The Fool Ch. 11

"Oh, thank goodness," Georgia got to her feet and embraced them both. "You took so long I thought there had been an accident!"

"She worries too much," Frazer grumbled good-naturedly, also embracing Carrie and leading her into the living room. "Can I get you both a drink?"

"Sure, I'll have a scotch," Sinclair agreed, knowing that the time it took to get him the drink would only frustrate Carrie all the more. "Carrie?" he asked. "A nightcap might help you relax," he suggested.

Carrie narrowed her eyes at him, a pinched look coming to her face briefly before nodding, "I'll have the same." She drew a breath and tried to relax her features as they got the drink and all had a seat. In her preoccupation, she hadn't noticed that Georgia sat beside a small table that bore five velvet boxes. Her eyes widened as she recognised them. "The hearts," she whispered, taken aback by the sight of the five boxes where she had assumed there would be one they would tell her was the real heart.

"All except the one we gave you for your engagement," Georgia confirmed.

"It took a while to round them all up; we move them around so much it's hard to keep track of where the original is," Frazer mused. "If you ask me, the third of the replicas far outshines the original, but it's hard to know for sure."

"You don't know which is the original?" Carrie gasped.

"They are all real rubies and gold, all worth a king's ransom individually, of course, we know where each one is, but they are difficult to tell apart after so many years without seeing them all together," he admitted. "We tend to say they are all replicas unless we are sure," he chuckled.

"Why don't you go and fetch yours, Carrie dear, so we can have a good look together. It's about time you and Sinclair learned the secret of the hearts," Georgia suggested.

Carrie immediately came to her feet and practically ran from the room to gather her necklace. When she returned with the velvet box, they all looked at her as if she had walked in on a conversation she shouldn't have heard, and she smiled, having taken her usual precautions before entering a room and had overheard enough to know their concerns. Ignoring the looks as if she hadn't noticed, she handed the box she held to Georgia, who placed it beside the other five on the table that had been pulled in front of the settee she and Carrie sat on.

Frazer ceremoniously opened each one and stood back, letting his wife lecture her son and his fiancé on the merits of each one.

"This," she pointed to one of the hearts, "Is the third, and Frazer's favourite. You can see it's slightly larger than the others, but it has two flaws deep within if you look carefully." She picked up the necklace and held it to the light. She began to talk through the others, pointing out slight differences in the quality of the gold or the setting the heart lay in, as well as small defects in the stones themselves.

"It's difficult now," she peered at the two remaining hearts. "The last of the replicas was so well crafted, I doubt if Queen Isabella herself could have told them apart."

"May I try?" Carrie asked politely, not wanting to step on her soon to be mother-in-law's toes.

Carrie talked her way through a comparison of the stones; the cut the gold of the settings before noting the slight differences. She smiled; sure of her decision but holding back the final piece of evidence, she had to see how Sinclair's parents would react when she told them of her choice.

"Each of them would be suitable for the exhibition," she said. "I believe, however, that the original is neither of these. As you said, the one you labelled as the third replica is probably the best. I understand, given the timing, why you wouldn't want me to display the original, but I wish you could have trusted me enough to tell me why."

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Frazer was the first to speak into the startled silence.

"I have spent the last year working on your collection and this exhibition. I possibly know more about the Heart than anyone outside of your immediate family," she reached for the third box, but Georgia put her hand over it to stop her.

"If you'll allow me, I will show you how I know this to be the only one that could pass for the real heart of the Heartless," Carrie looked into Georgia's eyes, "Please, Georgia, I mean no harm." Georgia looked at Frazer, who nodded, and withdrew her hand.

"It's not well documented, but the Heart has a major flaw line that can look like two flaws, but is, in fact, one. The gold is old and pure, and, because of that, the small but deep mark made by Edvard Mansvelt to test the gold, it can still be seen because it is rarely handled or worn." She turned it over in her hands and pointed out the mark that had been carefully added to the replica. "This may not look like an M now, but the original held one once when he claimed it as his treasure in front of Lord Windsor."

