by Rebecca King
‘I love that house, but only because it is a part of you,’ she whispered. ‘What makes you think that I don’t love you, and can’t love you back?’
Luke shrugged. ‘Like I have said, it is a lot to ask of anybody. Loving anybody is not something I have ever thought about too much. It is just something I suspected would happen when the right person entered my life at the right time. It didn’t occur to me that I wouldn’t have to find her, but that she would find me. It didn’t occur to me that I would know, deep in my gut, from the second I first set eyes on her that she was the one for me. Until now, I never really stopped to consider if love at first sight was possible, but it’s happened. Looking back on the day we met, I think that is why I was so determined to not just help you but stay with you for as long as I could. It didn’t really have anything to do with Samantha Morton. She was nothing more than a spiteful young woman who was rude and brash enough to be physically violent with you in public. It didn’t really warrant the Star Elite getting involved. I stayed with you because I wanted to spend time with you, Rosemary. It was difficult to walk away from you because from that first moment I saw you, you claimed something of my heart that you won’t ever be able to release.’
‘I love you,’ she whispered. ‘I have to confess that it has been difficult living in that house, turning it into a home, cleaning it and making it homely, knowing that you were likely to want me to move out of it as soon as this investigation was over. But I wanted to do it because you had been so kind to me and my father, so generous. I had to do something to pay you back. On a personal note, a part of me has always secretly wished that you would want to share your life and your home with me. If you find that everything that has happened at Oakley Bridge has put you off living in the area then I will be more than happy to move on with you because my home will be with you. I don’t care where we live so long as we can be together. I don’t care how long your work with the Star Elite takes you away as long as you promise me that you will return to me as often as you can and do everything in your power to stay safe. I want to be a part of your life. I want the home we share to be our home, for us, and whatever children we have.’
Luke’s brows shot up. ‘Children?’
‘I want at least five,’ Rosemary admitted. ‘As an only child, life was rather boring, I will confess. I don’t want our children to be bored, but I don’t want them raised by a nanny or a wet nurse either. My children will be raised by me. I want them running around the garden with bare feet getting all muddy and wet. I want the silence to be broken by their laughter. I want to be able to race around the garden after them in a most undignified manner.’
‘It sounds wonderful,’ Luke smiled.
‘But now is not really the time to work on things like that yet,’ Rosemary murmured regretfully. ‘The investigation isn’t over.’
‘No, but Roger won’t let Morton get away with his crimes. We still have a lot to learn about him, but we won’t stop investigating until we have answers. That man won’t have decided to target just you, of that we know for definite.’
‘How?’ Rosemary asked.
It was difficult to force aside the intimacy of their conversation, but the Star Elite was a large part of who Luke was. The two were always going to merge and be a large part of both their lives because Luke wouldn’t be an ordinary husband.
‘Morton has far too many men helping him. The arsonist won’t be a mere acquaintance. Morton knows him well enough to trust him. To the world, Morton looks like the epitome of an urbane businessman. So where has he met the arsonist? What is their connection? Morton will be investigated thoroughly by us until we have learnt everything about him. Then we will decide what crimes he must face justice for,’ Luke warned. ‘For now, just rest.’
Rosemary settled contentedly against him and savoured being with him for several long miles. They were nearly at home when Luke gently tipped her chin up until she looked up at him. When he spoke, his voice was husky with desire. ‘Six children?’
Rosemary’s lips twitched as she slid him a look. ‘Well, I said five, but six will do just as well, I suppose. Our lives are going to be terribly busy, aren’t they?’
Luke nodded and was immediately assaulted with the mental image of six children running around all looking like their mother. ‘Six is a rounder number,’ he assured her, eyeing her lips with loving intent. ‘Of course, you are going to need help.’
‘From a husband,’ Rosemary’s lips pursed.
Luke nodded. ‘From your father too.’
‘He adores it at the house,’ Rosemary whispered.
‘He has to stay,’ Luke announced. ‘I won’t be at all comfortable thinking of him in town or the village by himself. There is absolutely no reason why people can’t come to see him, and you, if they want their watches repaired. I think that he needs the peace, and space, and a better workshop to work in. Of course, he will then be around to help with the house and children whenever I am away.’
‘He would love that,’ Rosemary whispered, blinking to clear her teary eyes. ‘God, I love you. I adore you.’ Because she couldn’t find right words to convey how much she adored him, Rosemary decided to show Luke how she felt. Forgetting about the warmth of the cloak, she cupped the back of his head with both hands and settled her lips against his. Neither of them noticed where they were, or bothered to stop the horse plodding his way home. Their trusty steed only stopped when he reached the yard at the back of Luke’s house, and found it full of not just the Star Elite’s men, but Debrette’s men, and Morton’s thugs as well.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Rosemary and Luke were so immersed in each other that they didn’t notice the men staring at them in bemusement.
‘Ahem!’ Roger stopped the horse from walking straight into the barn with his riders still on board. Beside him, the gaoler’s cart full of men remained mute as they gaped at the adoring couple.
