The Troublesome Apprentice (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 1)

by Liza O'Connor

  Claire entered without knocking. “How did it go with Mr. Thorn? I understand he is spending the night. You did not reveal more than you meant, did you?” she teased.

  “He is staying because we believe the thief will return during the night and attempt to search Aunt Maddy’s suite. Promise me, you’ll remain safely in your quarters with the door locked.”

  “I will do more than that. I will insist a servant remain inside with me, guarding my windows through the night.”

  Vic went to her sister and hugged her. “I am sorry I must put you through this. You held up like a soldier today!”

  Her sister sniffled and returned the hug. “I feel as if a piece of me died with her.”

  “I know, but we cannot dwell on our grief. Aunt Maddy would want us to see to our futures and find happiness when and where we can.”

  Gripping her hand, Claire nodded. “I will try to do so starting now.”

  “Allow me to help by sharing good news. Mr. Thorn has given me a job as his secretary at the wage of a hundred pounds a month.”

  With a heavy sigh, Claire reminded her, “Vic, he’s never kept a secretary more than a week. Aunt Maddy took great amusement in this failing of his.”

  “Well, he has evidently decided to cure himself. He’s given his word not to fire me for three months, which guarantees us three hundred pounds. That’s twice what I could hope to be paid at a bank in a year.”

  “And you will enjoy the work a thousand times more.” Her sister smiled. “I’m very happy for you.” She paused and her cheeks dimpled with mischief. “You know, Mr. Thorn is not so old, and while not precisely handsome, his face is quite agreeable.”

  “You do not think him pleasing to the eye?” Vic asked in disappointment.

  “I think him striking, but his nose is far too dominant to allow him to be ‘handsome’ in the general sense of the word. However, I can see you think him so.”

  “His appearance has naught to do with anything,” Vic declared. “He’s my employer and that is all he will ever be, and if you suggest otherwise again, I’ll offer you to him in marriage. Given the way he admired you at the funeral, I’ve no doubt he’ll whisk you off your feet in a second. Then, on your wedding day, I will disclose you do not think him handsome.”

  “And I will share something about you and see what happens next. We’ll have a wedding that shocks the entire town.”

  “We’d have a disaster, you mean, and certainly no wedding,” Vic frowned and stroked her sister’s face. “You cannot toy about with my secret. If it were revealed, both our lives would be destroyed.”

  Claire nodded. “I’m sorry. I should never tease you, not even in the privacy of your room. I am very much aware of the censure we would incur if your gender became public knowledge. But Vic, the man is reputed to be the finest sleuth in England. Aren’t you afraid he’ll discover your secret?”

  ***

  Fully dressed, Vic laid down on her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but her sister’s parting words haunted her. What if Xavier Thorn did uncover her secret?

  Aunt Maddy had allowed her to ‘become a boy’ when she and Claire arrived in England, orphans in need of a home. Vic’s initial reason to change her gender had been because she never wished to wear a dress after seeing her mother drowned at sea, pulled to the bottom of the ocean by her heavy skirts. However, her new life soon became the only one she could imagine.

  As a male, she could travel about town on her own, attend lectures closed to Maddy and Claire, and ride astride spirited stallions. As a young man, she could do anything, learn anything, and be anything. As a gentleman, she had endless opportunities. How could she ever go back to being a girl? The idea was unthinkable.

  When Vic first attended Oxford, she had been terrified someone would notice differences and guess her secret, but a great many studious young men at the college had no interest in young ladies and drink. She fit in perfectly with them.

  She no longer worried about people seeing through her disguise. For all practical purposes, she was a young man of twenty-two. She had no ‘tells’ to give her away. Her small breasts were crushed flat by the muslin undergarment that also thickened her waist, giving her a straighter masculine line. A modestly stuffed muslin roll, attached to the bottom of the garment, filled in the crotch of her pants.

  No, after ten years of being a male, she was confident her secret would remain secure, even under the scrutiny of the renowned Xavier Thorn.

