Charles took notice they could not move or make a sound until the coast was clear and Thorn came to investigate their deaths. So, all he did was reach across to hold Raina’s hand. Their fingers laced together, he gently squeezed her hand while she responded with her own softer squeeze. Wherein they lay in wait for the word of their deaths to spread. No sound came from outside the door. The house had an eerie silence upon it. Charles knew by now Ivy would have learned of his demise. He only hoped through her sadness, it brought no harm to the child she was carrying. Her sadness wouldn’t be forever, only long enough for the plan to succeed.
…..
Thornhill listened to the tale Billy Hobbs was telling him. Something wasn’t right about the story. The boy spoke too loudly for such horrible news. It was when Billy kept darting his eyes to the footmen he understood. Charles and Raina were not dead, but only playing they were. Thorn dismissed his footmen and waited for them to leave the room. Once the door was shut he moved around in front of his desk. Leaning against the edge he sized Billy’s character. Billy relaxed back in his chair once they were alone in the room. The young man wiped his hands along the front of his pants. Letting out a long sigh, Thorn realized how nervous he had been.
“Will you please see to them at once My Lord?” Billy asked.
“I will once my wife has been informed.”
“Will you not look at them first?”
“Lady Ivy is having tea with a few ladies of the ton, I think telling her of her brother’s death, her friends could comfort her. Do you not agree informing her would be wiser?”
Billy thought of the plan he had made with Lord Mallory and recognized for it to work, other members of society needed to hear of their deaths. He only hated for Lady Ivy to suffer when she did not need to. She had always been so kind to him whenever she visited the cottage; he hated for her to suffer any grief. But for this to succeed they must follow the plan. In the meantime, he needed for Lord Thornhill to spread the word, then Lady Ivy could know the full truth. He nodded his head in understanding.
“I will have Sims prepare you a room, where you will wait until I send for you again. The fewer servants you encounter the better.”
“Yes, My Lord.”
Thornhill rang for Sims, he gave instructions for Billy’s room. He left the young man in the capable hands of his butler. He understood what he needed to do. While he felt the same empathy for his wife Billy had, he also knew the means to the end. And that was for gossip to spread. He could spare his wife’s emotions soon enough.
Thorn made his way to the receiving parlor. There he encountered Ivy playing hostess to a room full of the elitist of the ton. He knew this would cause her enormous grief, but if it would accomplish what Charles had set out to do; then he must make his wife cry.
As he walked into the room Thorn moved to Ivy’s side. A huge smile lighted her face at his appearance. He overheard the other woman teetering about their love for each other and sighing into their teacups. When he joined Ivy on the settee, he pulled her hands in his. He watched her smile diminish to a frown.
“What is it Thorn? Have you found out news of Charles?”
“Yes, my dear, I am afraid so.”
Ivy paled at the tone of his voice and her hands tightened in his.
“What?” she whispered.
“There was an incident and Charles and his wife have been murdered.”
He caught Ivy against his chest as she passed out in his arms at those words. He knew it was for the best on her reacting this way. Less he had to explain something he himself was not even privy too. He heard the news spread across the parlor. Charles. Wife. Death. The whispered words between the ladies sounded likes shouts from the rooftops. He glanced around the room as they gossiped amongst themselves. When his eyes met theirs, they would look away in guilt. Whatever Charles meant to do, it was working. Now he needed these ladies to leave, so he could tend to Ivy. Rising from the couch, he held Ivy in his arms. He bowed his head at the women.
“Please forgive me ladies, I must see to my wife’s comfort at once.”
“Yes, Lord Thornhill, we will be on our way. Please let us convey our deepest regrets at this tragedy,” Lady Drummond said.
Thorn nodded his head at her words and swept Ivy from the room. He took the stairs as rapidly as he could to their suite. Upon entering the room, he laid her on the bed. Sitting next to her, he wiped the hair from her face, urging her to awaken. When her eyelids fluttered open and met his, he saw her profound sorrow at the loss of her brother. Tears filled her eyes.
“Charles?”
“That I do not know my dear. I believe it is a ruse to confuse his enemies. I will call for Mabel to sit with you while I investigate this. In the meantime, stay calm until I can bring you word.”
“He is alive then?”
“I cannot tell you yet my dear, but there is a strong chance he is alive. Please rest and do not upset yourself or the babe,” Thorn told her as he wrapped his hand over their child.
Ivy pressed her hand against Thorn. They felt the baby kick at their touch. With Thorn’s hand covering her, Ivy was secure in the knowledge, her brother was still alive. She would feel his loss and she did not, just like from before, she knew he was not dead.
“Please hurry and find out the truth. I will rest while you do. I promise.” Pulling his head towards hers for a kiss, she sensed the tenderness of his care towards her, while his lips caressed hers.
Thorn rose from the bed once Mabel entered the room. With one last glance at his wife he left. Awaiting him in the hallway was Sims. He followed Sims to the floor above, as he ventured further along the dark corridor, he doubted if Charles was alive. Once outside the door he waited for Sims to retreat. There was naught but a silence which greeted him. When he opened the door, it was to find the bodies of Charles and Raina lying peacefully on the bed. Did he misconstrue what Billy was trying to tell him? Would he have to tell Ivy he was wrong, and her brother did not survive? But then he witnessed the tiniest of movements. Were their hands enclosed together? Wandering over to the bed, he saw what anybody would notice if they stood above them. That was of their chests rising in time with their breaths. Thorn thumped Charles on the shoulder in annoyance for the scare.
