“Gib, do you know where or how our grandmother got the pearls?”
“Sure I do. I don’t think there was much about your grandmother’s life I didn’t know.”
Race waited, and when the old man didn’t say more, Race sighed and said, “Do you mind telling me where?”
“Not at all. Her second husband, Sir Walter Hennessey, gave them to her shortly after they married.”
Race thought on that a moment and frowned. “Are you sure it wasn’t Lord Elder?”
“Of course I’m sure. She already had them when she married the earl.”
“The pearls would have been very costly, even twenty-five years ago. Did she question how Sir Walter could have afforded such an extraordinary necklace for her?”
“Probably not,” Gibby said. “I don’t think she cared how he got them. I know of only one other thing that ever made your grandmother as happy as receiving those pearls.”
“What was that?”
Gibby leaned back in his chair and smiled. “When she became Lady Elder. She wanted to have a title attached to her name more than she wanted to live.”
Race smiled, too. “I do remember that. After she married the earl, she always signed her letters to us as ‘Your loving Grandmother, Lady Elder.’”
Gibby leaned back in his chair and laughed lightly as a faraway look glistened in his eyes. The man never changed. Gibby’s countenance always softened whenever he talked about Lady Elder.
“Yes, I remember. She didn’t even want me to call her by her name anymore. I had to call her Lady Elder.”
“She certainly was an unusual woman. What else can you tell me about the pearls?”
“Nothing, I suppose. Why?”
“When I was talking to Morgan and Blake, we couldn’t help but wonder about them. It just seems odd that four different people are suddenly after the necklace.”
Gibby tilted his chair on its two back legs and said, “My thoughts would be because not many people knew where the Talbot pearls were until it was written in Society’s Daily Column that they were left to you by your grandmother.”
Hearing Gibby confirm what he and his cousins had considered brought Race up short. Cautiously he asked, “Tell me, did you ever know of Grandmother wearing the necklace outside private dinner parties in her home?”
Gibby seemed to study on that. “Not that I can remember, but she might have. Keep in mind, the pearls were irreplaceable. I can’t say for sure, and it’s only a guess, but she must have worn them when she was married to the earl and they attended Court.” Gibby ran a hand through his thick silver hair. “It’s never a good thing to let everyone know what valuables you have in your possession.”
“True,” Race said, turning pensive.
“Are you sure you’re not worried about these people who want the pearls?”
Race shook his head as the server put two glasses on the table between them. “They are safe.”
Race picked up his glass and took a big swallow. He screwed up his face and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. “Blast it, Gib, what is this stuff?”
“Milk. I told you I was drinking milk.”
“I know, but I thought there must have been some kind of sweet liqueur in it.”
“It is plain milk,” he said with a cunning smile.
Race looked closely at Gibby. The old man looked fine, yet Race asked, “Are you sick?”
Gibby leaned back in his chair again and puffed out his chest. His lips tightened together for a moment. “No, I’m not sick. I’m in fine shape. Why?”
“Why do you think?” Race said, exasperated. “Bloody hell, you’re drinking milk, for mercy’s sake.”
“Of course I am. I’m in training.”
