by Rebecca King
“Let’s go,” he growled at Joshua. “We have things to do and people to see. We don’t have time to stand around chatting with this lot all day. Seeing as you live next door to the woman, they can stick their warnings. Whether you are friendly with the Carringtons or not is none of their business. Now they have issued a warning, though, we know exactly who to find should anything happen to them.”
“Get them.”
The words were no sooner out of Billy’s mouth than the men surged forward. They came at Joshua and Hamish from all sides until they were surrounded. Once isolated from the rest of the word, there in the woods, the men from the gypsy camp tried to give the Star Elite their first and only warning.
Not much was said. The only sounds that could be heard for several long moments were of flesh hitting flesh, grunts and groans of men being struck, and the occasion squawk of angry birds as they flew away. Joshua was oblivious to it all. Each fist he landed on an opponent was driven by his fear for Annalisa’s safety. Each kick he landed in an opponent’s stomach was forced there by the need to make sure the men were aware the Star Elite were not to be messed with. Joshua didn’t fight for himself. He fought for the safety of the locals, the work of his colleagues, and the protection of Annalisa, who was starting to matter to him far too much for his own peace of mind.
Eventually, Joshua found himself facing Billy. The gypsy grinned at him, clearly eager to take on the challenge. Joshua, already winded from fighting three other men, didn’t waver when Billy shoved his sleeves up and bent over in preparation to charge him. Instead, Joshua braced himself, aware that the friends of Billy’s who were still upright had lost all interest in Hamish. They all turned to watch Joshua and Billy instead.
“I don’t like you encroaching on my turf,” Billy informed him.
“It isn’t your turf,” Joshua countered. “You are a gypsy. Part of your life is that you move on. You and I both know that you will move on eventually. Your kind always does. Annalisa won’t. She isn’t the travelling kind. Leave her alone.”
“I have known her a long time,” Billy growled.
“And? You cannot expect her to stay single all her life.”
Billy scoffed. “Do you really think she will marry the likes of you?”
“I am more suited to her than you are. I can give her a stable life, not one in your little trap over there.”
“It’s a gypsy caravan,” Billy snapped without giving the brilliantly lit conveyance a second look.
“It still moves around a lot. We know all about your kind. When you move into a town or village like this, trouble follows you. Things disappear. You help yourself and when the magistrate gets too close to arresting you, you disappear taking your stolen goods with you. Why, though, did you see fit to kill?”
“That wasn’t us,” Billy snorted. “We might be a little light-fingered but we aren’t murderers. None of us are killers.”
“Really.” Joshua’s tone as disbelieving.
“You need to look somewhere else for the culprit for that church fund going missing. I wish I had thought of it, though. We just have business – elsewhere.”
“Yes, warning people away from Annalisa Carrington. She isn’t anything to do with you, no matter how long you have known her. I do believe she had told you to leave her alone. Even she knows you cannot give her the lifestyle to which she has become accustomed.”
“And you can?”
“Yes. I am in Mr Richardson’s house, aren’t I?”
Billy’s eyes narrowed almost ferally. Without saying anything else, he tackled Joshua. Rather than try to drag him to the floor as expected, Billy slammed Joshua into a tree behind him. His breath escaped Joshua in a whoosh which left him gasping and unable to move for a moment. Billy’s fists were swift and hard but nothing Joshua couldn’t withstand. Billy, however, was obviously too used to picking on men who weren’t used to fighting back with the strength and agility Joshua had. Several punches later and Billy was lying on the ground peering warily up at him, although without any hint of malice. There was a rather wary respect in his eye instead, and less of an inclination to fight.
“Just how did you learn to fight like that?” he demanded, clearly impressed.
He brushed himself off when his friends had helped him stand.
“Here and there. Like I said, I come from London. We fight rough down there. You should go there sometime. I can thoroughly recommend the East End if you want a good dock fight,” Joshua drawled.
Billy snorted with laughter. “Do you really think your precious Miss Annalisa Carrington is going to want anything to do with a dock fighter?”
Joshua shrugged unconcernedly. “She isn’t going to want anything to do with a gypsy either.”
“Will you two stop bickering?” Hamish growled. “This isn’t some bloody cock fight, you know. For the love of God, we have things to do somewhere else.”
Joshua grinned but then winced when his newly split lip protested. Swiping at it with his thumb he brushed the thin smear of blood away and then looked at Billy.
“Do you have any idea who is responsible for the burglaries? It might be a wise move to keep your eyes and ears open so this blackguard can get caught. Right now, you are being blamed because you are the gypsies who are known to pickpocket. Unless you want to be mistakenly arrested for murder, it might be best if you tell us what you know.”
“Who are you? Don’t tell me that you are just an urban gentleman from London. Nobody fights like that if they are born into a smoking jacket,” Billy scoffed.
“We used to be in the army but never really ceased employment with the War Office,” Hamish replied. “What you should know is that we are based here permanently now. Unless you want to feel the strong arm of the law, I suggest you lot stop your thieving in this village. It has enough problems right now.”
“Like the burglar.”
