Xavier rose and tossed the necktie in her face. “Don’t even think it, you ungrateful pup. You wouldn’t last a week at Scotland Yard. Either you would die of boredom, or Stone would fire you for your impertinent tongue.”
He collected his filthy beggar clothes and then stared at his body. “Damn! You washed away my disguise.”
Vic glared at him, then stormed from the room. She returned a few seconds later with the coal bucket. “Here, dress away!”
She tried to leave the room, but Xavier snared her arm and pulled her to him. He wanted to kiss her, but refrained. “Vic, you will have your way in this matter. If they don’t agree, then I will simply disappear when I can. Either way, you will not be left in the dark, wondering if I’m alive or dead for more than two weeks.”
Vic smiled up at him, and then flinched as she took in his face. She pressed her cheek against his clean chest. “Thank you. I’m sorry to be so cross with you, but this has been a very hard month.”
“For me, as well.” He stroked her short blond hair and held her tight against him for several long minutes. He hated leaving her so soon, but he had an elusive spy to capture.
The clock chimed eight. He had to go. “Do you have any morning appointments?”
“A lost servant at nine.”
He almost asked how one loses a servant, but decided to let it slide. “Will you help put me to right since you washed away all my carefully applied dirt?”
She stepped back and looked at the bucket of coal she had brought him. “I will keep you company while you cover yourself in filth, but that is all. Otherwise, I will not be fit to receive our client at nine.”
“If you weren’t prepared to put me to rights, then why the bloody hell did you wash me down?”
“I know what you’re about and it’s not going to work.”
Her response took him by surprise. “And what do you think I’m doing?”
“You think if you leave me in a huff, it will be easier, but it won’t. In fact, it will be worse. We would both suffer torment, unsure if the other realized our angry words were not truly meant.”
Xavier raised his brow, but didn’t argue. “Then tell me about this lost servant while I put myself to right.”
“I’ve not much to tell. When the gentleman arrived yesterday to make his appointment, he only said his parlor maid was lost and he needed you to find her.”
“Make certain you speak to the wife before you waste much time on this. More than likely, she’s fired the maid for flirting with her husband and simply won’t admit it.”
“After I get the particulars, I intend to speak with his wife, any sons over the age of fifteen and the butler before I decide how to proceed.”
“Sons…good idea.” In all probability, Vic would wheedle the truth in short time. She had a gift for getting people to spill their guts. With him, they would lie until he bullied the truth out.
Xavier frowned as a darker thought occurred to him. “If this case turns toward a seamier solution, I want you to wait for me.”
Vic sighed. “If I can.”
Her answer infuriated him. “What the hell does that mean?”
She matched his glare with a scowl of her own. “It means just what I said. If I can afford to wait, I will. However, if some young parlor maid is two hours from death, I am not waiting two weeks for you to return and intercede.”
“Then‒”
“Take Davy. Yes, I will.”
“And your gun!”
“That goes without saying. I’ll take my knife, as well, if you like.”
Evidently, Vic’s intuition told her this case was more than a fired servant. “Call up Davy.”
“Why?”
He huffed at her challenge. “My God! I’ve been gone for a mere month and you think you can challenge every command from my mouth. You do not need to know why. Just call him up!”
Vic glared at him and stormed from the room.
By the time he had finished dressing, she returned with his trusted driver in tow. Upon sight of his boss, the man rushed forward and crushed him in a powerful hug.
Xavier struggled to escape his grip. Why couldn’t he have normal employees? “Davy, stop before you break bones.”
Releasing him, his driver stood back. “Sorry, sir. I’m just so glad to see you.” His brow furrowed as he stared at his employer’s face. “That’s just a disguise, I hope.”
“No, I caught my nose in a meat grinder and am now forced to live in the streets because my true love cannot bear the sight of me.”
Vic laughed. “Can’t fault her there.”
Davy nodded in agreement. “Me either.”
“A fine set of friends you two are! If I ever do lose my looks, I’ll remember not to expect a happy welcome home from either of you. In fact, I’ll fire you both and hire blind people in your stead.”
Davy frowned. “I don’t think a blind driver will work out very well.”
“I’ll sit beside him and call out directions. As long as he follows my instructions to the letter, he’ll be fine.”
Vic laughed aloud at his threat. Even Davy smiled, clearly unconcerned about being replaced with a blind man.
He ignored his impudent pup and focused on Davy. “I’ve an order for you.”
Davy lost his smile and managed to look Xavier in his one good eye. His driver loved being involved in cases. “A month in charge of the office has made Vic too cocky.”
His driver gave a slight nod in agreement, which worried Xavier. What the hell had his pup been up to? Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to find out just now.
“If you see Vic getting in over his head, call Jacko for assistance.”
The relief in Davy’s eyes worried him.
“Jacko isn’t needed,” Vic snapped.
“Even if Vic doesn’t think he’s necessary, you can call him, Davy. The decision is yours.”
“I’ll do that right now.” Davy turned and hurried downstairs.
Vic tried to run after him, but Xavier gripped her arm.
“Let me go!” She leaned out the bedroom door. “Davy, don’t you dare call anyone!”
