Richard had not evenlearned of his brother's death until four monthsafter the fact. 'I understood the fighting was over,' shesaid. But Arthur had died last year andnow Richard was Viscount Mallory and hisgrandfather's heir. Richardhad been the troublesome brother, always intomischief. She had always favored hisbrother, Arthur, the heir to the earldom and themost charming, considerate of men. She narrowedher eyes in a look of displeasure he had knownwell as a boy. 'And you summoned me from France to findit? Was there no one else you could have calledupon?' to die before it has been restored to the family.' 'Yes, he seems most upset about it,' thecountess said, her own distress evident in thetight lines around her mouth and the slighttremor in her voice. He always assumed his grandfatherfelt guilty that the jewel had been lost on hiswatch. Even at so young an age, Richard had understood it to be a topic bestavoided. The earl hadconfirmed its existence and how it had comeinto the family, but had otherwise been quitereticent on the subject. Richard had been about eight years oldwhen he first heard the story of the large heartshapedruby from his older brother, and hadasked his grandfather about it. In all those years, hecould remember only a single occasion whenhis grandfather had mentioned the MalloryHeart. Richard had been raised by his grandparentsfrom the time both his mother and father perishedin an overturned carriage when he wasstill in leading strings.

'It is because the earl is dying that the jewelmust be restored to us. 'Let me be certain I understand,' he said.'You called me home not because Grandfatheris dying, but because you want me to locate afamily jewel that has been missing these pastfifty years?' And therewas none more superior than his grandmother.She sat ramrod stiff on the edge of a gilt Frenchchair that had seen better days. He stood straight and tall as he faced her,with hands clasped behind his back in a postion of formal ease he had employed so oftenwhen addressing a superior officer. The Countess of Dunstable was astately, reserved woman who had never, as faras he could recall, made a flippant remark orjest in her life. Richard Mallory stared at his grandmother inastonishment. 'And so you must find the MalloryHeart and bring it home at once.

Her Scandalous Affair by Candice Hern