the servants' quarters, and all the areas that Caroline would have visited during the day, for it was recalled that she had worn the brooch earlier in the day, and as things began to look serious, with Caroline making dark hints about the brooch having been stolen, Sir George was obliged to widen the search for his own satisfaction, if not Mrs Carmichael's, who vehemently asserted again that she had worn the brooch, and it was no use looking elsewhere for it.
As each search proved negative, so Caroline became more positive that someone must have taken it, and at Sir George's indignant denial that
anyone, including the staff, would have done such a thing, she retorted angrily, 'Well, where is it? It's not as if it was a small brooch. If I'd dropped it somewhere it would have been found by now.'
Sir George shook his distinguished head!' `Perhaps someone did find it, and put it down somewhere to return to you later,' he said slowly.
`After all this searching?' Caroline said sarcastically. 'By now the whole house knows I've lost the brooch, and it hasn't been returned, has it?' she added meaningly.
There was one person who didn't know, Rebecca thought suddenly. Laura did not know, and it would be just like her to find the wretched thing and not bother to chase downstairs to return it to its owner, particularly as they were on such bad terms.
As if Rebecca's thoughts had transferred themselves to Caroline, she suddenly exclaimed, 'Laura!' and marched out of the room, closely followed by Rebecca who could see squalls ahead if Laura was the culprit. Caroline was out for blood and she would like nothing better than to make trouble for Laura.
When they reached Laura's room Caroline swept in without bothering to knock, and an indignant
Laura, in the process of getting undressed ready for bed, stared hostilely at the woman who had so presumptuously invaded her privacy.
Before Laura could air her views upon this intrusion, Caroline spat out, 'Have you taken my brooch?' in a rude accusing manner that brought an immediate response from Laura.
`I have not taken your brooch,' she said furiously, 'and it's customary to knock before entering someone's bedroom!' she added, as she slipped on a dressing gown and looked pointedly towards the door.
Taking the hint, Caroline flounced out of the room, muttering in a low venomous voice that she would get the police in the next day, whether George liked it or not.
Rebecca's eyes met Laura's glowering ones. 'It would be her fault had to lose something, wouldn't it?' she said with a wry grin. 'She insisted that she wore it tonight, but with all those frills at her neck I honestly couldn't remember seeing it.'
Laura grimaced, then straightened her back. 'She dropped it in the passage,' she said offhandedly.
Rebecca's eyes widened. 'You mean you have got it?' she asked incredulously.
Laura nodded, and gave a grin. 'Serves her right,' she said crossly. 'She can stew now until tomorrow. I heard what she said earlier about being sorry for Daddy. That was bad enough, but when she brings my mother into it ' she drew a deep breath. 'She was a better person than she'll ever be,' she added, and looked at Rebecca. 'Don't worry,' she said in a light voice, 'I haven't taken to collecting jewellery. I don't like the thing anyway, it's a little too ostentatious for my liking. I'll put it on her dressing table after she's gone down to breakfast tomorrow. I can't very well give it to her now, can I?' she added with a grin. 'If she'd just asked me if I'd found its instead of accusing me of taking it, I would have told her I'd got it.'
`You can't leave it on her dressing table,' Rebecca said slowly, sounding worried. 'Sir George insisted I went with her to her bedroom to look for it in case she hadn't worn it. She was furious with him, but she had to agree, especially after dropping a few hints about it being stolen. You'll have to come up with another idea, although what, I can't think. The whole place has been searched.'
`Oh, come on, Rebecca!' Laura said lightly. 'You sound as if it was serious! When she finds the wretched thing on her dressing table tomorrow, she'll realise it was a joke. She'll be only too glad to get the thing back and will 'leave it at that.'
Rebecca shook her head. 'It's not as easy as that,' she said quietly. 'The very fact that it's now been returned means that someone did take it, at least that's how she'll see it, particularly as she's muttering about bringing in the police. Don't you see? She'll think someone's got cold feet. That puts us all under suspicion, only what John, or Janus Leon, would want with a diamond brooch ' She left the rest unsaid, but Laura caught her meaning.
