by Rebecca King
“Don’t ask anyone any questions that are likely to get you in trouble, or raise anyone’s suspicions. There is a lot going on at the moment, and a lot of dangerous people are involved. With that in mind, if anything happens, or this man gets too close to you, come to me at my place, but don’t tell anyone else the address. Do you hear me?” Luke tried to keep the urgency out of his voice but failed miserably and watched alarm grow in Toby’s young face. “Tell Lucy to do the same. You don’t have to take beatings from the likes of Freddie.” His temper began to boil. He wanted to do something to help the boy’s situation and dug around in his pocket. He handed the boy three shillings and watched his eyes pop wide. “Keep these in case anyone doesn’t get what they should. Break it up and tell me when you have used them up. Now, promise me you will come to me if you ever need help.”
Toby nodded and took the coins off him with such reverence that Luke wanted to punch the wall at the unfairness of the lad’s situation.
“Stay safe. I will see you same time tomorrow,” Luke replied. He handed the lad several packages of food and watched him stuff them into his seemingly bottomless pockets.
“I am always safe. I am the best pick-pocket in the whole of London, me,” he declared cockily. “See ya’.”
Luke watched the young lad leave the alleyway and tear off down the street without a backward look. Hopefully, the earnings from today would go some way toward making the young lad’s life a little easier for the next couple of days. He rather suspected that the small gang-of young urchins who had taken to a life of crime within London’s city streets were going to be a valuable source of information to the Star Elite; and crucial to the arrest and prosecution of the older gang of thieves and cut-throats. If at the end of this the Star Elite was successful in getting them off the streets and into better lives then that was the least they could do.
Satisfied that he had done everything he could for now, Luke made his way back to the safe house.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Luke’s earlier determination to keep his mind on his work for the Star Elite and off the delectable temptation of Poppy was a brilliant idea, and something he was confident he could manage to do with ease. Right up until the moment he stepped through the kitchen door of the safe house and saw her sitting at the table laughing and chatting amiably with Marcus.
The surge of jealousy that swept through him made him slam the kitchen door with more force than necessary, and glare at them darkly. He slapped the broadsheet down on the table without saying a word.
“Bad morning?” Marcus asked. He leaned back in his chair, amused by his colleague’s blatant jealousy.
Oh, how the mighty have fallen, he mused as he watched the somewhat avid way his friend studied the beautiful young woman opposite. He had known Luke for a long time now and had never seen him this smitten with a woman before. He would have made light of the situation too if it wasn’t for Luke’s apparent ill-temper. Deciding not to take a punch on the nose, he smiled at Poppy and winked.
Feeling decidedly surly now, Luke contemplated kicking his friend’s chair back but turned his back and yanked his jacket off instead. His anger vanished in an instant when he turned back around and found Poppy watching him with something akin to adoration in her eyes.
“Good morning,” he murmured. He picked her hand up and pressed a tender kiss into the palm. Their eyes met and held.
“Good morning.”
“I hope my colleague here hasn’t been making a pest of himself?” His voice was husky with emotion.
Poppy threw a beaming smile at Marcus which made him smile in delight, and Luke’s frown darken.
“No, we have just been chatting,” she assured him, oblivious to his jealousy. “He has been a delightful companion.”
Marcus studied his colleague questioningly. From the look on Luke’s face he began to wonder if his friend and colleague had recently been bitten by the romantic bug.
“I have been regaling her with some of your more questionable exploits,” Marcus smirked.
“Oh?” Luke helped himself to a mug of ale and sat at the table. He threw a curious look at Marcus and waited for him to explain. “Nothing about yourself then?”
“No.” Marcus shook his head and winked at Poppy. “My exploits aren’t anywhere near as hilarious as yours.”
Poppy coughed and shifted in her seat. She rather suspected that Marcus was baiting Luke for some reason but she couldn’t think why.
“What exploits are those then?” Luke drawled. He helped himself to a mug of ale.
