Desire Wears Diamonds by Renee Bernard Page A

Rutherford
was hard to explain. She wanted to believe it was a genuine
invitation based on gratitude for his heroic actions or even an
open interest in rekindling a friendship. But something wasn’t
right.
    Agreeable and appealing? Is he playing
matchmaker? Is that even possible after years of echoing my
father’s sentiments on my utter unsuitability?
    No answers came to her. Her own physical
reaction to Mr. Rutherford and weakness for his compliments only
muddied her internal debate. She’d wear her best gown on Sunday and
make an effort to stay quiet. She’d do her best to appease her
brother and keep Mr. Rutherford’s respect. But one thing was
certain.
    She’d be prepared for the worst and have her
savings pinned inside her clothes in case she needed to make a run
for it.
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER EIGHT
     
    Michael, Galen and Ashe all stared at the
odd shaped stone on the table between them. The size of a walnut,
it was a pale red thing, almost pink in cast, and Michael tipped
his head to one side to see if another angle would help improve its
appearance. “Seriously? This is it?”
    Galen leaned back. “The jeweler said it
appeared to be a dyed stone. Wasn’t that the whole point of the
quest? To find a gem that might be disguised to mask its true
nature?”
    “Is it a diamond then?” Ashe asked. “Is it the diamond?”
    “Darius will be back from his honeymoon in a
week.” Galen said. “I’d say he probably knows some kind of test
to—“
    The impact of one of the fireplace andirons
crashing down on top of the stone sent Ashe wheeling backwards from
his chair onto the floor and Galen leapt up to avoid the worst of
the corresponding mess.
    “Rutherford! What the hell!?”
    “What? I’m done wasting time and I don’t
have a week to wait.” Michael lifted the ornate and heavy tool and
shrugged at the sight of a pulverized pile of pink glass-like
crystals. “I’d say it’s definitely not a diamond.”
    The door to the library crashed open as
Godwin came through with two younger footmen on his heels, all of
them armed with medieval weapons they’d grabbed from a suit of
armor in the hallway. “Sir! Are you…all right?”
    Michael guiltily hid the andiron behind his
back. “Sorry, Godwin.”
    “An experiment gone wrong,” Ashe chuckled as
he stood up, brushing off his pants. “No harm done.”
    The footmen retreated as Godwin entered the
fray, his brow furrowed with disapproval. “The table might disagree
with your assessment, Mr. Blackwell!”
    Galen took one slow step away from Michael,
clearly trying not to smile as he subtly indicated who the culprit
might be. “Rutherford was just demonstrating his knowledge of
gems.”
    Ashe mirrored Lord Winter’s guilty move away
from Michael, enjoying the mirth of the moment and deliberately put
his hands behind his back like a contrite schoolboy. “Mr.
Rutherford is very enthusiastic about gem quality.”
    Michael shot them both a dark look of his
own that promised retribution, but for now, it was Godwin he
addressed. “I will see the table repaired or replaced, Mr. Godwin
and naturally, it won’t happen again.”
    “See that it does not!” Mr. Godwin said,
finally setting aside his mace. “I will advise Mrs. Clark the cause
of the mess so that there are no misunderstandings below stairs and
ask that all of you refrain from murdering any more of the
furniture.”
    “Yes, sir.” All three men answered dutifully
and then miraculously managed to keep themselves from laughing
until the butler had retreated.
    “God! That’s a story to tell!” Ashe sat back
down in his chair, with a wry grin. “I swear I thought he was going
to send us all to bed without supper!”
    “Enjoy your fun, Blackwell, but when Mrs.
Clark has a word with your wife, I doubt I’ll be invited back,”
Michael said as he replaced the andiron.
    Ashe laughed. “As if you would care! You
blanche white every time you get within a hundred yards of