A Jewel for the Taking: Thieves of Desire Book 2

by St. Clair, Ellie

  “I’m sorry, Annabelle,” she began, but her friend just chuckled and waved it off. “You are obviously forgiven — as long as you share everything that happened.”

  “Ah—”

  “Very well. Not everything. As much as you would like. I’ve already heard a version of the altercation from the servants belowstairs, but the truth would be much preferred, if you please.”

  Juliet nodded as she began the story, including everything that had happened at dinner, with Shiplack, and then a much less detailed version of what it had led to with Xander following it all.

  Annabelle rubbed her forehead.

  “We need to get out of here.”

  “You sound like Xander.”

  “But it’s true. If this buyer comes… I know my pieces are good, Juliet, but they’re not that good. No paste or pinchback is going to fool a man who works with fine pieces each and every day, who would most assuredly be well aware that mine are a forgery.”

  “The real jewels are still hidden in the wood beyond the estate?”

  “They are. You are not suggesting that you want to return them?” Annabelle asked incredulously. “We would be far better leaving with what we already have.”

  “But is it worth it if we don’t have the necklace?”

  Annabelle sighed, shrugging her shoulders. “It’s better than nothing. Perhaps not enough to start new lives for ourselves, but it would make all of this somewhat worth it.”

  “Well, I suppose the first thing to do is go to breakfast and see if I am still welcomed in this house. Have you heard anything regarding the baron’s health?”

  “From what I hear he is fine, resting in his rooms.”

  “Are the Shiplacks still here?”

  “For now, although I don’t think Mr. Shiplack will be in any condition to join you for meals for a day or two, at least, if what I am told is true.”

  “Oh, dear. Has the baron said anything about me?”

  “He’s been asking for you to come see him. I told his valet to inform him that you were still sleeping.”

  “Very well.” Juliet took a breath, squaring her shoulders. “I best go face whatever awaits me.”

  So sure she was that she would be asked to leave the baron’s estate and never return, she was shocked to find that when she reached the breakfast room, everything was as normal as could be, unless one counted the absence of anyone else save a maid and Damien.

  “Where is everyone?” she asked him in a low voice, searching the room as though people were going to come out of hiding from beneath the chairs.

  “Well,” he said in an equally quiet voice. “If you are referring to Xander, he is currently speaking to Wilington as he was asked upstairs. Mrs. Shiplack has returned home, while Mr. Shiplack is still on the grounds recovering.”

  “I see,” Juliet said, picking up a plate to fill it, finding that her fingers were trembling ever so slightly. She quickly returned the plate before Damien noticed. “Have you heard any directives from the baron on what I am to do?”

  “Just that he requires your presence after you have eaten, is all,” Damien said as he obviously had noticed her troubles for he lifted a plate for her and filled it, despite the squeak of protest from the maid who entered and caught him at it. Damien waved her away, and off she went, although not before he winked at her, causing her to blush.

  “Do you think he is going to send me away?”

  “From what I can tell, he doesn’t have much recollection of last night,” Damien said, before looking up at her. “The question is, what would you like to do?”

  * * *

  “My lord,” Xander greeted Wilington as he stepped into the room, already adjusting his collar. He was well aware that this would likely account for his last few minutes in the home, before the baron told him to leave and never return. “How are you feeling this morning?”

  “Just fine,” Raymond grumbled, pushing himself into a sitting position as Xander noticed that the valet, for once, was nowhere to be seen. “I don’t know why everyone is so concerned.”

  Perhaps because the man kept fainting, particularly during chaotic events.

  “The physician did say to rest, my lord,” Xander couldn’t help but remind him, to which the baron grunted.

  “It has nothing to do with my heart,” he returned. “I think there is something else.”

  “Oh?”

  “I believe someone is trying to kill me.”

  Xander raised his eyebrows, taken aback. There were multiple people attempting to steal from the man, yes, but to kill him? That was another issue entirely. Was the baron overly perceptive or just overly anxious?

  “What makes you believe that, my lord?”

  “There is no other explanation for what continues to ail me. I am sure I am being poisoned.”

  “I should hope not my lord, but if there is any truth to that, then I will do everything I can to help ensure that whoever is behind such a thing does not succeed.”

  “That is exactly why you are here. John, I need you to be on the lookout. Have you discovered anything as to who is stealing from me?”

  Xander hesitated. “No, my lord. Unless you know of anything missing, it doesn’t seem that there is anything to account for, and I have not noticed any behavior that would be suspicious.”

  Or that he wanted to tell the baron about.

  “Hurrmph,” the baron said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Well, can’t be Shiplack. The man is already making money off me. Can’t be Juliet. She doesn’t have enough of a brain to even know where to start.”

  Xander rocked back and forth from his heels to his toes, willing himself not to respond. For Juliet was anything but empty-minded, although the fact that the baron assumed such a thing currently worked in her favor — which made her smarter than any of them had given her credit for.