“Like the time you were chasing that pick-pocket down an alley and were beaten up by an elderly lady for running into her washing line. You came out black and blue after that one,” Marcus drawled on a sigh. “Then again, it wasn’t half as funny as the time you were chasing someone across a farmyard, skidded on some silage and landed face-first in the middle of the manure pile.”
“Yes, well, at least I don’t get drunk on an investigation, and in a dimly lit tavern make a pass at a man dressed as a woman,” Luke challenged. “And a colleague at that.”
The mention of what he knew was one of Marcus’ most embarrassing moments was enough to make the man lose some of his mirth. On the night it had happened, Marcus’ yelling could be heard up to a half a mile away. Jacob had only managed to get half-way down the street before Marcus had caught up with him. Nobody had told Marcus that Jacob had been forced to dress as a woman out alone in an attempt to lure a mugger to attack him. He had been so appealing to Marcus, who was albeit in his cups at the time, that he had vowed never to disguise himself as anyone ever again. Both men had been in for significant teasing for quite some time afterwards.
“Look, I made a mistake, alright?” Marcus protested. “It was dark.”
“You need to get yourself some spectacles,” Luke challenged wryly.
Now that he knew why Poppy had been laughing, he didn’t feel half as surly as he had a few moments ago. Maybe it was the way Poppy’s eyes sparkled when she laughed, or the sheer joy that lit up her porcelain features that made him want to say, or do, something else to make her laugh. For the first time since he had met her, the shadows had gone from her eyes, and she was relaxed. She looked almost carefree as she laughed helplessly as she listened to Marcus detailing numerous rather humiliating exploits all the Star Elite had gotten themselves into over the course of time.
Nearly an hour had passed when they were interrupted by the arrival of another member of the Star Elite; Jeb. Poppy watched him stalk into the kitchen just as angrily as Luke had. Jeb, however, had a somewhat more sinister appearance. He was tall, although not as tall as Luke, with powerful shoulders and a commanding presence that was just as captivating as Luke’s. However, Jeb had more nondescript features that warned her he could melt into any crowd and never be remembered. She rather suspected from the coldness on his somewhat stern features that he could be harsh when crossed. She was suddenly glad that Luke seemed more amenable, just like Marcus was.
“What do you know?” Luke asked, pushing a mug of ale at his friend when he had taken a seat.
“There was another burglary last night.” Jeb took a long swig of his drink.
Poppy wondered if she should leave. This was, after all, Star Elite business, but Luke had a hold on her hand and she didn’t want him to let go, so she sat and listened, pleased that the men were happy to include her in their conversation.
“What was taken?” Marcus growled with a sigh.
“Jewellery. Not all of it, mind. Just one or two of the most expensive items that were worn a couple of nights ago at someone’s ball somewhere. I dunno.” Jeb shook his head. “The victim was an acquaintance of Balgravia.”
“They haven’t vanished like Balgravia did?”
“No. They are very angry,” Jeb replied. “Sir Hugo is smoothing things over and picking out faults with the house security. As always though, nobody appears to have seen or heard a blasted thing.” He paused and threw Poppy an apolog
etic look. “Sorry.”
“It’s alright,” she replied with a smile. Frustration hung over the table to such a degree that she wished she could help them in some way.
“Barnaby wants you, Marcus, to go help him. Joshua has news about a couple of items that have appeared in one of the shops. I don’t know what yet, so don’t ask, but that’s your job, Luke.”
Luke nodded. Poppy watched them and felt a little left out. She wasn’t entirely sure what she could do with her day. She could hardly go out shopping, and wouldn’t even if she could. Not with Clarence and his accomplice hanging around somewhere. That left her with little to do to occupy her time except think of the man seated beside her and wonder where the future would now take them.
“You need to stay here,” Luke said. He looked at her as though he had read her thoughts, and she felt a guilty flush stain her cheeks even though she had done nothing wrong.
