Part 17 (1/2)

He would not catch her.

There was only just over a week to go before the ton left London; she could a.s.suredly hold him at bay until then.

”Mignonne,it is customary to pay some attention to the gentleman who partners you in the dance.”

Helena s.h.i.+fted her gaze to Sebastian and widened her eyes. ”I was merely taking note of the ladies' jewels.”

”Why?”

”Why?” She stepped around him, circled, then returned to face him, her gaze straying once more to the ladies nearby. ”Because the quality here is quite remarkable.”

”Given your heritage, you must possess a king's ransom in jewelry.”

”Oui,but I left most of it in the vault at Cameralle.” She gestured at the simple sapphire necklace she was wearing. ”I did not bring the heavier pieces-I did not realize the need.”

”Your beauty,mignonne, outs.h.i.+nes any jewels.”

She smiled, but not at him. ”You have a very quick tongue, Your Grace.”

Helena was at the breakfast table the next morning when a package was delivered.

”It's for you.” Louis dropped it beside her plate as he joined her.

Marjorie peered up the table. ”Who is it from?”

Helena turned the package in her hands. ”It doesn't say.”

”Open it.” Marjorie set down her cup. ”There will be a card inside.”

Helena tore open the wrappings and reached in. Her fingers touched the plush cover of a jeweler's case-a frisson of presentiment raced over her skin. She stared at the open package, almost afraid to draw out the contents. Then she steeled herself and pulled.

A green leather case. She set aside the paper, opened the case. Inside, on a bed of deep green velvet, nestled a very long double strand of the purest pearls. The strands were interrupted at three points by single stones, each a perfect rectangle, cut very simply to showcase their color. At first she guessed peridot, but as she lifted the necklace and draped it between her hands, the stones flashed and the light caught them; their depth of color was revealed. Emeralds. Three large pure emeralds more vividly green than her eyes.

Earrings, each with a smaller emerald set above pearls, and a matching pair of bracelets-miniature versions of the necklace-completed the set.

Of the king's ransom she already owned, no piece appealed to her half as much.

Helena dropped the necklace as if it had burned her. ”We must send it back.” She pushed the case away from her.

Louis had been examining the packaging; now he glanced at the case. ”There is no card. Do you know who sent it?”

”St. Ives! It must be from him.” Helena pushed back her chair; some impulse was urging her to run, to flee from the necklace-from her wish to touch it, to run her fingers along the smooth strands. To imagine how it would feel around her throat, how it would look.

d.a.m.n Sebastian!

She stood. ”Please arrange to have it returned to His Grace.”

”But,ma pet.i.te. ” Marjorie had searched the packaging for herself. ”If there is no card, then we cannot be sure who sent it. What if it wasn't monsieur le duc?”

Helena looked down at Marjorie; she could almost see Sebastian's smug smile. ”You are right,” she eventually said. She sat again. After a moment of staring at the pearls lying like temptation on their velvet bed, she drew the case closer. ”I will have to think what is best to be done.”