"I don't think you understand," Georgia stated, a little wariness creeping into her voice as Carrie had seen through their subterfuge.

"I'm well aware of the Fool's agenda, and I have taken precautions and will even sleep beside the safe on the first night of the exhibition, if that will help you to trust me," she said sincerely. "Sinclair will have access to all areas of the museum, and I believe between the two of us we can keep it safe." She wasn't lying, she had no intention of stealing even a replica for Edith, and, if everything went to plan, she wouldn't need to deal with being the Fool ever again.

"There is a way that I would allow it," Frazer gave his wife a sharp look as she opened her mouth to argue. "Use a replica in the display and Georgia will wear the original for the entire twenty-four hours of April Fool's Day, including your preview night opening." He had expected Sinclair to argue with the idea. It would put his mother directly in the line of danger. His son surprised him, however, by sitting back and considering his parents silently.

"Could I place a card saying that it is a replica on the display?" Carrie negotiated, not liking the terms but trying to make the best of it. She had known for the last month that she would have to display a replica, but she negotiated as if she didn't. "We would guard Georgia better than Mona Lisa."

"No!" Frazer was firm in his denial of her request.

"If you think the Fool won't pick it as a replica, you are kidding yourself, Dad," Sinclair finally weighed into the conversation. "Are you honestly prepared to put mother at risk?"

"There is less risk if no one but we four know it is a replica on display and the real one around her neck," Frazer dug his heels in. "She wants the real one there; those are the conditions. She can wear her own, and we can get your sisters to wear the others if you want to lessen the risk. We are known for smoke and mirrors where the Heart is concerned."

"Choose the best replica then, and I will take it to work in the morning," Carrie gave in with a sigh. "I understand your reticence, but I honestly believe the heart would be better protected at the museum than here. If you think the Fool isn't aware of the shell game you play with that jewel, you're sadly mistaken, and if they don't find it at the museum they will find it wherever you hide it, the fool has always been one step ahead. None of your associates were able to outsmart the Fool; maybe you'll be more fortunate." Carrie sighed. "May I have the one you gave me as an engagement present back, please?" she asked, not hiding her disappointment as she came to her feet. She was suddenly very tired and wanted to go to bed; this scene was hard for her, even though she had been rehearsing for it all week.

Sinclair followed her up to their room a little later and found her already in bed with the lights turned out. He quietly got undressed and slid into bed beside her, pulling her into his arms.

"I know you're disappointed, but they are trying to do what they think is best. They don't know that you're the Fool and that the Heart is safe with you," Sinclair said softly as he nuzzled her neck.

Carrie remained silent. She knew now that CC had been correct and the Mansvelt's were no longer in possession of the real Heart. She was simultaneously overjoyed that the Windor's would make sure that she wouldn't have to deal with Edith and Jordan and their plan again, and disappointed in Sinclair.

"When you said you would give me the Heart if I confessed to being the Fool, you didn't mean it, did you?" she asked. "I have always believed you and trusted you, Sinclair; I wouldn't have confessed if I didn't. You lied to me about the Heart though. If I had have kept you to that bargain you would have given me a replica instead of the real Heart of the Heartless, wouldn't you?"

"I'm sorry. If it were up to me it would be in your hands right now," Sinclair tried to explain. He wasn't happy about his parent's games. "I tried to tell them that they couldn't fool the experts with a replica."

"It's not that, Sin," she rolled in his arms to look at him. "I understand their rules around displaying a replica. It's you and the fact that I have to question if you ever planned to tell me that your family no longer had the real Heart." She closed her eyes, even though darkness surrounded her. "Is that why you promised it to me if I confessed? You knew you couldn't deliver? I don't want to, but my mind keeps travelling over those early days and months when we were still building that trust and what you may or may not have said just to sway my opinion of you. Have you told your father that I was the Fool?"

