Regency Society. Ann Lethbridge

      ‘Would she not have asked you outright?’

      ‘Sofia cared for me as if I were her own. She would have done nothing that might hurt me—and perhaps she feared what might happen if my memory did return.’

      ‘Yes, perhaps. It seems odd she made no effort to find your family.’

      ‘She had no money to hire agents. Besides, I had bruises on my arms and legs, and she wanted to protect me. I think if anyone had asked after me, she would have lied to keep me safe.’

      ‘My lawyer was of the opinion that the ruby came from India. He thought it sinister and found the shape odd, which I suppose it is in a way. Had you noticed that if you turn it on its side it has the shape of an eye?’

      ‘I cannot say I had thought of it that way, but I suppose it does—an elongated eye with pointed ends, but, yes, I can see what he means. Did you have it valued?’

      ‘No. I placed it in the bank in London. I hope you do not mind?’

      ‘It may be as well,’ Roxanne said. She took a deep breath, ‘There was an attempt to break into your grandfather’s strong room when you were in London and Mr Higgins was struck over the head when he went to investigate a face at the window of the tower room.’

      ‘Good grief!’ Luke looked at her in horror. ‘Was he badly hurt?’

      ‘Fortunately not. I visited him at home afterwards and he said it was his own fault. I told him that I had seen someone at the window about halfway up the tower. Mr Higgins was not impolite enough to say so, but he thought it my imagination. The tower has since been searched and there were signs that someone had been there, but has now gone.’

      ‘Frightened by what he had done, I dare say.’ Luke frowned. ‘Did the rogue manage to get inside the strong room?’

      ‘No, I believe not,’ Roxanne said. ‘Do you think it was because of the ruby? It does seem a little odd that it should happen now, do you not think so?’

      ‘The ruby?’ Luke considered for a moment. ‘How could anyone know you had given it to me for safekeeping? I placed it there for one night, no more. Only the three of us knew. Unless you told someone, it was impossible for them to know. Besides, there are more valuable jewels in the strong room. It is mere coincidence that it has happened now.’

      ‘Of course you are right.’ Roxanne drew a breath of relief. ‘It was just that the face I saw was not English—the man had dusky skin and I thought he might be Indian, which was why I wondered if he was searching for the ruby.’ It had all seemed to fit in her mind, but now she felt a little foolish. Of course her ruby was not that important.

      ‘Did anyone ever come looking for either you or the ruby when you were with the travelling players?’

      ‘Not to my knowledge. However, Sofia was respected and loved. If she asked the others to keep the secret, no one would have given us away while she lived.’

      ‘So the only man who might look for you is the one you ran from that day at the Heath—might it have been he?’

      ‘No, I do not believe it was, though he would have hit poor Mr Higgins and he might have attempted to break into a door that looked intriguing enough to hide valuables. However, I am almost certain that his was not the face at the window.’

      ‘Then it must have been an itinerant, an opportunist who found himself a place to sleep and attempted to break open a locked door. I am sure the incident had nothing to do with you or the ruby.’

      ‘I am glad of your good sense. I had been feeling guilty,’ Roxanne admitted. ‘Now I can forget it and concentrate on other things.’

      ‘You should certainly not let it bother you. Shall we go in and have some tea?’

      Roxanne took the arm he offered and walked into the house with him. She was glad to have him back, even though there was pain mixed with the pleasure.

       Chapter Seven

      Luke paused in the act of tying his cravat before dinner that evening. His talk with Higgins had elicited no more information than Roxanne had given him earlier—apart from one thing.

      ‘There was a strong smell,’ Higgins said. ‘Just before I was hit I smelled perfume—not the kind Miss Roxanne uses, but something heavy and exotic. Nothing I’ve ever smelled before. I forgot when I was telling her about it, but then it came back to me. One of my men found a length of cloth in the tower and it had the same smell about it.’

      ‘Might the cloth have been used for a turban, do you think?’

      ‘Yes, sir. As you know, my son is an army sergeant and he sent me a tinted drawing of an Indian soldier he served with when he was in India. The cloth that was found could easily be from a turban.’ Higgins seemed puzzled. ‘What do you think a person like that would be doing in the tower, sir?’

      Luke was thoughtful. ‘I think it best we keep this to ourselves, Higgins. At the moment we cannot be sure of anything.’

      ‘Yes, sir. I understand. The men will keep a sharp eye out for any strangers. Do you think there is something odd going on, my lord?’

      ‘At the moment I am not certain,’ Luke replied. ‘It may just have been a vagrant who saw an opportunity and then panicked when you arrived. Or it may be more sinister. We shall employ more men and patrol the grounds day and night.’

      ‘Right you are, sir. May I say how happy everyone is that you are spending more time here, sir. Mr Tonkins is a good man and I’ve done my best, but there are times the earl just does not want to listen.’

      ‘He has always been stubborn, but he is frailer than I like, Higgins. Any problems regarding this business should come to me, not my grandfather.’

      ‘You’ll be staying here now then, sir?’

      ‘At least until after the wedding. What happened may be just an isolated incident. Unfortunate for you, but over. However, if anything else happens I may have to rethink my plans.’

      Now, as he tied his snowy white cravat into intricate folds, Luke was remembering the dusky-skinned gentleman who had followed him into the London jeweller’s. He had noticed a rather exotic perfume that day, though of course it could all be a coincidence. Yet Brandon had disliked the ruby, implying that there was something dangerous or sinister about it.

      It could be that there was something significant about that ruby, something that made it worth sending people to England to search for it—but why now?

      Luke had told Roxanne not to worry, dismissing her fears that her ruby might have brought the intruder here, but he could not help wondering if he had been too hasty. The ruby might have more worth to someone than the amount it would fetch in a jeweller’s shop. Luke had not considered it important at first, but now several threads were running through his mind.

      Damn the thing! He had more to concern him than the blasted ruby. Having spoken to his grandfather that afternoon about bringing the wedding forwards, Luke knew that he had committed himself to marriage. While doubts remained, he could not deny a feeling of satisfaction. It was as if he had been resisting subconsciously, but now that had fallen away and he found he was looking forward to the wedding—but first there was the engagement ball.

      While in town he had given Roxanne’s measurements to a French seamstress and she had promised to deliver the gown he had ordered in time. She was coming herself to fit it and make any last-minute adjustments. He knew that Roxanne had some idea of making a gown herself, but the magnificent creation he had bought for her would be a surprise—as would the pearls he had purchased in the London jeweller’s.

      Once again he considered whether the attack on Higgins and the man he had seen purchasing a ring in London were connected. Had he been followed to the jeweller’s that day? Had the man he’d noticed hoped to discover