Pack of Trouble (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 5)

by Liza O'Connor

  “Your boy has an amazing nose,” Jacko said. “I can barely smell Vic’s odor on you, but he can evidently track it through the house.”

  “You can smell Vic on me?” Xavier asked.

  “Just faintly. No doubt acquired when you were hugging him in the basement. Which, by the way, left no doubt to Stone and Meyers that you dearly love Vic. However, neither looked surprised or horrified. Do they know the truth?”

  “No. But they love the pup as well, so they don’t judge me too harshly.”

  Jacko shook his head. “I daresay you are right about that, and I understand why you love your pup, but honestly, I find Vic rather annoying.

  “Feeling is mutual, I’ve gathered. I’m curious. Did you find Vic annoying before you kissed her?”

  A choke from the door alerted Xavier that Gregory was in the room.

  “Wipe that from your memory!” Jacko snapped. “It was during a mission, meant nothing, and will never happen again. And yes, to your question, I have always found Vic annoying.”

  Xavier turned to Gregory. “I believe him, and I’ve discussed the matter with Vic, and he is of the same mind. So I think this should never be mentioned by anyone again. And in the future, please make you presence known.”

  The butler’s brow furrowed with displeasure. “I will always clear my throat to let you know when I enter a room in which you might be having disturbing conversations. Dinner is ready.” He then briskly turned and left in a huff.

  Jacko glared at Xavier. “Pete and Alice are in this house. What if one of them had come in rather than Gregory?”

  Xavier held up his hands. “We will never discuss this matter again.” Xavier rose. “Let us search out the dining room.”

  “No problem, I can always find food,” Jacko assured him.

  Chapter 16

  “Damn it, Connors, how am I supposed to function like this?” Vic stared at the large blocks of plaster on both legs below the knees and both arms below the elbow. Her right arm cast extended over her wrist and palm so only her fingers were visible. While the cast on her left arm stopped at the wrist, her middle finger and pinkie were wrapped in splints. “I can’t do anything.”

  “Which is the point. Otherwise, you would forget the dangers and run about, probably crippling yourself for life.”

  Tubs nodded in agreement.

  Vic silenced her protest. If Tubs thought she needed to be covered in plaster then she’d allow it.

  “Can I go home now?” she grumbled.

  “You’ll require a carriage, along with one other item,” he said and left the room.

  “Tubs, go get a carriage.”

  He grimaced. “That’s one thing I’m not good at.”

  She studied her sad giant, reached to pat his massive arm, and accidently stabbed him with her splint finger. “Your inability to hail a cab is not your fault,” she assured him, knowing whose fault it was. Early on she had ordered her giant to tip a few cabs that abducted young gentlemen for the purpose of addicting them to morphine. While the cab-tipping slowed the abduction of young men for a few months, its longer lasting impact was that no carriage for hire, not even the honest drivers, would stop for Tubs.

  “You meant well,” Tubs graciously added. “Besides, I believe Xavier means to return with your muslin shirt and take you home himself.”

  “Then where the bloody hell is he?” Vic demanded and huffed. “Probably having dinner without me. And poor Cannon is no doubt starved, forced to chew the flesh from a stranger’s ankles and fingers.”

  Tubs chuckled. “He won’t starve. I’ve never seen a child so determined to provide for himself. He’s a smart baby.”

  Soon, Connors returned, rolling a wooden chair with a wicker back and seat. Instead of legs, it possessed bicycle wheels on each side with small front caster wheels behind the wooden footrests.

  Vic stared up at her favorite doctor. “Do you think Cannon is smart enough to find his own food?”

  “If you are thinking about throwing him out in the street to survive on his own, I would advise against it.”

  “He saved my life. I would never do such a thing. However, I am worried he might starve while waiting for Xavier to procure him food.”

  “Babies are very good at making their needs known,” Connors assured her. “Tubs, pay attention as I show you how to get her into the chair. You must push up the foot rests or Vic will step on them and the chair will slam her to the floor.”