"No! How could you ask that? I'm the same man you have always known," he protested, stung deeply by her words. "Why wouldn't we have the real Heart? Had you needed it as proof of my words I would have found it and given it to you, but you never asked that of me, and I knew in time that it would be yours once we were married, so I never lied, not really." He spoke quietly, upset that this had made her question her trust in him. "I'll make sure you get the original tomorrow," he promised.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Sinclair," she opened her eyes, trying to peer at his face, wondering if he honestly didn't know that the Real heart had not been in his family's possession for some time. "It doesn't matter. A replica will suffice, as Frazer said, they all are worth a small fortune, and losing any one of them would be almost as bad as losing the original must have been," the disappointment she still felt carried in her voice.

"You're not making sense, Carrie. Will the Heart be stolen if they bring it to the museum tomorrow?" Sinclair asked carefully.

"No," she sighed and rolled over, turning her back to him. She felt bad that he didn't know everything that was planned for opening night, but to accuse her of planning to steal the last artefact the Fool needed without asking for his help just hurt. She felt Sinclair reach for her and try to turn her back toward him. She couldn't face him, either he didn't know the truth himself, or he was still lying to her. Either way, she couldn't look at him and not tell him everything she now knew and what would happen at the preview night.

"Carrie, I..." Sinclair started to apologise again, but she cut him off.

"Sinclair, I would hardly plan to steal the Heart without talking to you about it and making sure the best replica was in its place. Can we just go to sleep now before you say anything else to prove that you are as stupid as every other man I've ever met," Carrie's voice wavered as she felt the tension of what she was about to do weigh down on her.

"Sleep," he said softly, moving closer and wrapped an arm around her, needing to feel the closeness between them physically as she pushed him away emotionally.

*****

Carrie had been suitably grateful and sweet to Frazer and Georgia before leaving for work, apologising for her behaviour the night before, excusing it as stress and lack of sleep. She offered to use the necklace given to her at the engagement party rather than risk any of the other replicas. She'd been cool to Sinclair, their conversation of the night before making her feel unsettled, not only about what he said, but the fact that she had been keeping secrets from him as well. It was too late to change any of what had been put in place, and all she could do was hope that it all worked out in her favour and that he loved her enough to trust and understand why she had done it this way.

She made her way into work knowing Jordan would be waiting for her. She was lying to him as well; she had been since his attempt on Sinclair's life. Not that he didn't deserve it, but she was tired of trying to keep everyone happy with secrets and lies.

"Can we make this quick?" she asked, taking a seat and seeing that he had already ordered coffee and cinnamon toast for her.

"I know it's a big day for you," Jordan smiled and reached out to take her hand. "I ordered for you so you wouldn't have to stay any longer than what it takes you to eat something and tell me that you have it."

"I have the replica, the real one is supposed to arrive today with its own guards," she sighed. "They aren't taking any chances with the Fool, this year."

"We expected that and have everything in place we need, including the replica. It will be an easy switch for you, you've done it enough times to make it work, and who would suspect you?" Jordan said in a soothing voice.

"Rackham," she blurted nervously.

"All the better, you don't have to make the switch until the preview is over and you are putting everything back into the safe. I imagine the Mansvelt's security will be guarding the vault overnight?"

"Yes, as far as I know, they will swap over at five thirty before the exhibition opens and again at eleven after the museum has closed for the night," she confirmed. "They will change over again at six the next morning."

"That will make it a little trickier if you don't cheat on the time, maybe coming in tomorrow morning early rather than try to get it done tonight might be better," Jordan frowned. He hated that this plan had been made so much looser by being unable to pin down the exact location of the real Heart. "Shit, we knew this would be the hardest one, but it's bordering on the ridiculous now."

"It'll all be over after tonight, and we can just disappear for a while, or, at least, I can. I imagine Edith and Grant have bigger plans for you," Carrie said, trying to keep the rancour out of her voice.

"That won't happen straight away, so we will have some time together to get back to where we were as partners in crime, only this time it will be as true partners," he said, almost leering at her.

Carrie tried not to choke on her coffee and held the cup to her mouth a moment longer than necessary, taking a big gulp of the hot liquid rather than respond to his remark and then regretting it.

"I'm sorry, Jordan, I have to run, but I guess we'll have plenty of time to talk soon," she gave a lop-sided smile and gathered up her briefcase, leaving quickly before he could find a reason to stop her.