  “Must be one of the staff,” the baron decided for himself as he thought aloud. “Which means that you are in the best position to determine who it would be. I have asked my valet to try to find out as well, but he’s not much associated with the other servants. A footman is in a far better position and you have not been here long enough to have made friends or enemies.”

  “That is a fair assessment, my lord.”

  “Yes,” the baron said before turning hard eyes on Xander. “And if you find out who it is, you make sure they understand just why one should never cross me, do you hear me?”

  Then when he steeled Xander with that look, the knowing in his gaze told Xander that as much as Wilington might be pretending he didn’t remember everything that had occurred last night, he was as knowledgeable as the rest of them.

  So why was he pretending to be senile? It was, perhaps, more concerning than anything else that was occurring in this place.

  * * *

  Nearly half an hour after she began, Juliet was still staring at her still rather full breakfast plate when she heard a low murmuring behind her. She whirled around to find Xander standing in the doorway, he and Damien conversing in voices so low she couldn’t hear any of what they said.

  Finally, Damien nodded and stepped out of the room, while Xander took his place, leaving him alone with Juliet.

  “He’s just in the hall outside the door,” Xander said. “If anyone is going to enter, he will let us know.”

  “I’m not sure if it’s possible for my reputation to be ruined any further,” Juliet said ruefully, turning her seat slightly so that she could face Xander.

  He crossed the room and pulled up a chair next to her, straddling the back of it, his face close to hers as those violet eyes wandered over her in nearly a caress.

  “How are you?” he asked softly, and her heart nearly melted for him once more.

  “Fine, considering,” she said, taking a breath, not wanting him to see just how rattled she was at her entire circumstance. She needed to know what was to become of her, and then she would feel much more at ease, knowing whether this was all mostly for naught, or if she co
uld actually still see her way through this.

  As for what was to become of her and Xander… he was the one bright light in all of this darkness, and she feared having any of her illusions dashed. She also had to be brave enough to accept whatever was to come, however, and to tell him what she wanted… what she needed.

  “After everything that… happened last night?” he asked, lifting a finger to lightly trace the ugly purple bruise on the side of her cheek, one that Juliet had tried and failed to cover with her hairstyle. She knew despite his soft touch, however, that he was not entirely referring to what had happened with Shiplack, but also between the two of them.

  “I have no regrets, if that’s what you are asking,” she said, knowing him better than he likely did himself. “In fact, I would do it again, if I had the chance.”

  Despite the nerves fluttering around her stomach, she looked up at him meaningfully to see if he understood just exactly what she was saying. His own cheeks went rather red as he grinned.

  “I would agree with that sentiment,” he said audaciously.

  “Xander,” she said before taking a breath. She didn’t want to ask the question, and knew now was most likely not the time considering all that was happening around them, but still, she couldn’t ignore it. “When whatever is to happen here is finished, what is to come next? For us?”

  He tapped his fingers against the back of the chair, a sign that he wasn’t entirely sure what to say.

  “I wish I could tell you that all will be well and we will live happily together for the rest of our days,” he said. “I will add that I never want to be far from you again, that I would like to always be able to ensure that you are well and happy, and never again have to consider stealing to support yourself.”

  “But…” she continued for him, even while her own stomach was flipping around most dreadfully.

  “But I can’t promise you a life without crime if you were to stay with me. I must be loyal to my family, and being a part of my family means partaking in all of their schemes, as you already well know. It was not the life for Calli, and she left it. But I don’t know if I ever could.”

  “What if I didn’t want to either?”

  “What are you saying?” he asked, his violet eyes boring into her most disconcertingly.

  “I’m saying that while yes, I do have plans to leave this life if I can, I have decided that I would rather an unpredictable, risky life with you, than one without you. That I am willing to take that chance — if you are.”

  His eyes widened as he leaned closer to her, taking her fingers within his, intertwining them.

  “Juliet, I—”

  The door pushed open before he could finish, and as much as Juliet liked Damien, she cursed his timing.

  “Someone’s coming,” he said hurriedly, slipping inside. “I think it’s Shiplack. You might want to leave, Juliet.”

  “No,” she said, holding her head high as Xander returned his chair and stepped back to the side of the room. “If he has something to say to me, he can say it to my face in the light of day.”

  She was far too angry at what the man had attempted with her to hide as though she had anything to be ashamed about. She had done nothing wrong — well, not to Shiplack, anyway — and she was not going to pretend like she had.

  When the door opened, she ignored it, instead spearing a piece of sausage with a fork and shoving it into her mouth, despite the fact she was still not hungry in the least and even chewing it with Shiplack in the room made her want to be sick.

  “Well, well,” Shiplack said as he entered the room, crossing over to the display of food at the side of the room — most of which would go uneaten. “Miss Simpson, how lovely to see you this morning.”

  Juliet took a sip of her tea, no longer nervous as her ire set in just at the man’s voice. How dare he believe that after all he did and attempted last night that he could show his face in this breakfast room without any shame.

