why don’t we continue on to the house?” Leona made the hasty suggestion, wondering if she had a skerrick of lipstick left. Tonya would fasten onto that in a flash. God knew what questions would be asked then. Tonya obviously needed no encouragement to interfere in other people’s business.
“If you were a good sister you would have seen to your brother,” she said, rounding on Leona as if she were a recalcitrant schoolgirl. “He says the most impertinent things.” Tonya’s voice was filled with resentment. “It’s difficult to stand there and take it.”
“Robbie is given to speaking plainly,” Boyd said. “One wonders why you wanted to come this weekend.” His voice had taken on a note that would have alerted the thickest skinned woman.
Leona couldn’t bear to see Tonya crushed, no matter how well merited the put-down. “Excuse me, won’t you?” She broke away. She felt she had little option. They had nearly reached the terrace, which was now almost deserted. If Tonya continued in a similar vein she would surely come to grief. Why was Tonya investing all her energies into trying to attract Boyd? Maybe she was mad after all.
“Where did you get to?” Peter was hovering just inside the French windows, obviously on the lookout for her.
“Were you worried?” Leona asked. Perhaps she should have filled out a logbook. Once she had said her goodnights to a downcast Peter and the rest of the party, Robbie moved swiftly towards her. For a handsome young man he looked ghastly. He was very pale beneath his suntanned skin, his lustrous dark eyes glittering like coals. Obviously he’d had too much to drink. Robbie always did go over the top.
“Where did you go?”
Leona had to fight for control. “You’re the third person to ask me that. Or, in Tonya’s case, demanded to know.” Because she loved her stepbrother, she weakened, linking her arm through his, urging him towards the staircase.
“God, she’s a stupid woman!” Robbie cursed. “Sometimes I find it hard to believe she and Jinty are sisters. At least Jinty had the brains and the cunning to land old Rupe. So where did you disappear to?”
“Boyd and I went for a stroll.”
Robbie gave a low whistle, pregnant with meaning. “No wonder Tonya tore after you.”
“Why is that exactly?” she asked, feigning ignorance.
“Sweetie, there’s no way you can fool me. You’ve loved Boyd since you were a little girl. Now you’re a beautiful woman. Boyd has made it pretty clear he can see that.”
“And it will come to nothing,” Leona said fatalistically.
“I don’t agree with that at all.” Robbie cut any further protests short. “You’re special. Think Boyd doesn’t know that? Just don’t let him share your bed until you’re well and truly married. I know plenty of girls who have blown their chances.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Robbie,” Leona said, thumping her hand on his arm.
They had reached the gallery by the time Leona stopped to take a really good look at him. He had a decided pallor. “What’s wrong?” she asked worriedly. “You’re deathly pale. You simply can’t drink too much, Robbie.”
Robbie shut his eyes. “Robbie?” She shook his arm.
“God, hell, no!” he replied. It wasn’t blasphemy. It sounded more like a plea for forgiveness.
“Oh, Robbie, what’s happened? You’re in trouble, aren’t you? I just knew it.” Her green eyes darkened with anxiety. “Talk to me, please.” If Robbie couldn’t pull himself together he had an uncertain future. That was the very last thing she wanted for him. “Here, come into the bedroom.” She all but pulled him through her bedroom door.
“Don’t leave the door open,” Robbie warned, slumping into an ornate Louis chair. “Jinty’s efforts at redecorating are atrocious,” he moaned. “That bed, for one, is utterly ridiculous.” He lowered his head into his hands.
“Forget the bed. What’s wrong with you? Is there anything I can get you?”
“I’m not drunk, Leo. I know better than to break Rupe’s house rules,” he said, then broke into a wild laugh that had nothing to do with humour.
“Oh, Robbie, you’re breaking my heart. What is it?” Leona went to him, laying her hand gently on his head. “Whatever it is, you can tell me. We’ll face it together.”
“I don’t think even you will forgive me this, Leo,” Robbie said, looking soulfully up at her. “I’ll never forgive myself. I must be bad. And mad. Carlo, after all, was a scoundrel.”
“Carlo wasn’t a scoundrel.” Leona surprised herself by coming to Carlo’s defence. “I’ve always had the feeling that your father was badly maligned by Delia,” she said. “She found it useful to denigrate him so she could get sympathy from the family. If I were you I’d look him up. I don’t believe Carlo was anywhere near as bad as your mother makes out. She’s a very devious and manipulative woman.”
“And you’re not exaggerating,” Robbie moaned. “But I do carry some Mafia genes.” He reached inside his breast pocket and, to Leona’s horror and amazement, withdrew Jinty’s diamond earrings.
Leona was so shocked she said absolutely nothing. Then, after a moment, she gave a little sobbing gasp, bending over and clutching her breast as though she had taken a bullet right to the heart. “Robbie … Robbie … Robbie! What were you thinking? You’re going to have to explain. Have you completely lost your mind?”
“Possibly temporary insanity,” Robbie groaned, feeling a tidal wave of guilt and remorse. “I live among all these filthy rich people and I can’t change places with a one of them. Money corrupts, Leo. It seduces. It leads you into temptation. And finally sin.”
Leona stared down at him, her blood running icy-cold. “We have to get them back,” she said decisively. “You saw Jinty put them into the Limoges bowl?”
“An incredibly stupid thing to do,” Robbie muttered, as though Jinty’s stupidity lessened his own crime.
“Nowhere near as stupid as your lifting them,” she said. “What did you think you were going to do with them? The Blanchard Diamonds are famous.”
Robbie slumped even further. “I told you I went cuckoo. It’s a bloody nightmare. It didn’t take me a moment more to come to my senses, I swear. I was desperate to find you, only you’d disappeared.”
“And what was I supposed to do, put them back?” Leona asked incredulously. “I’ve spoilt you rotten, Robbie. I’m your sister. I’ve always tried to be there for you, and you go and do a thing like that to the Blanchards—Rupert will have you hanged.”
“Good thing they don’t hang people any more.” Robbie gave a hollow laugh. “Forgive me, Leo. It was a mad moment over which I had no control. I wanted to get back at them. Most of them treat me like I’m dirt beneath their feet.”
“Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself,” Leona flashed, then she went to him and took the earrings out of his clenched hand. “I have to get these back. And I have to do it right away.”
Instantly