`You mean, she'll think you took it?' she demanded disbelievingly'.
Rebecca shrugged. 'Well, she did ask you point blank, didn't she?' she said quietly, 'and that leaves me.'
Laura took 'a deep breath. 'Very well,' she sighed, pulling the belt of her dressing gown round her, 'I'll go and confess. I won't like it, in fact I shall hate it, but I'm not having you accused,' she added quietly.
Rebecca shook her head. 'I shouldn't do that either,' she said firmly. Not in the mood she's in at the moment. She's simply furious with your father for disbelieving her, and she's out for blood. If only you'd just said that you hadn't taken it but had found it,' she sighed, 'but it's too late now. I simply can't see her accepting your explanation without making trouble.'
Laura frowned. 'But I don't see how she can make trouble. Daddy will put a stop to anything like that, he'll believe me and not her, if she tries to accuse me of pinching it.'
There was silence for a moment, then Laura uttered a heartrending, 'Oh no!' that made Rebecca glance anxiously at her. `I'm a first class fool,' she went on, and slapped her forehead with her palm. `You know what I've done?' she asked Rebecca in a woebegone voice. I've just handed that woman what she's been angling for for months. I can see it now. In return. for keeping quiet about poor Sir George's kleptomaniac daughter she'll expect a handsome reward, such as marriage—just to keep it in the family.' She shuddered. `You're right,' she said dismally. `I can't own up to it now. What on earth are we going to do, Rebecca?' she appealed wildly.
Rebecca was still getting over her friend's prediction of her father's fate. `Surely she wouldn't-' she trailed off, as the fact presented itself that such a thing was highly probable.
`Oh, yes, she would!' declared Laura, cementing this thought.
Rebecca stared at her. 'Well, in that case, we
must think of somewhere to leave the brooch,' she said calmly, hoping to soothe Laura, who by now had her father already married to Caroline and all the misery such a state would bring in its train, `and I shall have to do it.' She frowned. 'Thing is, where?' she said half to herself, then suddenly brightened. 'The conservatory!' she said happily. `I'm certain a real search wasn't held in there,
At Laura's puzzled look, she went on to explain how Sir George had prevailed upon them to visit the conservatory to admire his latest acquisition. `We were only in there a short time,' she added, 'it was so uncomfortable in there, all that heat she gave a sigh of relief. 'That's where I'll leave it,' she decided. 'Put it somewhere near the orchid. It could easily have dropped off there. She said something about the clasp needing some attention.'
Laura gave her a weak grin. 'You'll earn my undying gratitude,' she said fervently, as she took the brooch out of the dressing table drawer and gave it to her.
CHAPTER FIVE
REBECCA was so busy with her thoughts, and so anxious to get rid of the brooch before meeting anyone with it in her possession, that she fairly hurtled down the corridor. Her idea had been a good one, she told herself, and all she wanted was
a little luck in carrying it out. She would not even consider the possibility that Sir George might lock the conservatory at night—why should he? There were no orchid rustlers around, were there? Oh, dear, she thought, as she hurried along, she was getting slightly hysterical, and it was not at all funny.
By now she was downstairs, and blessing the fact that everybody see
med to have gone to bed, since there was only subdued lighting in the hall, and as she passed through it and into the passage leading to the dining room, and beyond that the lounge and library, through which she would have to pass, she hoped there would be some kind of lighting left on in the conservatory that would prevent her from blundering into any of the huge exotic arrangements of flowers that should she knock them down would be sure to awaken the whole household, but she decided to worry about that when she reached her goal. The main thing was to get there.
The crash came when she turned the bend in the corridor. She was going too fast to be able to avoid it, and her slight frame ran into what seemed to be an immovable object against which she collided full tilt and only managed to keep her balance by a steadying hand on her arm.
