by Rebecca King
She shook her head at the indifference on Delilah’s face. She really didn’t care what problems she caused her victims. It was disgraceful.
“You can, and will, take these back on Friday, Delilah, and I will hear no excuses. After that, there is Hubert Banks’ ball. You can return three more items there. He is honest enough to raise the issue of their appearance and return them to the rightful owners for you. Leave them in the ladies’ retiring room, or the ballroom, or on a drinks table somewhere. I don’t care where you leave them. Just get them out of this house. Take them back to someone who has had something stolen. I don’t expect to pass a pawn shop in Lessington, and find any of these items sitting in the window, do you hear me?”
Before her aunt could vent the fury evident on her face, Sophia made her way upstairs to fetch her cloak. A nice walk into the village to post her letter to her father was in order, if only to give them both time to calm down before harsh words could be spoken. She didn’t care how angry her aunt was with her right now. It wouldn’t be anywhere near as furious as Hooky would be if Sophia got arrested alongside Delilah for a crime she didn’t commit, or knew about but did nothing to stop.
CHAPTER SIX
A deep breath of crisp morning air fortified her as she marched down a side street of the village. Sophia willed herself to calm down and steady her pace a little before she drew attention to herself. Such strong feelings of worry and anger were so unfamiliar. So much so that she didn’t recognise herself. It was unnerving to realise just how easily her aunt had upset her, and she resolved to never allow Delilah to do it again.
Sucking in a huge breath, she forced herself to relax and enjoy the day.
Minutes later, she turned into the main street, and immediately felt her stomach drop to her toes. It was easy to identify the tall, incredibly handsome gentleman who had just turned into the opposite end of the road. At the moment, though, she didn’t want to see him, primarily because of her aunt’s theft of Algernon’s boxes.
Great, that’s all I need, she thought, wondering if he had been on his way to Delilah’s house.
She fervently hoped not given that half of the stolen items were currently sitting in the middle of the kitchen table. Realising it would look suspicious if she suddenly turned around and hurried in the opposite direction, she had no choice but to continue onward and hope he wouldn’t notice her.
Her hopes were quickly dashed.
“Good morning, Miss Carney,” Jeb murmured when their paths met. “How are you today?”
Sophia studied the frown on his face and wondered if everyone was in a bad temper today. At the dinner, he had spent most of the evening staring at her, to the point that she wanted to check her face to make sure she hadn’t got food all over it. This morning, she knew she hadn’t, but then was left to wonder why he was so put out with her.
Was he as reluctant to talk to her as she was to him? Strangely, she found that thought a little upsetting.
Whatever it is about me that puts him out so, well, he can just lump it, she thought waspishly, not wanting to contemplate why she should be so upset he wouldn’t want to talk to her.
“Good morning,” she replied crisply. She tried to continue right past him, but quickly found him blocking her path and was forced to slam to a halt before she barrelled into him.
“I was hoping to catch you,” Jeb continued smoothly.
Even annoyed about something, Sophia Carney was downright beautiful. This was the first time he had seen her in the cold light of day, and she was just as visually stunning as she was by candlelight. Jeb suddenly wanted nothing more than to get her to smile at him again, just like she did the other night.
“Oh?” She tried to appear disinterested and looked, albeit a little longingly, at the end of the road.
“I hope to see you at the Harvell’s tea on Friday,” Jeb murmured. “I hope you intend to go?”
He wondered what it was about him that unnerved her so much. Alright, so he had stared at her a little bit, but only because he had been trying to work out who looked the most furtive.
Of course you were, he sighed wryly.
Even he shied away from that untruth. He had gazed far more at her than anyone else, but that was mostly because she was prettier than the rest. If she had taken exception to it then that was her problem.
When she looked up at him, their eyes met for a fraction of a second before her gaze slid to the floor. He felt like he had been kicked in the solar plexus. He watched a tell-tale blush steal over her cheeks, and knew his earlier suspicions had been right. She was just as aware of him as he was of her, but was uncomfortable with it. Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t prepared to ignore it, or allow her to either.
“Oh? Why?” She tried to sound offhand and casual but knew she had failed miserably when he shifted infinitesimally closer and tipped his head until she had to look up at him.
“Well, I hear from my father that the Harvells don’t have that many connections in the area. They do appear to be quite sweet ladies. Harmless, if you know what I mean?”
“I do,” she replied. “The Harvells do have a tendency to gossip, but there is far worse that people can do.”
“Oh yes; like stealing.” Jeb watched her as he spoke and saw shadows flicker in the depths of her eyes. He wished he knew what those shadows hid. It didn’t stand to reason that she was the thief. However, he was starting to suspect that she might know something.
Intrigued, he watched her look longingly at the end of the road again, and smothered a smile as he contemplated irking her.
“There are always rumours in a village like this,” Sophia replied for want of anything more useful to say.
“This isn’t a rumour,” he assured her.
Jeb suspected that if he said to her that she could go now she would lift her skirts and high-tail it to the end of the road as fast as her dainty feet could carry her. But was that because she was wary of what shimmered between them, or had something to hide?