  Chapter 3

  At ten o’clock Vic received a not-so-gentle shake. “I’m awake,” she snapped in sleepy annoyance.

  “Then get up,” Xavier ordered. He frowned at her clothes. “Well, you are a rumpled mess, but I give you points for speed.”

  Xavier turned and left the room. He barked off orders, never once verifying Vic actually followed. When they reached Aunt Maddy’s bedroom, he stopped and stared at her.

  “Is everything clear? From the moment we enter this room, there will be no more communication until either daylight or the murderer arrives. So, if you have a question, ask it now.”

  “Should we not have guns? The man will be armed.”

  “And what makes you think that?”

  “He could not even climb in a window without assistance. He’ll not be depending on his physical prowess to get him out of trouble. I imagine he carries a gun wherever he goes, but he will certainly have one on him tonight.”

  Vic decided Claire needed her eyes examined. Xavier was exceptionally handsome when he smiled.

  “I also always carry a gun. What does that say about me, I wonder?” His right eyebrow rose in a teasing challenge.

  “Given your occupation, you are constantly in dodgy situations. It is very rational for you to carry one. I should have a weapon as well.”

  “Do you currently possess a firearm?”

  “No,” Vic admitted.

  “Have you ever fired a pistol?”

  “No, but it hardly seems difficult. All one must do is point and pull.”

  “Nonetheless, you will not carry a weapon until I have taught you how to shoot. Tonight, you must play a supporting role and allow me to subdue the criminal.”

  “But he killed my—” Vic stopped objecting when Xavier’s jaw tighten. “Yes, sir,” she grumbled.

  “Heed my words, Victor, for if you disobey me tonight, I will torture you each day forthwith and you will never be allowed to accompany me on another mission.”

  His dark eyes narrowed as he studied her, evidently trying to determine if she intended to obey his orders. “Consider it a test of your ability to follow my instructions and do not dare fail.”

  “I won’t.” Vic ensured her response sounded less surly and more sincere in tone.

  Xavier placed his hand on her back. “Good lad. Now, if Inspector Stone received my note, his men are probably watching the exterior of your house. When this man—we’ll use the name you gave him—Mr. GewGaw arrives, they will no doubt insist upon sneaking up the stairs to stand ready outside the door. I’ve forewarned your impudent butler, lest we have a commotion. However, the key reason I mention this, Victor, is to warn you to remain in the closet. If Inspector Stone burst into the room, he might mistake you for the murderer. You will thus remain hidden until I retrieve you. Do you understand?”

  With a sigh, Vic nodded her head.

  “Good. Now not another word or you will find yourself in hell.”

  She wanted to say threats were not necessary, but feared her protest might toss her into the promised hell, since he had said ‘not another word’.

  ***

  Vic learned much about her new profession over the next four hours.

  Lesson one: Waiting for a criminal to show might rank the most tedious and boring occupation in the world.

  Lesson two: Remaining perfectly still, stuffed into a dress closet for hours, causes muscle cramps that hurt like bloody hell.

  Lesson three: The desire to sniffle can reach a level of mental angu
ish in less than an hour.

  Lesson four: One should always go to the water closet before beginning a surveillance mission.

  Lesson five: If not for the mental torture of sniffle prevention, the pain of muscle cramps, and the great need for a toilet, a person waiting to assist would surely fall asleep, for the body is accustomed to sleeping when it’s dark and nothing is going on.

  Lesson six: The profession of banking has its good points and should be reassessed.

  A soft bumping noise distracted Vic from her list. At first, she suspected Xavier had dozed off and fallen onto the floor. However, as further noise sounded, including the breaking of glass, Vic knew their plan had come to fruition. Soon, they would have Aunt Maddy’s killer.

  Vic listened as the window opened followed by a great deal of huffing and wheezing. Finally, the sound of feet thudded onto the floor. Drawers opened and closed while someone systematically searched Aunt Maddy’s room. As time went on, Vic questioned the wisdom of her hiding place. Soon, the man would open the closet to search it as well. Vic readied herself to leap out, deciding surprise would be her best defense.