Xavier pulled her to him and slammed the door shut. “I am very tempted to lock you in this room until I can return and sort this matter out. Clearly you are up to something that has Davy worried.”
Vic’s stubborn expression and lack of denial worried him further.
“Do you recall the promise we made to each other? Not to take any risks more than necessary?”
She studied her feet a long moment before nodding.
“I suspect whatever you have done or plan to do I would consider a violation of our agreement.”
She stared at the door and refused to answer.
“Vic…I’m not trying to clip your wings. But if Davy thinks he cannot keep you safe, then at least accept a better partner in crime.”
She sighed and almost placed her head on his chest. Upon a closer look at the filthy shirt, she stepped back, but stared up with resignation. “I would much rather you were my partner.”
“Believe me, now I know you are up to mischief, I will end this damn assignment as fast as I can.”
Her eyes filled with worry. “Don’t rush and put yourself in danger. I’m not involved in anything too serious. Davy is just an old woman.”
“Davy spent twenty years in one of the roughest prisons in England. He is not ‘an old woman.’” He sighed at her stubborn visage. “However, Davy is very fond of you and may be overprotective.”
“He is.”
“Then use Jacko. The man is completely fearless and objective.”
Scuffing her shoe on the floor, she muttered, “All right.”
“And if a pirate objects to your plans, then I declare you in violation of our agreement and want your promise you will stop.”
When Vic said nothing, Xavier shook her. “Vic, I’m serious. I love you too much to allow you to put yourself in harm’s way.”
Her eyes met his. �
��And what about you? Am I to believe you do not place yourself in harm’s way when you disappear on these assignments?”
“I am taking every precaution I can. I’m sorry I cannot tell you more.”
Vic nodded and pulled from his grip. When she reached the door, she stopped and turned to him. “Don’t rush your case. It might get you hurt.”
He smiled. “I will be careful, as well.”
She opened the door. “Can I walk you out?”
“It’s better if I leave alone.”
With one last look of worry, she went downstairs.
***
Xavier waited until Vic was in his office and then snuck out the back door. He slowly made his way through alleys, sorting through garbage, until he was certain he’d removed all scent of Vic from his clothes and body. He then worked his way to the docks.
He had just settled into his beggar’s spot across from the New Royal Exchange building when a frightened young boy approached him.
The lad’s fear could be due to Xavier’s face, yet if so, why did the imp not run away? Why did he walk closer, despite his terror?
“What you looking at, boy?” Xavier growled in a drunken slurred voice.
The little mutt didn’t answer, but he stopped his approach.
“Well? What do you want?” Xavier demanded. “Let’s have it!” God, the fellow was as troublesome as his clients were during their initial interviews.
The lad stuck his hand into his pocket. Xavier thought he intended to give him his last pence. He opened his mouth to tell him he didn’t want his money, but all words faded as he stared down the barrel of a gun. A second later, a loud explosion sounded followed by a lead bullet ripping into his chest, slamming him to the sidewalk.
His last thoughts were of Victor and his broken promise to keep himself safe.
Vic, I’m so sorry to leave you like this. Please don’t let this destroy you. You have so much to live for! You must go on.
Chapter 2
Vic was not at her best when Mr. Robinson arrived for his nine o’clock appointment. While she had told Xavier about Davy’s fears of his death, she’d failed to mention she’d her own trepidations. All week, a cloud of darkness had hung over her, convincing her something terrible had happened to her beloved. And even though his brief and heavy-handed visit assured her he was alive and well, she could not shake the foreboding of doom still weighing upon her.
She led Mr. Robinson into Xavier’s office and showed him to his seat. “May I offer you tea…or perhaps something stronger?” She added the latter as the frantic man wiped his brow with his handkerchief.
He nodded and tucked away the cloth. “A touch of whiskey if you have it.”
Vic poured Mr. Robinson an inch of Xavier’s best whiskey. Xavier never shared his whiskey with clients. She considered this payback for the hell he had put her through—still put her through—with his secret government work.
He had once declared he would not being do any further work with them, but within a month of his absence, the First Minister himself came to rally Xavier to return. For the safety of his country, he did, and Vic could not fault him. She only wished they would allow her to assist him, but the First Minister stood firm on the matter.
She handed Mr. Robinson his drink and resumed her seat. Retrieving her pen and paper, she looked at him. “You said you have lost your servant?”
The man nodded and then stared at her. “I’m sorry. I did not realize you were Mr. Holmes. I thought you a secretary when I arrived yesterday.”
She rather wished Xavier was here. He hated when customers called him the fictional character, Sherlock Holmes. “Mr. Thorn is presently out of the office, working another case. However, I am his partner and conduct all initial interviews.”
“Perhaps we should wait…”
Vic sighed. Clients proved reluctant to tell their darkest secrets to a young man unless a grumpy older man named Xavier Thorn sat in the room and glared out the window. Oddly, when he was here, the clients always preferred to talk to her.
“You can do that, sir, but I will still be the person interviewing you. The only difference will be that your bill will include charges not just for my time, but Xavier’s as well, if he attends the meeting.” She paused. “I am well-qualified. Following an education in the Sciences at Oxford, I trained under Mr. Thorn for a year before he made me his partner.”
