A Scandal Most Daring

“This doesn’t feel right,” Oscar interrupted flatly, offering her a way to change the subject. “Your uncle has a safe in the study. Why didn’t he put these in there? Why go to these lengths to hide such wonderful gems that don’t belong to him?”

Connor sighed. “The organisation I work for, the Star Elite, are working on the jewellery thefts. Details of them have been all over the broadsheets. Most of the safes that have been broken into were located directly above fireplaces. He may have installed this with the intent of making himself less of a victim. He could put whatever he wanted in there. It isn’t the obvious place to look for a safe,” Connor suggested.

“Have you found any of the stolen items yet?” Oscar asked.

Connor shook his head.

“We think that the jewels are stolen to order. We have managed to track down several networks of thieves, couriers, and accomplices, who have worked together to transport the gems up and down the country. The jewels are taken to smelters and jewellery makers who re-cast the stones into new pieces of jewellery which are then sold on. Unfortunately, as soon as the gems are stolen they are recast, and are immediately unidentifiable. It is impossible to locate where they might be now. Most of the gems stolen so far have simply vanished.”

“Yet the thieves make a fortune from re-selling the valuable pieces of jewellery,” Tahlia finished for him.

Connor nodded.

“Good Lord,” Tahlia whispered. She felt slightly sick. “Do you think that is what the two necklaces are about that were delivered here?”

“Pardon?”

She realised from Connor’s blank look that she hadn’t told him about the jewels that had been delivered earlier. Immediately, she went cold and turned to stare at Oscar.

“The jewels,” she whispered in horror.

“You don’t think that is what they were after, do you?” the butler demanded.

“What jewels?” Connor’s voice was sharp with impatience.

Oscar suddenly left the room, and returned moments later with two packages. Handing them to Connor, he stood back and watched the man swiftly open them and study the contents.

“They arrived this morning, you say?”

“Yes, but look at the packaging. I don’t think Bingham sent them both,” Tahlia replied.

Connor shook his head. “Neither of them can be from Bingham Montague. He died a month ago.”

Tahlia stared at him blankly. “He is dead?”

Connor looked at her with eyes that were as cold as ice.

“He was shot in the back of his head whilst out hunting,” Connor reported.

“In London?” Cecily gulped.

Tahlia rolled her eyes. Connor smiled grimly at her.

“No, he was at his country estate. These couldn’t possibly have come from Bingham Montague. Do you know of any other Bingham?”

He couldn’t ignore the surge of possessive jealousy that swept through him at the prospect of her having a suitor, and only relaxed when Tahlia shook her head.

She turned her gaze to the pouches of gems and suddenly didn’t even want them near her.

“It is safe to assume that these were delivered by mistake. Whoever mugged you, Tahlia, must have thought you had them on you when you left here. I need to get them valued to see if they are worth killing for. If they are not all that expensive then I think it is safe to assume they don’t want you being able to identify the deliveryman, or report to anybody that these gems arrived unexpectedly.”

“They want to silence her,” Oscar sighed.

“So they were shooting at me,” Tahlia gulped.

Connor shook his head, and hastened to reassure her.

“No, they were shooting at me. Whoever mugged you wanted the jewels back, I think. With your permission, I should like to take these for my colleagues to take to someone for a valuation.”