“I am going to,” she replied, determined to do just that.
“I can stay here for a bit,” Marcus added. “I have some paperwork to go through before I leave.”
“I will go and meet with Joshua then. I should be no more than a couple of hours,” Luke replied.
Poppy tuned out while the men discussed their arrangements for the day. She wanted to assure them that she was perfectly capable of being by herself but then hated the thought of having to rattle around this huge house all by herself. Although Marcus was going to be busy at least there was someone she could talk to if she needed to; and someone to answer the door if anyone knocked.
“Right, well I will be off then,” Luke said once Marcus had gone upstairs, and Jeb had left to look for anyone watching the house. “You stay inside and keep warm. I will see you later.”
“Be careful,” she whispered. “You were gone this morning before I –” her cheeks blushed prettily.
Now that they were alone, Luke wasted no time letting her know just how important she was to him. By the time he let her up for air she was gasping and leant limply against the table while she watched him leave the house. Once the door was closed behind him she hurried toward it and slid the bolt across, a soft smile of delight on her face.
Once outside, Luke met with Jeb. “What do you plan to do about her father?” Jeb asked with a nod toward the house they left behind.
“I am going to take a look at that house in Camden. Then I am going to see the man who gave her that money. I want some answers. Then I will go and find Joshua and see what he has discovered about the jewels.”
“You can’t go to the house in Camden by yourself. If Clarence is still there with an accomplice you will need help.” Jeb grinned. “I am just in the mood for a skirmish.”
Luke sighed and rolled his eyes as he rubbed a particular sore spot on his chin. “You should have been there last night, you would have loved it.”
Jeb laughed. He had long since learned that a good brawl was a perfect way of divesting oneself of excess energy; that and, well, sex, but the last time he had indulged in any of that he had barely made it out of the parson’s trap with his bachelorhood intact. There was no way he was going down that route again so preferred a good scrap instead.
An hour later, they reached the house Poppy called the hovel. They studied the unwelcoming sight of the empty windows for a moment before they entered the alleyway at the rear of the property. They sidestepped past the worst of the filth piled into every corner of the litter-strewn yard and climbed up several stone steps to reach the back door.
“Damn it,” Luke whispered once he saw the damaged lock. “Someone has beaten us to it.”
The freshly splintered wood around the lock added to the abandoned atmosphere of the place. They entered the house cautiously. Once inside, they stepped around overturned chairs, and a dresser that had been literally pulled apart. The rest of the house was no better.
“It’s abandoned, but whoever is after that money wants it badly,” Jeb said once they were assured the house was empty. He kicked the remains of a spindle backed chair out of his way to study the gap in the floor where the floorboards had been yanked up. “Why here?”
“What?” Luke asked with a frown.
Jeb nodded toward the gap in the floorboards. “Why would they pull this particular part of the floor up?”
The rest of the floor in the hallway remained untouched. In fact none of the floors in any other part of the house had been yanked up as unceremoniously as this bit. Why?
Luke studied the distance to the front door and shook his head in disbelief. “There is no rhyme or reason to it, is there?”
The gap in the floorboards was about four feet away from the front door, right at the bottom of the stairs. There was no secret hiding place underneath. In fact there was nothing beneath the floorboards except for rubble and soil. It didn’t make sense.
“Whoever it was, I doubt they found what they were looking for,” Jeb drawled.
“I know. The bag is at the safe house,” Luke sighed and threw his colleague a look. The house was disappointingly empty and with no choice but to concede defeat, the men decided to leave. “I think it is safe to say that this isn’t Sayers’ work. He is the kind who would take someone off the streets and beat them to a pulp until they told him everything he wanted to know, or coughed up the cash. He wouldn’t resort to things like that.” Luke tipped his head backward to indicate the house they had just left and watched Jeb nod. “I cannot help feeling that destruction is staged.”
