by Rebecca King
‘Are we being reckless even contemplating something more definite while we know so little about each other?’ she asked quietly.
‘I think that is why Oliver wants us to stay here. We need time to be certain that we are marrying for all the right reasons. While we wait for Henry to hand the deeds over, and your father to return your money, we can stay here and spend as much time together as we need. I want to marry for love alone as well. I want us to get married for because we love each other.’
‘M-marriage,’ she stammered, more than a little stunned.
Phillip grinned. ‘Now you look how I would have looked a week ago,’ he teased.
‘Are you suggesting that at some point we get m-married?’ Carlotta repeated, struggling to believe God would be that kind. ‘I can see no alternative, can you? I can’t walk away, and neither can you. What we have here is too precious to forget. We both have the chance to start afresh. Will you? Will you take a chance on love and spend the rest of your life with me?’
‘Are you?’ Carlotta daren’t even ask the question. Even her heart seemed to be held in suspense while she watched him nod. She blinked at him in stunned disbelief.
‘Asking you to marry me? I love you, Carlotta. More than I ever believed I was capable of loving anything or anybody,’ Phillip murmured. ‘We have the rest of our lives to find out what we need to know, to work at a life together. Just say that you will spend the rest of your life with me.’
‘I would love to,’ she whispered tearfully. ‘I love you so much I cannot bear the thought of living life without you.’
‘Together forever?’ he asked with a heart for a love and hope in his eyes.
‘Together forever,’ she promised.
And they sealed their promise of a brand-new start, a whole new future full of love and happiness with a very thorough kiss.
The End.
CLOAK AND DAGGER (STAR ELITE) - THE HIGHWAY ROBBERY SERIES
BEGINS FEBRUARY 2020
Highway robbery in England? Never! It is preposterous. But too many reports of people being robbed in carriages by a gang of masked and cloaked thugs begin to surface and cause a stir amongst the Star Elite. The newest team members are on hand to try to capture the criminals responsible, however are plagued by a series of mysteries and problems which lead them to a completely different set of challenges to the ones they set out to resolve. Can they avoid matrimony to the various women they meet along the way, or will the highwaymen put an end to any possibility of future happiness for any of them?
Meet Albert (Don’t call him that or he will shoot you – it’s Al), Duncan, Elias, Gregory, Morgan, Reuben, Evan, Zachary, and Jarvis as they set about working together, and independently, to capture the men responsible for a series of brutal attacks which leave several people dead. Trained by experienced investigators in the Star Elite, the new team are trained for any eventuality their investigation might bring them. What they are not trained for is having to deal with the difficult women who interfere in the smooth running of their work. Can they find the highwaymen in Regency England before they claim another victim? Will the meddlesome women be helpful or a hindrance? Whatever happens, the Star Elite begin a new investigation and there is certainly going to be heartbreak and adventure along the way.
Excerpt…….
Duncan yawned widely and watched the latest arrivals walk through the door. Amidst the opulence of the boss’s office deep within the War Office he felt decidedly out of place, but that might have had something to do with his attire.
‘What the Hell are you wearing?’ Morgan demanded with a smirk.
Dungan grinned. ‘I am a chimney sweep today,’ he mused with a shrug. ‘I had to get into the house somehow.’
‘What did you find?’ Reuben asked as he slid into a chair at the long, highly polished table in the centre of the room and helped himself to a large dose of brandy.
‘Nothing. Apparently, the house has been empty for several years,’ Duncan sighed. ‘At least we have proven that it isn’t being used as a base for anything underhand.’
‘Good evening, gentlemen,’ Sir Hugo called as he strode into the room. He nodded at Zachary and Jarvis, who loitered beside the fireplace. ‘Take a seat.’
Evan was the last to arrive. He slid through the door and mumbled an awkward apology before sitting next to Sir Hugo. Eventually, all the men had gathered at the table.
‘Now, after the successful conclusion of the kidnapping organisation, I can safely confirm that all victims have now been accounted for and the culprits caught. The investigation is therefore closed.’
‘We know,’ Gregory replied.
Sir Hugo smiled briskly. ‘Justin, Angus, Aaron, Jasper, Oliver, Niall, Callum, and Phillip have all asked to establish a new regional branch of the Star Elite in Kent. Apparently, they find the climate there more to their liking.’ He rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. ‘That means that you are our new London team and won’t get their experience or support on this new investigation.’
‘Are we all involved in this new investigation?’ Al interrupted.
‘Yes. We are going to need all the hands we can spare,’ Sir Hugo replied. ‘Have you read the newspapers lately?’
‘The winter is the coldest in a generation?’ Elias suggested.
Sir Hugo rested his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. ‘There has been a quite wealthy businessman on the Great North Road murdered. He was found with a knife in his back. It was assumed by the magistrate that it was just a random attack.’
‘It’s not?’ Al sat up a little straighter.
‘No. It is not. To date we have had six reports of people’s carriages being stopped and the occupants being relieved of their valuables. Money, jewels, guns, even clothing has been taken off the victims. Anything that can be of any use,’ Sir Hugo told them.
