“Hello, Gladys,” Consuelo said calmly enough, although the two red spots high on her cheeks betrayed her feeling. “I thought we might find you here.” She smiled slightly. “What a charming costume, my dear. Men’s clothing suits you, I must say.”
“Hel… hello, dear Connie,” Gladys said, forcing herself to smile. “I… I didn’t expect-”
She reached for the unfinished ransom note on the table, but she wasn’t quite quick enough.
Lady Sheridan had it, read it at a glance, and handed it to the Duchess, who read it and folded it carefully, tucking it into her sleeve. “I think I had best keep this,” she said. “I daresay you won’t be wanting to use it, after all.”
Gladys tossed off a light laugh. “It’s just a harmless little joke, you know, dear Connie. Only a prank. You know how I love jokes. Of course, I wouldn’t have taken the money. You and Marlborough would have gotten it back, and we’d all have had a good laugh together-”
“No doubt,” the Duchess said, holding herself in a regal posture, looking at Gladys with distaste as if she were an errant child-no, worse, someone for whom she had no use and no liking. “No doubt we would have laughed ourselves into hysterics at this shabby little bit of trickery, Gladys. And when we were quiet and calm again, I’m sure you would have thought of something else to liven things up.”
“Oh, yes,” Gladys said quickly. “I love Blenheim, you know, but it is awfully dull at times.”
“I know exactly how you must feel,” said the Duchess, her voice full of significance. “That’s why I think it’s time that you went back to Paris, my dear. Or Rome, if that’s your pleasure.” She glanced down at the watch pinned to her lapel. “In fact, I believe there’s just time to get you to the station so that you can catch the one o’clock train.” She looked up at Lady Sheridan. “Don’t you agree, Kate?”
Gravely, Lady Sheridan nodded.
“Oh,” cried Gladys, “but I have no suits or gowns or-”
“No matter,” Consuelo said, smiling gaily. “You can travel as you are-you make quite a handsome young man. I’ll have your wardrobe packed and sent to you. It will be there almost as soon as you are.”
“But… but I want to say goodbye to Marlborough,” Gladys cried, knowing that although the Duke might be angry at her for deceiving him, he wouldn’t stay angry for long. He would “I don’t think that’s wise,” Lady Sheridan said firmly. “You see, there has been quite an upset while you were gone. A housemaid has been found dead, a man has been shot, and a ring of jewel thieves has been discovered.” She cleared her throat delicately. “And there is some suggestion, I’m afraid, that you might have been involved in it. The Duchess and I are sure that it’s a mistake, but you do see the difficulty, don’t you? Poor Lord Northcote’s diamond necklace is gone, which makes it seem that you might be one of the thieves.”
“Oh, but that’s absurd!” Gladys exclaimed. “Totally, entirely absurd!”
“Oh, I’m sure,” the Duchess replied. “However, it might be a good idea if I returned Lord Northcote’s jewels to him. He really is quite concerned.”
Gladys flushed. She had not intended to return the necklace, but now it seemed that she had no choice. And no choice but to get on the train, either. As she went to get the necklace, she cast a hard look at Lady Sheridan. She was the one who had turned the Duchess against her, and the Duke, too. It was all her fault.
“Here you are,” Gladys said, putting the necklace into the Duchess’s hands. She gave her a hard look. “This will change things, you know, Consuelo. Between us, I mean. You and me. It will be open warfare now. And in the end, I will get him.”
“Of course you will,” the Duchess said gently. She smiled, and there was a genuine compassion in her voice. “I am very sorry for you, Gladys. He will not make you happy.”
“P’rhaps not,” Gladys said, stung. “But there is always Blenheim.”
“Indeed,” said the Duchess. “There is always Blenheim.”