Page 40 of The Lyon’s Paw

The elder Mr. Stone emerged from the back of the store, his face wreathed in smiles. “Good morning, my lord.” He bowed quickly. “My son tells me you are looking for an unusual piece, or pieces for a parure, is that correct?”

“It is, Mr. Stone. Lord Longford at your service.” Geoffrey nodded to the man.

“You have the look of your father about you, my lord. He was an excellent gentleman to do business with. I will be most happy to serve his son.” Mr. Stone looked at him eagerly.

“Do you have something truly special? This is a wedding gift for my wife. We’ve only been married a short time.”

“May I wish you felicitations, my lord? To you and your lady.”

“Thank you, Mr. Stone. So you see, I must gift her with something as stunning as she herself is.” That was the goal Geoffrey had set himself—a gift that would rival Diana in its beauty and worth.

“Then I think I can accommodate you, my lord, if you do not need the pieces today. Come with me.” He strode over to a heavy metal door, took out a long key and turned it in the lock. “I’ve been working on a demi-parure for a duke, but the woman he bespoke it for has fallen out of favor. I wonder if you’d be interested in adding a piece or two to the necklace and earrings I’ve already done?” He looked up at Geoffrey as the key made a deep click in the lock. “Is your lady fair or dark?”

“Fair. Why?”

“Some jewels become certain complexions better than others.” Mr. Stone pushed the heavy door open revealing a workroom with various tools and implements of his craft on different tables. “Fortunately, these pieces were for a lady with a very light shade of hair. Let’s see if they meet your approval.”

“What is the stone, sir?” Geoffrey was more than intrigued now.

“Sapphire with diamond accents.” The jeweler went to a table, opened the drawer and withdrew a box with a hinged lid. “What do you think, my lord?” He lifted the lid and Geoffrey had to stifle a gasp.

The necklace that lay in the velvet box was stunning, to say the least. A large teardrop sapphire pendant was suspended by silver links and flanked by round diamonds on either side. The silver links then gave way to alternating sapphire and diamond stones. The matching earrings followed the design with teardrop sapphires suspended from round diamonds.

“If you like I could fashion a ring and bracelet or broach with the same motif to complete an absolute stunning parure for your wife, my lord.” Mr. Stone gazed steadily at Geoffrey. “I am certain the lady would be more than happy and quite appreciative of such a generous wedding gift.”

At that moment, Geoffrey understood all too well that he was in a very great deal of trouble. An hour later, he left Stone & Sons, having purchased the sapphire parure, complete with necklace, earrings, ring, bracelet, and a tiara, and an additional pearl necklace and earrings, an amethyst broach, and a ruby necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Mr. Stone had the knack, born of long practice no doubt, of showing Geoffrey the exact pieces that he wanted and convincing him that he really could not do without them. The sum he quoted at the end had almost made Geoffrey balk, however in the end he wanted to see Diana’s face when she opened the jewels too badly to walk away from the purchase. Stone had promised all the jewels would be ready in two weeks, about the time they would be returning for Diana’s final fittings.

Breathing deeply as the crisp air cleared his senses, Geoffrey headed to his next destination, the Theatre Royale in Covent Garden to secure tickets for tonight’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He hoped his wife would enjoy the comedy, which was a favorite of his. The tickets secured, he raised his chin and sighed. The pleasantest of his errands now behind him, he must carry out the final task he’d set himself for today and turned his steps toward St. James.

Less than a quarter of an hour later, Geoffrey stood in front of the Greek columned façade of The Dandy. Dandridge’s club had the look of a stately home, fitting in well with its sedate neighboring houses. Unfortunately, looks, as Geoffrey knew well, could be deceiving. As with any gambling club, gentlemen took risks when they entered into play and many aristocratic families’ fortunes had been lost in this very establishment, gaining its owner a fortune. For its owner to assume that he could therefore, by virtue of his incredible wealth, enter into a marriage with a member of the ton might be a possibility if the lady’s family were perhaps destitute or lacking in principles.

If the lady in question was Joanna Longford however, the inhabitants of hell would be ice skating before Geoffrey would allow such a mesalliance to occur. And after Diana’s report of seeing Dandridge outside the modiste’s looking at her—or more certainly, at Joanna—Geoffrey was here to make it perfectly clear to Dandridge that he was to cease and desist in his attentions to Lady Joanna or face the consequences.

Geoffrey rapped the brass knocker, shaped like a rather fierce looking lion, set his face into unyielding lines, and waited in anticipation of the fireworks that were about to begin.

Chapter Seventeen

The club’s door opened, revealing a very proper butler. “Good afternoon, my lord. How may I help you?”

“I wish to speak to Mr. Dandridge, please.” Geoffrey’s ears picked up loud talking from within the building. Someone was choosing to be fleeced in the middle of the day, it seemed.

“Are you a member of the club, my lord?” The servant looked suspiciously at him.

“No, this is a personal matter.”

“Your name, my lord?”

“Lord Longford.”

The butler’s eyes widened, then he got control of himself, his face returning to bland uncurious lines. “Very good, my lord. This way if you please.” He opened the door and ushered Geoffrey in.

A high-ceilinged, cavernous room, with tastefully papered walls in a soothing green surrounded Geoffrey as the butler led him across the shining parquet floors toward the doorway at the opposite end of the chamber. In one corner was a hazard table with several morose looking players laying bets. Another corner held a table without players, perhaps in readiness for the evening’s play. The third corner, also quiet, had several overstuffed chairs pulled up before a fireplace where two gentlemen were speaking softly. On any given night there might be more than five hundred patrons or club members mulling about, playing deep, trying their fortunes against The Dandy’s bank. More likely losing most of the time. Geoffrey shook his head and continued following the butler.

They passed through the doorway and down the corridor until they stopped before a door on the right. The servant knocked respectfully and was greeted by a terse, “Come!”

The butler opened the door and stepped inside. “There is a caller for you, Mr. Dandridge.”

“I told you I wasn’t in to anyone until this evening, Woodson.” The voice was low-pitched and rough.