by Rebecca King
“Your brother isn’t doing himself any favours, is he? Or you?” Marcus said quietly.
He turned to look back at the men and was unsurprised to find them both still watching them.
“How old is he?”
“Smithers?” Jess huffed. “About five and twenty.”
“He is older than Ben then.”
It wasn’t a question, but Jess nodded.
“Ben is one and twenty now, but sometimes I think he is just a young boy. He doesn’t seem to want to grow up at all. Most of the young men in this area his age are working at the tin mine. Ben said he would help me run the house instead, but of late is gone more often than not. I think he is with Smithers.”
Marcus thought about the wad of cash he had just watched disappear into Ben’s pocket. Had Ben got a network of thieves established in the area? It made him wonder if the gem box Bamber had stolen had something to do with Ben and Smithers’ secretive behaviour. While it wasn’t definite, it began to look increasingly likely that any goods they stole were hidden in the lodging house somewhere. Until he could search the house more thoroughly, he couldn’t just assume that Ben had already delivered it to his contact. He may still have it on him.
Was Smithers that contact? Did the local thug work as one of Sayers’ network? He certainly had the credentials for it. The criminal background, the looks, stuck in an out of the way backwater like this. Did Smithers have the gem box?
“Look, I need to go and arrange a new horse. Mine became lame on the journey here. I left it at the tavern but need to speak to the people there about a new one. I will catch up with you later,” he said to Jess.
“Are you going to go after him?” she gasped.
She had seen that furtive gaze of his studying Smithers, and knew him well enough to suspect Marcus had doubts about something he had witnessed.
“No, I am not going to go after him,” he whispered. “Not today. The man we passed on the way to the posting office is my colleague. He was there because he has some news for me. I need to go and find out what he knows, and will tell him about Smithers. I won’t be long.”
He was about to turn away but then hesitated.
“I will escort you home first,” he offered.
“No need,” Jess assured him.
She needed some time alone to herself. Whenever he was around, all she could think about was whether he was going to kiss her again or not. It was disconcerting to be so obsessed with kissing him, but she was. At the moment, she needed to think some more about what she had just witnessed, as well as the speed of her new association with the handsome lodger.
“I can find my way home. I will see you later?” she asked hopefully.
Marcus nodded, winked at her, and left.
Jess watched him go and sighed longingly. It was a little disconcerting to witness just how quickly he had abandoned her. But nowhere near as disconcerting as witnessing just how swiftly her brother had abandoned his conversation with Smithers and disappeared.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Three days later
Marcus and Joe watched Smithers disappear into the cottage Joe had been watching.
“Well, we have our contact,” Marcus murmured.
“He is too round in the gut to be the one we followed,” Joe drawled.
“Ben Parkinson looks to be it.” Marcus sighed, and closed out all of the worries that possibility brought forth. “I think we may have the courier in Ben. He has some money under the bed, yet the family is living quite frugally. Not only that, but his sister doesn’t know he has it. They are barely making enough to make ends meet, but he is leaving her to struggle.”
Joe looked at him. “She would want to know where it came from.”
Marcus nodded. “Yes, she would. She would also insist on it being spent on the house, or something.”
“It is understandable if he wants to keep some of it for himself,” Joe reasoned.
“I know, but this is a lad who is stealing to feed everybody. If Ben has the money to buy food why is the lad risking everything by stealing meat, especially with the magistrate threatening him? It just doesn’t make sense.”
Joe nodded. He had to agree with him. “Is there any sign of the box?”
“Not yet, but I think it is safe to say that it is either at the Parkinson residence or in there.” Marcus nodded toward the cottage. “I have made a start on the lodging house, but all of the four guests are suspicious.”
“I need to search the cottage,” Joe sighed. “It is difficult to get in and our undetected, though, because the place is continually busy.”
“Well, see if there is a pattern to their behaviour. I can come and keep watch for you when you do decide it is safe enough to go in there.” Marcus threw him a dark look. “Just don’t go in there alone.”
“Do you think this landlady of yours is involved in any of this?” Joe asked thoughtfully.
The woman was downright beautiful, and it was easy to see how Marcus had become ensnared so quickly. However, Marcus was a good friend. Joe didn’t want to see him get hurt, so had to remind him that nobody could be judged as innocent right now. Not when they had so many questions, and seemingly no way of finding the answers.
“I don’t know.” It galled Marcus to have to say it. “I don’t think she has any clue what’s going on. At least, I hope not. She certainly doesn’t like Smithers. Although is aware that her brother is stealing. She has told him to stop. I have heard her. But Ben just doesn’t listen to her.”
“What is he taking?” Joe asked curiously.
“Pheasants, mainly,” he said. “But he is up to something more; I just know it.”
“Where is he now?”
“On his way to Retterton,” Marcus sighed.
Joe nodded. He had also followed the lad to the tavern there but had lost him. In all of his years with the Star Elite, he had never seen anybody who could melt into the crowds around him like Ben. It would be impressive; if it weren’t so darned annoying.
