A Wedding In Springtime(35)

“Oh! I had not thought of it. Let me see.” The lady opened an ornately carved cabinet and began to pull out box after box, each containing the expected jewel. “No, nothing else was taken, just the emeralds. It’s odd.”

“Why is that?” asked Grant, overcoming the emasculating decor of the room and joining them.

“The emeralds are not my best piece. Why would the thief only steal that?”

“Yes, that is perplexing,” said Marchford, examining the room.

Lady Devine wiped a tear from her eye. “Do you think the necklace will be returned soon?”

No one answered her. The emeralds were gone.

“What will they do with them? Everyone knows the setting to be mine.”

“The necklace will probably be ripped apart and the jewels sold separately,” said Marchford without feeling.

“It was my mother’s,” whispered Lady Devine as more tears began to fall. The admiral gave Marchford a glare. Grant just shook his head. For a smart man, Marchford could be thoughtless when it came to women.

Grant motioned to Marchford, who readily followed him outside the lady’s domain to where Thornton was still standing. “There may be a thief downstairs. Shall we call the police?”

“And have them search the guests? I imagine Lady Devine would not care for it,” said Thornton, always practical.

“I do not care for this scene,” muttered the duke. “A thief would have had ample opportunity to come up to her boudoir and steal the lot of jewels. It appears to me this scene was made to look like a failed burglary, but in fact, the thief did not care for jewels or more would be taken.”

“But why?” asked Grant.

“Perhaps it was created as a diversion, so the thief could steal what he really wanted.”

“What could that be?” asked Admiral Devine, joining the party.

“Not sure,” said Marchford. “Have you anything else of value?”

“My wife has several pieces of jewelry, but nothing else has been taken.”

“What about you, Uncle. Anything in the house of particular interest to a thief?” asked Grant.

“Well, there is the silver, some artwork, an extensive, if you do not mind me saying, collection of wine, and some of the finest whiskey handed down from my father.” He looked up to the ceiling in a wistful manner.

“Admiral,” said Marchford, bringing him back to the matter at hand. “Have you anything else in the house. Anything perhaps of interest to a French spy?”

The wistful look vanished and the admiral snapped to attention. “My study!”





Twelve





“The keys to the study!” Admiral Devine called to his butler.

“You keep the study locked?” asked Grant, running after his uncle, Marchford and Thornton in pursuit.

“Yes, as a precaution. I have recently received some letters of a most sensitive nature.”

The keys were produced by the butler and the admiral began to unlock the door.

“Wait!” called a demanding voice. “This is a matter for the Crown to investigate!” Mr. Neville pushed his way forward. “My agents report there has been a theft in this house. Admiral Devine, you received sensitive information recently, did you not?”

“Yes, yes, letters. They are in the top drawer of my desk.”

“Careful now,” said Mr. Neville, taking off his large coat. “Maybe we can catch this thief.”

The door was unlocked and the men carefully edged into the dark room.

“There he is!” shouted Neville, and everyone rushed into the room.

“Where is he?”

“Someone bring a light!”

A loud crash shot through the room just as the butler emerged with a candle. The window curtains were flung back and the window was smashed out.

“He’s made a run for it out the window!” called Marchford.

“After him!” called Neville. “I’ll run around the front and try to head him off.”

Marchford pulled the drapes over the broken glass and jumped through the window after the thief, Grant and Thornton right behind him.

“Which way? Did you see him?” asked Grant. They were in a dark, cramped alley between two large houses in crowded London.

“No, let’s split up and find this bastard,” called Marchford. “You two go toward the front, I’ll check behind.”