‘What in the Hell? This isn’t the 1500’s. We don’t have highwaymen anymore,’ Evan snorted.
‘Well, we have someone who is trying to bring them back into fashion apparently. Of the six carriages who have been stopped, three of them have had the occupants stripped of their valuables and their lives. Two of the occupants in the other carriages are still too seriously ill from the gunshot wounds they received during the robbery to talk to us. One is likely to die from their injuries. There is one who remains alive. He, only through the grace of God, managed to jump out of the carriage and disappear into the darkness before the highwaymen could kill him. The coachman was not so lucky and was shot in the head. However, what the victim has told us is that one highwayman was tall, cloaked, and wore a muffler. He actually said: ‘stand and deliver’ like they used to do in the olden days.’
‘Jesus,’ Zachary hissed.
‘It is being talked about all along the Great North Road. Taverns, shops, people are all gossiping about who it might be. Everyone is fearful of using the road. People are scared. The boss wants it stopped. We have a Royal procession heading north in six months’ time. It cannot be hindered. Naturally, those in hierarchy want the route secured. This highwayman must be caught, gentlemen. I don’t care what you do, where you go, or what you must do to make it happen. Put the bastard out of business, preferably before he takes any more lives.’
‘Is there any clue who it might be? Is there a particular area the robberies are happening? Has anyone disappeared?’ Evan asked.
Sir Hugo sighed. ‘We cannot ascertain if someone has been snatched because half the occupants of the robberies have been killed so cannot confirm if everyone is accounted for. There are rumours that the second carriage that was stopped had a young girl in it. A homeowner who lives near to the place where the carriage was robbed can distinctly remember hearing a woman scream. However, no trace of her has been found in the area and the locals have searched it twice. With regards to area, there is a twenty-five mile stretch along the Great North Road where all the incidents have happened. Someone lives near it to be able to strike it so frequently and disappear almost instantl
y. I will not tolerate a group of highwaymen, for God’s sake.’
‘Do we have any witnesses, other than this single victim of course?’
‘Yes, there is one woman. She lives near to the site of the latest robbery. She heard the gunshot and saw someone in her garden. However, she didn’t venture outside to see who it was. We haven’t been able to find her lately either. After the magistrate spoke to her, she disappeared and has seemingly vanished into thin air.’
‘So, there might be two women missing, both of whom might have been taken or murdered by these highwaymen?’ Jarvis confirmed.
‘I am afraid so.’
‘Highwaymen for God’s sake,’ Elias hissed.
‘What do we know about the gang?’ Jarvis asked.
‘There are about six of them. Somehow, they are getting rid of their stolen goods somewhere away from the Great North Road. I have had men trawl the pawn shops in the area for the items that we think have been stolen but so far nothing has surfaced.’
‘Either this highwayman has a very lavishly furnished home, or he has someone moving the stolen goods away from the area to be sold. I want to know who he is, who his associates are, where the goods are going, and I want all reports of this highwayman quashed, gentlemen.’ Sir Hugo looked at each of the men seated around the table but had no doubt they could conclude this investigation.
He wished that there was some experience joining the group in the form of Phillip, Callum, or Aaron, or anyone else in the new Kent team but he had reluctantly agreed that they could all move south together and couldn’t really go back on his word. The old London team were all happily married men now, including Phillip. All of them were determined to continue to work together but on the smaller regional crimes rather than the larger scale investigations the London team involved themselves with.
‘Try not to find any brides, though. The last thing I need is to have any more men get married and want to move to the country. Over the last couple of years, I have lost a lot of excellent fighters. At this rate we are going to have to set up a nursery branch.’
‘Over my dead body,’ Jarvis snorted. ‘You won’t catch me marrying anyone.’
Amidst murmurs of agreements, Sir Hugo gathered his papers. ‘There is a safe house near to the small village of Roddersmill. Use it. You have a local there who can give you any information you need on the robberies that have happened so far. He has been keeping his eyes and ears open so you will need to meet up with him to find out if he has uncovered anything he hasn’t yet told me about.’ Sir Hugo slid a small folded piece of paper toward Gregory who read it and slid it across to Morgan. While the paper did the rounds, Sir Hugo made his way to the door.
‘You know where I am if you need anything, gentlemen. However, I would ask that you keep your investigation away from the public. I want this concluded as quickly and quietly as humanly possible. Duncan, might I have a word?’ With that, he let himself out and hurried back to his office, leaving Duncan to join him in his own good time.
Sir Hugo had barely settled into his chair when Duncan entered the room. ‘Sir?’
‘Take a seat.’ Sir Hugo peered over the top of his spectacles at the most experienced member of the new team. ‘I should like you to also take on a more personal investigation for me. I should like you to investigate the disappearance of the young woman who saw one of the highwaymen in her garden. It isn’t like her to disappear. I have been to her house. There are no signs of forced entry, or correspondence from a relation inviting her to stay with them for an extended period. She doesn’t have anybody else living at the house except an uncle who isn’t quite in the present, if you get my meaning. He has no idea what is going on half the time, so there are no credible witnesses. It is highly unusual of her not to return to the house at all, or at least tell neighbours if she was going away. Moreover, she couldn’t leave Frederick behind. Find out if she is still alive, please?’
