Page 42 of Unmasking the Diamond
“I did,” Luca said, offering his arm with genuine admiration. “Well done.”
As Luca guided Charlotte towards the carriage, she said, “I would like to be there when you interview Mr. Griffin.”
He winced, knowing before the words left his mouth that she would not like his answer. “I don’t think that is a good idea.”
Her eyes narrowed, sharp and expectant. “And why not?”
“Mr. Griffin has gone to great lengths to disappear,” Luca said as they stepped onto the pavement. “If cornered, he might not go quietly. He might put up a fight.”
“Do you think you can handle him by yourself?” she pressed.
“No,” he admitted, “but I have someone that can help me. An old friend.”
Her brow arched with skepticism. “And who is this man?”
Suppressing a sigh, he gave the name. “Lord Rupert Milnes.”
Charlotte gave him a pointed look. “How can Lord Rupert possibly help you? He seems more the ‘eat, drink, and be merry’ type of man.”
After helping her into the carriage, Luca settled opposite her, watching the skepticism in her expression with a trace of amusement. “I assure you there is more to him than that.”
“If you say so,” she said, leaning back against the bench.
“I will have one of my reporters keep watch on the building. If Griffin shows up early, we’ll know.”
Charlotte gave a decisive nod. “What can I do?”
“Nothing, for now.”
“I could help watch the building,” she suggested, her eyes alive with determination.
He chuckled. “I think not. You are far too beautiful to go unnoticed. Best to leave such work to my reporter.”
The shift in her demeanor was immediate. Her back stiffened, her shoulders went rigid, and silence fell heavy between them.
“Did I say something wrong?” Luca ventured.
When she looked at him again, fire blazed in her eyes. “I am more than a pretty face. I would rather be recognized for my wit or my intellect.”
He lifted his hands slightly in surrender. “I was paying you a compliment. You are all those things, Charlotte.”
But her sharp exhale betrayed how little comfort the words gave. “People take one look at me and judge me upon appearances alone. It has been this way since I was a child.”
“Yes,” he said carefully, “but you have used that perception to your advantage. No one suspects Mr. Fairchild hides behind the glitter of the diamond of the Season.”
Her gaze darted to him, hard, searching. “Even you see only limitations.”
“No.” He leaned forward, intent. “You mistake me. I am being realistic. A lady watching a building would invite attention, attention we do not want.”
But she was already pulling inward, her jaw tight. “I overheard my father once say the only thing I had going for me was my beauty.”
Anger stirred in Luca’s chest. “That was wrong of him.”
Her eyes, luminous with unshed tears, lifted to his. “Was it? My father barely spoke to me. I tried so hard to win his approval, but he hated me.”
“I doubt he hated you,” Luca attempted.
A humorless laugh escaped her. “I cost him his wife. My mother’s health declined after I was born. She died not long after. He blamed me. Always.”
