Well, it hadn't been that simple, but that didn't matter here.
"However, what my wife just told you, gives a completely different picture of our Sir Dumfrey. There seems to be more to it than we suspect. It's not just the smuggling. Why did he steal the contents of a safe if he then kept it for years? Or why does he commit a double murder, and we have to assume that's what happened, and then blackmail the daughter with a promissory note that was probably never real? In addition, he had these attacks carried out on me, with the reason to keep me away from the bay where his contraband arrives, but I've come to believe that there's more to it. There's something else I want to tell you."
"And that is?"
Somewhat miffed that he had been kept in the dark for so long, he now looked at Robert promptingly.
"My uncle died in a strange way, if not from an unexplained cause. He developed violent stomach and intestinal problems, after being a guest at a banquet given by Sir Charles Dumfrey in Edinburgh. It was suspected at the time that he must have eaten something bad, but he was the only one to show these symptoms. The doctor who was called in could find nothing and my uncle got worse day by day until he died shortly after. Isn't it strange that this Dumfrey is always where people die?"
"It's a strange thing, and when we catch him, he'll have to answer to us. Unfortunately we have no trace of him so far."
"Since my wife saw him on the cliffs a short time ago, he must still be in the vicinity and must be hiding somewhere. You should check his house again for clues.“
"This my men have already done and found nothing."
"Maybe they missed something?"
"I don't think so. He's probably long gone."
When the inspector had left, Robert turned to Moira.
"I don't agree with the inspector that Dumfrey has disappeared. I could almost bet that he is still in the area, and I'm going to take another look at his house tomorrow."
"All right, then. We'll turn the whole house upside down tomorrow."
"We?"
"Have you already forgotten that I said we'd bring him down together? I'm coming with you, of course.“
Chapter 30
Robert stood at the foot of the staircase and waited for his wife. It was already late afternoon and it was time for them to get going. Impatiently he paced back and forth. Why was she taking so long?
She knew that he wanted to arrive at the house in the light of day and had only gone upstairs for a moment to change in more comfortable clothes. In the meantime, he had fetched his gun belt from his office and strapped it around his waist. The small leather strap on the holster was buckled around his left thigh. He had practiced a few times with nimble fingers to get his revolver out of the holster and had been pleased with himself and his form. In his old home, he had carried it every day, but here it had been lying in a drawer ever since. Today, however, he would not go without it and had therefore loaded it with the cartridges. With the summer temperatures that prevailed outside he had also decided not to wear the frock coat that he normally wore, because it would only be a hindrance when drawing and so he wore only a gray shirt next to his black trousers. He heard her footsteps from above. Finally it could start, but when she appeared at the top of the stairs, his eyes almost fell out. She couldn't possibly be serious. Unable to say anything, he stood there with his open-mouth until she had almost reached him. Somewhat embarrassed, she smiled at him.
"I know it looks a little funny and it's unusual, but for today's task, yet much more practical."
Funny - the word did not quite describe, what he thought of it. He had quite different words on the tip of his tongue. But the one that described it best was the word provocative. He could not believe that she really wanted to go off like that. Every contour of her lovely body he could see in his old pants she was wearing. Likewise, she was wearing a white shirt of his, which she had loosely tucked into her pants.
The dark pantalongs were held by a pair of suspenders that stretched over her breasts. As she walked past him, he could make out her small firm rear end and he felt a completely different feeling. His mouth became dry and he noticed how his body started to react to the hip movements of his wife. At that moment he was just glad that they were going to ride unaccompanied, because in this getup she would drive any man crazy. Moira paused and turned to face him, when she realized that he was still standing by the stairs and staring after her.
"What is it? I think we want to go. Do you know how to use that thing?"
She pointed to the revolver at his hip, not letting him see that she found him extraordinarily dangerous looking with the visible weapon strapped on, which made her strangely aroused. Lasciviously, he just returned:
"Let's wish I never have to prove it to you."
