A/N: Sorry I took so long to get this chapter done. Unfortunately, real life demanded, and since that pays the bills, I had to answer...
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They took a leisurely breakfast together the next morning before heading out to the Tower of London. Eleanor had found out, to her chagrin, that St. Paul's was not open to sightseers on Sundays. "I really should have known that," she was saying over breakfast.
"Don't worry, Eleanor," Hannah said absently, "We can always go to Evensong or something, just in case the guys don't have a chance to make it there for sightseeing. You and I can go during the week." She was busy putting the finishing touches on her sketches of the two men who had followed them the day before. "Besides, I really wanted to see the Crown Jewels."
Colby shook his head in amusement, "You and jewels."
She laughed at his expression, "It's the Koh-i-noor. What kind of jeweler would I be if I didn't try to go see the Koh-i-noor?"
"Isn't it cursed?" Don asked with interest.
"Don't tell me you believe in that sort of thing!" Eleanor exclaimed in surprise.
Don shrugged, "Sometimes, things just happen. What's the story behind it?"
Colby grinned at the realization on Don's face when Hannah took him seriously and began to tell him all she knew about the jewel.
"It's a 105 carat diamond, once the largest in the world. It originated in India, and belonged to various Indian and Persian rulers over the years. It's reputed to bring misfortune and death to any male who wears or owns it, but conversely brings good luck to female owners. So far, this hasn't been disproven, and as a matter of fact, Queen Victoria's long, successful reign has been attributed to the Koh-i-noor, who received it when she was crowned Empress of India. It was originally 186 carats, Prince Albert had it re-cut to increase it brilliance before it was placed in a tiara at the time. It's now set in the Queen Mother's crown." Hannah paused to sip her tea. She made to continue but noticed Colby's laughing eyes, and glanced around just in time to see the glazed look in Don's eyes before he hastily masked it with a polite smile. Her soft girlish giggle bubbled out, "I'm sorry, Don. I just love jewelry. Making it and talking about it."
"And you did ask," Eleanor said to Don, mock severely.
Don raised his hands in surrender, laughing with them.
The ride to the Tower of London on the underground was uneventful. Hannah looked out of the train in surprise when they got to Temple station. "Temple? Is that like the Temple of the Moons or something?" she asked Eleanor.
Eleanor laughed, "No, no. Temple represents two of London's four Inns of Court, the Middle and the Inner Temple. Each Inn houses one of the four Honorable Societies of Barristers, each with their own separate traditions. The name Temple remains from when the Knight Templars owned this land."
Colby looked at Hannah curiously, "What the heck is the Temple of the Moons?"
She smiled mysteriously and refused to answer.
"Hmm," was all he said, but he was determined to find out about it, especially since Eleanor was now laughing helplessly.
They arrived at Tower Hill station without incident, though both Eleanor and Hannah were fully aware that the men were keeping their eyes peeled for anyone tailing them. Eleanor was amused at Don's expression when he came upon the huge sundial across from the Tower of London.
"My brother, Charlie, is a member of the North American Sundial Society. Wonder why he didn't mention it to me?" Don mused as he circled the huge sundial.
"This is pretty cool, Don," Colby was saying as he looked at the outer ring of the sundial. "Looks like scenes of London Transport from 1066!"
"There are a couple of sundial trails, actually," Eleanor said, watching the men's fascination with more than a little amusement. "City of London one, and one along the Thames. This one happens to be on both."
"I'd like a picture here," Don said suddenly. Everyone laughed as they jostled around getting ready for the shot, as Eleanor pressed some kind soul into taking a picture of all of them for her.
Then after the picture was taken, Eleanor said softly in Don's ear, "Perhaps you'd like a picture of just the three of you?" She smiled gently as he looked uncertainly at her. "You should. You'll want them later."
Don looped an arm around her and hugged her. He pressed a gentle kiss on her temple and handed her his camera.
"Get away from me," Don dodged Colby as he mockingly tried to put his arm around him. "I'd rather cuddle up to Hannah."
"Yeah, that's what I'm trying to prevent here," Colby retorted. Hannah giggled as she was sandwiched between the two men.
Eleanor laughed when she looked at the picture, it was a lovely one. They were all laughing and obviously having a good time. She was glad that the case hadn't dampened their spirits.
"Just look at the size of that moat," Colby marvelled as they walked along the path towards the admission gate. The moat was about the width of a four lane highway. Then he was looking incredulously at the admission fee when they got to the ticket window, but he forked it over because he knew Hannah had been looking forward to seeing the Crown Jewels. He muttered under his breath about highway robbery to Don as they walked with the ladies to the entrance of the Tower.
"It'll be worth it when you see Hannah's face light up, Colby," Don replied. He smiled at Hannah's anxious mien, as he tried to smooth things over. Don knew money was a little tighter for the two of them since the shooting. Colby had refused to tell anyone how much of Hannah's medical expenses he had covered, despite the health insurance she'd purchased. And while the jewelry store was still doing well, Hannah hadn't done very much in the way of custom jewelry since the incident, so the profits weren't what they had been. He'd been very excited on her behalf at the interest shown at the Embassy party.