  She could hear the man breathing outside the closet and readied herself for attack. Before the door actually opened, the lights in the room came on and Xavier spoke with a deadly calmness that sent chills down her spine. “Lost something?”

  “You! You know where the key is?” an agitated, high-pitched male voice demanded.

  “Yes, and I might be persuaded to give it back to you if you satisfy my curiosity in exchange.”

  “I’m not telling you what it opens, if that’s what you want to know.”

  “I don’t require your assistance there. What I need to know is only something you can tell me.”

  “And you’ll give me the key in exchange?”

  “If you are honest, I’ll give you the key. If you lie, I’ll probably just shoot you,” Xavier warned.

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Why did you kill Maddy Hamilton before you retrieved your key? Had you left her alive, she could have told you where it was.”

  “It was a bungled mess, that’s for sure. I gave it to her by mistake. She came into my shoe shop and said the code words. Well, not quite, but close enough I thought her the carrier. I put the key in with her purchase of shoes and she left. A half-hour later, a red-haired woman in black enters my shop and says the secret code precisely right, and I realized I’d been tricked. I was scared half out of my mind. I’m good as dead if I don’t get the key back. So, I ran outside after the first woman.

  “I’m searching the streets up and down, and finally I spot her. I know the moment she sees me, she’ll run away, and I won’t be able to catch her. I spied Sonny Skaggs having a pint in the pub. I pointed the woman out and told him to get her for me. I said ‘get her’ but the damn fool misunderstood me to mean ‘kill her’, and he pushed her in front of the carriage. It wasn’t what I meant, but I wasn’t terribly upset over the matter. She would’ve had to die anyway, only I hadn’t planned to do it in front of a hundred people. I ran over as fast as I could to grab the package but it was already gone. When I ordered Skaggs to find whatever street urchin had taken it, he said she hadn’t been carrying a package. That’s when I knew I was in big trouble. My employer don’t allow for mistakes.”

  “How many hours before he kills you for losing the key?”

  “Noon today. If it’s not in his hand by then, I’m a dead man. Now, I’ve been straight with you. Keep to your word and give me the key.”

  “I think I know the reason Skaggs misunderstood you. You’ve ordered him to get women before and when he does, you kill them. You interrupted his drink. He just wanted to get the killing done quickly so he could get back to the pub.”

  “Damn! You’re probably right. Hey…who are you, and how do you know so much about me?”

  “I’m Xavier Thorn.”

  “I’ve heard of you. You know everything about everybody. And you got my key? Where’d you find it? I’ve searched everywhere!”

  “The shoes the woman bought, were they for a man or woman?”

  “Men’s, size seven: sturdy practical shoes…not my style at all.”

  “And the man who will kill you at noon, would that be Seth Sojourn?”

  “Aye, he’s the one,” the man admitted. “You probably know plenty about him.”

  “Yes, I do. But who gave you the key that started all your troubles?”

  “A gentleman. I don’t know his name.”

  “Describe him.”

  Mr. GewGaw wasn’t able to remember much except for his shoes, which he described with great affection as a lover might his mistress.

  “You like shiny buckles and buttons, I see.”

  “Yeah, I do. How’d you know? I can’t believe I’ve met the real Sherlock Holmes.”

  “Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character and is nothing like me. I am a real person and the woman you killed was a very dear friend of mine. Thus, I find myself torn between killing you or letting you go so Seth can exact his own justice.”

  Suddenly the tone of the man’s voice turned low and dangerous. “I got a better idea. Hand me the key, or I kill you.”

  Vic had promised not to leap out, but she could not sit by while the man shot Xavier. Therefore, she succumbed to an impulse she had fought for several hours; she sniffled once, very loudly.

  A moment later, the explosion of a gunshot and chaos erupted in the room. A new, tense voice identified himself as Inspector Stone of Scotland Yard. “You are under arrest for the murder of Maddy Hamilton. Sergeant, take him to Scotland Yards for interrogation.”

