An Agent for Claudia

by Marie Higgins

  As they drove back toward the house, Blake tried to convince himself that it didn’t matter what she thought about him. He would help her out with her cousin, and she would assist him in catching a thief. Besides, a business partnership was all he really wanted anyway.

  “Oh, see over there,” she said, pointing to a dirt road that led away from the plantation. In the mix of trees, he saw what resembled a roof and the bricked chimney on top. “That was my father’s favorite place to go for solitude.”

  The sadness coating her voice made him think of his own departed father. “Would you like me to take you there?”

  She twisted her hands in her lap and sighed heavily. “I haven’t been there since my father died.”

  “Too many memories?” He stopped the buggy.

  She nodded. “I had many happy memories before the war. When Pa returned from the war, he wasn’t the same. Although he stayed in the cabin quite often, I never visited him there.”

  “We don’t have to go if you don’t want to.”

  “No, I do.” She motioned her hand toward the dirt road. “It’s part of my plantation, and so I must see what I can make of the place. Perhaps I could have my overseer live there.”

  “Not a bad idea.” Blake pulled the reins, leading the horse in that direction. “I assume that nobody is staying here now.”

  “I hope not. If they are, they are doing it without my permission.”

  Thankfully, the closer to the log cabin they came, Blake could tell that it looked abandoned. Twigs and dead leaves covered the small porch, just as dirt covered the windows.

  He stopped the buggy and jumped down. When he reached up to assist Claudia, her hands clutched his shoulders as he lifted her. Her flowery scent enveloped him again, just as it had done every time he had made this gesture. The other times, her gaze had been elsewhere, but now it stayed on his face. He couldn’t quite read her expression, but he could tell she was holding her breath. By the time she stepped away from him, he heard the rush of air escape her mouth.

  “There is a door around back. Maybe that way will be easier to enter through.”

  “I would hope so.” He nodded. “I don’t mind getting my hands dirty, but I’d hate to see you ruin that lovely gown of yours.”

  Her eyes widened as she looked at him curiously, but then she turned and led the way toward the back of the cabin. It surprised Blake that the back wasn’t as messy. But the place still didn’t appear to be inhabited.

  He quickly moved in front of her to kick away the broken branches and leaves in front of the door. He tested the doorknob, and surprisingly, the door opened. He held it open as he assisted Claudia inside. A thick, musty scent hung in the air. Just as he suspected, cobwebs draped from the doorways and alcoves, and at least an inch-thick layer of dust lined the shelves and counters. The back room was used as a kitchen, and a few pots still hung on the wall.

  Claudia lifted her gown to her ankles and moved toward the front of the house. He followed closely behind, but as she entered the room, she came to a sudden halt. He nearly bumped into her, trying to stop his feet from moving.

  A loud gasp sprang from her throat and she slapped a hand over her mouth. He peered into the room... Shock washed over him when he saw what was sprawled along the couch and across a few chairs. The sun’s rays had somehow penetrated through one of the dirty windows and glinted off the hundreds of items on display.

  The stolen jewels!

  TEN

  Claudia blinked, not believing what she saw. This room had definitely not looked that way before her father died. And... where had all these jewels come from? Obviously, they hadn’t been here for long since they were not covered in dust as the rest of the room was. Instead, each and every gem in the necklaces, rings, and earbobs, had been nicely polished. The sun beams made them twinkle.

  “Blake,” she whispered, “tell me I’m not seeing things.”

  She couldn’t tear her eyes off the jewelry displayed before her, but she felt Blake’s hand glide along her back and circle her waist as he moved beside her.

  “If you are, we’re sharing the same vision.”

  “But how... what...” She shook her head. “These definitely don’t belong to my father.”

  “No, they were recently placed here.” He gave her a small squeeze before moving toward the jewels. He didn’t touch them but appeared to be studying them closely.

  Nervously, she stepped beside him. “Does anything look familiar?”

