Filed To Story: Alessia Mistaken as Mistress Book PDF Free
The following morning he stood before Gramb and Sons’ door as Howard Gramb arrived. The portly gentleman unlocked and unbolted the door and ushered Nicholas inside.
“Have you come for a gift?” he asked.
“No, I’ve come for the jewelry that a young woman sold yesterday.”
“Ah. Yes.” He bent, opened a floor safe and withdrew a satin box. “A lovely piece.”
Nicholas stared at the emerald bracelet. The one he’d seen on Claire’s wrist at least twice. “What about the rest? An emerald necklace, several rings, a diamond bracelet-“
Howard Grambs shook his bald head.
“A diamond stickpin, a gold pocket watch?”
He shook his head again. “This is the only piece I bought all day.”
“But she offered you others?”
“No. This was the only piece she had.”
“Very well. How much did you give her for it?”
“I would not be a shrewd businessman if I told you that, now would I? Then you would know enough to barter the price until I made no profit.”
Nicholas scowled, and the man’s expression flattened.
“I don’t give a damn about your profit margin. I want to know how much you gave her for this bracelet.”
“One hundred and twenty-five dollars,” he admitted.
“It’s worth four times that.”
“Not to me. I’ll be lucky to get two-fifty for it.”
Nicholas opened his jacket and plucked bills from his flat leather wallet. “Two-fifty it is.”
He reached across the counter to take the bracelet from the surprised man. “If she comes back, notify me immediately.”
He dropped a card on the glass counter.
“Yes, Mr.-Halliday! I will. Thank you for your business.”
Nicholas dropped the bracelet into his pocket. “How many other jewelers are in Youngstown?”
“Seven, I believe.”
Nicholas exited the store.
Shortly after ten, he concluded she’d either taken the rest with her or she hadn’t left town yet. He left a card with each business owner, along with instructions to notify him if someone came in with the items described.
That night at dinner he pulled the bracelet from his pocket.
His mother, who hadn’t eaten a bite, stared at the winking emeralds. “It’s Claire’s.”
He shrugged. “Or something she stole from someone else. She sold it to Gramb.”
“The rest?”
He shook his head. “Not yet. I wired every jeweler in five states, Mother. I’ll get your things back.”
She nodded. She didn’t care about the jewelry.
Dinner was silent. She stared at the bassinet until Nicholas ordered Mrs. Pratt to remove it. Finally, she excused herself.
“Good night, Mother.” He waited until she left the room before he shoved his plate away, planted his elbows on the table and wearily covered his face with his hands.
Damn the woman! Damn her to hell! Hadn’t she caused enough upheaval in this family by marrying Stephen? Did she have to hurt his mother, too? For the life of him he couldn’t imagine what she had to gain by it.
And what about him?
Them. What about the kisses and caresses that had passed between them?
Yes, what about those?
What had he been thinking? Every self-preserving instinct he possessed had cried out to him to be wary of her.
He’d been wary. And he’d been fascinated. Captivated. Stupid as hell.
She was the perfect deceiver. Beautiful. Passionate with an air of innocence. And he’d been drawn to her as a moth to a flame.
“Are you finished, sir?”
Nicholas looked up to find Mrs. Pratt clearing the table. “Yes, thank you.”
His voice didn’t sound like his own. He stood. His home didn’t feel like his own. Nothing was as it should be.
And he still had to face her mother.
“What do you know about Claire leaving?” Nicholas asked her mother the following day.
Celia moved slowly, as if it hurt to use her muscles. She opened a drawer, looked in a cabinet, glanced around the room. “Leaving for where?”
“That’s what I’m asking you.”
“Where’s the bottle I had here last night?” she asked herself.
“I’ll answer that after you answer me.”
She squinted at him and sank onto a chair. “All right Get it the hell over with. I’m thirsty.”
“I want to know where Claire went and why she left.”
“Left?” Celia repeated.
“That’s right.”
“You mean packed up, took off, left?”
“Precisely. Well, she didn’t actually pack up much, but she’s gone. Sold the bracelet she said you gave her.”