  Tubs’ brow furrowed in worry. He lifted the chair with one hand. “Chair’s heavy, Vic.” He then pressed a foot down on footrests and the whole thing tipped forward. Tubs caught it and pushed it upright.

  “Don’t step on the foot rests. It might break your bones again.” He then looked at Connors. “I don’t mind carrying her.”

  Connors massaged his temple. “Tubs, I’m presuming Vic is not going to attend my advice to stay in bed, not with all the cases outstanding. However, you cannot carry her about town in your arms.”

  “He’s right, Tubs. It would look unprofessional.”

  With a roll of his eyes, Connors clarified his position. “I was more worried about the panic it might cause, but it certainly would not look professional, so let’s focus on that.”

  “So Vic has to learn how to sit in the chair,” Tubs stated, evidently not wishing to discuss the fear his presence always caused on streets used by gentle folks.

  Vic swung her legs off the exam table. “How hard could it possibly be?” The moment she stood, placing full weight on her legs, she screamed in pain. “Bloody hell!”

  Tubs ran to her and placed her back on the exam table.

  She glared at him. “How could you stand the pain?”

  “I didn’t have a choice. You do.” He turned to the doctor. “All right if I lift and put him in the chair.”

  The doctor rubbed his temples. “Please.”

  Just then Xavier burst into the room. “What’s happened?” He pulled up and stared at Vic in Tubs arms. “I heard you scream.”

  “Have you ever tried to walk on broken bones?” she demanded.

  “Yes, it hurts like bloody hell.” He glanced at the chair. “Excellent. Are we ready to go?”

  “Did you remember to feed Cannon?” she asked.

  “Actually, he took care of it on his own. I was most impressed.”

  Vic growled.

  Xavier chuckled as he attempted to wheel her away. “Get the door, Tubs.” He pushed and stopped. “On second thought, I’ll get the door and you push. Vic has evidently put on weight.”

  “Hold on, where’s my muslin shirt.”

  “Slight hiccup there. But it is dark outside and we’ll get you straight inside the carriage.”

  “But what if someone sees me?”

  “Trust me, Vic. Anyone who stares at you will be focused on the frightening collection of plaster you have acquired. You could go bare-chested and they wouldn’t notice.”

  “Let’s not test that theory,” Connors said and draped a white sheet over Vic, tucking it between her back and the chair. “Now go, and do not incur further injuries before you return in four weeks.”

  “I have to keep these casts on for four weeks?” Vic yelled.

  “No, that’s just the first time I will assess your progress. They’ll be on for several months.”

  Vic growled, “I wish Barnacle were still alive, so I could kill him with my bare hands.”

  “You wouldn’t be able to with the splints on, trust me,” Tubs said.

  Slamming her head against the chair back, Vic groaned, “Take me home. I want a bath.”

  “Sponge baths only,” Connors warned, which caused Vic to growl yet again.

  “Take me to the Thames and throw me in. I can’t live like this.”

  Xavier stroked her sweaty forehead. “You can and you will. But I have a surprise for you, and I hope you will be pleased.”

  The entire way home, Vic tried to guess his surprise. “Did you buy a blood hound to properly train C
annon?”

  Chuckling at her hundredth question, he replied, “No, but I will look into the matter. A blood hound could come in handy.”

  Tubs nodded. “Could have used him today,” he muttered, “without Stone intervening.”

  Xavier understood what bothered Tubs. They had entered the house and saved Vic’s life by seconds. Seconds. Had he not ignore the Chief Inspector and used Cannon as a bloodhound, Vic would be dead.

  “Should I get an adult blood hound or puppy?” Xavier asked Tubs.

  Tubs shrugged his giant shoulders. “No idea. While not as bad as cats, dogs and I have never gotten along.”

  “Pup,” Vic said. “That way he and Cannon can grow up together.”

  “And who will be in charge of the pup?” Xavier asked.

  “Cannon. He needs an occupation. Can’t be saving me every day.”