The brooch flew out of her hand on to the carpeted floor of the corridor, and her dismayed eyes followed its progress until it came to a scudding halt a yard or so down the corridor, and lay there seemingly leering at her as the bright facets of the jewels caught the dim corridor light.
It took her a shocked second or two to realise whose strong hand was steadying, her and as she stared into two very blue eyes, her depression deepened. It would have to be him! she thought crossly, but managed to give him a bright smile, which was a mistake, considering that she had spent most of the week giving him the cold shoulder. 'Thank you,' she said breathlessly. 'I was
rather hurrying---I wanted to get a book from the library before the lights were put out,' she explained quickly, hoping her explanation sounded plausible.
Janus Leon subjected her to a long look through narrowed eyes, then without saying a word walked back to where the brooch lay and picking it up, studied it for a second before turning back to Rebecca, whose legs began to feel decidedly wobbly as she watched him. If she had any sense she ought to have walked on past him, disclaiming any knowledge of the brooch's existence. He couldn't prove she had dropped it, she thought frantically.
`Going the wrong way, weren't you?' he said casually, glancing down at the brooch in his hand. `Mrs Carmichael' s room's on the second floor, isn't it?' he purred silkily.
Rebecca decided to stand her ground and declare that she didn't know what he was talking about, but something told her she was on a lost cause, but she had to try anyway. 'I came down to get a book,' she said coldly, and looked at the brooch in his hand. 'So you've found it,' 'she commented lightly. `Sir George will be relieved. Mrs Carmichael too, of course,' she added, keeping her voice light 'de-
spite the thudding of her heart.
`I saw it fly out of your hand at the collision,' he said in a smooth voice. 'What were you going to do with it? Leave it in the library until you could recover it?' he asked in a deceptively calm voice.
Rebecca took a deep breath. This was going to be difficult. Of all people to catch her with the wretched thing! Her lovely eyes met Janus Leon's hard gaze. 'You're not going to believe me,' she said quietly, 'but I was going to leave it in the con; servatory to be found tomorrow. It wasn't taken by me—or anyone, if that's what you're suggesting. It was just an unfortunate oversight, that's all,' she added firmly.
Janus Leon's eyes said that he did not believe her, but when he spoke his voice was smooth—too smooth. 'I wish I could believe you,' he said, although Rebecca could detect no sympathy in his voice, only a kind of satisfaction, and the dreadful thought occurred to her that he was going to hand her over to Sir George to deal with, and if that happened, Laura would own up, and the fat would be in the fire.
`Do you make a habit of this sort of thing?' Janus went on in a hard voice. No wonder you can afford to dress well,' he added hatefully.
Rebecca wanted to slap his arrogant face. She also wanted to plead with him, to tell him the truth and explain how it was and why it was so necessary that nothing was said. 'I did not take the brooch,' was all she said, not being able to come up with anything else. It was the truth after all, but again she knew he did not believe her.
At this point someone was heard approaching the corridor and Janus caught her arm in a steely hold in case she attempted to use the diversion as an escape, and as Stokes, the butler, walked towards them on his nightly locking-up rounds, Rebecca found herself swung into Janus's arms and being kissed in a way that no stranger ought to kiss a woman he hardly knew.
The impression of a spooning couple was well taken by Stokes, who murmured a polite `Goodnight' to them as he passed. Being a good butler, he was neither surprised nor nonplussed, but treated the episode as a common occurrence that he Was well familiar with, although Rebecca doubted if he had had occasion to witness such a scene before in Sir George's employment.
When the butler had gone, and before she could catch her breath, she found herself propelled into the small salon next to the library, and only freed from the iron hold Janus had on her when inside, and he had planted himself in front of the door to prevent her leaving.
Her lovely sapphire blue eyes flashed sparks of fury as she stared at the man who had dared to assault her like that. She felt she had been treated like a wanton—someone he had picked up and was amusing himself with. 'How dare you!' she got out in a low furious voice. 'Stand away from that door!' she commanded in a regal voice. 'I've told you the truth, and if you don't believe me it's just too bad. Do what you like with the wretched thing. Take it to Sir George!' she added, her temper making her tremble. 'I don't care. I've nothing to worry about.
