Free Madeleine's Christmas Wish by Ella Quinn Page A

prayer of thanks. Another piece found.
    Holding the door for Madeleine, he said, “I wish to look in here.”
    He waited patiently, perusing the cases as he waited for the clerk, who was with another customer, to approach. Experience had taught him being too eager always raised the price.
    â€œMay I help you, Mr. . . . ?”
    â€œSmyth.”
    The clerk smiled. “Mr. Smyth, is there anything in particular you’d like to see?”
    One of Madeleine’s brows arched slightly higher, but other than that, she betrayed nothing.
    â€œWe”—he slid his arm around her waist—“are on our way to Paris for our honeymoon. I saw a pair of pearl earrings in your window. May we see them?”
    As the clerk walked to the window display, Georges bent his head, placing his lips close to her ear. “When he comes back, tell him you love the earrings, and express interest in sapphires.”
    She gazed at him for a moment, then her lips rose the slightest bit, as if she intended to enjoy herself. “Very well.”
    He stood back as Madeleine asked to see almost every piece of jewelry in the store. Each time the clerk thought he’d made a sale, she changed her mind.
    Finally he brought out the sapphire-and-diamond bracelet. “You might like this, ma’am.”
    The man clasped it on her wrist.
    â€œYou’re right. It does look beautiful.” She held out her arm to Georges. “What do you think, my dear?”
    â€œHmm.” He rubbed his chin as if considering the piece. “I agree it looks good on you, but what is the price?”
    â€œ Oh! ” she uttered in an outraged tone. Georges almost laughed as she flounced. “All you ever think of is the cost. I suppose I shall have to make do with the pearl earrings you originally saw or maybe nothing at all. I know how you dislike spending money.”
    She turned to walk out the door and the clerk blanched. “Madam, I’m sure I can offer a good price on the earrings and the bracelet. After all”—he glanced at Georges desperate for him to agree—“a lady on her honeymoon should be spoiled.”
    â€œI suppose you’re correct. I don’t wish her to be unhappy.”
    In the end, he paid half of the bracelet’s worth, and a reduced price for the earrings as well.
    Madeleine tucked her arm into Georges, leaning against him. “Thank you, my dear. I shall always cherish this gift.”
    The moment they were in their chamber at the Ship, she gave a little skip, and her eyes danced with pleasure. “I think I did well, don’t you?”
    He picked her up, swinging her around, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “You were better than perfect, but how did you know it was that piece I wanted?”
    She laughed. “It matches the earrings you gave me to wear for Pauline’s wedding.”
    He bent his head, kissing her slowly, reveling in Madeleine’s response as she returned his caress. “It is part of the same set.”
    â€œThey must be important.” She caught his gaze. “What happened to them?”
    He sat down, pulling her onto his lap. “My father sent us ahead of him to England. As you know, he never made it, but he had one person he trusted and a scheme to enable his family to avoid having to make and scrape. In addition to funds he’d smuggled to England previously, there was a seventeenth-century parure. It was sold. I’ve spent the last ten years searching for all the pieces.”
    Her eyes glowed with excitement. “How much more of it is missing?”
    â€œA bracelet, then the set will be complete again.” Georges kissed her gently on the lips. “If it hadn’t been for you, I would have paid a considerably higher price.”
    Madeleine smiled, and he’d never been so happy. “I’m glad I could help.”
    He needed her, not only as his wife and the mother of their children, but