“Use the secret passageway and meet me in my suite in ten minutes,” Thorn instructed them.
He then turned towards the door. Locking the door behind him, he informed Sims at the end of the hallway to post a footman at the locked room and to not let a soul inside. He then returned to Ivy. Once in his room, he dismissed Mabel. Soon his father-in-law, the Duke of Kempbell joined them. Ivy pressed him for answers, but he told her to be patient, all her questions would soon be answered. As they settled around the fire, the closed panel opened. Charles and Raina appeared out of the darkness. Cobwebs were clinging to their clothes and hair, but that did not stop Ivy from rushing them in tears. Charles held her as she sobbed her relief. Raina stood back feeling guilty for the angst Ivy was suffering. Charles led Ivy back to the settee and settled her next to Thorn. He then pulled Raina into their small group. Settling her in a chair he sat next to her, holding her hand. He wanted to make it apparent to his family, his feelings for Raina and his full support. When he saw no resistance from his family, he relaxed back into the chair.
“Let me offer my apologies for the ordeal we had to put you through. It was the only way for our plan to achieve.”
“Why don’t you start at the beginning Son? I assume this has to do with Shears?” inquired the Duke.
“And Maxwell,” Charles responded.
“What is Zane's involvement with your scheme?” asked Ivy.
“He was ordered by Shears to kill us.”
“I do not believe it.” Ivy’s belief in her friend spoke.
“Well believe it Sister, he was sent to murder us for his own selfish reasons.”
“There must be a misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding?” Charles scoffed. “The man held a pist
ol point blank at not only myself but Raina too. No, dear sister it was no misunderstanding.”
“Please explain Charles, so we might understand what you two went through,” Thorn urged.
Charles explained Maxwell’s arrival and how the events spiraled out of control. Raina injected pieces of information along the way to collaborate the story. It was when the story was revealed, questions were asked, questions Charles didn’t have the answers to, but Raina did. Charles wanted these answers from her in private but recognized too much time had passed, and they must be shared with everybody. Answers he hoped that would shed light on Maxwell’s behavior. Also, he wished they could help to bring the end to Shears reign of terror.
Chapter Twenty
“WHAT I DO NOT understand is why Maxwell has aligned himself with Shears?” Ivy asked.
“It was his mission by instruction from the Crown.” Raina answered.
“What was his full mission?” Thorn inquired.
“I do not have knowledge on the full extent of his mission. All I was privy to was he needed to present Shears with the jewels for information.”
“What information?” asked Charles.
Raina sighed. She realized this time would come. Her time was over. She would have to explain her part in this mad scheme.
“Information on the whereabouts of the King’s bastard.”
The room grew quiet at this bit of information. Everybody in England was aware of the numerous affairs the King indulged himself in, but nobody had knowledge of any children out of wedlock he sired.
“I take it, Shears has information on locating this child.”
“Not only does he have information, he himself is holding the child hostage.”
If the bedroom could grow any quieter from a few seconds ago, it did now. They all were acquainted with the horrors of Shears, especially how he treated women and children. An understanding filled the air with Maxwell’s desperation.
“Maxwell is to give Shears the jewels and then Shears has promised himself to take him to the child. Only Maxwell has no jewels to give to Shears.”
“Where are they?”
“I have lost them. I hid them in a jewelry box, but I seem to have misplaced the trinket and the jewels.”
“I have your jewelry box, I’ve kept it since the tavern, when you were disguised as a pregnant wench. But I saw none of these so-called jewels inside the box.”
“You stole my jewelry box?”
“I didn’t think someone as lowly as you should own something so exquisite. I thought you stole it, so I was going to find its rightful owner.”
“You had no right to steal my possession. My parents gave me the gift, it was the only thing I had left of them.”
“I am sorry for my mistake. If Thorn will send Sims to my room I stayed in before we left, he will find in amongst my things.”
Raina did not respond to his apology. She realized it to be a common mistake. She was at the time portraying an untrustworthy character. But in the time, they spent together he should have discussed this with her. But instead he kept this information to himself. It presented itself with he still did not trust her.
Charles realized he was wrong in stealing her property and not returning it to her, even after they had come together. It showed as a sign of mistrust. Where in truth he had forgotten about it until she had spoken of it. From the looks of things, she was furious with him. It would take a lot of honesty to be admitted between them before they could trust one another.
“This explains why Maxwell is acting as he is, but it does not explain your involvement with Shears at the time of Charles’s kidnapping,” Thorn stated.
“I was recruited by Shears after I escaped your ship all those years ago. In my misguided anger towards you, I worked alongside him, to destroy you. After I found out on the beach his involvement with my family’s death, I vowed to ruin him. I went to your government and gave them the information they needed to bring Shears to justice. So as a result, I continued to work for them. To gradually destroy Shears’s entire points of operation. One warehouse at a time until they were all diminished.”