  “Actually,” he tapped a finger on his chin, “I believe this group right here,” he nodded toward the ones on the rickety chair, “was from the last heist reported in Alabama.”

  Her mind swam with possibilities of how they had gotten here, and with each thought, her heart sank lower. “Blake? Do you think Phillip is hiding them here?”

  Blake turned toward her and slid an arm around her waist again, pulling her closer. “Your thoughts are matching mine again.” He grinned. “But now that we know, we must keep a close eye on him – and this cabin, of course.”

  “Yes, you’re right.” She nibbled on her bottom lip. “And since we both need to do it, I’ll make certain Grandmama invites you to stay at the house.”

  “That’s the best thing to do right now.”

  Sighing, she glanced back at the jewels. “I honestly didn’t realize Phillip knew about my father’s cabin.”

  “I’m sure he stumbled upon it by mistake. I’ll follow him tonight after everyone is asleep.”

  She swung her gaze back to him and placed her hand on his chest. “What should I do?”

  “Make sure you and your grandmother hide your jewels and anything else that’s worth a lot of money.”

  Chuckling, she relaxed against him, enjoying his method of comforting her. “Blake, almost everything in the house is worth money.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Then I suppose we don’t let him out of our sight for a moment.”

  Just imagining being with her greedy cousin every minute of the day made her stomach churn, and she shivered. His expression turned to one of worry and he wound both arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

  “Are you cold?”

  She shook her head. “It’s the thought of having to be with Phillip that makes me react that way.” She inhaled deeply and straightened her shoulders. “But I shall do it. I’m not going to be weak any longer.”

  “You know,” he caressed her cheek, “I’ve never thought of you as a weak woman. From the very minute I met you, I’ve thought of you as bold and courageous.”

  She tried to ignore his warm touch, but it was impossible not to think about the quick beat of her heart from his kind words. “That’s nice of you to say.”

  “So please explain to me,” he continued, “why you think you’re weak.”

  Suddenly, she remembered the exact moment she’d been weak around him. This! Being in his arms and staring into his dreamy eyes made her that way. And being this close made her want other things... things that would only confuse her after the passionate moment had passed.

  She gradually pulled away from him, and thankfully, he didn’t try to stop her. “I believe we should return to the house. If we want to catch my foolish cousin in his criminal actions, we cannot have him catching us here first.”

  “You are correct, of course.”

  Her legs trembled as she left the log cabin. She prayed they could catch Phillip and throw him in jail before she and Blake repeated their marriage vows. Knowing how she reacted to his kindness and his nearness, there was no possible way she could be his wife without becoming weaker. And since he’d been the first man to make her forget about her soldier, she knew Blake Bentley was nothing but trouble.

  BLAKE’S MIND WOULDN’T stop spinning as he sat at the table with Claudia and her grandmother eating their midday-meal. Phillip was also at the table and commanding most of the conversation. Claudia’s strained face and her tight lips gave evidence of her impatience with her impertinent cousin. Blake did
n’t have a lot to add to the conversation, which was a good thing because it gave him more time to think.

  It was a surprise to find the stolen jewels, but although he had the evidence, he still didn’t have the proof to tie it to Phillip. This was the reason his mind was occupied at the moment. One wrong slip and he’d make Phillip aware of his knowledge. Blake couldn’t take that chance. He’d been hunting the thief down for too long, and it was high time he finally made an arrest.

  Phillip laughed at something the older woman had said, and he turned toward Claudia and placed his hand over hers that lay flat on the table. Immediately, she threw him a scowl and yanked her hand away.

  Underneath the table, Blake fisted his hands. Apparently, Phillip was not getting the subtle hints that Claudia kept dropping. It was time Blake kicked their plan into high gear. He just prayed she didn’t get upset.

  He cleared his throat and leaned toward Claudia who sat beside him. Her gaze jumped to his and her eyes widened. Did she know what he was thinking?

  “My sweet, Claudia, I think it’s time we shared our news with your family.”

  Her expression didn’t tell him much, except she was frightened. But then in a flash, she squared her shoulders and aimed her attention at her grandmother.