Luke blinked when he realised where he was, and shared a rueful look with Roger, who was openly struggling not to laugh.
‘All right?’ Roger asked with a nonchalant grin.
Luke lovingly studied the women in his arms. ‘It’s delightful,’ he murmured.
Dawn was starting to creep over the horizon and cast everything a dull grey gloom. While it was still dark, it was light enough to afford him the ability to see more of Rosemary. The first thing that struck him was that she looked cold, exhausted, and dirty but still so stunningly beautiful that all he could do was stare at her. Words failed him. Rosemary looked wild, passionate, free.
Rosemary didn’t care what anybody thought about where she was sitting or the open display of affection between her and Luke. She didn’t care who thought she was wanton, or reckless. She didn’t care what they suspected had happened between her and Luke while they had been alone. If there was one thing that Rosemary had learnt tonight it was that she had always put far too much importance on what other people thought of her. Her life had hitherto been ruled by other people’s expectations to the point that she had been bored, lifeless, afraid to do or say anything for fear of causing upset or have people criticise her.
They are going to criticise anyway so I may as well do as I like.
With that, she didn’t stop to think when she leaned up to press a kiss to Luke’s lips that was searing. It was possessive, it was loving. It contained all the affection she felt for him. She didn’t care if he was going to chastise her for it when they were alone. She didn’t care if it changed her entire future or made her father angry. Rosemary kissed Luke to the point that he groaned and was helpless to do anything except hold her more tightly and kiss her back.
‘When you are ready,’ Roger murmured gently.
Without warning, Rosemary released Luke, and slid carefully off the horse. Luke had no choice but to let her go. Roger darted forward to help her, but Rosemary drew the cloak around her, threw him a smile, and stalked regally toward the house. Stepping carefully over the debris still on the doorstep, she entered
her new home, closed the door on the stunned faces of the men in the yard, and went in search of some clean and dry clothes.
Luke watched the door close behind her and shook his head in admiration.
‘All right?’ Roger asked Luke ruefully. ‘Would you like to come down a little?’
Luke grinned and dismounted before dropping the reins.
‘If you think you can focus on the investigation for a little while longer, we were just in the process of questioning our arsonist here. The rest of them are off to gaol,’ Roger warned with a nod to the gaoler’s cart.
Luke, who had yet to take his eyes off the back door, blinked and took a moment to remember what Roger had just said. ‘All right,’ he murmured disinterestedly.
‘This is the thug who set fire to your back door and is the reason why Rosemary had to try to leave the house through the front door,’ Roger added.
Luke blinked and ran an idle look over the young thug in question. At well over six feet, and powerfully built, Luke was a strong presence before the smaller, slighter youth who had to tip his head back to look up at the Star Elite investigator.
‘If there is one thing that I will not tolerate it is any thug putting my wife’s life in danger,’ Luke growled.
‘Wife?’ Roger interrupted.
‘She will be,’ Luke assured him, making it clear that there was no question in the matter.
‘Have you asked?’ Roger asked with a nod toward the house.
Luke scowled because he had but hadn’t received the answer he wanted. ‘She will be my wife,’ was all he could say. He squinted at the young lad who looked sullenly up at him. ‘He is the one who has tried to raze my house to the ground, eh?’
‘He is Morton’s nephew,’ Roger informed him. ‘It appears that he was under orders by his uncle to burn the house to get Rosemary out.’
‘Whatever for?’ Luke scowled. ‘She is to be married.’
‘That doesn’t matter to Morton,’ Roger snorted.
‘You won’t stop him. There is more going on than you realise. I will be released from gaol by the evening,’ the young lad boasted as he shrugged unconcernedly.
‘I don’t think so,’ Debrette growled. ‘You are going straight to the judge today to be tried for two counts of arson. You will then be kept in solitary confinement when you reach gaol until you undergo further interrogation. Even if your uncle could find out which gaol you are in, he won’t be able to get to you and won’t be able to pay any solicitor to get you off two counts of arson. Your backside is going to gaol and will stay there for at least ten years.’
‘Ten years?’ The lad blinked at him in shock.
‘That is the sentence arsonists usually get. Don’t forget that you have struck twice now,’ Roger warned.
‘That wasn’t me.’
‘What wasn’t?’ Luke asked.
‘The other arson at the shop,’ the lad said.
‘We never mentioned anything about the other fire being at the shop,’ Luke smiled.
‘Everyone in the village is talking about it,’ the lad protested. ‘It wasn’t me.’
‘Prove it,’ Roger demanded.
The lad opened his mouth and closed it again. The gaoler’s cart suddenly started to rumble down the driveway. Seeing the other thugs get carted off to gaol was enough to make the young lad look at the men from the Star Elite in fear.
‘You are going to walk,’ Roger announced. ‘You are young enough. It should give you plenty of time to think about what you are going to say when you are interrogated.’
‘But the gaol is a good twenty-five miles away,’ the lad whispered, his thin face twisted in horror.