‘Is she a relative?’ Duncan asked.
Sir Hugo nodded. ‘She is my wife’s second cousin. Phoebe is not the kind of woman to just wander off. Unfortunately, property is on the edge of the village but quite remote, so I think you will find it difficult to locate any witnesses if anything happened to her.’
‘Why me?’ Duncan frowned. ‘Al is better at tracking than me. Gregory is more adept at blending in with locals.’
‘Because you are more likely to be able to survive staying in that house while you try to find her. I want you to pretend to be a distant relation who is staying for a while. Frederick won’t question you because his memory has started to fade. I will give you a note for him anyway but shall not use my own personal letterhead. I doubt he will remember you are not part of his family. Unfortunately, he suffered a head injury in a carriage accident several years ago and hasn’t been the same since.’ Sir Hugo discretely tapped the side of his head. ‘Just try to work around him. Keep him calm and do what you can to find her. You need to go to this address.’ Sir Hugo slid another piece of paper toward Duncan. ‘This is an isolated property that sits about five hundred yards off the Great North Road. The road is busy, but the property isn’t. Use it as a base as well as the safe house.’
Duncan nodded. ‘What do you want me to do if I find her? Do you want me to bring her to you, or return her home with a scolding not to be so foolish again? How do you know she has not run away with a secret lover or something?’
‘You have to see Phoebe to understand. She was involved in the accident Alfred was in and was badly injured. She has no parents. There was nobody else to look after the pair of them for a while, so Harriett and the children went to stay with Phoebe until she was mobile again. Neither Alfred nor Phoebe will countenance the idea of moving somewhere less remote. That is their home and they were adamant neither of them would leave it. Phoebe doesn’t get around very well and walks with a limp. She isn’t married.’
‘Which is why it is highly unusual for her to disappear,’ Duncan sighed. ‘I will do what I can.’
‘Find her, Duncan.’
Duncan nodded and took his leave of his boss with the papers clutched in his hand. He stared down at them and wondered what he was going to do now. The last thing he wanted or needed right now was being stuck babysitting a somewhat forgetful uncle while trying to unravel the mystery of a disappearing woman while working with his colleagues to catch a gang of highwaymen.
‘Well, this is what I signed up to. I just didn’t realise it was going to be this busy this quickly.’ When he looked up, Duncan saw his colleagues heading toward him. Rather than tell them what his meeting with Sir Hugo had been all about, Duncan tucked the papers into his pocket and left the War Office with his friends.
When they all reached the Great North Road the next day, they split up with a promise that they would each make their way to the new safe house over the next day or so.
‘Let the new investigation begin,’ Duncan murmured and with one last, somewhat rueful look at his departing friends, went to find Highmere House and, more importantly, the woman who was missing from it.
MISS FLORENTINE’S SCHOOL FOR INVESTIGATORS
SNOWDROPS IN SPRINGTIME
Book One
RELEASED JUNE 2019
After inheriting a fortune to add to her already comfortable lifestyle, Miss Florentine has everything she could want in life. However, her life as a lady of circumstance is boring. Thanks to the benevolence of a distant relation, though, Florentine has an opportunity to change her life for the better and thus, Miss Florentine’s School for Investigators is born - much to Bertrand’s disgust.
As a lawman with a fine reputation for getting results the last thing Bertrand Hartington-Myers needs is a meddling female, sorry, investigator getting herself involved in his work. Doesn’t she know that crime-fighting is dangerous work? Apparently not seeing as she gets her friends helping her, oh, and a few irritating, nosy, and meddlesome villagers. Together, they seem determined to involve themselves in everything he does, but are no more distrac
ting than the beautiful, wilful Miss Florentine, who seems determined to drive him nuts.
Miss Florentine is determined - to make Bertrand see her School for Investigators as a credible crime-fighting organisation. What she is less thrilled about is having to battle her attraction toward the handsome lawman who sees her as nothing more than a meddlesome female. Can she persuade him that she considerably more than an addle-brained chit with more money than sense? It is harder than she imagined when a killer in their midst focuses his attentions on one of her investigators and everyone’s lives are thrown into chaos.
Can Miss Florentine and Bertrand work together to catch the killer, or will their organisations keep them apart forever?
THE LOCAL HEROES SERIES (STAR ELITE)
LEICESTERSHIRE
RELEASED 2020
The regional branches of the Star Elite have never been busier. But when their adventures bring trouble to their homes, they face a whole new set of problems.
Join Joshua, Hamish, Luke, Daniel, Ronan, Peregrine, Dean and Grant as they battle fraud, murder, theft, and several rather inquisitive ladies whose penchant for trouble mean more headaches for the local heroes in this brand-new series.
The Honest and the Brave (Joshua – Annalisa)
Damsel in Distress (Roger – Leonora)
Once Before (Daniel – Tabitha)
Righteous Rumours (Ronan – Geranium)
A Very Dishonest Scandal (Luke – Rosemary)
Midnight Capers (Dean – Pheony)
Shameful Desires (Hamish – Leonora)