(There’s a new part of this story dropping Saturday in the Broadsheet, so it’s time to give last month’s part it’s own post so it can be found more easily.)
Chapter 4 (part 2)
The blast from Richard’s gun seemed to rattle every pretty thing hanging on the walls of the corridor in which he shot the fellow who refused to follow orders. The other man – the one who had come down the stairs and not through a window – looked one way and then the other, as if contemplating his options.
“I have one shot left,” Richard said. “I rarely miss.”
Of course, the man was likely going to die even if he did enter the study as he was told to do. It would just be some time before he met the hangman’s noose should he comply with Richard’s orders, and it would make their job much easier if the man were living and could be made to give up whatever information he held. If he did, transportation might spare his life.
Thankfully, this fellow did not seem as anxious to die as the other one and stepped into the study.
“They have my sister,” he said as he entered. “I have not done anything other than leave the window unlocked so that fellow could enter. I wasn’t going to do more than make sure the miss was safe and show him where the watch was.”
“What do you mean make sure the miss was safe?” Lillesley said as he rose from where he sat.
Now that Richard was closer to the fellow, he could see that he was no more than sixteen at the oldest, and a groom from Lillesley’s stables. He was tall and muscular for his age, but he was young enough to not need a razor to keep his cheeks smooth.
“They wanted…” He paused and looked for all the world as if he were going to burst into tears. “They wanted your sister.” The words came out in nothing more than a whisper.
“They wanted me?” Harriet stood at the door of the study that led to the little library.
As the groom turned his eyes to her, a tear slid down his cheek. “Yes, miss. But I wasn’t going to let them have you. I was going to tell you to hide, but you weren’t in your room. I could never…” his voice trailed off. “But my sister…” Again, his words trailed away as if speaking further would be too painful.
“What have they done with your sister, Louis?” Harriet had crossed the room and taken the fellow by the hand.
“Harriet,” Lillesley grumbled.
“Did you not hear him? He was not here to kidnap me. He is here to free his sister.” She turned a sharp look toward her brother.
“That is what he says, but it still stands that he let a thief and would be kidnapper into my home.”
“I can see how that would show him in a bad light.”
“I think it is more than a bad light,” Lillesley grumbled.
Richard stepped forward. “Why do we not let Louis sit and explain to us what he was hired to do while Jimmy finds the appropriate people to dispose of the fellow in the hall.” He nodded to Jimmy who left the room.
“As Louis takes his seat, I will remind you, dear brother, that he was trying to mitigate damages to things more precious than a watch.” Harriet took the seat next to Louis. “At least, I believe I am more valuable.”
“Of course you are,” both Richard and Lillesley said in unison.
“And Louis mentioned his sister,” she turned to the groom next to her. “Is she a maid?”
“She was until yesterday.” His breathing was laboured as if he were attempting to keep his composure. “If they know that you know they have her, she’ll end up like Penny. That’s what I was told.”
“Who told you that?” Lillesley asked.
“Well, him,” Louis said with a nod toward the door. “But he said he heard it from a fellow named Carrick who told him it was you, miss, who found it. The watch that is. That was why they wanted you. He said you were too much trouble.”
“I am that,” Harriet agreed with a smile. “But you were going to warn me?”
“I was. I unlocked the window and then, sneaked up the servants’ stairs to tell you to hide, but you weren’t there.”
“How did you know to look for the watch? I have not told anyone that I had it?” Lillesley said.
“They knew it was your sister who found it, so I suppose they decided it must be here. I did not know that anyone was looking for a watch until they sought my help in getting it in return for…” The lad looked down at his hands and did not finish his thought.
Harriet’s head tipped to the side. “But how did you know that it would be in the study? Why did you not look for it in my room? Or for that matter, why did you not think that I had given it to my sister as I told the shopkeeper I was going to do.”
Louis was looking utterly confused. “I did not know you had mentioned your sister to a shopkeeper, but I had heard that something had been found and your brother was none too pleased. I was not supposed to hear it. But I did.”
Harriet stood and began pacing. “Why is that watch so special?”
“I do not know, miss.”
“What would make someone steal it not once, but attempt to do it a second time?” Harriet continued as if she had not even heard his reply. And likely she had not. Richard could tell from the line between her eyes that she was deep into her thoughts.
“I do not know that either.”
Again, the groom’s reply was not noted by Harriet as she rounded her brother’s desk and pulled open the drawer. “And what does that have to do with maids being stolen and ruined?” She looked at Louis. “Is there anything that you might have heard that was unusual? What did they say about your sister besides threatening to toss her in the Thames?”
Louis shook his head. “Nothing.”
“Do you know where she is?” Harriet pressed.
Again, he shook his head. “When I asked, the answer was not in English, so I do not know. I do not speak French.”
Harriet turned the watch over in her hand. “French?” She looked at Richard. “So is it espionage or smuggling? But with maids?” She tapped the watch, looking utterly confused, which was pretty much how he felt at present. There seemed to be nothing new to learn from Louis. “Why this watch?” she muttered.
“I do not know, miss. I just know that I was told it was not to be sold. It was more valuable than that.”
Lillesley stood and came to stand in front of Louis. “What do you know about smuggling secrets?”
The lad shrank back. “I love my county, my lord,” Louis said quickly. “I don’t know anything about…” He swallowed and lowered his voice to a whisper, “secrets.”
Lillesley rubbed his chin as he studied the fellow. “No, I would imagine you do not.” Apparently, he did not think Louis was involved very deeply in this whole thing. Likely no more than he had admitted to. “Nor do you know about them now.” He held the lad’s gaze.
“Of course, my lord.”
Lillesley blew out a breath. “This cannot go through the Old Bailey.”
“No, we knew that before anything happened,” Richard agreed. “He will need to be taken to the Great House.”
“What does that mean, my lord?” Louis was looking quite ill.
“It means you will be dealt with outside of the regular means of the law, but you will be dealt with fairly.” He cast a look at Richard. “You may even find yourself employed in various pursuits as needed.”
Richard shook his head. “You said you did not know about Wickham.”
“I did not. However, I do know that occasionally, employment is offered in place of other more exacting punishments.”
“I was not going to hurt her,” Louis cried. “I was not even going to touch the watch. I just want my sister back.”
Harriet came to stand near her brother. “I believe it should be noted that Louis aided in solving one riddle.” She held a tiny slip of paper in her fingers. “This was inside Andrew’s watch.”