Smiling, he put his arm on his wife's shoulder and as he directed her out, he thought to himself that his wife seemed to always be good for a surprise and marriage with her would never be boring. Another surprise was waiting for him outside when he saw Samuel there, with three saddled horses waiting for them, and who got googly eyed at the sight of Moira. Moira didn't seem to register any of this, for she was heading straight for her horse, while Robert turned to Samuel.
"Don't say a word."
"I - I just wanted to ... boy, what a getup. I should give Eileen my pants to wear, too."
Robert gave him a nasty and annoyed look.
"What are you doing here, anyway?"
"I thought you could use some help, or should I stay?"
"No, it's probably just as well if you come along. Three can see more than two."
And so Robert lifted Moira into the saddle, mounted himself and they galloped off.
It was quiet at the house. Dumfrey's employees had probably already looked for other employment or were at his home in Edinburgh. The front door was locked, no one had thought of that. Of course, the police had locked everything when they had left here. But Robert did not want to give up so easily. He walked around the house and examined the windows and doors on the first floor. With such a huge property, it was easy to miss an open window or door, and he was right. The window, through which he entered the evening when they had arrested the gang here, was not locked even now. He climbed in a second time and ran straight to the front door to open it for the two others. Despite the sun still outside, it was already dusk. The many trees around the house gave not only shade from the summer heat, but they darkened the areas also prematurely. So they were forced to light kerosene lamps, which they found in the kitchen.
"When I was standing over there at the time I heard hurried footsteps. They came from the back of the house and then disappeared through a door, because it was slammed shut. I thought at the time it must have been Dumfrey. That's why I think we concentrate the search of the first floor and basement."
"There's not going to be a lot of rooms in the back down here. There are mainly the utility rooms and
reception rooms. Maybe his writing room, but most of the rooms are upstairs."
"We'll split up. You take the rooms on the right. Moira and I will take the ones on the left."
"Wouldn't it be better if I went alone, too, then it would go faster."
"No, if Dumfrey's in here somewhere, I want you near me, it's safer," he said to Moira. They went to the back of the house and then split up. Apart from their footsteps, there was no other sound and Moira, who at first had bravely wanted to run off on her own, now thought it was not a bad idea at all to inspect the rooms together with Robert. Empty buildings somehow created an oppressive feeling. Robert concentrated on the walls and floors. Perhaps there was a secret door somewhere in the walls or a recess in the floor, behind which a cellar corridor could be suspected. But no matter how long he ran his hands over the wallpaper or lifted the carpets on the floor, his search came to nothing. Samuel also reported no success when they met again in the hall.
"Then we'll take on the basement now. There must be something in there somewhere, ot
herwise how could he have escaped with the house surrounded?"
There were noises in the house. Quietly he listened and tried to locate the voices and footsteps he heard. They seemed to be in the back of the house. Had the police come again?
They would not find him this time either, he was sure of that. Twice they had already tried and had left again, perplexed. He was just too clever for them. Here he could hold out for eternity and no one would ever find him. The older of the Fellow sisters had shown him this cellar vault and had been proud to tell him several anecdotes connected with this room. He had immediately recognized the potential of such a room and had known that he had to own this house. It had been easy for him, one day during a visit to pour some arsenic into the lady's tea. Unfortunately, she was not well and had died a short time later, so that the way to own this house had become free for him. No one but he knew of the existence of this secret room and so he leaned back relaxed. Probably the police would be gone in a moment.
Quietly they went down the cellar stairs. The entire part of the house seemed to be a basement. They discovered four rooms. One of them was the coal cellar, which Robert immediately ruled out at once, for it was filled with charcoal and anyone entering it would have left black shoe prints on the floor. But there were none to be found there. The next room they entered was the supply room. They examined it a little more thoroughly, because it had several shelves on the walls. A wooden box filled with potatoes stood in the corner. Jars of preserved food stood on the shelves next to fruit crates filled with apples and pears.
A ham hung on a hook from the ceiling. Dumfrey would not have to suffer if he were here, Robert thought to himself, but they also found no bump on the wall, a hidden door or a locking mechanism.