You try anything like that on me again and I'll sue you for assault!' she spat out at him.
His piercing blue eyes narrowed to slits as he studied her, taking in her furious eyes and flushed cheeks, then he walked deliberately towards her and she backed slowly away from him 'I mean it!' she said. 'Come any nearer and I'll scream the place down,' she threatened.
`I doubt if anyone would hear you if you did,' he said softly, still advancing. `I know one sure way of stopping you if you do.'
Rebecca's small hands clenched on to the small occasional table against the wall. She could not move farther away, she was trapped. She knew she ought to feel panic-stricken,, but she was too furious to feel any other emotion.
`Quite a little firebrand, aren't you?' Janus drawled silkily, now standing too near her for comfort, but her eyes did not flinch as they met' his. 'We're going to have a little talk,' he went on, in a hateful smooth voice that Rebecca began to recognise and dislike heartily. 'It's up to you whether we reach a suitable conclusion—to our mutual benefit, I mean,' he added significantly.
Rebecca could see only one 'suitable conclusion' where he was concerned. She knew he had a reputation as a playboy, she also knew that she was not unattractive to the opposite sex. He must be enjoying this, she thought scathingly, there couldn't be many women who had given him the cold shoulder. Now she was going to pay for it. 'I'm not interested,' she snapped. 'You're waiting your time.'
His autocratic brows shot up at this, then he smiled at her, and Rebecca did not care for that smile at all, it had all the savour of a wolf just before the kill, and she began to feel the first pangs of fear. 'Don't be a fool,' Janus said harshly as her wide eyes showed her feelings. 'I don't suppose this is your first offence. You've been lucky before, haven't you? Or maybe you've managed to talk your way out of it—I suppose that's what you've got in mind now, isn't it? John Sanderson's crazy enough about you to cover things up, isn't he? But I'm a different proposition.'
He touched the slender strap of her evening gown. 'Very profitable too, wasn't it?' he said suggestively. 'I've heard of women like you. You ingratiate yourself with the wealthy.' He flicked a strand of her glorious hair with a careless finger. `You've the looks to carry it off, too. If Sanderson had proposed, I guess you'd have behaved yourself, but things didn't work out, did they, and you couldn't resist making some profit out of a wasted week.' He gave another smile, but with no humour in it.
Rebecca said nothing, but her eyes spoke volumes. He was amusing himself at her expense, and when he had had enough he would hand her ov
er to the authorities and somehow she would have to explain how she had come by the brooch without involving Laura. She drew in a deep breath. Let him go ahead with his accusations. No one would believe him. The College would give her a good reference, and there was John—she caught her breath as the thought occurred to her that that
would put John in the same position as Mrs, Carmichael, she would be expected to be grateful enough to marry him.. As nice as he was, he was not above seizing the opportunity, just as this hateful man had grabbed his. `Go ahead!' she said disdainfully. 'No one will believe you. I shall say I found the brooch, which I did—and there's nothing you can do about it,' she added defiantly. Better to deal _with John than this man, she thought.
`And let you get away with it?' he said silkily. `Oh, no. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's not on. I've too much respect for your womanly wiles where Sanderson's concerned: I shall hand you over to Mrs Carmichael and not to another of your besotted slaves. Where did you find the brooch, anyway?' he asked, suddenly changing the subject and catching her unawares, and she blinked as she tried to find a suitable answer. 'Considering we searched the whole house,' he went on blandly, not missing her quick look of consternation and drawing his own conclusions, and his lips twisted sardonically. 'That was a good idea of yours to leave it in the conservatory. We didn't spend overlong in there, did we? that was quick thinking on your part, wasn't it? Only I've a feeling that it wasn't meant to be found, not unless things got hot for you.'
`You can think what you like!' Rebecca retorted coldly. 'I'm tired, and I'm going to bed,' she declared emphatically, sounding a lot more certain of herself than she actually felt.