“Like a murderer. So far, Mr Smitherson, and the Church Warden, Bob Julian, have been murdered and several properties burgled. If you know something about any of it, you need to say so now.”
Billy squinted at Joshua and Hamish for a moment. He turned to look at his men.
“Wait here a moment.”
Joshua and Hamish shared a cautious look as they waited for Billy to have a quick conversation with his friends. When Billy returned, it was with squared shoulders and renewed purpose.
“Nobody has seen anything,” Billy reported. “But we will keep our ear to the ground. We know where to find you if we unearth anything.”
“Stay out of the village because one of the villagers is a killer,” Hamish warned.
Billy nodded his thanks and, with renewed respect, held his hand out to Joshua, who took it and shook it briskly before stepping back. One by one, Billy and his friends called a truce with the Star Elite. While they would never truly be comrades, or really see eye-to-eye, they were at least respectful opponents who would make sure that they each protected their own.
Nothing more was said before Joshua and Hamish took their leave and left. Billy’s men parted and allowed them through without further hindrance, much to Hamish’s relief. He lifted his brows at Joshua when they were out of earshot and shook his head in disbelief.
“It isn’t the gypsies then,” Hamish whispered.
“I never thought it was,” Joshua replied.
Together, the men stopped and looked at the houses closest to them. “We have to be looking for someone who has access to people’s houses and knows what is inside. Not only that, but what is valuable and worth stealing. Moreover, where those valuables are kept.”
“Are we looking for a local housekeeper, a servant of some kind. The grocer maybe?”
“I am not sure but one thing I think we must contemplate is that this burglar isn’t working alone.” With that, Joshua left the sheltered protection of the trees and made his way to Mr Richardson’s house.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“I am going to be perfectly fine,” Annalisa insisted when he
r aunt still hovered beside the front door.
Yvette was reluctant to leave her niece alone, even for an hour or two while she went to visit her friend down the street.
“It won’t be for long. I am going to keep myself occupied with some sewing.”
She pasted a bland expression on her face to try to make sure Yvette didn’t notice her frustration, but she did.
“I know you think I am being overly protective but given everything that has been happening of late, I really don’t want to leave you alone,” Yvette argued.
“I just don’t feel up to visiting today,” Annalisa insisted. “I am sorry. I know you have arranged to go and have been looking forward to it. I just don’t feel up to visiting right now. There is no reason why you shouldn’t go by yourself. Maureen isn’t expecting me, is she? She will understand, I am sure. There is nothing to worry about. The burglar has not broken into any homes during the day, has he? There is no reason why he should start today. Besides, if there is a problem, Joshua is next door. I am sure he won’t mind if I called upon him if there was an emergency.”
“That’s the problem,” Yvette replied dryly.
Annalisa lifted her brows but didn’t smile. “I am sorry you consider me so untrustworthy.”
“It isn’t that, my dear.”
“But I think it is,” Annalisa murmured quietly. She knew her aunt didn’t want to go because she had commented once or twice about how much Annalisa appeared to be interested in their neighbour.
“He is handsome, but you must remember that he is a stranger around these parts. He is going to leave again at some point,” Yvette said quietly.
“I know,” Annalisa replied. “He is our neighbour, aunt. I cannot help but be suspicious about his arrival, and the sudden and unexpected disappearance of Mr Richardson. Believe me, there will be nobody more pleased than me to see the day that Mr Richardson returns home and everything returns to normal. For now, the best we can do is carry as we usually do and at least try to pretend that everything is fine. I will make sure the house is locked up tightly once you have gone and won’t answer the door no matter who calls upon me. You shouldn’t really go out alone unchaperoned either, but seeing as Maureen only lives down the street, what harm can there be in just a short journey? I am sure everything will be fine.”
Annalisa turned her attention to the book in her lap and was aware that Yvette studied her some more. Eventually, though, whatever she had been mulling over was settled and Yvette quietly let herself out of the house. When she had gone, Annalisa waited for a moment or two before she hurried to the front door and slid the bolt across. She was cold, tired, and intended to take a nap. Until she got upstairs.
As usual, she was drawn to sit beside the window instead, which happened to overlook the house next door. Her gaze was immediately captured by Joshua, who was in the upstairs window watching her.
“How dare he?” she gasped in outrage.
She lifted a hand to slide the shutter closed only to stop because she knew that doing it would warn him that she had been watching him.
“How dreadful,” she muttered wryly.
Nap forgotten, Annalisa forced herself to do something else and began to wander aimlessly around the house in search of something. She poked at her sewing, picked up a book only to toss it disinterestedly back down again, and then began to tidy the desk only to find herself staring blankly out of the window at Joshua’s house some more.
“I know, I shall go and pick some blackberries,” she whispered.
Minutes later, assurances to her aunt aside, Annalisa let herself out of the house. At the blackberry bush, she put the basket onto the ground at her feet and began to pick the succulent purple fruit. One by one she dropped them into the basket until she had a small mound. Stopping long enough beside the plum tree, she picked the ripest and dropped those into the basket as well.
“Well, well, well, fancy meeting you here again.”
“I thought I told you to stay away from here, Billy,” Annalisa bit out.
