He rather liked it—not that he would ever say so.
“An attendant is to meet us and tour us through the gallery.”
“We are to be watched, then.”
“I assume so,” she said. “Likely by more than one person.”
“Will they be discreet?”
“Let us hope so.”
They exchanged a look as Asher knocked on the door.
They were back to where this had all begun — wheretheyhad begun.
He could only hope this visit would provide them answers, for he had a feeling that until they truly put the past behind them, it would be difficult to take any true steps forward.
11
Evelyn knew she didn’t need to keep hold of Asher as they walked through the gallery, but it was so empty in here, the gallery quiet, almost reverent, that she felt as though she needed an anchor to hold onto as they followed the attendant who had greeted them upon entrance.
There were a fair number of guards standing at regular intervals through the gallery, which stood in the center of the Marquess of Eastclere’s significant estate just outside of London, their gazes wary, watchful.
Evelyn tilted her head up to speak so that only Asher could hear her.
“Do you think they are always here, or are they just for us?”
“I’m sure the marquess is warier than usual after losing the diamond,” he murmured back.
Evelyn ignored the uneasy roll of her stomach in this somewhat familiar place, considering how many events Lord Eastclere had held through the years.
When they were through the hall, past priceless statues and paintings the marquess had collected over the years, theattendant gestured through the ballroom to the gallery, where the Paragon Diamond had been displayed.
“Here we are,” the attendant, Mr. Bloomington, said. “This is the case where the diamond was displayed.”
The empty case loomed larger than Evelyn remembered as she stepped forward, sensing the guards around them keeping a close eye on them, on alert.
Far more alert than she remembered them being on the night of the theft. She could hardly remember their presence that night, although there had been a great many other things happening at the time.
She gazed at the display case in the muted light filtering through the high windows, remembering how dark it had been in here the night of the spring soiree, right before the chandeliers were lit. She noted the faint smell of oil from the mechanisms wafting off it, the three of them around it so silent that she could hear the echo of footsteps on stone in the distance.
She sensed Asher naturally moving slightly behind and to the side of her. His presence reassured her, and while it felt protective, she wondered how much of it was him trying to angle himself to better see what she was looking at.
Evelyn shook off her questions about her husband. She’d have time for that later. Right now, she had to make the most of her brief time to analyze the display case and find any clues.
Her gaze zeroed in on the empty velvet cushion at the center of the Marquess's prize display. The space where the Paragon Diamond should have rested gaped like an open wound.
She circled the case slowly, examining it from every angle while the attendant fidgeted nearby. The mechanism that controlled the automatic locking system was cleverly concealed, but Evelyn knew what to look for. She crouched down, peering intently at the hidden gears and levers through the glass.
"Who last adjusted the mechanism in this case?" she asked, not taking her eyes from the complex device.
"It would have been our maintenance man, Mr. Finch," Mr. Bloomington replied. "He oils all the cases routinely."
"And how often is that done?"
"Once per month, your grace.”
Evelyn frowned slightly. Based on the uneven pattern of wear she observed on the tiny gears, the oiling did not appear as regular as claimed. She stood up and faced the attendant directly. "Was any work done on this case after the night the diamond disappeared? Any repairs or alterations?"