Determined to rattle her a little to see what response he would get, Jeb deliberately shifted so that he blocked her erstwhile view of the end of the street; her goal.
“Several quite expensive items have been stolen over the last several weeks, and they all have been taken from people around my father’s table. To add insult to injury, the thief struck again at dinner last night and stole two valuable trinket boxes.”
“Oh?” Sophia asked as casually as she could manage.
She suspected she had guilt written on her face but then reminded herself that she had nothing to feel guilty about. It wasn’t her who had done anything wrong, it was Delilah. “From your father’s, you say?”
The too innocent look on her face warned him that she did indeed know something. Now all he had to do was figure a way of getting the truth out of her.
“Two quite ornate trinket boxes were stolen while everyone was taking their leave last night. They were there all night, right up until the moment people left. I have just brought them back from London, you see? They are worth a small fortune and are quite treasured pieces. It is important I get them back as a matter of urgency. So I am going around all of the guests to ask if anyone remembers anything unusual?” He tried to keep his voice as casual as possible, but he was aware that it held an undercurrent of tension.
He studied every blink, every twitch, and her overall reaction. At first, he saw blandness, but that was quickly replaced by worry and fear. Hidden concern brought her brows down until she looked terrified.
She has spirit, I will give her that much, Jeb mused as he watched the way she sucked in a deep breath and straightened her shoulders before she levelled a glare at him that could have withered ivy.
“I remember them being there when we went into the ladies retiring room,” she said somewhat defensively. “I am afraid to say that I cannot remember much about the time we left. I was busy with my cloak, you see? It was a little chaotic because the Harvells dithered on so much. I am sorry, but I canno
t remember anything that might help you. Have you tried any of the others?”
She hated having to lie to him. She could see no reason why she should have to be put in such a position, and resolved right there and then to have it out with Delilah once and for all. It was evident she now had to force her aunt to agree to return the stolen items as a matter of urgency, especially now that the Lord’s son was looking for the trinket boxes.
Jeb nodded slowly. “Nobody seems to have seen or heard a thing when any of the items were stolen. It is strange, don’t you think? That so many people could be in one place and not see anything?”
Sophia sternly warned herself to remain as relaxed as possible. She rather suspected that this man had just read her mind though because, when she looked at him, his brows lifted as if it say; ‘well, go on then, tell me.' It certainly felt as though he could see inside her to the emotions she was desperately trying to hide. To her consternation, she felt a betraying flurry of feminine awareness swirl through her. In spite of her best efforts not to do so, her gaze swept over his face anyway, and came to rest on the chiselled curve of his lips for far longer than was wise.
Jebediah Hutchinson was not the kind of man who usually drew her attention. He was too tall. At well over six feet, he drew attention amongst his peers through his sheer size alone. His well-built and muscular physique made him a commanding presence that drew the attention of everyone the other night, and had the propensity to make everyone more than a little wary. Although he had a very straightforward and practical manner about him, Sophia suspected he was extremely intelligent, and would make a formidable opponent when angry. With that in mind, and with Delilah’s current behaviour hanging over her, Sophia knew it was wise to turn a blind eye to the sternly chiselled jaw, the lushness of his full lips, and his rather incredible eyes.
Realising then that this time she was staring at him, she gave herself a stern mental shake and smiled somewhat dispassionately at him as her mind raced for a way to leave before she did something foolish and rash, like simper.
“If I remember anything I will let you know,” she promised huskily. “Well, I must be getting on.”
“Let me escort you,” Jeb offered smoothly, blithely ignoring the gentle tug of attraction.
A muscle ticked in his jaw through his determination not to let his smirk burst forth, but it was a close thing. He had seen that stare and knew she was feeling exactly the same as he did. He almost heard her groan, and smothered a laugh when she looked longingly at the end of the road in much the same way a dog would stare at a juicy steak. Before she could raise any objection, he waved in the direction she apparently wanted to go. “After you.”
“But you don’t know where I am going,” she protested, but was forced to take his arm anyway.
“I don’t mind,” Jeb replied unconcernedly. “I will go where you go.”
He smiled when she sighed, although couldn’t quite work out if she was hiding a curse or a sigh of longing. He suspected that Miss Sophia Carney would be a relatively easy conquest to make, if he wanted to make her a conquest, which he didn’t. Well, not entirely. Well, not right now in any case. Or did he?
He frowned at that and turned his attention to the end of the road.
Do you want to make her a conquest? A small voice asked him.
Sophia wasn’t usually the love them and leave them type. If he did make her a conquest then it would mean settling for a heck of a lot more than a brief tumble. Was he ready for that? Especially with someone he hardly knew?
She closed her eyes in a silent prayer and wondered what she would have to do to get rid of him. As they wandered in somewhat stilted silence down the main street toward the posting office, she scoured the path ahead for any sign of someone she might know. Unfortunately, the Harvells were not out and about yet. Nor were half of the village from the look of it because the only two people taking in the morning were her, and the all too good looking Jebediah Hutchinson.