“Staged?” Jeb repeated. “Or torn apart by Clarence in his search for the cash? He would be angry she had deceived him. Maybe he was desperate?”
“He is desperate,” Luke retorted. “I think we can now safely say that Clarence is living somewhere else in London right now. I doubt he is in a tavern somewhere.”
“I hate to say this but I really don’t like the way my suspicions are going on this one,” Jeb replied. “I mean, a young woman in London is very vulnerable, even from those she considers the closest members of her family.”
Luke looked at his colleague and nodded. The very thought that Poppy might have been led to London to be just that filled him with disgust. She was warm, loving and gentle of nature. It was horrifying to think of what might have happened if he hadn’t stumbled across her in the park.
Once they were far enough from the safe house to be sure they weren’t followed, Jeb took his leave and hurried off to work. Luke made his way to see Peter.
An hour later, Luke sat in the plush library in a huge mansion deep in the heart of Mayfair, and watched Poppy’s cousin take a seat opposite. He waved away the brandy the butler offered him and waited until Peter was settled before he leaned forward in his seat and braced his elbows on his knees. To begin with he explained that he was connected with the Star Elite and watched a flash of recognition and respect in Peter’s eyes. Assured the man was happy to talk to him, Luke explained what had happened to Poppy.
Peter frowned and studied the man seated opposite suspiciously for a moment. “What does an organisation like the War Office want with Poppy?”
Luke gave Peter a brief version of events, but made it perfectly clear that Poppy was under the Star Elite’s protection, not their suspicion.
“She needs protecting with that sire of hers about,” Peter declared flatly.
“What is the problem with Clarence? Poppy tells me there is ill feeling between you.”
“Ill feeling?” Peter snorted. “I’ll say. Everybody of repute has ‘ill feeling’ toward Clarence. He is a scoundrel. He always has been and always will be. He is not only a compulsive liar, but a gambler and a cheat. He treated my aunt abysmally.”
“Would you tell me?” Luke asked. He sensed from the antagonism evident on Peter’s face that he would get the full and truthful version of events and allowed the man to speak without interruption.
“Is he involved in your investigations for the Star Elite?” Peter asked with a frown.
“Should we involve him in our investigations?”
Peter sighed and thought about that for a moment. “I don’t know, but I don’t doubt that man is up to some shady shenanigans. He was a squire’s son. Not worthy of Matilda, my father’s sister. Everybody told her she could do better, but she refused to listen. The family suspected and were later proven correct. Clarence, bounder that he is, wasn’t really interested in her. He wanted Matilda’s connections and fortune to better himself, however didn’t count on the family’s vociferous objections to their union.” Peter coughed and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “In the end, Clarence had to marry Matilda, Poppy’s mother.” He threw Luke a telling look which Luke acknowledged with a nod. “Her father was angry and refused to acknowledge the union. When Matilda entered married life both of them were effectively shunned. The family wanted nothing more to do with them. They were never invited to social occasions and so Poppy was never raised in society in which she should belong. Clarence tried to curry favour again once the worst of the furore died down, but had more than his fair share of mistresses to his name, and publically turned his marriage into a farce so got nowhere. Publically, he humiliated Matilda, and made a mockery of their marriage. Once Poppy was born he spent more and more time out of the house at gambling houses frittering away Matilda’s fortune. Unfortunately, Matilda suffered from ill health after the birth and never really recovered her full strength. I tried on numerous occasions to persuade her to move to a more beneficial environment and take Poppy with her but she refused. I think to leave him meant she had to acknowledge that she had made a glaring error in trusting Clarence, and she didn’t want to lose face. She died when Poppy was ten years old. It was only when she passed that it was revealed Clarence had steadily worked his way through the money Matilda took into the marriage. Clarence came to me demanding more money to raise Poppy, to which I refused. He threatened to throw her out, hand her over to an orphanage, all sorts of things to get money off me. It got quite nasty, I can tell you.”