No point in lying. “It belongs to my family’s trust. The earl was a guest. He abused that trust. The ruby should never have left the vault.”
Georgina gave a slow, deliberate blink. “Some secrets are worth more than any ruby. You came here to steal a stone. I am giving you a chance to earn a story. Keep my diary out of your report. Leave my goddaughter’s name in the footnotes of history. And in return…” She unclasped the beaded bag and pressed a small velvet pouch into Klara’s palm. “The Star of Myrrha, returned to its rightful home. No fuss. No police. Just two old thieves—one young, one ancient—doing a quiet deal under a beech tree.” klara devine & georgina gee
From her perch by the dormer window, Klara had a perfect view of the garden party below. The cream of London’s antiquities scene milled about on the manicured lawn, sipping champagne and pretending not to hate each other. And there, holding court under a weeping beech tree, was Georgina Gee. No point in lying
Georgina chuckled, a dry, papery sound. “Oh, I know. Horrible man. Chews with his mouth open and has the emotional intelligence of a potted fern. But he gave it to my goddaughter, and she gave it to me for safekeeping. She’s young. She made a foolish choice in lovers, not in loot. I won’t see her charged with theft.” He abused that trust
Klara adjusted the earpiece hidden beneath her auburn waves. “Georgie, be reasonable,” she whispered to herself, rehearsing the plan. The plan was simple: charm, distract, lift. She was very good at simple.