“I don’t really want to put you out,” she gushed when she couldn’t stand the fraught tension a moment longer. Without snatching her hand off his arm she had no choice but to wander alongside him and try to block out just how right it felt.
“Where are you going to on a beautiful morning like this?” He suspected from the parchment in her hand that she was off to the posting office, and this was confirmed not but a minute later when she waved the letter.
“It is to my father. I have to keep him informed of a few things,” she replied evasively. She sensed his curiosity but wasn’t really in a position to satisfy it.
“Good, then I shall escort you there.”
As far as Sophia was concerned, they couldn’t get to the posting office fast enough. She tried to quicken her pace only to find herself held back by his leisurely stroll. Without making an issue of releasing her grip on his arm, she had to be guided by him. However, she was aware that if they continued at the pace they were going it would be tea-time before she got back to Delilah’s house. Didn’t the man have anything to do?
“I hear from my aunt that you come from London,” she said for want of anything else to say.
If she was honest, she wanted to know more about him. She certainly couldn’t ask Delilah because they were barely on speaking terms as it was after she had challenged her.
“That’s right,” Jeb replied with a nod, but didn’t expand.
“What do you do there?”
“Banking.”
Of course, you do, Sophia mused sarcastically.
She realised from the way his brows lifted that her doubt was evident on her face. Taking a leaf out of Delilah’s book, Sophia plastered an overly bright smile on her face and watched him blink in astonishment.
“Here we are,” she declared somewhat loudly, blithely ignoring the fact that they hadn’t even gone half way down the main street. “Thank you for the escort but I am sure I can find my own way now.”
She released his elbow and hurried away before he could object.
Jeb watched her go. Every time she smiled at him like that he felt as though someone had punched him in the gut, while she appeared to be totally ignorant of the effect she had on him. He shook his head in confusion at her ability to throw him into turmoil and stared at the posting office door blankly for several moments while he thought about it.
“Well, she won’t get away a second time,” he grumbled with a frown at the door.
He didn’t work for the Star Elite for nothing. Determined not to allow her to have the last say, Jeb ambled slowly toward the posting office. Rather than go inside as well, he propped his shoulders against the wall, lifted one booted foot to rest on the wall, and settled down to wait.
This time, Sophia did groan aloud when she left the building, and Jeb immediately fell into step beside her.
“Oh, it’s you again,” she said, then winced when she realised just how rude that was. “I am sorry. It has just been a rather trying day.”
“As it is such a lovely morning, I thought I might walk you home,” he replied blandly.
He smothered a smirk when she sighed impatiently again, but didn’t reply. He tried not to be put out by her apparent disinterest in him, which had already been betrayed by the rather longing look she had given him earlier. Why was she so reluctant to be around him?
“That would be – nice,” she replied weakly as, for the second time that day, she was forced into step beside him.
I just bet it will be, Jeb mused wryly.
To his dismay, he found himself downright captivated by this rather spiky side to her. She had considerably more spirit than Jeb had given her creditor for, and he suddenly wanted to prod some more to see just how deep that passion went.
“I wanted to speak with you about the thefts,” he began.
“Look, it wasn’t me,” she protested. “I have only been in the village for a few weeks. The thefts have been going on a lot longer than that so you really need to speak with one of the villagers. Or, better yet, someon
e who has had something stolen.”
“I have,” Jeb replied. “Me.”
She looked askance at him.
“My father,” he continued.
She sighed and continued her journey down the main street.
Determined not to be thwarted, Jeb fell into step beside her.
“Philip Everson, my father’s man of business, has been a victim. He has had a snuff-box, a silver comb, several cravat pins, a pair of cuff links, and a good quality fob watch stolen. It is a lot for a single man to lose.”
Sophia stopped in the middle of the pavement. “I didn’t realise he had lost that much,” she replied with a frown.
“That is only one person. My father has had an ornate picture frame and several trinket boxes stolen, a snuff box, and two small ornaments. Little tiny silver woodland creatures they were as well, and quite exquisite.”
“I take it the rest of the group have also had similar items taken?”
“They have. All small, and all similar,” Jeb replied.
“Have you spoken to anyone else about them? Have you asked any of the other guests at your father’s dinner?”
As they ambled along side by side she tried to ignore his height compared to her rather a mediocre size. The solid reassurance of his bulk made her feel strangely protected in a way but incredibly worried in another. The man positively reeked of masculinity. Such strength beside her made it difficult to think practically or sensibly about anything, especially the thefts. She had to be careful what she did around this man because he was no fool. One wrong look; one wrong word; and she suspected she would never get rid of him.
“What’s the matter? You look worried,” Jeb remarked after several moments of companionable silence.
He glanced over at her, as he found himself regularly doing, and knew there was something she was keeping from him because her brows were dipped into a deep frown. He suspected that she was bothered about the thefts in some way.
“Have you had anything stolen, Miss Carney?”