‘But when I went to his room, I thought...’
‘Did he invite you?’ her grandmother said with a confused frown.
‘He would never do something as dishonourable as that. Before we went to Berkshire he said that he did not think it wise for us to see each other again,’ Hope explained.
‘But then you insisted that he accompany you. And you went to his room when the household was asleep,’ her grandmother said, her voice raising. ‘You pestered the poor man until he succumbed, instead of giving him the chance to court you properly. And now you are complaining about the quality of his proposal.’
She had been so focused on her plan to marry Comstock that it had never occurred to her to flirt with him as Grandmama had suggested and allow things to develop slowly, as was proper. It was just as it had been at the ball, when she had resorted to theft, rather than asking permission. ‘This is like the inkwell, only worse,’ Hope said, closing her eyes in shame.
‘My dear, I have no idea what you are going on about. But if it in any way resembles the current situation, please do not enlighten me. All I want to know from you now are your feelings towards Mr Drake.’
‘I love him,’ she said. But instead of making her happy, the words came out on a sob.
‘Then stop torturing the poor man,’ her grandmother said with a sigh. ‘You say he is coming back tomorrow morning to see about finding the vase from the hall?’
Hope nodded.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. ‘It is growing late and he has probably had quite enough of our family for the day. We will not try his patience further. But if he is planning to return, he has either forgiven you, or can be persuaded to do so. Do whatever is necessary to mend the breach between you. I will make myself available in the drawing room, tomorrow between two and seven, should he wish an interview to discuss your future. But as I informed Mr Drake at breakfast, I will not see you moping about the house for more than a week. After that time, if you have not found a husband for yourself, I will arrange a marriage for you, just to get you out of the house.’
Chapter Sixteen
When she was through being badgered by her grandmother, Hope escaped to her room to find that the inquisition was not yet over. Her sister was waiting for her in her bedroom. Charity had seated herself upon the bed, propped herself up with every pillow in the room and spread her dusty books all over the coverlet.
‘You have a room of your own,’ Hope reminded her.
‘Neither of us has a room,’ Charity said, barely looking up. ‘Have you forgotten that the Earl has arrived?’
Hope closed her eyes for a moment to let a fresh wave of panic wash over her, before opening them to stare back at her sister. ‘If he is not here tonight, there is no reason for us to share this space.’
‘Grandmama says he claims to have no need of the town house.’ Charity frowned. ‘Perhaps he does not understand that Parliament is in session and he must take his seat in the House of Lords. It would be rather foolish of him to stay at a hotel until the Season is ended.’
‘Do not worry,’ Hope said, bitterly. ‘I am sure he will be along to evict us once he has a better grasp of the situation.’
‘You mean when he discovers that the diamonds are missing,’ Charity said.
Hope pushed her sister’s books out of the way and sat. ‘Who told you that?’
Charity had finally stopped reading long enough to look at her, with her usual expression of patient superiority. ‘No one had to tell me anything. I have been playing with the whole set from the moment I was out of the cradle,’ Charity replied.
‘You were doing what?’
Her little sister shrugged. ‘You and Faith would not share your dolls with me. You said I was too young. So I stole Grandmama’s jewel case to play at being grown up.’
‘You wicked little thing,’ Hope said, before remembering that it was never possible to change Charity’s character with scolding.
‘Grandmama caught me at it. It made her laugh to see me decked in tiara and bracelets. She made me promise to put them back in the box when I was done and set aside the things she did not want me to damage. But those were the pieces that Grandfather had given her and not the diamonds. She had not a thought for the pride of the Stricklands. Do you not find that strange?’
‘I am long past finding Grandmama’s behaviour strange,’ Hope said.
‘Well, I did. When I was old enough to understand, I went to the library...’
‘Quelle surprise.’
Charity ignored the jab. ‘I searched for a book that would explain how to tell real diamonds from false. And it was then I noticed the scratches on the stones. Real diamonds are hard and will only be scratched by other diamonds.’
‘You knew they were paste and you did not see the problem with it?’
‘If it did not bother Grandmama, then why would it bother me?’
