India Black and the Rajah's Ruby by Carol K. Carr Read Free Book Online Page B

and edged forward just far enough to see that there was no sign of Philip. Indeed, the bed had not been slept in. Clearly, after he’d left me last night he had departed. I absorbed this interesting piece of information and quickly formulated the various permutations and significance thereof: (a) Philip had obviously stolen the ruby, (b) I had been his unwilling accomplice, and (c) was now offered up as the sacrificial virgin in this Greek drama. A second later, everyone else arrived at the same deduction.
    White turned a red-veined gaze in my direction. “Seize her!” he shouted to Ford. Bloody hell. The rest of the group had not reached conclusions (b) and (c) but obviously believed (d): that I was Philip’s assistant and had participated in the theft.
    Now you may say that I should have bolted but I wouldn’t have got far, not in a dressing gown and bare feet, without a farthing to my name. My only choice was to brazen it out. I chose for my role that of the deceived and deluded naïf. It would be deuced difficult to pull off, but that bastard Philip had left me little choice, and if he thought I might direct attention elsewhere while he made off with the loot, he was mistaken. I’d have liked to set the dogs on the man myself, but the first order of business was to extricate myself from this rather sticky situation in which Philip had deposited me.
    So I whimpered and shed a few tears and told White that I was Esther Boyd and worked for Mother Aycock’s house, and had met Philip just a few days before. He had promised me a fair sum if I’d come along and pretend to be his wife so that he’d look a solid fellow and he could finagle the old man into signing some sort of contract. I told them I had come away with him on a lark and see where it had gotten me? And heavens, what was I to do now? I dashed away the tears, being sure to scrub my eyes so they were soon swollen and red. I wrung my hands and bemoaned my fate and otherwise rued the day I’d met the handsome fellow with the blond locks and the hazel eyes. And I made sure to let my dressing gown gape open to reveal a tantalizing strip of creamy skin. All this time I kept my eyes on White, not daring to look at the wraith-like Ford or at Ashton.
    I could see the American softening around the edges. Men, bless ’em. I’ve yet to meet one that can’t be swayed by a pretty face, a glimpse of cleavage and a few tears. I ended my tale and threw myself upon White’s mercy, imploring him to send me back to London and let me return to my duties a wiser woman than when I had left them.
    He studied me for a moment and I could see he’d almost bought the pup I was selling, but wasn’t quite sure that the pedigree was up to scratch. “What do you think, gentlemen?” he asked.
    I almost groaned, for the last thing I needed at the moment was a second opinion from the likes of Ashton or Ford.
    Ashton folded his arms and propped his chin in his hand. His face was grave, but I could have sworn I saw a hint of mirth in his eyes. After a lengthy pause, he pronounced: “I believe she’s telling the truth, Mr. White.”
    “She’s a liar,” Ford spat. “She’s admitted as much. She came here under false pretenses.”
    “She’s done that,” Ashton agreed. “But if she was Barrett’s accomplice, why did he leave her here?”
    “To delay us while Barrett escapes with the jewel. We should have summoned the police when we first discovered the ruby was gone. Instead, we’ve wasted valuable time chasing after Barrett and interrogating this woman.”
    “Nonsense.” Ashton laughed, and Ford flushed with anger.
    “Look at her.” Ashton waved a hand at me. “Does she look like a clever jewel thief to you? She’s just who she says she is: a witless whore who fell for a chap’s smooth talk.”
    Well, I wanted to hug Ashton and thank him for that while I kicked him in the conkers for describing me in such unflattering terms. I resisted the urge to do bodily harm,