“You split sides easily in this time of war. How are we supposed to trust you are working on our side and not have been pretending to help Shears?” inquired Thorn.
“I understand where you would question my trust. But see this from somebody who has lost everybody they love from evil, I will do everything in my power to bring him down. You can either learn to trust me and work with me. Or I will leave this house tonight and you will never hear from me again.”
“If she leaves, then so do I,” Charles seconded.
“Nobody is leaving here tonight. We are a family and we will work together to rid ourselves of this evil. I am including you in this family Raina. We are your family now. Is this understood?” The Duke looked around at everybody. Everybody gave him a nod of understanding.
“Good, now that is settled. What is the plan now?” questioned his father.
“We wait for Maxwell,” Thorn answered.
“Why would Maxwell come here?” asked Charles.
“For the jewels,” answered Raina.
“Why don’t we send a messenger to him with the jewels Raina has?” Ivy asked.
“Because my jewels are not the only ones he needs,” Raina answered while looking in Thorn’s direction.
All eyes turned towards him, but Thornhill never flinched, he sat there looking as arrogant as ever. He recognized he held a piece to Maxwell’s dilemma, and he did not care. The gentleman who was once a friend had betrayed him and his family. All for what? He realized Raina knew more than she was letting everybody know, but he believed what she knew was not pertinent enough to hear about. The information would be between her and Charles to discuss and come to an understanding. He noticed their relationship had only developed and grown stronger while they were away. It was not his place to interfere. Charles believed himself in love with her. While he could see the signs were mutual, he still didn’t trust the lady. She had knifed him, kidnapped Charles, disappeared and her exploits were questionable on whose side she was fighting for. While she was coming clean with them, he still withheld his judgment on her until her actions proved otherwise. For his wife’s sake he would keep an open mind.
Thorn acknowledged her words with a nod of his head, “It is true I hold the one jewel he desires. He had it back in his possession at one time but lost it as he freed Shears on the beach during the night we rescued you. Maxwell has yet to return for it.”
“He will come for it.” Raina said.
“And when he does, I will be waiting for him,” Thorn threatened.
“That will solve nothing. He must have the ruby to finish his mission.”
“As long as Maxwell is involved with Shears, I won’t let him have possession of the jewel.”
“You are standing in the way of the Crown’s mission.”
“I am saving many innocent lives.”
“Do you think holding onto the ruby will prevent Shears from his vengeance?”
“No, but it will slow his progress. As long as his progress is slowed then we have a chance of ending him.”
“You are a fool, Thornhill,” Raina ranted, “You are only giving him ammunition. There is a greater force than Shears working here. Many influential men support him here in London. You need to bring them to justice along with Shears if you want to end this battle.”
“Then ending their terror is precisely what we will do.”
“How do you propose we do that?” asked Charles.
He had stayed silent while Raina and Thorn battled out their indifferences. There were still a lot of trust issues between them. He understood both of their reasoning and was caught in the middle. While he wanted to defend the woman he loved, he also wanted the same answers Thorn was demanding from her. So, in silence he gathered the information he heard and understood Raina had been hurt deeply and was only trying to protect her heart. She wanted to trust them but di
dn’t know how. It was up to him and the rest of his family to show her.
Sliding his hand over, he held her hand. It was an action to show her and his family he fully supported and trusted her. He felt her hesitation at his touch in front of his family, but gradually her body relaxed, and her hand tightened in his. Looking up from their joined hands he caught the stares from his family one by one. First his eyes met Ivy’s, she smiled her support and encouragement. He could always count on her for backing him. Next, he met his father’s smile, the one of approval. Then his eyes encountered Thorn’s. The message passed between them at first was of questioning then when he responded with his answer, the look turned to acceptance. With his family's support he perceived all would be well.
“I will lure Maxwell to us. If what you are saying to be true, I think we can talk sense into him.”
“How will you do that?” asked Ivy.
Thorn turned his head to her, “I am afraid we will have to use you as bait my dear.”
That brought a huge smile to Ivy’s face. She was becoming frustrated at being treated as an invalid in her particular state. She was pregnant, true, but she was not without means. This would be a way for her to show her friend’s innocence. She understood what they spoke of about Zane, but she experienced another side of him they did not. She knew she could convince him of their help.
“Do not look so frightened my dear sister,” Charles spoke with sarcastic humor.
“I realize every one of you are angry with him and I understand. I hold disappointment in him too. But he needs our help, now more than ever,” explained Ivy.
“Always the optimistic, you remind me of your mother. She always championed the misunderstood,” reminisced the Duke.
Thorn sighed, “I am only using you as an enticement my dear, you will have no contact with him.”
“Whatever you say darling.” Ivy smiled at Thorn expressing her devotion.
Everybody in the suite noticed it to be what it was. It was the look of obedience, but everyone knew Ivy had not one iota of that behavior in her body. She only placated Thorn and the others with her words. They knew there would be action later nobody would have control of. Once Maxwell was drawn into the trap, Ivy would involve herself too. All they could do was to prevent it from happening.
Rescued By the Spy Page 16