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"Slayde, stop," Aurora demanded, gripping the arms of her chair.
Her brother shook his head. "He's a bloody mercenary, Aurora, driven solely by a thirst for wealth. He means to use you to find that stone so he can sell it to the highest bidder…"
"Slayde … wait." It was Courtney who spoke, laying a gentle restraining hand on her husband's shoulder. "I have the distinct feeling there's more to this than we've heard." Her discerning gaze shifted to Aurora. "All the facts Julian is now revealing to us, you were privy to them already, weren't you?" she asked quietly. "And I don't mean since your wedding day; I mean from a fortnight ago."
"Yes," Aurora acknowledged, grateful as always for Courtney's innate understanding of her. "Julian filled me in on everything the day he came to Pembourne to offer for me."
Slayde sucked in his breath. "Then why didn't you tell us immediately?"
Aurora shot him a pointed look. "Julian was concerned that you'd misunderstand his intentions and forbid us to marry—a circumstance neither of us was willing to tolerate. Thus, he gave me my choice: ride to Gretna Green and wed posthaste, after which I was welcome to tell you the truth, or enjoy the wedding day I so badly wanted—with both you and Courtney present—but keep my silence until after the vows were exchanged. Either way was fine with him, so long as the end result was achieved. The choice was mine. And I made it."
Courtney's lips curved. "In other words, Julian, you wanted to prevent Slayde from drawing precisely the conclusion he just drew."
"Yes," Julian replied. "A conclusion that in all fairness to Slayde, I, too, would have drawn were Aurora my sister." He leaned forward, all power and presence. "However, now that I've disclosed the truth, let there be no misunderstandings between us. I intend to find that stone. I'd like your help, but it's not essential that I receive it. Any more, incidentally, than it was essential that Aurora become my wife in order to accomplish my goal. Helpful, yes, but not essential. As I explained to you a fortnight ago, I sought Aurora's hand for a multitude of reasons. Most of which I shared with you. All of which I shared with Aurora. And many of which had little or nothing to do with the black diamond." A flicker of a smile. "Although, I must admit to being delighted—if unsurprised—by Aurora's reaction to the truth behind the Fox and the Falcon. I had hoped she'd react in precisely that way, and she didn't disappoint me. She was as intrigued by my great-grandfather's revelations as I—and as eager to complete their mission and put the past to rest. That prospect factored heavily into her decision to accept my proposal. So, while I'm delighted for Aurora's cooperation—after all, I can't deny it will expedite my search—I did not trick your sister into becoming my wife."
"Fine," Slayde stated flatly. "You've convinced me. Now go on."
"Go on?"
"Yes. I've heard that you intend to find the black diamond. I've heard that you had numerous and honorable reasons for marrying Aurora. What I have yet to hear is what you intend to do with the stone once you find it."
"Ah. You want to know whether your skepticism is warranted, whether my greed will eclipse all else from view."
"Exactly. I'm not going to help you make your fortune at my family's expense."
"Our families' expense," Julian corrected stiffly. "Remember, the Bencrofts have suffered the same injustices, if not the same number of tragedies, as the Huntleys."
"And you intend to right those injustices? Your sense of honor will compel you to relinquish the hundreds of thousands of pounds you'd reap by selling the diamond—and all to restore the reputation of a family you claim to despise?"
Tiny flames ignited Julian's eyes. "I'll repeat what I said to you the day I sought Aurora's hand. You know very little about me, and even less about my values, priorities, and motivations. 'Tis time to shatter your misconceptions. Mercenary or not, I'm not driven by wealth. Oh, I enjoy the handsome compensations I earn, but my way of life offers me so much more than just money; namely, excitement, challenge, a sense of adventure—and, yes, sometimes the opportunity to see justice served. Especially this time, when that justice is of so personal a nature—personal and meaningful, despite the animosity I felt for my father and grandfather. By finding the jewel, I can pay tribute to two very deserving men, one of whom happens to be my great-grandfather, end an animosity that should never have begun, and silence a curse that—whether I deem it ludicrous or not—has labeled us pariahs of society."
"You don't believe in the curse?"
"No more than you do," Julian shot back. "But what you and I do or do not believe has little bearing on the way the world views us. Not that I give a damn about being ostracized. Nor, I suspect, do you."
"I didn't…" Slayde refuted quietly. "…until now." His gaze flickered to Courtney, shifted lower to settle on her very swollen abdomen. "'Tis no longer only my life that's at stake. If I can protect my family, my child, from enduring the scars of the past, the fear and the isolation, I will." A hard swallow. "I must."
"Then trust me," Julian urged, his expression intense. "Accept that I don't plan to keep or sell the stone. I plan to turn it over to the Crown as our great-grandfathers intended, and to see it restored to the temple from which it was seized."
With one final glance at the journal, Slayde gave a terse nod. "Very well. Although I'm still reeling from all I've just learned … the ramifications."
"We all are, Slayde," Aurora put in. "I only just read the journal last night, then again on the carriage ride this morning. What James and Geoffrey did, the men they truly were—it's inspiring. I feel so proud and so determined to untarnish their names."
"How can Slayde and I help you?" Courtney interrupted. "Do you suspect the diamond truly is hidden at Pembourne after all?"
"No." Julian shook his head. "The Fox and the Falcon were far too clever to store their recovered treasures in one of their homes. I'm convinced they had a secret hiding place, one that has yet to be unearthed."
"Hundreds of privateers have hunted for the black diamond," Slayde reminded him. "Why hasn't one of them come upon this hiding place?"
"Because they hadn't the necessary clues to do so."
"And we have?"
"Yes. We need only uncover them."
Slayde frowned. "You've lost me, Julian."
"I said I didn't think the diamond was hidden at Pembourne or Morland. That doesn't mean the clues leading to it aren't."