She could feel his eyes on her as she walked away and, careful of the charade she was playing, she turned and waved, giving him a small smile before disappearing into the heart of the museum.

Time flew by as Carrie battled small but necessary last-minute adjustments to her plans and dealt with all of the people she'd made promises to. An hour before the preview opened to the guests, Carrie changed into her evening gown in the employee bathroom and freshened up her makeup. Sighing at her reflection, she went back to her desk looking for a different shade of lipstick when she discovered Sinclair waiting for her with his parents.

"Oh, you're wearing your hair down," Georgia said, as if she didn't quite understand Carrie's appearance. "Would you mind terribly if I gave you a quick up-do? I'm quite good with hair, and the necklace..." she trailed off as Frazer patted her arm.

"She looks lovely the way she is, just like always," Frazer said.

"I don't mind," Carrie said quickly. "I was just wondering how I thought I could be ready for tonight without all of the primpings that we women have to do for events like these. I would appreciate your help, Georgia, please," Carrie said and pulled a comb from her bag. "I'm not sure I have any pins or ties though," she frowned, beginning to go through the drawers on her desk.

"We'll make do," Georgia said, accepting the comb.

"The guards arrived about three, they're near the vault if you want to check in with them," Carrie suggested to the two men who looked astonished that Carrie had welcomed Georgia's criticism and help.

"I also brought you a tube of lipstick I have made for me that matches the rubies. I hope you don't mind, but I had guessed you wouldn't have thought about how jarring the wrong red can be with such large rubies," Georgia fished a lipstick out of her clutch purse.

"Thank you, you are very thoughtful," Carrie said sincerely. "My mother would have just berated me for not having thought about it, but you come equipped with solutions." Twenty minutes later Carrie sat marvelling at what Georgia had done for her, armed with little more than paperclips that she had stretched and bent to her needs.

"The guards are going to go in and take over from your men so they can keep a close eye on you tonight. I know the Fool isn't supposed to strike until tomorrow, but it's better to be safe than sorry," Frazer gave her a guilty look. "We are protective of this piece, so I apologise if we came across as if we didn't trust you last night."

"As I said, I was stressed and tired. I let a few things get to me last night that normally wouldn't have bothered me so much. It's me who should be apologising, to all of you," she looked past Frazer to Sinclair, who seemed to relax his stance a little. "I'm just not used to... well, it was always just Mum and me, so I don't always understand how typical families work."

"Let's just chalk it all up to experience and move on, shall we?" Georgia said, and moved back to survey her work with the necklace Frazer had just fastened around Carrie's neck. "You look lovely, Carrington. Shall we go and greet the guests?"

They moved through the museum to the external doors leading to the special evening preview of the collection. Carrington took a deep breath as she wandered through the small crowd waiting outside. She counted the now familiar faces of the men of the Hats stopping to greet Freddy Avery and his wife, as well as making an effort to be pleasant to Christopher and Stella Davis, acknowledging that Christopher was one of Sinclair's closest friends.

Given the timing she had known they would all come, each wanting to capture the Fool, or at least see the last of their number deprived of their family artefact. They were in for a large surprise toward the end of the night if all went to plan. She saw Marina arrive with the elderly woman, CC, who was her newly found grandmother, and raised her eyebrows. This was unexpected and not entirely welcome. She suddenly felt surrounded and regretted not having taken Sinclair fully into her confidence. The old woman walked toward her and Carrie painted a smile on her face.

"This is a surprise," she said in a voice made high by anxiety.

"Is it?" the old woman cackled. "I came to enjoy the fun and, of course, speak to your other grandmother. Has she arrived yet?"

"I'm afraid she sent her regrets," Carrie said sadly.

"That's disappointing, perhaps she will change her mind and come after all," the old woman looked like she would say more, but Sinclair came up beside her, curious about who the cackling woman might be.

"Sinclair, this is my grandmother, Carrington Wordsworth. Grandmother, my fiancé, Sinclair Mansvelt, it's his family's collection we are showing tonight," Carrie over explained nervously.