  She stood, turning to face him. “I find I have now completely lost my appetite,” she said, happy to see that his nose was a glorious shade of purple, angling slightly to the left, while he seemed to be favoring his left side. Good. She and Xander had left their mark. “If you will excuse me.”

  “Actually, I would enjoy the company, Miss Simpson,” he said, waving a hand back toward her seat. “I believe we should clear up the misunderstanding that occurred last night.”

  “Misunderstanding?” Juliet said, raising a brow. She longed to tell him exactly what she thought, that he was one of the most horrible men she had ever met — and she had met quite a few unsavory characters — but rational thought invaded and she realized that this was likely the only way forward for her, to make partial amends with the man. “I accept your apology, Mr. Shiplack, and I offer my own as well. Now, the baron has requested to see me and given his current health concerns, I feel it is most pressing that I go quickly. Good day to you, sir.”

  With a swirl of skirts and giving no opportunity for him to respond, she was out the door, head held high, as Xander whispered, “Brava, my love,” as she passed.

  It was enough to make up for everything else.

  Chapter 15

  When Juliet knocked on the door of the baron’s room, she was expecting to find the man lying prone on his bad, as ill as he had been the last time he’d had such an attack.

  Which was why she was shocked when he opened the door himself.

  “Miss Simpson,” he said abruptly, stepping forward so that she had to move out of his way. “You came. You took much longer than I anticipated.”

  “Of course, my lord,” she said demurely, ignoring his last sentence. “How are you feeling?”

  “Never better,” he said, shutting the door behind him as he began walking down the corridor, apparently expecting her to follow in his wake. “What happened to your face?”

  “I…” She realized it was likely best that she not provide the truth if he truly didn’t remember. “I walked into my wardrobe. Quite clumsy of me.”

  “Quite,” he agreed. “I’m not sure how you are supposed to show off my prize jewels with your face looking like that. You’ll only scare my buyer away.”

  “Your buyer? Is he arriving today?”

  “Yes, you silly chit, I told you that.”

  “I’m sorry, my lord, I wasn’t sure when he was scheduled.”

  “Today. You obviously forgot.”

  Juliet wasn’t entirely sure whether or not his memory was actually failing or whether he used the ploy as was convenient, but she wasn’t about to question it.

  “That is good news,” she said as the panic set in. The buyer’s appearance was far too soon. “When is he to arrive?”

  “Today. How many times must I repeat myself before you understand?” Lord Wilington snapped, and Juliet took a breath. Patience.

  “I only meant what time.”

  “Noon. But you will meet him at dinner.”

  “Oh… lovely.”

  “You will wear your finest gown. You will wear the diamond necklace and bracelet.” Frowning, he added, “And do something about your face.”

  She nodded slowly. “I will try, my lord.”

  “Don’t just try,” he said as he reached his study, stepping through the door and quite obviously dismissing her. “You have all day to fix it. Do so.”

  With that, he slammed the door behind him, leaving Juliet silently fuming on the other side. This was not going well. Not at all.

  * * *

  “We have to act now,” Damien said, to which Xander agreed. The butler had just apprised the staff that there would be another guest joining the baron that evening for dinner, and it wasn’t difficult to guess who it might be. “There is no time for your fancy lock-picking as your tools have not yet arrived from London. We are going to have to force our way in. I don’t see any other choice.”

  “Fine. I’ll find Juliet and see if she can distract the baron.”

  “He’s in his study,” Damien
said. “His valet will be having his luncheon soon. We do it now.”

  Xander practically growled his agreement, but agreed as they quickly changed before making their way out of the estate to the nondescript cottage that stood not far from the house. It was the easiest way to enter the passageway, and would allow them to determine whether their faceless foe was making any progress.

  They were about to enter when Damien held his finger to his lips, nodding toward the building.

  Xander stepped quietly toward it, placing his ear against the wooden door, hearing the murmur of voices within. He and Damien exchanged a glance, aware that there was no opportunity now for them to enter — but who was in there and what were they to do?

  Xander nodded his head toward the window, and the two of them slunk down low enough so that they couldn’t be seen from within. When they finally made it to the window, Xander slowly rose from his crouched position until he was eye level with the bottom of the window. He wasn’t surprised to see Shiplack, but he was shocked to see his wife along with him. They seemed to be arguing, with Mrs. Shiplack much more animated than Xander had ever seen her before.

  He crouched back down. “I thought Mrs. Shiplack left,” he hissed toward Damien.

  “She did,” Damien returned. “I saw her into a carriage myself.”

  “Well, she didn’t go far, for she is there, in the cottage.”

  Damien’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Well of all the—”

  “Well, well, boys, sneaking around peeking in windows, are we?”

  Xander and Damien froze as they stared at one another in shock before turning to the newcomer. It couldn’t be him.

  But no one else sounded like that. The better question was, just what was he doing here?

  * * *

  Juliet paced her chamber back and forth, while Annabelle patiently listened to her rant as she put the finishing touches on the diamond necklace. Juliet was to appear for dinner shortly, but was finding her nerves were frayed.