Colby pulled Hannah close and kissed her cheek, whispering something to her that easied the anxiety in her face.
"It still amazes me how he does that," Don murmured to Eleanor. He grinned at her, "He can be a total jerk at work, saying things just to provoke David and Megan. Then I see him with Hannah and he's a whole other person. It's like Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Who is he and what has he done with Colby Granger."
Eleanor laughed, "Hiding the softy behind a tough guy image?"
Don shrugged, "Or building a wall so the nastiness of what we do doesn't get to us."
She struggled for something to say, but by that time, a group had gathered for the guided tour and the Beefeater was already beginning his spiel. She resolved to talk to Don about it later.
"The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror in 1066. It wasn't the first castle he built, but it was quite possibly the most important castle he built, since it was where King Harold's beaton army retreated to after the Battle of Hastings. Not all of this was built in 1066, of course, only the White Tower and the wall along the Thames remains from that medieval castle." He guided them to the causeway and paused at the gatehouse.
Hannah shivered as the Beefeater pointed out the "murder holes" and the arrow loop, all used to protect the gateway and therefore the castle. She looked around in fascination as the guide explained that this would have been the entrance that Anne Boleyn used in the procession from Westminster Abby to the Tower of London, after she'd been married to Henry the Eighth. She shivered again at the irony as he pointed out Traitor's Gate, the entrance that Anne Boleyn used when she was brought back to the Tower to be beheaded.
"A lot of blood has been shed in this place," Eleanor murmured to Hannah, "especially there." She nodded towards a tower they were coming upon.
"The Bloody Tower," the Beefeater announced. "Where the princes in the tower were purportedly murdered. There's an excellent display on the upper floor. But the two sons of Edward IV had be lodged here after their father's death, under the protection of their uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Preparations had been underway for the coronation of Edward, the older boy. But since both he and his brother disappeared, it was Richard III who was crowned instead. The bones of two children were found buried close to the White Tower in 1674, but they have never been positively identified as the remains of the two princes. You can read more about this under the War of the Roses. And yes, it is Richard III whose cowardice Shakespeare immortalized with 'A horse, a horse, a kingdom for a horse!'"
"You know, if you want to just go look at the Crown Jewels, we don't have to follow this guy around," Colby said gently to Hannah who was looking more and more discomfited by the commentary.
She shook her head, "It's okay. I'm not sure why I'm so rattled by all of it. It happened so long ago." But she pressed closer and closer to Colby as they went to each stop in the commentary, and finally shuddered and turned away as the Beefeater took them to the chopping block on Tower Green where Anne Boleyn lost her head. "I can't stand this anymore, Colby."
"It's the end of it, Hannah," he soothed her as everyone moved forward to hand the guide a tip. He started forward to do the same but Don raised a hand to stop him as he took care of it for them.
"Come on," Don said gently, "You can tell me all about the different Crowns."
Hannah laughed, "You're just humoring me. It'll put you to sleep."
He grinned, "Alright, you can tell Colby all about the different Crowns."
"She was going to anyway," Colby said wryly, laughing at the indignant look she threw him. He was surprised at how much she was affected by the bloody history but he realized that she'd been consistently sensitive to the atmosphere at each place they'd visited. He slipped an arm around her as they entered the Jewel House, hoping that the jewelry would put the sparkle back in her eyes.
"The First Star of Africa, also known as Cullinan I. 530 carats," Hannah murmured in awe as they looked at the Sovereign's Sceptre with the Cross. "Oh, look at the Imperial State crown! It's a base of four crosses pattee alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, above which are four half-arches surmounted by a cross. Inside is a velvet cap with an ermine border. The Stuart Sapphire in the cross, the Black Prince's Ruby in the front cross pattee, the Cullinan II on the front of the crown, and Queen's Elizabeth's Pearls! A total of 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, and 5 rubies!"
Colby shook his head. Hannah was fascinated and had moved on to the other crowns and coronation regalia that was on exhibition there. But he just couldn't wrap his head around the wealth that these crown jewels represented, just sitting there.
Eleanor smiled at him, "It's also what they represent, in terms of the power of the Monarchy, it isn't just what they're worth, monetarily."
He looked startled that she'd read his mind.
"You're not the first one to feel that way about the amount of money just sitting there, on exhibition," she said softly.
"And not the last either, I'm sure," he responded dryly. He looked over to Hannah who was now examining the jewelled swords. "It certainly puts the sparkle in her eyes though."
Eleanor saw the shadow of uncertainty cross his face, "Yes, she's a woman, and a jeweler after all. But you put the sparkle in her eyes. All the time. A brighter one, in fact."
Colby smiled at Eleanor, grateful for the encouragement that he hadn't even realized he'd needed. He held out his hand to Hannah as she moved away from the display with a happy sigh. She slipped her hand in his and they strolled out to explore the rest of the Tower of London.