A Mackenzie Yuletide by Ashley Jennifer

Author:Ashley, Jennifer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2019-10-28T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Jamie breathlessly resumed his seat, his face hot, aware of his father’s scrutiny. He had tried most of his life to please his dad, which was difficult with a father who could outthink him at every turn.

Ian said nothing, however, only moved to a chair as Pemberton, seemingly pleased that even more people had come to accuse him of theft, waved at them all to sit.

Jamie kept his face blank, but he clenched his hands. He ought to have known his father was too canny, too quick to figure out what he and Curry had learned—that Mr. Pemberton had hired a man to steal the necklace for him.

Curry had discovered this by contacting his old friends and asking for gossip. One had admitted that a mutual acquaintance, a chap known as “Old Joe,” had gained employment at a museum, minded his manners for a year, and then purloined a necklace as it was being packaged to send to a French geezer.

Joe had simply put the package into his pocket and walked out the back door. He’d delivered it to Pemberton, who had arranged for his employment at the museum in the first place, and Pemberton had paid Joe a hundred pounds.

Jamie had been incredulous. “The bloke handed over a necklace worth tens of thousands of guineas for a hundred quid?”

Curry had shrugged. “As far as Joe were concerned, it were a bird in the ’and. Better take the ready money than try to sell it on his own. Pieces like that are hard to fence, lad.”

’Struth, Jamie had said to himself.

Ian settled into his usual nonchalance as Pemberton surveyed them all in delight. Wasn’t no one more coolheaded than Dad when it came to fencing with other collectors, Jamie thought with some pride. If Ian Mackenzie wanted a thing, he obtained it. Even men like Pemberton were no match for him.

“Gentlemen. And young lady. Welcome.” Mr. Pemberton sat down again in the bishop’s chair, a little smile hovering around his mouth. That smile worried Jamie more than his father’s steady gaze or Uncle Lloyd scowling as though itching to make an arrest.

Megan, Jamie’s sweet little sister, watched the scene avidly from Ian’s side. She had a canny way of obtaining vast amounts of information by simply observing.

Ian studied the Biedermeier chair Pemberton had pointed him to, looking over its green and gold striped seat, thin scrolled back, and delicate arms—probably wondering which stately home in Austria it had been stolen from. After he’d looked it over carefully, Ian sat down, booted feet planted on the floor.

He said nothing as he glanced at his large, gloved hand resting on the chair’s arm, looked Pemberton in the chest, and then flicked his eyes to Jamie.

Waiting for Jamie to continue the interrupted conversation. Jamie shivered inside, both in excitement and trepidation.

He cleared his throat. “Mr. Pemberton. We all know you acquired the Roman necklace—how you did so is immaterial to us. We only wish to purchase it. At a reasonable price.” Jamie darted his father a quick look, but Ian didn’t move.

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