  “You... have news?” Grandmama Ruth asked in a leery voice.

  “Indeed, we do.” Claudia smiled as she slid her hand over Blake’s and clutched it. “Mr. Bentley has asked for my hand in marriage, and I have accepted.”

  The older woman’s mouth hung agape, but it was Phillip who made the bigger scene by gasping loudly. He dropped his fork and it clicked noisily on his plate.

  “Are you kidding me?” Phillip asked, his voice lifting in irritation. “Cousin Claudia, tell me this isn’t so. You’ve only known this man for one day.”

  Blake grinned at Claudia as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over her knuckles. “One day was all it took for me to know I wanted to spend every day with this amazing woman.”

  Her cheeks darkened and she gently squeezed his hand. “I felt the same.” She looked at her grandmother. “Mr. Bentley... Blake was the first man who made me forget about my soldier. I knew there was something special about Blake from the moment I laid eyes on him.”

  Grandmama Ruth’s stiff shoulders relaxed, and she smiled. “If he could accomplish such a feat, then he is indeed, very special.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous!” Phillip growled softly. “Claudia, don’t you see what he’s doing? The only reason he wants to marry you is for your plantation.”

  Claudia rolled her eyes. “Actually, Phillip, Blake is nothing like you. And, if you must know, I was the one who hinted about marriage first.” She turned her gaze back to Blake and her smile widened. “Thankfully, I didn’t scare him off.”

  He lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles, loving her little lie. “You’ll never be able to scare me off, my sweet Claudia. I’m yours for eternity.”

  As he stared at her, Blake realized the twinkling in her blue eyes had nothing to do with the light from the chandelier hanging over the table. His heart softened. If he didn’t know any better, he’d think she genuinely cared for him. He was just relieved she was a great performer.

  Phillip laughed, sounding too forceful. “Then I suppose we should have an engagement party.”

  “Perhaps we should in a week’s time,” Claudia told her cousin.

  Phillip raised his glass filled with punch. “Then let’s toast to the happy couple.”

  Blake lifted his glass the same time Claudia did, but it took her grandmother a little longer. The hesitation in her movements and the uncertainty in her eyes let Blake know he’d better work harder at convincing that woman of his unwavering love for Claudia.

  After they all took a drink, Phillip set his glass back on the table and chuckled. “Forgive me for laughing, but I’m reminded of a time last month when we were in Mobile, Alabama.” He gave the older woman his full attention. “Do you recall that ball when Claudia was introduced to a man she thought was a prince?”

  Ruth smiled. “Oh, dear. I had forgotten about that.”

  An irritated sigh came from Claudia. “Phillip, the reason I thought he was a prince was because he’d introduced himself that way to me, you imbecile.”

  “Exactly.” Phillip nodded. “The man was trying to impress you for a reason.”

  Sighing heavily, Claudia leaned back in her chair as she drummed her fingers on the table. “Are you seriously going in that direction? Are you not aware of all of the times I have found you lying to a woman in order to impress her?”

  While Phillip continued to drone on about their visit to Mobile – which, incidentally, happened to be the same city where the last jewel thief had struck – Blake tried to piece together what the man’s reasoning would be. Why had Phillip chosen this particular topic to discuss at the table right now?

  Blake rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache creeping upon him. Phillip was up to no good, and Blake needed to figure the man out before anything happened to Claudia or her grandmother.

  As a Pinkerton agent, Blake found he was especially good at fitting together the missing puzzle pieces of a crime. That was the very reason he had suspected Phillip and had followed him to Charleston. However, since getting involved with Claudia, Blake’s mind hadn’t been where it needed to be. Even now as he tried to figure out why Phillip was talking about Mobile, and the fact that Claudia had made the wrong judgement about a person, a hint of her heavenly fragrance drifted through the air, disrupting his thoughts. Images of when she was in his arms during their passionate kiss popped into his head, and he smiled. Kissing her had been very nice. If only she’d let him do that again.

