They definitely hired good salesmen for these jobs, ones that didn’t know the word “no.” But Diana refused to be swayed. She cracked open the folio and looked at the damage so far. She nearly choked as she mentally translated the euros to dollars. Almost four thousand dollars? She grabbed a fan from atop the jewelry case, opened it, and waved it furiously to cool her hot cheeks. “Really. No. I can’t. It’s already been a lot more than what I was hoping to spend.”

Even as she said it, the words she’d scrawled in her agenda came back to her: rent the most gorgeous costume at Versailles, no matter what the expense. That included jewelry. And really, the ensemble was not complete without a little jewelry.

“Just for fun, darling?” he said, undoing the clasp and pouting as he held it out, ready to be slipped over her neck.

She checked the time. She’d gotten to Versailles so early that it was still another hour before the garden tours began. And the salesman was staring at her with a little pout on his burgundy lips. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him so he could put it on, “Very well.”

He carefully settled the gem in place and tightened the clasp around her neck. It was a substantial piece and felt heavy against her chest. “Is it paste?”

“Oh, no. The Madame Royale is absolutely real and one of the most striking necklaces ever created. Twenty-four rubies surrounding one very precious eighteen-carat diamond.”

She gasped.

“Oui, it is the most expensive item in our collection here, available for rental,” he went on. “It was worn by the beautiful Marie Therese, who eventually donated it back to the estate before her death. Its price for tonight is ten thousand euros, but it’s worth millions.”

Millions of dollars. Around her neck. She almost giggled, how ridiculous it was. This was so, as Beatrice would say, extra. Unnecessary. She’d loved the way she looked before, and that was fine.

She almost told him to take it right off, that it wasn’t “speaking” to her, but then she sighed and spun around.

And the second she did, she regretted it.

He angled an oval lighted mirror toward her and grinned, “What did I tell you, mademoiselle? Fantastique!”

That was an understatement. There were few times when Diana looked into the mirror and was actually pleased with what she saw these days. Most times, she’d find another errant gray hair she’d have to pluck, or some unpleasant wrinkle that hadn’t been there the day before. But she had to admit this ensemble was absolutely breathtaking now. She’d heard people say that jewelry could “pull an outfit together,” but she never truly understood the meaning of that, until now. It didn’t overwhelm her at all; in fact, it complemented her entire image—almost as if it was part of her.

“Oh,” was all she could say.

The salesman took her hand and dropped two teardrop white-and-red-stoned earrings into her palm. “You might as well wear these, too.”