‘You are not going to their gaol,’ Roger warned with a nod at the other prisoners. ‘Like I have said, you will be kept apart from them. Don’t think that they are going to protect you or be of any use to you now. I don’t suppose your uncle warned you that this could happen, eh?’
‘You can’t do this,’ the lad protested.
‘You tried to murder a young woman and her father today,’ William Debrette announced, throwing the young lad a stern look. ‘Attempted murder carries a sentence of twenty years. You should know that.’
‘But I only set fire to a few twigs,’ the young lad argued.
‘Knowing that there was someone in the house,’ Luke corrected. ‘You could be facing two charges of murder right now, so I wouldn’t protest too much. Two counts of attempted murder and two counts of arson should be enough to make you worry about what you are going to do with all that time behind bars.’
‘Look on the bright side, the judge could make you do hard labour,’ Roger warned. ‘So, tell me, what has your uncle has been doing?’
‘I don’t know anything,’ the young lad protested.
‘His name is Davey Brian,’ William informed Roger. ‘One of the thugs just told me. His mother is Maureen Brian. She married Harvey Brian, a renowned thug who lives over in Brampton.’
‘I have heard of him. He lives in the village near to me,’ Roger sighed.
‘Apparently, Morton is up to his ears in some sort of scheme over in Lockler,’ Debrette sighed. ‘I suppose we are going to have to find out what is going on from that daughter of his, and our little arsonist here.’
‘They will tell us,’ Luke warned without taking his eyes off the youth.
Roger stared hard at the young lad. ‘You have been arrested by the Star Elite, as has Samantha Morton, Finley’s daughter. Nobody can get either of you out of gaol. We have the power to make sure that you are transferred to a gaol many miles away from here so that you are effectively lost in the prison system. By the time you are released, many years from now, everything that you know at present will have changed, including your family.’
‘Now, what is Finley Morton up to? Why was he so determined to ruin Thomas Tynesdale’s business? We know that Thomas didn’t steal his watch. Samantha planted it in Thomas’s workbench to try to make Thomas look guilty. But why would they want Thomas behind bars?’
‘They don’t,’ the young lad shrugged. ‘They want Thomas to pay.’
‘For what?’
‘It to be forgotten.’ The young lad looked troubled, scared, but was also carefully planning something. Roger positioned himself directly behind the young boy. With Debrette on one side, Luke on the other, and Hamish and Peregrine before him, it was obvious that if he tried to run, he wouldn’t get far. ‘What’s in it for me if I tell you?’
‘A lighter sentence,’ Debrette replied.
‘Morton puts shop keepers in situations where they face justice if they don’t do things. I don’t mean the courts. I mean his brand of justice. He ruins reputations and forces people to feel like they need him to help them. It is different with everyone, but Morton wants control. He doesn’t care if he must lie about people to ruin their reputations and friendships. Getting as many locals as possible to think poorly about Morton’s victim means that the victim isn’t going to get help from the villagers no matter what Morton does. Samantha helps spread scurrilous lies about the victims to make them look guilty as hell so that when Morton puts his plans into place, the damage to the victim’s reputation is done and no help is forthcoming from people who live nearby.’
‘When Morton happens to mention the problem he has invented, the victim doesn’t stand a chance of getting anybody to hear the truth because everyone has listened to the spiteful gossip.’ Luke shook his head in disgust.
‘But why?’ Roger pressed.
‘Power. Morton wants power. He wants to be powerful and control people. He wants to control lives, manipulate relationships, people, and ruin people he doesn’t like. With Thomas, he didn’t like the fact that everyone talked fondly of Thomas, and that Thomas had worked his way up from being an apprentice to someone who sold watches to royalty. Morton knew that he would have power if he ruined Tynesdale’s reputation, so tried to make him out to be a thief. That’s why everyone wanted their watches back. Morton made it clear to every
one that Thomas had stolen a time piece and was trying to fob him off with a substandard one that was far cheaper. Of course, it helped that his daughter and Thomas looked fearful whenever they ventured out of their house. Samantha told everyone it was because they were worried that everyone would find out what they had been doing. You know, thieving other people’s watches.’
‘It’s rubbish,’ Luke snapped.
‘Yes, I know that, but the locals believed it and so suddenly wanted their things back,’ the lad cried.
Rosemary put her hands to her mouth and stared at the back of the young lad’s head. Luke heard that faint gasp and jerked around to look at her. He hauled her toward him when she took his hand. Once she was settled against him, he pressed a loving kiss to her temple and whispered into her ear: ‘stay strong’, while keeping one malevolent eye on their new convict.
‘But that is no reason to try to burn the man out of his business,’ Roger growled.
‘Morton told everyone that Thomas had set the first fire to try to claim off the insurance,’ the young lad replied.
‘I don’t have insurance,’ Thomas snapped. ‘It hasn’t been needed on account of us not living in town or a city.’ He truly looked shaken. ‘The villagers all thought I would steal from them?’