Page 126 of Unmasking the Diamond
Luca stared after him, the ledger still clutched in his hands, the unanswered question hanging heavily in the air. Rupert had secrets—of that much he was certain—and though Luca trusted him, it was clear that trust had limits.
A sudden thump struck the back of his head. He turned sharply, frowning as a bread roll bounced off the floor and rolled away.
He looked up to see Jude leaning casually against the doorway, one brow raised in satisfaction. “That was your sign. Go get Miss Winslow.”
“You threw a roll at me,” Luca said flatly.
“You’re lucky,” Jude replied, a grin tugging at his mouth. “Father wouldn’t let me throw anything heavier to get your attention.”
Luca brushed the back of his head, making sure no crumbs lingered. “I’m leaving, but not to see Charlotte—not yet. There’s something I must see to first.”
Jude folded his arms, studying him with that infuriating mix of amusement and concern only an elder brother could manage. “Is it more important than Miss Winslow?”
Luca paused at the door. “Nothing is more important than her,” he said. “But if I don’t see this through, I’ll never be worthy of her.”
And with that, he stepped outside, the weight of duty pressing on his shoulders and the thought of Charlotte keeping his resolve firm.
Charlotte sat upon the settee in the drawing room, a book open in her lap, though she could not recall a single sentence she had read. Her eyes followed the printed words, but her mind betrayed her—darting instead to thoughts ofhim.
Luca.
Every time she tried to focus, his image appeared—the way his eyes softened when he smiled, the way his voice seemed to wrap around her name like a promise. He had her in ways no one else ever would. She had to tell him how she felt. She must.And yet, the closer she came to doing so, the more her courage slipped away like sand through her fingers.
The long clock in the corner chimed the hour, its solemn tone a reminder that the dinner bell would soon ring. Her stomach twisted. Would he come tonight? Would she have another chance?
Her musings were interrupted when Jane glided into the room, the faint rustle of muslin accompanying her graceful entrance. “Good evening, Charlotte,” she greeted warmly.
Charlotte quickly straightened and lowered her book. “Good evening. Will Alistair be joining us for dinner?”
Jane nodded as she crossed the room. “He will, though he is currently meeting with Lord Luca.”
Charlotte’s heart leapt before she could stop it. “Luca is here?”
“He is,” Jane confirmed, her tone tinged with curiosity. “Does that please you?”
Feigning indifference, Charlotte shrugged. “It neither pleases me nor displeases me.”
Jane laughed softly and took a seat opposite her. “You are terrible at hiding your feelings.”
“I beg to differ. I have become quite proficient at it,” Charlotte countered.
“Perhaps in certain matters,” Jane said, eyes glinting with amusement, “but not when it comes to matters of the heart.”
Charlotte exhaled and set her book on the table, the sound of it closing far louder than she intended. “What do you suppose Luca is discussing with Alistair?”
Jane lifted a delicate brow. “Does it truly matter?”
“Of course not,” Charlotte rushed out.
Jane moved to sit beside her. “Then allow me to ask plainly—what is it you want, Charlotte?”
Charlotte hesitated. What did she want? To be brave enough to admit that she loved him. To build something real—something lasting—with the man who made her feel both entirely herself and entirely undone. But fear whispered that she would lose him if she dared too much. It was that fear that had always made her hide behind her careful mask.
Before she could answer, a deep, familiar voice came from the doorway.
“Charlotte.”
Her breath caught. She would know that voice anywhere. Slowly, she turned her head, and there he was. Luca stood beside Alistair, the fading sunlight from the hall catching the edges of his dark hair.
