Page 99 of Unmasking the Diamond
For a fleeting moment, Luca pictured her—Charlotte with that stubborn tilt of her chin and defiant spark in her eyes. His chest ached. “No,” he said. “If I know her at all, she’s irritated beyond measure and arguing with her captors. She’s probably buying us time without even realizing it.”
Alcott gave a faint, humorless smile. “You’re right.”
“I know you’re scared,” Luca said. “I am, too. But we can’t fall apart now. If anything happens to Charlotte…” His voice caught, the words dissolving before he could finish.
Alcott’s expression softened, the hostility that had existed between them earlier giving way to shared dread. “I feel the same way.”
Silence fell between them after that, thick and oppressive. The sound of hooves striking cobblestones filled the carriage, mingling with the clatter of passing wheels and the shouts of vendors trying to hawk their goods.
When the carriage at last drew to a halt before Alcott’s townhouse, both men were out the door before the footman could lower the step. They ascended the stairs in haste, tension propelling every movement.
The butler met them in the entry hall, his expression grave. “Miss Winslow’s lady’s maid, Sally, is waiting in the study, my lord.”
Alcott gave a curt nod and strode down the corridor with Luca close behind.
Inside the study, the maid stood wringing her hands, her eyes red-rimmed and brimming with panic. She looked young—too young to be facing this kind of interrogation. Luca felt a pang of sympathy.
Alcott crossed his arms, his tone clipped. “When did you last see my sister?”
“When I dressed her this morning, my lord,” Sally stammered. “She was to accompany Lady Alcott to the circulating library.”
“Did she say why she went into the gardens?”
“No, my lord.” Sally shook her head rapidly. “She never mentioned it.”
“Did you give her a note?” Alcott pressed.
The maid looked stricken. “No, I did not. I know nothing of any note. I swear it.”
Luca stepped forward, his tone softer than Alcott’s. “I believe you. I know how close you are to Miss Winslow. I can only imagine how distressing this must be.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “It is, my lord. She’s been nothing but kind to me. To all of us.”
“Then help us,” Luca prodded. “Is there anything—anything at all—that might tell us why someone would wish her harm?”
Sally wiped her eyes, her voice trembling. “I cannot think why anyone would wish to hurt her. She hides it, but she’s good—truly good. Just recently, she saved a maid from Lord Matthew’s household…”
Alcott’s head snapped up. “She did what?”
Sally froze, realizing her mistake. “I wasn’t supposed to say anything.”
“It’s a little late for that,” Alcott said sharply. “Speak or you are dismissed.”
Her eyes darted about the room as though searching for an escape. “Miss Winslow disguised herself as a maid so she could speak to one of Lord Matthew’s servants. She offered the woman employment here if she would retrieve a letter for her.”
Alcott’s nostrils flared. “What kind of letter?”
Sally winced. “It was… a letter confirming that Lady Matthew was being held against her will at The Chelmsford Asylum.”
Luca interjected. “That much is true.”
Alcott turned on him, his voice low and dangerous. “You knew about this?”
“I did,” Luca admitted. “I didn’t approve of how Charlotte went about obtaining it, but she proved what we suspected—that Lady Matthew is being unjustly confined.”
Alcott’s eyes blazed. “And why was my sister involved in any of this? How long has she been keeping secrets from me?”
Luca met his gaze steadily. “That isn’t mine to tell.”
