Nico had suggested in his last letter to Baynes that Titus Pilcrow, the famously wealthy art collector, wanted to buythe painting, and the lie had only sodding worked. Baynes had turned up at the last minute, like a murderous deus ex machina. Nico could have kissed him.
AndthenBaynes had started rambling about the value of the painting, Augustus’s ears had pricked up, and out of nowhere Nico had two buyers competing.
He’d sell it to Baynes if he possibly could. But Augustus would drive up the price, and Nico would have the money he needed, and in the teeth of all probability, at the very last minute, he was going to get away with this. He’d played and held his nerve and won. Every nerve in his body was vibrating like a violin string with tension and excitement and fear.
Titus was examining the portrait closely. That was nothing to worry about. Titus always looked closely at paint, the texture and colour and brushstrokes, and the forger was, on Eve’s telling, the best Le Brun imitator in the business. He’d certainly cost enough.
Augustus had launched into an orotund speech about how Nico was Titus’s friend, which he probably hoped would get him a discount. Titus cut across him as though he wasn’t there. “When was this done? That is, to be evidence of the Queen’s involvement, it must have been painted from life, yes?”
“Excuse me, I was speaking!”
“The spring of 1785,” Nico said, ignoring Augustus. “The Queen received the necklace in February, I believe, and the scandal erupted in summer.”
Titus was looking at the painting, not at him. Nico felt a tiny cold prickle down his spine which he tried to ignore. “And when did your family get it?”
“I cannot say precisely. I have no provenance beyond my memories, gentlemen,” he added with a frank smile. “Mymother had it from the Queen, though when and how I do not know, and passed it to my father for safekeeping. It has been with us all my life. No matter how humble our lodgings, my father always hung it on the wall to remind us of the source of our misfortune. I will be glad to let it go into the history books.”
“Two thousand,” Baynes said.
“Two thousand, two hundred,” Augustus retorted.
“Augustus, I don’t think—” Titus began.
“It is scarcely your concern. Two thousand two hundred pounds, sir.”
“Guineas,” Baynes said through his teeth.
“Two thousand four hundred pounds,” Augustus said.
There was a short pause as everyone calculated the mathematics of pounds to guineas. Nico raised a brow at Baynes.Come on, come on, don’t make me sell it to Titus’s brother…
“I see the son of the harlot is as grasping as she. Two thousand five hundred pounds,” Baynes said.
“Guineas!” Augustus returned explosively.
“Ten thousand pounds,” Titus said.
Several jaws dropped. Nico said, “No—”
“Ten thousand pounds. You say it is worth several times the price offered today, and of course I trust your word.”
“May I speak to you, mon ami?”
Augustus had been gobbling like a turkey, speechless with outrage. Now he exploded. “This is beyond anything! How dare you? It is the clearest spite! Because you are no longer a beggar, you must flaunt your wealth in this obscene manner and make a parade of your riches simply to score a point off me. Oh, you show your true colours now.”
Titus didn’t reply. He was looking at Nico. Nico would have liked to read the look asYou are my prince, and I have madethis wonderful gesture to save your family heirloom. He couldn’t make himself believe it.
Baynes’s mouth was working. “Mr. Pilcrow, this is a great sum. Will you not reconsider?”
“No.”
“But I came down from the country to buy it! Iwantit!”
Titus ignored that. “Ten thousand pounds, Comte.”
“This is a contemptible display,” Augustus said with spittle, turned on his heel, and marched out. Titus didn’t watch him go. His eyes were still on Nico.
“I feel an obligation to Mr. Baynes,” Nico said desperately. “I promised it to him; he should have first refusal—”