  “Hopefully another occasion won’t arise for a very long time,” Xavier replied and rapped his knuckles on the carriage door. “I don’t think my heart will survive much more of this.” He turned and faced her. “This is the second time in six months that I’ve nearly lost you, Vic.”

  She scowled at his tally. “Having Cannon does not count. And frankly, I still have no idea how the stupid cretin managed to get behind me.”

  “He evaded all of us. While certainly a cretin and far worse, Barnacle was not stupid. I fear he honed his skills by removing boys who annoyed or challenged him at school.”

  Vic reached for his hand and then cursed. “This is intolerable. I cannot even grasp your hand.”

  He turned her face to him and kissed her lips.

  The carriage stopped and Vic frowned. “Davy, we wanted to go home!” Instead of the carriage moving on, Davy climbed down and opened the door. Tubs got out first and retrieved her wheel chair from the carriage top.

  “Davy. Where have you stopped?” she demanded.

  “Leave the poor fellow alone. He happens to know something you don’t.”

  “You bought a house,” she said as she looked at the house before them with a poorly kept lawn and a single wood door with an ugly concrete step between it and the slate path.

  “I did.”

  She turned and glared at him. “Without my opinion?”

  His smile faded. “We discussed the matter and I was under the impression you liked the idea.”

  “I do, I just wanted a say in the house.”

  “Well, if you truly hate the house, then you can search for another and I will consider moving.”

  “You should have bought the house across the street from the office. That would have been perfect. But no, you only cared about getting out of London before I blew up any further.”

  Xavier climbed out of the carriage. “You are being very hard to please. Perhaps Tubs should carry you to bed and I’ll show you the place tomorrow.”

  Vic sighed heavily. “I am being difficult. I just don’t want to be stuck in a dreary old house with no furniture while you handle all our cases without me. Can you take me to the office? I’d rather stay there.”

  “Actually, the house has been furnished.”

  “Even worse. I’ll be stuck looking at purple and yellow wall paper.”

  “And have you driven insane? Never.” God, he loved his cantankerous pup. “Come see the house and if you don’t like a room, I’ll have it redone specifically to your tastes.”

  “That would be a disaster. I have no skill in fixing out a room, just ask Claire.”

  “I’d rather not,” he muttered.

  Vic sighed. “Tubs, you can haul my porcine arse out of the carriage now.”

  Tubs reached in and lifted her out, careful not to catch any of her plasters on the side of the door. He set her in the chair and rolled her up to the back door.

  “What a dreary entrance. Damn it, I wish you had bought the house across the street. It was perfect.”

  “Had you even seen the insides?”

  “No. But it has a very pretty entrance and a great location.”

  “Well, it’s been sold and the owner will not relinquish it.”

  “But you tried.” She gripped his hand using only her thumb and forefinger. “That’s all you could do. I’ll stop complaining now.”

  He chuckled and opened the door so Tubs could roll her in. Tubs pushed her down a long narrow hallway into the kitchen.

  She stared at the large spacious kitchen in shock. It possessed an electric refrigerator that looked a great deal like the one David had built for the big house, plus a most impressive gas stove and oven. Without question, this kitchen belonged to a superior house, not to the shabby entrance she’d just entered. “Xavier, did you bring me in the back door?”

  “I confess I did.”

  “Why?”

  “Because our very fine butler warned me a cranky young woman was stalking our office across the street.”

  She reached so far over the side to hug him that the wheelchair would have tipped if Tubs hadn’t secured it.

  “You bought our perfect house.”

  Xavier smiled and stroked her hair. “I did indeed. And I asked Alice to fit it out. I am most pleased with her efforts. I hope you will be too.”

  “Alice…as in Jacko’s Alice?”

  He nodded cautiously. Vic had not always gotten along with the young woman.

  “Oh, she is most sensible. I’m sure I’ll like it a great deal. Roll me about Tubs.”

  As they entered the parlor, Vic clapped. “First parlor that hasn’t made me sick to my stomach.”

  “What ’til you see our library,” he said and took over rolling the wheelchair from Tubs.

