“I wanted to talk to Papa first. Telling Grandfather…” Bella shook her head. “I don’t know what he might do to Elliott.” And though her brother might deserve whatever His Grace would do, Bella couldn’t live with herself if she was the cause of more anguish.
Prissa nodded in agreement, and she probably was the only other person in the world who could understand. Then she reached her hand out to Bella. “I am so sorry. I should have said something to Papa when Elliott started asking for my pin money. I just—”
“It’s not your fault.” Bella sighed. “But if—”
A knock at the door halting her words. Goodness, her heart lodged in throat.
“Priscilla?” Papa’s voice came through the door. “Have you seen your sister?”
Prissa released her hold on Bella and rushed to her door. She opened it and said, “Papa, we’re both in here. Come in, please.”
Papa looked ashen as he looked from Prissa to Bella. Drat! He’d already seen Grandfather. She could tell by his pinched expression. He must have slipped past Mary somehow.
“I didn’t steal anything, Papa,” she said.
He stepped into Prissa’s chamber and closed the door behind him. “Then how did those earbobs end up under your mattress?”
Bella swallowed. “I put them there.”
“Then you did,” he began, sounding dejected.
“To keep Elliott from trying to sell them again,” Bella said hastily. “He is in trouble, Papa. Trouble neither Prissa nor I can help him out of.”
“Your brother tried to sell—”
“He didn’t try,” Bella interrupted him. “He was successful.” Then she shook her head and the rest of the tale spilled out of her. “Lord Avery and I happened upon him at Garrard, and he was selling the pair. After he left, Greg purchased the earbobs from the jeweler, and I hid them to keep Elliott from finding them again.”
“He didn’t steal my sapphire hair comb,” Prissa added. Then she swallowed a bit anxiously. “I gave it to him. And Mama’s pearls.”
Papa lost what little color he had left in his face. “Some of the silver is missing and an emerald necklace.”
Prissa gasped.
“Father thought you must have taken them to fund your painting expenditures.”
“Goodness,” Bella breathed out, the accusation stinging her once more. “I could fund my painting supplies for a lifetime with even one of those pieces, let alone all of them.”
“I know I haven’t been supportive of you in that particular pursuit.” Papa wasn’t able to meet her eyes any longer. “But you know if there’s anything you ever need…”
Bella shook her head. “It’s of no consequence now. Soon enough I’ll be Lord Avery’s to worry about.”
“You’re my daughter. I’ll always worry about you.”
“So much is missing,” Prissa said softly. “It’s no wonder Grandpapa noticed.”
Her sister was right about that, and Bella couldn’t help but wonder if there was even more that had been taken that had yet to be discovered. Elliott had been beyond reckless in quite a number of ways. “I am worried about him. About Elliott,” she clarified. “I barely recognize him anymore, Papa. I tried to talk to him today and he was so angry.”
“If he doesn’t really have a sick child to care for,” Prissa began, “what sort of trouble could he be in that he would need to take so many things?”
“A sick child,” Papa echoed, his brow lifted in surprise.
“There’s not one really,” Prissa quickly explained. “It was just a lie he told me so I’d hand over whatever he asked for. Bella tricked him into admitting as much.”
“Good God,” Papa muttered under his breath and he seemed to deflate standing right there. “Is there anything else he’s done?”
“He asked for my pin money,” Prissa said softly. “And Bella’s too.”
“He asked Lord Avery to lend him money the first time he met him.”