“Your boyfriend isn’t doing a very good job at keeping you inside,” Billy countered.
“Who?”
“Your man next door.”
“He isn’t my man next door.”
“He lives next door.”
“He isn’t my man,” Annalisa sniffed.
“Really, so why was he fighting for your virtue?”
“What?” Annalisa whirled to glare at him. Her brows lifted when she saw the bruises on Billy’s face. “Joshua did that?”
“Joshua now, is it? And you say he isn’t your boyfriend.”
“He isn’t.”
“Well, it is mighty familiar for a neighbour, I must say,” Billy sneered.
“What would you know about neighbours. You move practically every other week. That said, why are you still here? Shouldn’t you have moved on by now?”
“Pa isn’t all that well still,” Billy replied without thinking.
“Still?”
Billy almost looked sad, but only temporarily. He seemed to restore his flagging spirits by sucking in a deep, fortifying breath. With those restored spirits came a resurgence of his ego, which seemed to make him puff out his chest and gain a different level of importance than he had previously.
“Your boyfriend is from London, did you now that?”
“Yes.”
“Did you also know that he has learnt to fight?”
Yes, it is what the Star Elite do.
“Yes.”
“What else has he told you about himself?”
“That’s nothing to do with you,” Annalisa snapped.
“Well, I just thought you should know that for someone who is just visiting, your new neighbour seems to have no intention of moving on either.”
Annalisa’s heart skipped a beat. “Really? He told you that?”
“You like him, don’t you?”
Annalisa fought hard to keep her face impassive. “I like a lot of people in this village.”
Except you. You, I wouldn’t trust if you told me you were the vicar’s brother.
“Well, I think you should ask your boyfriend a few more questions, preferably before you ruin your reputation with him.”
“I haven’t ruined my reputation being with him,” Annalisa replied.
“People are talking,” Billy assured her with a swiftness that left Annalisa in no doubt it was the truth. “They are saying that he is a lot like you and a good match. Unless you want them to assume you are with him, I would suggest you stay away.”
“What would you know about it?” Annalisa demanded only to find herself alone in the garden again. She sighed and watched Billy’s back disappear into the trees. The urge to call him back was strong. Instead, she cautiously picked up her basket and turned to the house only to let out a loud squeal when she realised that someone was standing behind her.
“Joshua!” She gasped. “How long have you been standing there?”
She glanced down at the upturned basket at her feet and sighed in dismay. She froze when Joshua neither moved nor spoke. Instead, he was staring at the spot Billy had disappeared.
“Is he bothering you again?”
“He is always bothering me,” Annalisa bit out in frustration. “But I ignore him. He will move on eventually, I don’t doubt.”
Annalisa knelt in the soft grass and began to gather her fruit. Joshua knelt and helped her. When he handed her a plum, rather than release it, he waited until Annalisa took hold of it before tugging on it, drawing her attention to him.
“What?” she whispered, trying hard to keep her gaze away from his lips.
“What else did he say?”
“He told me you were from London and that people are talking about you.”
Joshua knew that was only partly true because he had heard all of Annalisa’s conversation with the gypsy.
“Do you think he might be the burglar?”
“Yes, I do,” Joshua replied smoothly. “I also think you s
houldn’t be out here alone. Where is your aunt?”
“She has gone to see a friend,” Annalisa replied without thinking.
Ignoring her worried look, Joshua picked up her basket and escorted her to the house. Once on the doorstep, he placed the basket just inside the door and turned to level a hard glare on her.
“Stay inside.”
“Why? What’s happened?”
“Have you been into the village lately?”
Annalisa shook her head.
With a sigh, Joshua told her about Mr Murphy, the latest victim.
“He is alive but had a pouch of coins taken as well. He was woken by a noise downstairs and arrived just as the thief was leaving. If he had accosted the man, I have no doubt Mr Murphy would be dead right now,” Joshua informed her.
“Oh, dear God. How many more will there be before this brigand is caught?”
“Not too many, hopefully. For now, don’t venture out because Billy is just one of the problems around here.”
“What about you?”
“I shouldn’t be considered a problem.”
“That wasn’t what I meant.”
“I don’t steal things,” Joshua assured her flatly.
“Where do you go at night?”
“That is none of your concern. Why are you watching me?”
“I am not.”
“I saw you just now.”
“I was looking out of my window. I cannot help it if my window overlooks yours,” Annalisa protested.
“But you were there last night. Late last night. My comings and goings are nothing to do with you,” Joshua growled.
He had to do something because forgetting all about her was becoming downright impossible. Each time he looked out of the window his gaze was drawn to what appeared to be her favourite chair; the only chair positioned beside the window overlooking her garden and, unfortunately, his house – or rather Mr Richardson’s house. While his colleagues had barely noticed, he had become far too distracted by her presence.
“What are you looking for?”
“Well, I have seen you leaving around the time that Mrs Kempton was burgled.” Annalisa lifted a challenging glare at her neighbour and waited. When he didn’t give her any explanation as to what he had been doing at that time of night, Annalisa folded her arms. “I then saw you come back before dawn. It’s an odd time of night to go out visiting.”