“I had better go after him,” Marcus sighed reluctantly.
“I will go this time,” Joe corrected. “I am sick of staring at this cottage. You stay here and keep watch for a change. Before either of us go anywhere, though, we need to discuss horses.”
Marcus groaned and sat back down. He was right. Without horses, they were effectively stuck in Smothey and weren’t in a position to chase anyone should they decide to leave. With a nod, they set about deciding where best to purchase new horses.
Jess let herself into the kitchen and knew straight away that something was wrong. The guests had left for the day. Marcus had gone to meet his friend, and Ben had slunk off to Retterton. Nobody was due back for hours yet, but there was a watchful air about the place that she had never felt before. It didn’t feel as empty as it should.
Usually, whenever she was alone, she revelled in the silence. This time, she was on edge.
Unless her imagination was running away with her, someone else was in the house. The small hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she closed the door quietly behind her and crept further into the house. Her stomach clenched in fear when she noticed that the door to the scullery, which usually stood open, was now closed. It hadn’t been her. Nor would it have been Ben, because the room was always used for storage, and was in constant use during the daytime.
“Marcus?” she whispered, unsure if he had returned earlier than planned.
The silence was her answer.
You will have to deal with this situation yourself. The thought was simply terrifying.
Unfortunately, Jess could hardly stand outside and wait for Marcus or Ben to return. It was down to her.
She hurried over to the hearth and selected a poker. Holding it aloft, she tiptoed quietly to the main body of the house. She couldn’t bring herself to go into the scullery because she didn’t know what she might find. She could only hope that if someone was in there, they would make use of her not being in the kitchen to leave through the b
ack door.
The dining room and sitting rooms were both empty. She stared up the main staircase warily while she contemplated the wisdom of going up there alone. Without knowing who else was in the house, she had no idea what to do. She had never been in this situation before.
It was only when she was on her way back to the kitchen that she realised she had locked all of the doors before she had left. That meant whoever had let themselves in knew where the spare key was.
Glad for any excuse to get out of the house, Jess hurried outside to the small store beside the house. Lifting the third brick down beside the window, she uncharacteristically swore when she found the key missing.
“Ben,” she whispered, but then frowned.
Her brother had his own key and rarely needed to use the spare.
That led her to only one conclusion; someone else had used it.
She studied the house while she contemplated what to do. With no way of summoning help from she had to go back in there by herself, and face whatever she found. The alternative was to stay outside and freeze while she waited for someone to come back.
“Go in there yourself. Get this over with,” she muttered under her breath.
Sucking in a deep, fortifying breath, she squared her shoulders and stomped back into the house. To her dismay, when she got back into the kitchen, the scullery was wide open.
Her heart lurched. Everything within her screamed to get out of the house; and go and find Marcus, Ben, or even Joe. Decision made, she snatched up her shawl, and practically flew across the garden back toward the village. As she ran, she glanced back at the house. She couldn’t see anybody following her, but was sure there had been movement in the window of one of the upstairs bedrooms. Without bothering to try to see who it was, she lifted her skirts and ran.
“Isn’t that your landlady?” Joe murmured suddenly when a flurry of frantic movement to his right drew his attention.
Marcus spun around and watched Jess race down the main street. The look on her face was nothing short of frantic. What worried him the most was the panicked way she kept looking behind her as she half-ran, half-trotted along the road.
“I will go and see what’s wrong,” he muttered and lurched to his feet.
“See you later,” Joe called but suspected that Marcus wasn’t listening.
His attention was on his rather beautiful landlady.
“There is more going on there than landlady and lodger, I suspect,” he muttered ruefully, then turned his attention back to his duties.
“What is it?” Marcus demanded when he reached her.
“There is someone in the house.” Jess gasped for breath and told him about the key and the scullery door.
“Are they still there now?” He frowned at the rooftop of Jess’ house visible above the treetops.
“I don’t know. As soon as I realised I wasn’t alone; I left,” Jess stammered.
In spite of the fact that they were in the middle of the busy main street, Marcus hauled her into his arms. It was brief, but it did the trick. When he looked down at her again, she didn’t look so fearful.
“Now tell me what happened,” he demanded calmly.
Jess shivered as soon as he released her but dutifully recounted what had just happened.
“Come on then, let us go and see who is there,” he murmured gently.
Jess nodded. It was a relief when he caught hold of her hand and held it firmly all the way back to the house. She wasn’t sure she would go back otherwise.
“I need you to follow what I tell you to do. Don’t venture off on your own, and don’t speak unless I tell you to,” he warned quietly once they were outside the house.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I am going to go in there and search the house,” he said. “You need to stop out here until I know it is safe.”
“Please be careful,” she whispered when he withdrew his gun from his pocket.
“I will, I promise.”
When she still looked doubtful, he placed a hard kiss on her lips.
