Dominick's Heart

Part IV

Dominick threw the silver goblet against the far wall of the sitting room. "How in the nine hells can a gem be stolen right off someone's hand?" he bellowed. Ysabel winced; she had seen this kind of a display of temper only once before out of Dominick, and the bar fight had not ended prettily.

Miguel, draped across a plush chair, toying with a bowlful of grapes, raised his eyebrows noncommittally. "Well, I fail to see how ruining my mother's finest Sindhi carpet will solve anything." Dominick muttered a guilty apology. "Besides, everyone at the party was searched, to no avail. It only stands to reason that either the gem was, as you say, removed right off Ysabel's hand..." Ysabel opened her mouth to protest, but he waved her into silence and continued without pause. "...or else it was never there in the first place. Now, given that I don't think my cousin has been out of sight of you, me, my mother, or her new dueñas since she got the thing, I think that the fault must lie with your family, Dominick." He grinned wickedly, clearly savoring the moment of Dominick's discomfiture. "Who knows? Perhaps some impoverished ancestor of yours pawned the gem and never let on that the replacement was nothing but glass."

Dominick blanched. Ysabel gasped. "Miguel!"

Dominick stood silently, braced against the marble mantelpiece on outstretched arms, head down in consternation. Miguel gazed at Dominick through lidded eyes with unabashed envy. Dominick Haaskinz was the kind of man that women fell for, swooning in his wake. The officer, the hero, the dashing rake of the social scene, the humble heir who hid his ambition well (if he had any in that arena at all). Dutiful Dominick. Handsome Dominick. Ysabel's Dominick. Miguel thought twice about hurling his own wine glass, but decided that—coming from him—it would look peevish.

"No, he's right," Dominick said in a heavy voice. Crossing to Ysabel, he knelt before her. "My love, you must believe that I did not know about the ring. I would never disgrace your hand with a mere trinket." He kissed her empty ring finger. "I pray that you can forgive me for the embarrassment that this has caused you. I swear that I'll get to the bottom of this. And that you shall have a ring worthy of your beauty."

Ysabel melted. Of course.

Miguel wanted to retch.

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII

Author: Jennifer Guerra