Page 70 of Impetuous

“Heavens, no! It was much too valuable. He kept it in a metal lockbox for safekeeping. In the storeroom in his bedroom.”

Philip thought for a moment. “The little locked room inside the dressing room?”

“Yes.” She nodded, pleased at his understanding. “He would get it out and show it to me sometimes. I was fascinated by the jewels, of course.”

“The jewels?” Cassandra’s words came out as a squeak. Was it possible that some Neville had already found the dowry?

“On the cover,” Aunt Liliane explained. She shook her head. “You have really never seen it?”

“No,” Cassandra responded.

“Could you tell us what it looked like? So we could recognize it if we saw it?” Philip asked.

“It was a prayer book, not large. Leatherbound, with gilt writing and gilt-edged leaves. There were three gems set into the spine. A ruby and two topazes, I believe. And little pearls bordering the cover. About this big.” She held up her hands a few inches apart to show its size. “‘The Book of Common Prayer,’ it said on the outside. On the inside, it read ‘For Sir Everard, my loyal knight.’ And it was signed ‘Elizabeth R.’ It was a gift from her, you see. She stayed at Sir Everard’s, and she gave him that when she left.”

“Do you have any idea what could have happened to it?” Cassandra asked.

“No,” the old lady answered, looking worried. “It should still be there.”

* * *

“DO YOU THINK it is?” Cassandra asked as they drove back toward Haverly House. “Still there, I mean. It sounded as if you knew the storeroom she was talking about.”

“Yes. It is a small closet in my dressing room. I suppose they used it to put valuables in it once, but Father installed a safe in his office, and that is where the jewels and bonds and things of that sort are.”

“Is there a lockbox in this room?”

“Yes. I don’t know if it’s the same one, but I am certain that there is no jeweled prayer book in it. That is where Father kept his legal papers—deeds and such. I have been through everything in there, more than once, and there is no book of any sort.”

“At least now we know what we are looking for.” Excitement tinged Cassandra’s voice. “Surely we will be able to find it.”

“Yes. Mother or Grandmother may remember what happened to it. It sounds distinctive enough.”

Cassandra was on pins and needles all the rest of the drive home. Yesterday she had been close to despairing of ever finding the second map. All her visions of a new future for Chesilworth had seemed about to turn to dust. And though she disliked herself for the petty selfishness, she admitted to herself that not the least of her unhappiness had been that if they could not find the map, she would have no reason to remain in Sir Philip’s house any longer. But now…now all sorts of possibilities seemed open again.

When they arrived at Haverly House, they had the misfortune to run into Joanna, who must have been sitting and watching out the window for their arrival.

“Sir Philip,” she cried, hurrying toward them in the entry, all smiles and dimples and coquettish pouts. “It’s been such a long day here without you! You wicked fellow, to leave me to the company of children all day!” She laid her hand upon his arm, smiling warmly up at him.

“Ah, but I thought you were such particular friends with my sister,” Philip countered, smoothly moving his arm out from underneath her hand.

Joanna looked momentarily nonplussed, but she recovered quickly. “Oh, well, of course I did not mean darling Georgette….”

“Have you seen my mother?”

Joanna blinked at the abrupt change of subject, clearly disgruntled at the conversation turning away from her. “I’m sure I don’t know.”

“Then we shall have to talk later, Miss Moulton, for I must speak with mother right now. I am sure you will excuse us.” He steered Cassandra around Joanna.

“But we’ve hardly had a chance to speak,” Joanna protested, a scowl forming on her smooth face.

“This evening, my dear Miss Moulton. We shall have plenty of time to talk this evening.” Philip nodded toward her and hustled Cassandra off down the hall.

“I’ll look forward to it,” Joanna trilled behind them.

Philip led Cassandra to his mother’s sitting room, where they found both Lady Violet and Philip’s grandmother. The women turned toward them with smiles.

“Hello, darling, how was Aunt Liliane?” his mother greeted them, turning her cheek to be kissed.