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He laughed.“I’ll save that news for theDaily Informer.”
“Word of mouth advertisements are more valuable than gold.”
“I can’t deny that,” Matthew said.She was a plucky and witty conversationalist, something he enjoyed on most days.Most days he didn’t have the possibility of a naked wife to entice him home.
“Tell me, Mr.Hardy, what is Sandhurst’s most valuable piece of property?”
“If we are talking the duchy, then I would rightly say it is Rose Elliston.The new duke can never hope to marry such quality even if he had the charisma to do so.”
“How close you are,” Alice said.She swirled her drink, reveling in the news she was about to share.“You’ve heard of the Isis Diamonds?”
“Can’t say that I have.I’m not that familiar with jewelry or jewels.What do they have to do with Sandhurst?”
“The Isis Diamonds are rare blue diamonds, originally over two-hundred carats but cut down to five stones and set into a necklace of superb Swiss craftsmanship along with another one-hundred-and-ten white diamonds.Absolutely extraordinary and word is it’s priceless.You will never guess who owns it.”
“Sandhurst.”
“Not quite.Oh, it’s so delicious I can hardly contain myself.”
Matthew sipped his whisky.Would her news help his cause?“I’m confused why a diamond necklace will get me what I want.”
“Because it belongs to your wife.”Alice leaned back and finished her drink, while waiting his reaction.“She brought them into the marriage and Edmond Elliston called them the Sandhurst Diamonds out of some overblown sense of importance, I suppose.According to my sources, the night you and Rose Elliston married—was that just two nights ago?—well, Cyril tore through more than her trunks looking for the piece.Do you have any comprehension what a blue diamond is worth, let alone five matching gems?”
So, the duke wasn’t just furious Rose was leaving; she was leaving with something the duke wanted more than he wanted a widowed sister-in-law in the wings.
“I’m not normally so obtuse, but—”
“Vingt-et-un.Winner take all.The prize will be the Isis Diamonds.Oh, and I am going to have to muck your name up a bit to have a plausible reason you would be willing to put the diamonds up as a prize.”
“My name is already mucked up.How can you guarantee Sandhurst will attend?”
“Dear boy, that is my specialty.Well, it is all a little backward from how I normally do things, but this will be spectacular.”
“How do we get Sandhurst’s fortune?”
“Keep your expectations low.I’ll do what I can while planning this gaming fest,” she said.
“Let’s start at the beginning.Step by step.I have to protect Rose’s property and explain to her why I will be gambling with the stones against Sandhurst.There’s only so much risky business one can tolerate.”
“Do it while you are in bed.And it won’t be just Sandhurst.I think we’ll start with eight players.Eight very wealthy players.Perhaps more.The house has never won against so many players at once.It will be a wonderful challenge!”
“Well, shit, Alice!You can’t bankrupt every noble in London with one card game.”He’d leaned forward, forearms braced against his legs, his crystal glass between his hands.Alice was cavalier only because she was thinking in terms of money.The betterment of society and the ruination of a treasonous bastard were much more important.
“Only the unmarried ones,” she said.
“It will never work.”He shook his head.
“Matthew, dear.Have you any idea the number of selfish pricks with money who walk through my doors in a week?All of them are looking for the next thrill.If they lose at the tables, I can placate them with one of my experienced girls.”
“None of them will care about a necklace, that’s certain.”Could it work?Was it too much of a challenge, and would Cyril smell trouble?
“When money doesn’t work wooing a woman, jewelry does.But you are ignoring the important point.Sandhurstdoeswant the return of the Isis Diamonds because they are part of the Sandhurst legacy now.”
“Or so he thinks.”
“He believes it.He wants those jewels.”
“We must think of something else.You are presenting an opportunity with more risks than I can take.”