“Oxford… most impressive. Everyone said Mr. ...Thorn is the best, so I suppose he would hire the best. A partner, you say?”
Vic nodded.
“Very well. As I told you when I made the appointment, I lost my servant and I want you to find and bring her home.” His eyes grew glassy before he studied his hands.
“Please tell me all you know about this servant.”
Mr. Robinson smiled and dabbed his tears away. “That would take years…so let me tell you the basics. Her name is Mary Campbell. She is eighteen, but looks younger. She is very petite, and has the cutest dimples.”
“How long has she been in your service?”
“She was born in my house. I have known her all her life.”
By the tenderness in his voice, Vic was certain he had loved her all of her life. “And when did she go missing?”
His lips quivered. “Yesterday morning.”
Vic frowned. He had made the appointment yesterday morning. “And what makes you believe she was abducted?”
His eyes rounded in panic. “Abducted? No…that can’t be. She’s just lost. I’m sure of it. She must have left the house for some reason and couldn’t find her way back.”
Vic lacked her normal patience and rather wished Xavier was here so he could yell at the man. Instead, she took a deep breath, soothed her temper and tried again. “Tell me what happened yesterday?”
“There’s nothing to tell. I came downstairs for breakfast and another girl served my tea. I called in my butler, Jonston and asked him if Mary was sick and he said she had left. When I asked to where, he said he didn’t know.”
She was glad Xavier wasn’t here, because he’d be gloating. “Did you ask your wife if she had fired the girl?”
Mr. Robinson’s eyes rounded and he licked his lips. “Wife? I don’t have a wife.”
Ah, so Xavier wasn’t right. Good. She leaned forward. “Were her belongings still in her room?”
“I don’t know.”
“And your butler told you nothing other than she was gone?”
“That’s all he knew.”
Vic seriously doubted that. “I will need to interview your butler and others on your staff.”
He nodded. “Whatever you need to find Mary.” His words sounded frantic.
“Mr. Robinson, anything you say here is held in complete confidentiality. And to help us find Mary, you need to tell me the absolute truth.” Vic waited for his confession.
“If I knew where she was, I would have brought her home,” he insisted while his head shook like a spaniel shedding water.
Growing weary of his prevarications, she tried another tack. “What is your true relationship with Mary?”
The man turned white as the paper on her pad. “She is a servant in my house.”
“Mr. Robinson…” Vic sighed. “We cannot help if you do not tell us the whole truth.”
He raked both hands through his oil-laden hair as he lowered his face.
“I assure you, any confidences will remain safe with us. But you must decide which is more important: your secret or Mary.”
After a long moment, he took a deep breath and spoke. “She is my daughter.”
“And her mother?”
“She was the housekeeper.”
Pleased with the breakthrough, Vic leaned forward. “Where is this housekeeper now?”
“I don’t know.”
He knew something. She could hear it in his denial. Frustrated, she rubbed her temples. If only Xavier were here to play bad interrogator to her kind interviewer.
“She left after Mary was b
orn.”
Vic waited for more. After a long silence he continued. “She…”
“Name?”
“Angela Campbell. She became angry when I wouldn’t marry her. I couldn’t! She was a servant for God’s sake. So a week after birthing Mary, she left in the middle of the night with all the silverware and some very fine pieces of jewelry from my room.”
“Did you report the theft to the police?”
“No. I couldn’t.”
“Because you loved her?”
“Not at all. She was very beautiful, and most obliging, but not lovable. I am now convinced I couldn’t love her because I sensed the cold calculations going on in her mind. She put on a good show at first, certainly succeeded in seducing me. However, when she realized I wouldn’t marry her, not even for the child, she dropped all pretense of adoration. The woman threatened me with charges of rape, and then with threats she would kill the baby. I told her the police would throw her in prison for false accusations on the first and hang her for the latter. Then she threatened to leave. I told her she was lucky I allowed such an immoral woman to remain in my house, but she could leave, if she thought anyone would hire her in her condition.”
Vic studied his angry face. “Were you bluffing, or did you mean that?”
He frowned. “At the time I meant it. The baby was only an embarrassment to me. When Jonston told me Angela had stolen the silver and run off during the night, I was thankful to rid myself of them both. Then he asked me what to do with the child.” Mr. Robinson sighed. “I told him to get rid of it.”
Vic struggled to hide her shock by focusing on note taking.
“Fortunately, my butler only pays me half a mind. He brought the baby into my library and placed it on top of the book I was reading. He glared at me and said, ‘You made this damn mess. You take care of it.’ Then he stormed from the room.”
A faint smile came to her lips. He sounded like her family’s bossy butler. She looked forward to speaking with him.
Mr. Robinson now had a blissful look on his face. “On my book lay a baby girl wiggling about. I had never seen such a tiny creature before, so small and fragile. I could hold her with one hand. Yet, she was perfect in every other way. She opened her eyes and reached out to me, as if she knew she needed me to protect her.” He burst into tears and covered his face with his handkerchief.
The Missing Partner (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 2) Page 2
