For the moment, she ignored both her aunt and uncle, and walked to the side opposite where Amanda sat. Her cousin smiled at her across the expanse of the table. Her expression was sweet and charming if one didn’t notice the gleam in her eyes.
“Where is it?”
“Where is what, Veronica?” Aunt Lilly said. “Do sit down, girl.”
“Where is the mirror?” she said, never moving her gaze from Amanda’s face. “You’ll not steal from me in my own home.”
“Veronica!” Aunt Lilly looked aghast. “What are you talking about?”
“You stole the mirror. Where is it?”
Amanda patted the corner of her lips with her napkin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I gave you money of my own free will in London. I’ll not give you the mirror.”
Amanda turned to face her mother. “I truly do not know, Mother, what she is talking about. Please make her stop saying such vicious things about me.”
“Veronica,” Uncle Bertrand said, “you cannot simply accuse someone without proof.”
“My maid is proof,” she said. “She saw you in my room, Amanda.”
Aunt Lilly stood, threw down her napkin, and walked to stand behind her daughter. “Amanda is no thief.”
“I merely wished to see your suite,” Amanda said. “You disappeared this morning, and we’ve not seen you since.”
“Another rudeness, Veronica,” her aunt said.
“I doubt, countess,” Montgomery said from behind her, “that rudeness should be the topic of this conversation.”
Veronica glanced at him to find him staring at her uncle. “You and I need to talk. Now.”
Montgomery didn’t look like the man she’d left an hour earlier. His voice was decidedly icy, his expression so filled with rage she would have flinched had it been directed at her.
“I trust you will discipline your wife, Montgomery,” Aunt Lilly said, going back to her chair, her attention on her meal once more. “She was excessively rude to Amanda.”
He glanced at Veronica.
“She’s stolen the mirror. She came into my room and stole the Tulloch Sgàthán.”
He studied Amanda for a moment, then allowed his gaze to encompass the entire table. To their credit, the other four cousins didn’t meet his eyes, looking as if they wished to be anywhere but there. The only people who appeared supremelyunaware of Montgomery’s rage were Amanda, Uncle Bertrand, and Aunt Lilly.
Montgomery moved to stand slightly behind her and to the left. His right hand reached out, gripped her waist, and pulled her gently toward him, a picture of a couple united.
Aunt Lilly frowned at both of them. “She was extremely discourteous to Amanda, Montgomery. It is only civil for her to apologize.”
“It’s you who owe Veronica an apology,” Montgomery said, before she could speak. “You’re occupying her chair.” He turned toward the Earl of Conley. “Nor did I give you leave to take my place at the head of the table, sir. Or to question my finances or those of my wife.”
Montgomery nodded toward one of the maids. “Ask Mrs. Brody to step in,” he said, before turning to Amanda. “Now’s the time to tell the truth. Did you take the mirror?”
Amanda’s face almost matched her father’s in florid color. The look she gave Veronica was so filled with hatred it was almost a living thing.
Mrs. Brody arrived less than three minutes later, but the intervening time was spent in an uncomfortable silence, Montgomery’s glance almost daring anyone to speak. Thankfully, no one challenged him.
“Where have you placed our guests, Mrs. Brody?” He turned his head to look at Amanda.
“The young lady is in the Green Room, Your Lordship.”
“This is your last opportunity,” Montgomery said.