  “You’ve no cause to arrest me. Skaggs killed her, and I killed Skaggs. You should be thanking me for removing such scum from the earth. And you, Mr. High and Mighty. You said if I told you the truth, you’d give me the key.”

  “Right you are,” Xavier said.

  “Not to me…give it to you-know-who,” the man insisted as his voice faded from the room.

  Once he was gone, Xavier provided the inspector with the salient information to help identify both the woman and gentleman involved with the selling of state secrets.

  “Any idea where the key ended up?”

  “I know precisely where it is. There is a shipping office on the block. Maddy mailed the shoes to her nephew. You will find the key in a box of shoes waiting for Victor Hamilton at Oxford.”

  The inspector thanked him and by the fading of his footsteps, left the room.

  Vic remained huddled in the closet, consumed with grief beyond anything imaginable. It was one thing to lose her aunt, but for the grand woman to die over a pair of shoes was unbearable. She had thought the truth of Aunt Maddy’s death would help her come to terms with the loss, but not this truth. It was a thousand times worse than not knowing.

  Xavier gently extracted her from the closet and provided a shoulder to cry upon.

  “It is not your fault, Victor,” Xavier said. “It was simply a cruel chance of fate. However, I can provide you one comfort. Maddy’s death was not a meaningless sacrifice. Many people would have died, had she not bought those shoes and obtained the key. I know it is hard to discover she’s gone for no other reason than fate, but even in death she changed the world for the better. Mark my words, whatever the key opens is of vital importance. She is a hero who died in service to her country. I am certain she will derive great pleasure in heaven knowing she stopped the sale of government secrets, but only if you can accept the randomness of fate. She cannot enjoy her achievements until you are whole again.”

  Xavier’s words comforted her a great deal. Still, she made no effort to pull away from his embrace. His arms surrounded her with strength and security. She did not wish to give either up quite yet.

  ***

  Xavier had embraced Victor to give him support but, to his surprise, he found the act provided him comfort as well. He took pleasure in the young man’s head resting on his shoulder and this enjoyment disturbed
him.

  His unsettling self-discovery did not cause him to pull away and abandon his employee. He would hold the boy until he stiffened his spine and showed his magnificent Hamilton courage once more. He would see Victor safely to solid ground before he left. If he had to comfort him for the few remaining hours of darkness, so be it.

  As for his own pleasure taken from this physical contact…he would evaluate the matter later. Right now, the country had bigger problems. The worst crime lord of London, Seth Sojourn, had turned his clever mind and substantial resources to the sale of state secrets to foreign spies.

  Chapter 4

  Vic awoke in her bed, fully dressed, and most confused. The last she remembered was Xavier holding her in his arms and magically turning Aunt Maddy’s death from one of pointless horror to one of value and honor. She sat up and frowned. She’d been foolish to allow him to hug her, but at the time, she hadn’t exactly been thinking about keeping her secret. She’d been drowning in anguish, and his arms had pulled her to safety.

  She took in a deep breath and faced the reality of the situation. She held a strong attraction to Xavier Thorn. Once before, she had felt something for a man. During her first year at Oxford, she developed tender feelings for a young man who had cared for her in return. He did not know her secret and she dared not risk his discovery of the truth. Thus, Vic had not allowed herself to succumb to physical affection then and nor would she now. She hoped this time would go better. She still remembered the young man’s heartbreak with heavy guilt.

  She sighed. This time would be different. Xavier’s heart appeared well armored. She frowned as she remembered the tenderness of his embrace. If he succumbed, she could use the excuse of being his employee, if the more obvious objection of her being a man was insufficient.

  Claire interrupted her thoughts when she slipped into the room. “I’ve waited long enough. Now tell me every gory detail.”

  Vic had no idea what to say. Should Claire know the horrible truth of Maddy’s death? Could she bear it? Her younger sibling was every bit as strong as she was and deserved the truth. Vic only prayed Claire would be half as comforted by Xavier’s words.