“Stay here. Don’t move until I reappear in the doorway.” He left before she could protest.
Marcus left her on the edge of the trees and crept into the house. Immediately, he knew that somebody had been inside because there were damp footprints on the stairs. From the look of the size of the feet, it was a man too.
Could one of the guests have returned, but not told Jess?
He peered cautiously into his room, but the bed still lay in abandoned disarray. He had no personal possessions in the house for anybody to search so closed the door again with a sigh.
It didn’t take long for him to confirm that the house was completely devoid of life. Re-pocketing his gun, he went to fetch Jess.
“Can you show me where the spare key is kept?” he asked.
Jess still looked cautiously at the building then led the way to the store next to the house.
“It usually sits here,” she told him. She pointed to the loose brick and removed it.
“What on earth?” she whispered.
Marcus lifted the key out. “Is this the one?”
“Yes, but who would use it and then put it back?” she demanded. “It wasn’t there when I checked. I know it wasn’t.”
Marcus hastened to reassure her. “Is there anybody in the house, apart from you and Ben, who know this key is here?”
“I don’t know,” Jess replied in confusion. “I don’t know if Ben has told anybody where to find it. I certainly haven’t. It is not here for the guests to use.”
“Given it is outside, Jess, anybody could use it. One thing is for definite; it can’t remain here now. If Ben has his key, and you have yours, there is no reason for a spare, is there?” He pocketed the key and heaved a sigh of relief that she didn’t object. “With your permission, I should like to keep it.”
Jess didn’t hesitate. “Of course, you can,” she replied.
“Good, then let’s get inside where it is warmer. I don’t know about you, but I am frozen,” Marcus grumbled and led her toward the house.
“Who do you think it was?” she whispered.
“I don’t know,” Marcus replied. “I wish I did. You did the right thing to leave the house like you did.”
Once inside the kitchen, he hugged her again and kissed the top of her head.
It felt wonderful to be able to slide her arms around him in return and hug him back. Unlike Ben, Marcus seemed to revel in the embrace and made no attempt to move. Instead, he tipped her chin up and began to kiss her.
“Just what the hell do you think you are doing?”
Jess winced when her brother’s voice lashed across the room. When she tried to step out of Marcus’ embrace, she found herself held firm.
Marcus lifted his head and looked at Ben. He made no attempt to explain, or excuse what he was doing. As far as he was concerned, it was evident to any fool with eyes in his head what he was doing, and he didn’t care if the lad liked it or not. Slowly, he turned to Jess and dropped a loving kiss on her lips.
“I will see you later,” he promised. “I will be back in time for dinner.”
Jessica smiled and watched Marcus go. Her joy was short lived, though, when her gaze met Ben’s.
“Just what do you think you are doing?” Ben seethed.
“What I want to do,” Jess snapped. “You do it, why shouldn’t I? You cannot expect me to stay here all day, every day, doing all of the chores by myself while you go gallivanting off here and there.”
“Jess-”
“No, Ben,” she protested. “This is my life, and I will live it as I see fit. Now, seeing as not one of us have done any chores today, we need to catch up.” She threw him a dishcloth and watched him glance hesitantly at the door. “You leave, and I swear as the Lord is my witness that I will lock the door and refuse to allow you back in again. There is dinner to prepare, and the ale to fetch from the tavern. Get to it.”
She stormed out of the kitchen before he
could protest.
By the time dinner came around later that evening, Jess was exhausted with the barrage of emotions that had assailed her throughout the day. Anger made her hands shake. To the point that she had to apologise when she tried to pour ale into Mr Ball’s mug, only for it to spill all over his breeches.
When she had returned to the kitchen to help prepare dinner earlier, Ben had again tried to order her to stay away from Marcus. She refused to listen. As far as she was concerned, Ben didn’t know Marcus as well as she did. Her brother wasn’t in a position to judge him given his behaviour of late.
Well, you don’t know much about him, but you know more than you did, she mused.
Whatever she didn’t know now, she could learn in time.
You don’t know how much time you have. She quickly closed that thought out, but it lingered in the back of her mind, leaving her struggling not to cry.
It bothered her more than she cared to admit when Marcus didn’t return in time for dinner. She hadn’t seen him since he had left the house earlier. Although he had promised he would be back for dinner, he hadn’t. She began to worry that he had been caught up with something relating to his work, but then began to fret about whether anything had happened to him. Her fear began to grow and grow until, by the time the kitchen was scrubbed down and she was able to go to bed, she was frantic with worry.
Ben had stormed off as soon as dinner had been served, but he had issued her with a dire warning about her reputation before he went. It didn’t do much to ease their already troubled relationship.
All in all, it had been a very trying day.
It seemed a little presumptuous to sit up and wait for Marcus to return. He was, after all, a single man; an adult, who could go where he wanted, when he wanted. It wasn’t for her to question him, wait up for him, or have any expectancy of him whatsoever.