Frustrated, they walked on. They went through the large storage room where the smugged barrels had been. Now this room was totally empty making it easier for them to investigate. While Samuel and Moira set to work of scanning the walls with their hands, to feel for a possible secret door, Robert stopped in the middle and thought. The last time he had been here, he had had the same feeling as he felt again now.
He was very close to the solution, he felt, but he could not see it. Following a sudden inspiration, he took his kerosene lamp and quietly crept across to the fourth and thus last room. It was the wine cellar.
On the left and right of the walls were several wine bottles on shelves, stored horizontally. He carefully illuminated the entire room, ran the lamp along the ceiling and the shelves on the sides. Then he held it close over the floor, crouching down to look under the shelves. Then, suddenly, he stopped. At one place it seemed to be a little brighter than on the other walls in the room. Making an effort to move silently, he crept directly to the spot and shone again. Now he was sure that light was coming from a small crack in the floor. A smile flitted across his face. I found you after all. He straightened up, ran his hands through the shelves attached to it and could feel an elongated crack in the wall. He ran his hand along it and found that it was a small door. Only how to open it, he could not see immediately. When he carefully examined the shelf in front of it, he noticed that there was a bump on one of the posts from behind. He stuck his head into the shelf and shone the lamp into it. There he could feela small tilting mechanism. This had to be the switch to open the door. Probably the shelf folded out with it. Just as he was about to take a closer look he heard Samuel appear in the doorway.
"So this is where you are, do you have anything...."
Samuel immediately broke off when Robert signaled to him with his finger on his mouth to be quiet. He shined another light under the shelf, but the light had disappeared. So there had to be someone behind this door. Moira appeared behind Samuel in the doorway and he quickly turned to her to give her the quiet sign. Tensely they followed how Robert had apparently found something, but he suddenly said loudly:
"Nothing here either, I'm afraid," he approached both of them, signaling as he spoke to follow them
quietly, and continued to say, "it seems to be as the police have already suspected, that Dumfrey is long gone."
Robert said no more until he was outside the house with the horses. Then he turned in a low voice to his two surprised companions.
"He's down there. A secret door is in the wine cellar and I saw light coming, but he could hear you. When you entered the room, the light was extinguished."
"Then let's catch him!" said Moira excitedly.
"Yes, there are two of us, we can overpower him."
"We don't know if he's there alone. We don't know if he has any weapons with him either. I think, he's still feeling safe, and that's our advantage. I'll notify the inspector and tomorrow, together with his people, we'll storm the hole and then we'll have him."
Somewhat disappointed about not being able to catch the bastard tonight, the three rode back
unaccomplished. Halfway back, Samuel said goodbye until the next morning and rode home. In the meantime it had become dark and the stars were in the sky. It was a clear night that was falling.
The search had taken longer than he had expected, but Robert was satisfied. At last they knew where Dumfrey had gone. He was in the trap that would snap shut tomorrow.
Dumfrey held his breath when he heard the voice. He quickly extinguished his lamp and listened at the door. Was it really possible that the police had found him? Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
No matter how hard he tried, he could suddenly hear nothing more from outside. Did that mean that they were already gone again, or were they already working on a plan to get him? For the first time he was no longer so sure that this hiding place was untraceable, but then he heard the voice that told the others, that they had found nothing and he breathed a sigh of relief. Ha, he was the best after all. He was a genius.
No one would be able to stop him and so he continued to forge his plans for revenge.
Chapter 31
For today the work ended. The stable boys had already retired, horses in the stable had been cared for, and so all was quiet when they arrived at home.
"Go on into the house, I'll take care of the horses and then I'll follow. Maybe Gwyneth might have
something tasty in the kitchen for us."
"I'll help you, it'll go faster."
Together they led the animals into the stable. While Robert hung the saddles on hooks on the wall,
Moira watched Robert furtively. Since they had set out that afternoon, she had not been unaware of this
underlying tension between them, and now, as they rode home alone under the starry sky, a longing had set in that she had almost thought lost. Now she stood here and followed his every move, and she became hot with longing.The play of his muscles under his shirt made her heart beat faster and the look of his narrow hips and firm buttocks took her breath away. The air around her seemed to charge magically.