  “And it just goes to show,” Phillip said in a tone that sounded like he was ending this conversation, “that you don’t get everything you want, Claudia. Life doesn’t happen that way. One day you feel like you’re on top of the world, and the next day, you feel like a wagon train is running over you.” He shrugged. “Heed my advice and always be watchful of what the world is going to throw in your path next. Nothing is as it seems.”

  Blake zeroed his focus on the confusing man. There was an underlining point to the man’s babbling. Blake’s gut told him that Phillip was aware that he and Claudia knew about the stolen jewel’s hiding place. And yet, why would Phillip say this to his cousin, unless...

  Blake inhaled sharply as his mind finally became alert. He jumped to his feet, nearly knocking over the chair in the process. All eyes at the table were on him. Claudia touched his arm, looking at him with confused eyes.

  “Blake? What’s amiss?”

  “I... I’d forgotten about an appointment I had this afternoon.” He stroked her soft cheek. “Not to worry, my love. I’m getting everything ready for our wedding, so I must leave now. I hope you understand. I shall return later today.” He glanced at Ruth. “Forgive me for leaving so abruptly. Tell your cook she made a fabulous meal, once again.”

  Before he heard anything more from the family, he dashed out of the dining room, and hurried out of the house. Time was at an essence now, and he couldn’t waste any of it.

  ELEVEN

  Confusion filled Claudia as she watched Blake leave. Very odd... His sudden departure made her speechless, and she should really say something to her grandmother in an attempt to smooth things over. However, her mind was having a hard time focusing. Obviously, something had bothered him enough to leave. Had he remembered something about Phillip that could get him arrested?

  Phillip snorted in distaste. “Well, that was quite ill-mannered of him, don’t you think so, Aunt Ruth?”

  Claudia scowled at her cousin. “Rude? Fiddle-dee-dee. After all, he had remembered an appointment and so he had to leave. What would have been rude was missing the appointment.” She met her grandmother’s curious stare. “And he did apologize, did he not?”

  “Well... I suppose you’re right, dear.” Grandmother nodded. “He did apologize, and he is show
ing responsibility for his scheduled appointments.”

  Breathing easier, Claudia relaxed in her chair and smiled. She tried to ignore the invisible daggers Phillip’s glare was shooting at her as she finished her meal. She didn’t care what he thought, anyway.

  After several moments of silence, Phillip grumbled and set his fork and knife on the table with force. Claudia glanced at him and arched an eyebrow.

  “I just do not like him,” Phillip snapped. “He’s a very secretive man, and I fear he’s trying to take advantage of you... of all of us!”

  Claudia rolled her eyes. She did this a lot around her foolish cousin. “There is nothing wrong with Blake. He’s told me enough about his life that I trust him wholeheartedly.”

  “What if he lied?” Phillip asked.

  She tilted her head, studying his profile. Why hadn’t she realized before how devious his eyes were? “Lied? Oh, do you mean like you lie?”

  “Enough, you two!” Grandmother’s voice rose as her attention shifted from Claudia to Phillip. “I’m tired of your bickering. Can you just talk civilly through one meal, please?”

  “I’m sorry, Grandmama,” Claudia mumbled. Phillip muttered his apologies, but it was done in softer tones.

  For the next few minutes, she picked at her food. Hunger had been replaced with disgust, and all she could think about was when Blake would return and cheer her up.

  When she caught herself missing him, she jerked to awareness. Stop this, Claudia! She wasn’t supposed to feel that way about him. Yet, their ride through the plantation today had been rather enjoyable. Although she’d been upset at him earlier this morning, she had somehow relaxed after spending more time with him. He’d treated her like a queen in the way he’d helped her in and out of the buggy, and while they strolled around he had either kept her hand tucked around his elbow or rested his palm on the middle of her back. Slowly, she’d forgotten about her anger, especially when realizing it had been so long since she enjoyed a man’s company and attention. She’d missed being treated like a woman instead of a commodity.