“Of course we must find Juliet, Sharp,” Hil told him confidently. “Only then will we be able to retrieve the pearl. Both your desires shall be accomplished.”
Roger met Alasdair’s stare for a minute before nodding tersely. “Of course, you’re right. The pearl must come first. And then you shall deal with your Juliet.”
Alasdair smiled grimly, his anger still simmering. “I shall deal with Juliet, Roger. Never fear.”
Seven
Julianna stepped tentatively into the receiver’s shop. She hadn’t the nerve to visit the rougher shops her father had spoken of, so she’d come to this one, which was actually a rather respectable-looking shop that sold curiosities. It would likely be harder to sell the stolen pearl here. Of course, a fair share of the merchandise was stolen. She was quite sure that the well-to-do patrons who were browsing the shelves had no idea, although perhaps they did. Perhaps they knew and simply didn’t care, so long as the things hadn’t been stolen from them.
Julianna silently scolded herself. She was in a melancholy mood, and that wouldn’t do at all. She had done it. The Stuart Pearl was in her possession, and when she sold it she’d have enough money to pay the rent for the foundling home, and probably quite a bit more. There would be no more scrambling for funds for food and other essentials for the immediate future. The children could even have new clothes!
She remembered her own childhood, the constant uncertainty about where she would be getting her next meal and where she would sleep each night. In spite of her father’s efforts, she’d lived with those fears daily. She’d started the home so that she could protect the children from feeling the way she once had. There was no reason to feel guilty or heartbroken about what she’d done. Alasdair didn’t need the pearl, did he? And she did. It was that simple.
She sighed as she stopped at the counter and waited for the proprietor to finish with a patron. No matter how many times she gave herself that speech, it still didn’t ring true. She had stolen a priceless family heirloom from a man she admired, and possibly even cared for. A man who was impossibly out of her reach and completely uninterested in the real her. Because his Juliet was a much more daring and alluring woman than Julianna was. Her head hurt just thinking about it.
What she needed to remember was that if Alasdair found out who she was, he would likely have her thrown in the Tower. Was that what they did to gently reared thieves? She began to feel a little lightheaded. Perhaps the magistrate wouldn’t care that she’d been gently reared. She was a fallen woman, after all. Oh, God. Would Alasdair tell them that when he reported the theft? Would he reveal her perfidy, her ruination?
“Miss?” Julianna turned toward the concerned voice and found herself facing a nattily dressed older gentleman. He had thick, white hair, kind blue eyes, and very expensive taste judging from his outfit. “Are you all right? Shall I fetch a chair for you?”
Julianna quickly shook her head, but a bout of sudden weakness hit her and she had to grab on to the gentleman’s arm. “Yes, perhaps you should,” she answered with a tremor in her voice.
A small, delicate gilt chair, its round seat cushion embroidered with roses, was immediately brought around for her. She sank down gratefully in the seat and closed her eyes for a moment, blocking out the worried faces that surrounded her. Surely Alasdair would not humiliate her that way. They had shared something wild and beautiful. He wouldn’t sully it by besmirching her reputation. Guilt stabbed at her. But she had ruined it, hadn’t she, when she had taken the pearl?
She sat up straighter. So be it. If he chose to bandy their intimate secrets about the streets of London then there was naught she could do about it. No one would know it was her. And she would know he was without honor and unworthy of her concern. There! So much for Alasdair Sharp, she thought fiercely. I will do what I must, and he can do what he must.
She opened her eyes with a new determination, and noted the relief on the kindly gentleman’s face. “All better, miss?” he asked with a smile.
“Oh, yes, thank you,” Julianna reassured him. She stood and adjusted her bonnet with steady hands. “I’m afraid I was overcome by the heat.”
He cast a dubious glance out at the rather brisk spring day and Julianna blushed, berating herself for her stupidity. But she refused to acknowledge her obvious lie. Her father had taught her that if you acted as if a lie were the truth, then those around you might begin to believe it, too.
“Of course,” he said, regaining his composure and handing the chair off to a shop assistant. “Is there something I can help you with today?” He was kindness itself, but Julianna recognized the look in his eyes as he discreetly studied her expensive, fashionable clothes and tasteful jewelry.
Julianna straightened her gloves while she looked about the room. There were only two other patrons, a man and a woman, and they were busy surveying some porcelain in the far corner of the shop. She took the slightest step toward the shopkeeper before she answered him in a low voice. “My name is Julianna Harte, and I hope you can help me with an unexpected inheritance.” Julianna held her breath. She had heard the name of the shop from her father several years ago, and she was hoping that this gentleman might recognize her surname.
By the gleam in his eye she could tell he did. “Of course, Miss Harte,” he said quietly. “I believe I may be acquainted with your father?”
Julianna nodded with a relieved smile. “Yes, I believe so.”
He took Julianna’s elbow and steered her toward a door in the back of the shop. “Let me take you to my wife,” he said loudly, clearly for the benefit of the other patrons. “She can show you a place to rest while we wait for your carriage.”
“Thank you so much,” Julianna said breathlessly, her performance more than convincing. She was used to acting—she’d played more than her fair share of roles over the course of her untraditional childhood, protecting her father or helping him maneuver his latest ladylove into an assignation.
He smiled as he led her through the door. “If you’ll just take a seat in the office, I’ll be with you shortly,” he said sotto voce, and closed the door behind her.
Julianna jumped when a woman seemed to appear out of nowhere. “Right this way, miss,” she murmured with a polite smile, and gestured toward a small, cramped office, filled with a large desk and an eccentric collection of curiosities.
“Good heavens,” Julianna said with a start, staring in horror. “Is that a skull?”
The woman’s smile grew, and Julianna was unsettled by the look on her face. “Yes. Isn’t it lovely? A gentleman just brought it in.” She picked it up and pointed at a large hole in the side of the skull. “We’re not sure if he took a spear through the head or if they pulled his brains out through there.”
Julianna shuddered and recoiled, and the woman laughed. She put the skull down, and as she was leaving, she said over her shoulder, “Have a seat, dear. My husband will be in shortly.” She stopped and turned around to eye Julianna curiously. “You must have something that is worth a good bit. He doesn’t work much out of the backroom anymore.”
Julianna gave her a look, and after a moment the woman shrugged. “You needn’t tell me. If he buys it, I’ll find out soon enough.” With those words she turned and disappeared as stealthily as she’d appeared. Julianna scooted her chair as far from the skull as she could, until she was almost sitting in the narrow, dimly lit passageway.