Driven by his attraction, she walked toward him, and when he turned, she threw herself into his arms.
Surprised, he caught her and held her tightly. Moira wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with such passion, that Robert forgot everything around him.
"Touch me, love me, here and now."
She did not wait for the answer, but began to ruffle his hair with her fingers, covering his face with kisses and nibbling on his shirt buttons with her fingers. Breathless and overwhelmed by the fact that his wife
seduced him here, he tried to get a last clear thought between two kisses.
"Moira, do you really think we should? The doctor has...".
She paused and put her hand on his mouth, which made him fall silent and looked at him tenderly. Black strands of hair hung in his face and while she gleefully ran her fingers over his half-exposed upper body, she breathed towards him.
"I don't want to wait any longer. I want you to touch me, show me that you love me. I want to feel you inside me, tonight."
How long he had waited for these words. He pulled her into
the only empty stall, which was laid out with fresh straw and kissed her hard on the mouth. His tongue played with her lips and when she opened them a little, he conquered her mouth. She moaned out while Robert ran his hands in her hair and deftly untied the knot she was wearing. Immediately her long brown curls fell down over her shoulders, and he buried his hands in them. Moira touched her lips to his naked torso. The kisses she left on his skin seemed to set his body on fire. Breathlessly, he uttered her name and pushed the suspenders off her shoulders.
Moira pulled the rest of his shirt out of his pants and slipped it off his arms. Carelessly it fell to the ground. She clung to his steel-hard torso and ran her mouth up his neck until she came to his twitching Adam's apple. This was too much for him. He undid his gunbelt with one hand and let it slide with the gun to the ground, then he pulled Moira closer to him. He grasped her buttocks with both hands and pressed her tightly against him. Through the fabric of her pants, she could feel his arousal and felt how the heat of his body seized her. Slowly, he ran one hand up her thigh until he stopped between her legs.
Moira closed her eyes and threw her head back. The feelings that Robert released in her were
indescribable and when he stripped off her pants and she felt the cool air against her legs, she dug her fingers into his back. His shirt she was wearing was so long that she could have worn it as a nightgown and Robert couldn't help but smile. She looked so seductive in his clothes. He hoped that Moira was really ready for him, because he no longer had the strength to stop. His body ached with every fiber. He had already had to do without for too long. He had not been able to touch her like this for weeks and now these pent-up feelings burst out of him. Passionately and wildly he kissed her. His hands nibbled at the buttons of her shirt and finally laid the corset free. He covered the firm base of her breast with his lips. Then with practiced grips he opened her corset and removed the last hurdle. At the sight of her firm breasts he drew in the air sharply. She was so infinitely beautiful. He buried his face in her skin and Moira pulled him closer to her. He kissed her breasts and nibbled her buds. Moira could not form a clear thought and called out his name. She closed her eyes and gave in to the feelings he evoked in her. Half naked she stood before him here in the stable. At any moment, someone from the service staff could come in, but they did not care about that. Here and now there were only the two of them. She wanted to feel him, deep inside her. For too long she had had to wait for this. She gasped when she felt his hand on her most intimate spot, felt how he stroked her tenderly. A tremor went through her body and she felt her legs give way, but Robert held her tightly, with his hand pressed against her, while he sealed her mouth with his lips. He couldn't wait any longer. His body was longing for release and so he removed the last hindering pieces of clothing and lifted her onto his hips. Moira immediately wrapped her legs around his body to have a better hold, because only his upper body held her against the wooden wall. When she felt him inside her, she reared up to meet him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately, then began to move. Slowly at first, then faster and faster inside her. Her ecstasy determined the rhythm and led her higher, higher and higher, until her feelings discharged in a violent explosion. Their bodies trembled and twitched and only gradually the waves of ecstasy subsided. Exhausted, they remained in their position for quite a while. Their sweaty bodies clung to each other and Robert smiled happily at Moira. She breathed his name and snuggled against his neck.
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