Crier .
“You’re early,” she said, wondering if he’d run across the article about them yet.
“I thought you might require my assistance,” he said pleasantly, flipping the paper to the next page.
“Thank you, no,” she said in an embarrassed whisper, still begrudging the extravagance of hiring a temporary servant. “I’ve already engaged a lady’s maid for the evening.”
He folded the paper neatly and tucked it under his arm as he stood. “I’m not here to help with your toilette, but it’s a charming idea. Wish I’d thought of it.”
Her face heated as if with fever. She could have kicked herself. There was something about this man that made her say the most ridiculous things.
“I daresay, barring the hair dressing, I’d have made an admirable abigail for you,” he said with a grin. “But alas, I’m only here to escort you to your room.”
She blinked in surprise. “That’s neither necessary nor appropriate.”
“Maybe not appropriate, but definitely necessary.” He took her arm and led her toward the staircase. “One of my boys says there’s a fellow snooping about this establishment.”
“One of your boys?”
“I hire a number of them to be my eyes about town. I tasked one to observe you whenever I’m not with you.”
Maybe that accounted for the prickles between her shoulder blades whenever she was out and about. “You should have told me.”
“It might have changed how you behaved. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one interested in your comings and goings. My lad, Gil, says the man he’s been watching sneaked into the hotel this afternoon. Based on his dress, Gil is certain the fellow is not a guest.” Jacob stopped at the landing. “If he’s still in your chamber, I’d rather you not meet him alone.”
In my chamber? Julianne lifted her skirts and scurried up the rest of the way. Her heart sank when she saw the door was ajar. Her hand was almost on the knob when Jacob pulled her behind him, laying a warning finger to his lips.
Stay back, he mouthed. Then he gave the door a swift kick and burst into the room, brandishing his walking stick like a cudgel.
“It’s all right,” he said after a few moments. “He’s gone.”
But someone had definitely been there. All the drawers in the chifferobe were turned out, her lacy undergarments tossed about. The bedclothes had been yanked off and dumped in a pile in the middle of the room. The mattress lay askew, half on, half off the bed frame. One of her pillows had even been gutted, its feathery innards lying in downy piles.
“Is your jewelry missing?” Jacob asked.
“Hang the jewelry,” she said, making a beeline for her traveling trunk. The lid was propped open and all the little compartments had been rifled through, but nothing seemed to be missing. Her sapphires set in silver, the emerald choker, the ruby pendant big enough to choke a horse were all where she’d left them. With relief, she found her ivory cameo in the bottom of the trunk. It was yellow with age and the tin setting was thin and misshapen, but she’d had it as long as she could remember. It was the least valuable piece in her collection, but if she had to part with her jewelry to support herself, it would be the last to go.
Clearly the man was after something else. She depressed a hidden lever in the trunk, praying he hadn’t realized it had a false bottom. She eased a bit of ribbon from the tight side joint and gave it a slight tug.
“Oh, thank God.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s still here.”
“What is?” Jacob stood over her to see what she had.
“The manuscript.” She lifted the fragile sheaves of parchment and carried it to the dressing table to make certain it hadn’t been damaged. “Remember I told you provenance was the most important thing about establishing the authenticity of ancient items? This manuscript is what Algernon used to discover the whereabouts of the five daggers.”
“I had no idea you’d
“You’re early,” she said, wondering if he’d run across the article about them yet.
“I thought you might require my assistance,” he said pleasantly, flipping the paper to the next page.
“Thank you, no,” she said in an embarrassed whisper, still begrudging the extravagance of hiring a temporary servant. “I’ve already engaged a lady’s maid for the evening.”
He folded the paper neatly and tucked it under his arm as he stood. “I’m not here to help with your toilette, but it’s a charming idea. Wish I’d thought of it.”
Her face heated as if with fever. She could have kicked herself. There was something about this man that made her say the most ridiculous things.
“I daresay, barring the hair dressing, I’d have made an admirable abigail for you,” he said with a grin. “But alas, I’m only here to escort you to your room.”
She blinked in surprise. “That’s neither necessary nor appropriate.”
“Maybe not appropriate, but definitely necessary.” He took her arm and led her toward the staircase. “One of my boys says there’s a fellow snooping about this establishment.”
“One of your boys?”
“I hire a number of them to be my eyes about town. I tasked one to observe you whenever I’m not with you.”
Maybe that accounted for the prickles between her shoulder blades whenever she was out and about. “You should have told me.”
“It might have changed how you behaved. Unfortunately, I’m not the only one interested in your comings and goings. My lad, Gil, says the man he’s been watching sneaked into the hotel this afternoon. Based on his dress, Gil is certain the fellow is not a guest.” Jacob stopped at the landing. “If he’s still in your chamber, I’d rather you not meet him alone.”
In my chamber? Julianne lifted her skirts and scurried up the rest of the way. Her heart sank when she saw the door was ajar. Her hand was almost on the knob when Jacob pulled her behind him, laying a warning finger to his lips.
Stay back, he mouthed. Then he gave the door a swift kick and burst into the room, brandishing his walking stick like a cudgel.
“It’s all right,” he said after a few moments. “He’s gone.”
But someone had definitely been there. All the drawers in the chifferobe were turned out, her lacy undergarments tossed about. The bedclothes had been yanked off and dumped in a pile in the middle of the room. The mattress lay askew, half on, half off the bed frame. One of her pillows had even been gutted, its feathery innards lying in downy piles.
“Is your jewelry missing?” Jacob asked.
“Hang the jewelry,” she said, making a beeline for her traveling trunk. The lid was propped open and all the little compartments had been rifled through, but nothing seemed to be missing. Her sapphires set in silver, the emerald choker, the ruby pendant big enough to choke a horse were all where she’d left them. With relief, she found her ivory cameo in the bottom of the trunk. It was yellow with age and the tin setting was thin and misshapen, but she’d had it as long as she could remember. It was the least valuable piece in her collection, but if she had to part with her jewelry to support herself, it would be the last to go.
Clearly the man was after something else. She depressed a hidden lever in the trunk, praying he hadn’t realized it had a false bottom. She eased a bit of ribbon from the tight side joint and gave it a slight tug.
“Oh, thank God.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s still here.”
“What is?” Jacob stood over her to see what she had.
“The manuscript.” She lifted the fragile sheaves of parchment and carried it to the dressing table to make certain it hadn’t been damaged. “Remember I told you provenance was the most important thing about establishing the authenticity of ancient items? This manuscript is what Algernon used to discover the whereabouts of the five daggers.”
“I had no idea you’d
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