  “Oh Xavier!” she cried when she entered the room. “We’ll never want to go to work and leave this place.” Her focus went to the matching dark maroon leather chairs. “Tubs pick me up and put me in a chair. The left one. Xavier has no doubt claimed the right.”

  His heart swelled with love. “You know me well.”

  The moment Tubs placed her in the chair she groaned. “Oh, this is like sitting on a cloud. I’ll be much less grumpy if you place me here before you leave tomorrow. You do remember we had an appointment with the First Minister?”

  He sighed and nodded. “However, without Claire’s assistance, solving it will be damned near impossible.”

  “You planned to taint the envelope of money with her special dust?”

  Xavier nodded.

  “We could invite her over if she’s still stalking…”

  “No. I’d rather she not know about our new home.” Vic’s relationship with Claire was a conundrum, even to him.

  “Ever?”

  “I imagine she’ll eventually find out. However, hopefully Cannon will be grown and at Oxford by then.”

  “I’m sure she regrets the false accusations she made about Jacko,” Vic softly said.

  He gripped his forehead. “Oh God, you’ve lost your intuition.”

  Vic opened her mouth, as if she planned to argue, but the brown leather books embossed in gold caught her attention. “Are those my books?”

  “Yes, they are.”

  “Well, now I know why Claire is stalking our office. And Gregory is going to kill me.”

  He sat down in his chair and closed his eyes. “Gregory is the one who decided they should come here.”

  “Really?” A lilt of surprise and happiness filled her voice.

  “Yes.”

  “How do you know that? Because I wouldn’t put it beyond Jacko to steal the books just to get back at Claire for her unthinkable claims.”

  Xavier rang the bell. “You can ask Gregory yourself.”

  “Rest assured, I will. Tubs, tomorrow morning we are going to talk to him. He’s probably mad as a hatter.”

  A voice spoke behind her. “Not at all, Vic. The library is always passed to the male heir.”

  Vic turned and tried her hardest to get up.

  “Vic, down!” Xavier barked. “Gregory please come closer so Vic can maul you without crippling himsel
f for life.”

  Gregory moved closer, but still several feet away.

  Xavier threw his hands up. “Oh for the love of God, give the poor boy you raised and almost lost today a damn hug.”

  Vic held open her arms, and with much hesitation, Gregory leaned over and hugged her. “This is a special situation. Normally, gentlemen do not hug one other.”

  ***

  Vic held to her parent butler, enjoying the third hug she’d ever received from him. The first had been the day her Aunt Maddy died, leaving them both crippled with loss. Gregory had lost the love of his life and Vic had lost the loving woman who had raised her and Claire after their parents drowned in a shipping accident. The second had been the day she and Xavier left London to have their cannonball.

  Xavier had made a terrible mistake inviting Gregory to visit, if he wanted to keep the location of their new home from Claire, but she didn’t care. Gregory had given her the library books.

  She could hardly believe he’d done that. He always sided with Claire…always.

  Her sister had to be furious to not get her way. “Now I know why Claire’s lurking outside our office.”

  Gregory withdrew, no doubt feeling guilty over the matter. There was no way that Claire would forgive Gregory for such a betrayal…unless he brought the books back.

  Vic sighed heavily and grasped his hand with her thumb and forefinger. “That you sided with me, it means the world to me. But I know how impossible Claire can be when she doesn’t get her way. You should probably take the books back. Otherwise, you’ll get no peace. Trust me on that.”

  He sighed heavily. “I apologize for what you perceived as me favoring Claire.”

  Vic almost choked at his words. Perceived?

  The butler continued on. “The truth is she arrived terribly spoiled and grew more so every day beyond. To her, I was nothing more than the butler. And butlers do not scold little misses, certainly not when they declare the day of Maddy’s death that they are the new mistress of the house. However, you were like a son to me, so I scolded and lectured you, determined to make you a man I could be proud of. My feelings for Claire have only been that of a butler to his mistress, but my feelings for you…” He sniffed and straightened into his normal ramrod posture. “Perhaps I misunderstood, or failed to make myself understood…”