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Chapter Twenty-One
Selina held her fan up, in front of her face, as she re-entered the ball. She was still blushing furiously. Looking around, she didn’t see Lord Sandbourne anywhere.
Had he left? She’d known that he was interested, but not that interested in her. He’d been kind to her, and she hadn’t seen the depth of his affections. She’d only considered howshewasn’t in danger of affections.
She felt bad for Lord Sandbourne. He’d clearly been hurt.
When she glanced toward the door, Jasper was standing beside it, his eyes on her. Behind the fan, she smiled, her cheeks blushing a furious crimson.
Suddenly, there was an outburst—a lady screamed, and there was a flurry of excitement. Selina froze, turning to look.
“My necklace has been stolen!” the Dowager Duchess exclaimed. “In my own home!”
Both of her sons ran to her. Selina watched in horror, her hand going to her neck, where her pearl necklace remained safe.
“Right off of my neck,” the Dowager Duchess was saying, her hand on her throat. “I know that I latched it properly.”
There was another exclamation. “Mine has been stolen, too!”
Selina watched in horror as two more ladies found that their necklaces had been removed from their necks, without them noticing.
“A talented pickpocket,” she mused underneath her breath. “How brazen.” Their culprits had, in fact, come to the ball. Despite all of those who knew to be looking, they had still gotten away with pulling off another heist.
“Close the doors!” Jasper yelled. “No one leaves without turning out their pockets.”
Colonel Fitz and his soldiers moved to the doors. Everyone was all talking, checking their valuables to make sure that they were there. And then, everyone was placed in a long line.
She wondered who it could be. She frowned as she looked around at the crowd. She counted as many people as she knew—the Mortons, the Langleys, the Quimbys. Her Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin. Lord Munro. With a sudden chill, like a cold finger down her spine, she realized that the one person who was missing was Lord Sandbourne.
* * *
Jasper was on high alert. He watched the crowd, even as he stood beside his mother, who was in tears. As he stood there, Selina walked up to him.
“Are you all right, My Lady?” he asked, suddenly worried that she’d been robbed, too. Her brow was furrowed in concern.
“May I speak to you for a moment?” she asked.
“Of course, My Lady.” They both walked a little way away from the others. “What is it?”
“Who’smissing?” she asked pointedly. He looked around, his eyes scanning the room. Suddenly, his heart started pounding as he realized.
“Stephen,” he said, shaking his head. “It can’t be.”
“It might be, Your Grace,” she said, biting her lip.
“What am I supposed to do?” He couldn’t imagine showing up at Sandbourne, with the regiment, to arrestStephen.
“Maybe go over, with just a few men?” she asked. “If you don’t find anything here...”
“Yes, yes of course,” he said, suddenly knowing that he wasn’t going to find anything on anyone who was currently in attendance. Whoever had done it had snuck the jewelry away, long before it was noticed missing.
She was looking at him sadly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Me too.”
He turned away from her and began to steel himself for what had to be done. His mind swam—Stephen? A thief and murderer?He would have never suspected him.
But, he supposed, that would have been the best cover—to have been the Duke’s best friend, and then to help with the investigation. He tried to recall if Stephen had intentionally led him in the wrong direction. Jasper could barely think.
