C. Harris - What Darkness Brings

Hope walked over to stand before a massive Rubens, his head tipping back as he stared up at the towering canvas. “I don’t think you quite understand what’s at stake here,” he said quietly. “This isn’t about the possibility of a legal challenge from the Bourbons. If the diamond is indeed the French Blue-and I’m not saying that it is-then it has been recut. So while there might be speculation, the association could never be proven.”

“True. But I don’t think it’s the Bourbons you’re worried about, is it?”

Hope cast a quick glance over his shoulder at the workmen on the scaffold and shook his head. His voice dropped even lower. “Napoleon Bonaparte has spent the last eight years in a determined effort to reassemble the French Crown Jewels. He sees the treasure’s loss as a blow to France’s honor, to the point that its recovery has become an obsession with him. And the most precious of all the French Crown Jewels was the diamant bleu de la Couronne . It’s why he was so determined to overrun the Duchy of Brunswick and ransack the palace-because he was convinced he’d find the French Blue there. And he was furious when he didn’t.”

“So Napoleon knows the revolutionary government bribed the Duke?”

“I doubt the world will ever know the truth of what happened at Valmy in 1792. But there have always been rumors. And one must remember that Napoleon is himself a general. I’ve heard it said that in his opinion, a bribe is the only explanation that makes sense out of what happened at Valmy. All I know is that, somehow, he found out Eisler had a large blue diamond for sale.”

“You know this for certain?”

Hope nodded. “One of his agents approached Eisler last Saturday morning.”

“Who?” asked Sebastian sharply. “Who was this agent?”

“Eisler wouldn’t say. He was very nervous, for obvious reasons. When it comes to the search for the French Crown Jewels, Napoleon has proven himself utterly. .” Hope hesitated, as if searching for the right word, then settled for: “Ruthless.”

“Not to mention lethal,” said Sebastian. “So why not agree to sell him the stone?”

Hope gave a low laugh that rumbled in his chest. “The Emperor has a bad reputation when it comes to paying for his purchases. You’ve heard that Eisler provided the diamond necklace Napoleon presented to Empress Marie Louise as a wedding gift?”

“Yes.”

“The final payment was never made. Eisler lost a small fortune on the transaction. Napoleon’s attitude is that the honor of supplying his exalted personage should be reward enough.”

“It’s a tendency he unfortunately shares with the Prince Regent,” said Sebastian dryly.

“True. But anyone selling jewels to Prinny learned long ago to require payment up front and in cash.”

“So why not do the same with the Emperor?”

“Because Prinny’s agents don’t generally kill recalcitrant sellers and steal their merchandise. Napoleon’s do.”

“Are you suggesting that is what happened to Eisler?”

Hope gave another quick glance around. “It makes sense. Don’t you think?”

“So you’re saying the diamond is missing?”

Hope’s features contorted with a spasm of anxiety. “It is, yes.”

Sebastian studied the small man’s mobile, expressive face. “Who besides you knew Eisler had the blue diamond?”

“It’s difficult to say with any certainty. People talk. Someone obviously did, or else how did Napoleon’s agent know to approach Eisler?”

“And did this French agent know the identity of the stone’s true owner?”

“No. How could he? Unless Eisler told him.”

“Are you so certain that he did not?”

Hope looked momentarily confused. “Why would Eisler tell him?”

“In an attempt to save his own life, perhaps?”

Sebastian watched the banker suck his lower lip between his teeth as the color drained from his homely face. Taking pity on the man, Sebastian said, “If Napoleon’s agent did kill Eisler and recover the diamond, then the French would have no reason now to come after you.”

“Yes. But what if the French don’t have the diamond? What if someone else murdered Eisler and stole the gem? Or what if Eisler was murdered for some other reason entirely and Samuel Perlman now has the diamond?”

“Does Perlman know his uncle was handling the diamond for you?”

“Of course he does. I immediately laid claim against the estate for its value.”

“He’s refusing to pay, is he?”

Hope worked his mouth furiously back and forth. “He is trying.” He frowned down the length of the gallery, to where the workmen were resetting a pane of glass. Then he leaned in closer to ask quietly, “Do you think the French have recovered the diamond?”

“Actually, I’d be very surprised if they have.”

Hope looked surprised. “What makes you so certain?”

“Because I think they’re still looking for it.”

Samuel Perlman was watching a cricket match at an oval near Sloane Square when Sebastian walked up to him.

He glanced sideways at Sebastian and exhaled in exaggerated exasperation. “You do realize this is getting tiresome, don’t you?”

“For both of us,” agreed Sebastian, pausing beside him, his gaze on the batsman. “Let me give you a hint: It’s never a good idea to lie when there’s a murder involved. It tends to give people the impression you’ve something to hide. Something like guilt.”

Perlman laughed out loud. “Surely you aren’t still suggesting I had something to do with my uncle’s death?”

“You might. I don’t know yet. But as it happens, I was referring to a certain large, rare gem that’s gone missing. You remember the one-the big blue diamond you told me you’d never heard of, despite the fact you were already vociferously denying Thomas Hope’s claim against the estate for its value. Now, it’s always possible that whoever murdered your uncle also took the diamond. Or, you could simply be pretending that he did.”

Perlman’s dark curly hair quivered against his fashionably pale cheeks. “Don’t be insulting. If I had any desire to acquire that diamond, I would simply have purchased it.”

“Ah. So you admit you did know about it.”

“All right. I did, yes. But I certainly did not steal it. To even suggest such a thing is ridiculous. I’m a wealthy man.”

Sebastian kept his gaze on the pitch. “The problem with wealth is that appearances can be deceptive. Trade is always so fickle, is it not? Particularly in time of war. I suspect that between the depredations of Napoleon and the Americans, your interests have not been performing well lately.”

“My holdings and investments are performing just fine, thank you. So if you’re looking for some poor sod to pin this murder on, you’re going to need to look elsewhere.”

Sebastian gave a slow, nasty smile. “If that’s the way you want to play it. I hope you have your affairs in order.” He bowed and started to move away.

Perlman raised his voice. “Wait! What does that mean? What are you going to do?”

Sebastian pivoted to face him again. “I don’t need to do anything. I wouldn’t be surprised if the French already suspect that the stone they’re looking for might now be in your possession. You see, Napoleon is under the impression Hope’s diamond once formed part of the French Crown Jewels. And as you know, the Emperor is not averse to killing in order to get the jewels back.”

“But I don’t have it!”

“Somehow, I suspect Napoleon’s agents won’t be content to simply take your word for it.”

Perlman threw a quick glance around and lowered his voice. “Someone’s been watching me.”