Evangeline’s eyes widened, and she rushed to the door. With an audible click, the latch shot home. Evangeline tested the door by twisting the handle. It remained shut.
“It’s time for you to hide,” Cecilia said.
The words were barely out of her mouth when they heard a knock at the door.
Devin immediately folded his body into the tall trunk. The top of his head hit the bar from which Cecilia’s dresses had so recently hung. He grabbed hold of it and tried to remove it, but it was firmly affixed in place. With a bit of effort, he shifted his body and slid his head into the space between the bar and the back of the trunk. He held onto the bar with one hand, and Cecilia noticed that the metal rod pressed into his cheek. He wouldn’t be comfortable in there for long. She and Evangeline pushed the two halves of the upright trunk shut while Cecilia called out, “Who is it?”
“Officer Rafferty,” the man replied through the door. “We’re conducting a search of every room in the hotel for the jewel thief.”
Cecilia glanced at the closed trunk and spotted a piece of black fabric from Devin’s trousers poking out just below the bottom latch. Panic-stricken, she waved her hand at her sister and silently tried to point out the problem. Evangeline looked at her oddly, but then followed her gaze. When she spotted the betraying bit of fabric, her eyes widened in horror.
“I can assure you,” Cecilia called out to Officer Rafferty, “that Mr. Montlake is not in my room.” She and her sister rushed over and fumbled with the latches. They quickly managed to open the trunk just an inch. Evangeline deftly stuffed the piece of cloth inside. “I’m shocked you’d even suggest such a thing to an unmarried lady.”
“I mean no disrespect, Miss Paring, but I have my orders.”
Cecilia pawed through the pile of keys resting on the small vanity until she spied the one that fit the trunk. She plucked it out and stuffed it into the lock. “People do all manner of evil when following orders, Officer Rafferty. That does not excuse your bad manners.”
“I’m afraid I must insist,” he replied. “We have the hotel’s master key and will use it if you do not willingly grant us access to your room.”
Although his threat angered Cecilia, she wasn’t surprised to hear it. As she stormed toward the door, she stuffed the trunk key down her bodice. Seconds later, she flung open the door.
“As you can see, my sister and I are the only people in the room.” She made a grand, sweeping gesture. “Will that suffice, or do you need to inspect under the beds as well?”
The man appeared unimpressed by her anger. “I’ve been ordered to complete a thorough search of every room.” He stepped forward, and Cecilia moved to one side so that he wouldn’t trample over her. “And that’s what I intend to do.”
“This is most outrageous,” Evangeline said. “I was just about to retire for the evening.”
Cecilia glanced at her sister and noted that she’d unpinned her hair so that it was now tumbling down around her shoulders. She did, indeed, look as though she were preparing for bed.
Officer Rafferty had the grace to redden. “I’ll be brief.” He leaned over to look under each bed and then looked behind the tall bathing screen in a peremptory fashion. He was so casual that it quickly became obvious that he didn’t expect to find Devin in the room. Even so, he was being thorough.
He unlatched each wardrobe to look inside, but one of the doors popped open and almost hit him in the face. He seemed embarrassed to be looking at their gowns, however, and only gave the wardrobes a cursory search.
His gaze traveled around the room, focusing on the balcony doors. He opened them, letting in a damp breeze, and stepped outside. When he leaned forward to peer down the side of the building, the hairs on the back of Cecilia’s neck stood on end.
If Devin had still been out there, he’d have been captured.
Rafferty came back inside and scanned the room, but his gaze focused on the worst place possible. “And the trunks?” he asked, sauntering toward them.
“Yes, those are ours,” Cecilia said, being intentionally obtuse.
“Can you open them, please?”
“Open them?” Evangeline’s face reddened. “Open them? Are you suggesting that we’ve hidden Mr. Montlake in a trunk? That’s outrageous! I refuse to allow you to paw through my garments.”
“My patience is at an end,” Cecilia said, stepping forward to position herself between the trunks and the policeman. “I think it’s time for you to leave.”
Officer Rafferty thrust out his chin in a determined-looking fashion. “Not until I’ve inspected these trunks.”
“Go get Father,” Cecilia told Evangeline in her most imperious tone. “This man is overstepping his bounds. If Officer Rafferty won’t listen to us, perhaps he’ll listen to a viscount.”
Following Cecilia’s lead, Evangeline turned her nose up at the policeman in a most haughty manner and then hurried out the door in the direction of their parents’ room. Cecilia knew Father would have escorted Mother upstairs to rest after such an emotional ordeal. She could only hope he’d remained there.
She could hear her sister knocking on the door down the hallway. Officer Rafferty took a step closer to Evangeline’s trunk, but Cecilia stepped in his path to block his progress and glared at him. If he wanted to open either of those trunks, then he’d bloody well have to push her to one side.
She locked gazes with the officer, hoping he couldn’t tell how much he frightened her. Instead of giving in to her fear, she gritted her teeth and dug down a bit deeper inside herself to dredge up the sense of outrage she needed to propel her through the next few minutes.
“What!” Father shouted in a tone of shock and anger that everyone on this floor of the hotel must have heard. His outbursts tended to be both predictable and loud. Evangeline had probably done her best to fuel his anger.
Cecilia couldn’t help smiling in relief. Father would throw the policeman out, of that she was certain. Father’s frequently used sense of outrage was as reliable as a cart horse relieving itself on the street. You never knew when it would happen, only that it would, and often. It was simply Father’s way. She let out a sigh. Perhaps she’d be able to forgive Father after all.
Officer Rafferty must have misread her smile as a weakening of her resolve. He smiled in return. “May I have the keys to your trunks?” he asked.
“Absolutely not,” she said, drawing herself up taller. “You have no right to search them. And besides, Mr. Montlake is much too large to squeeze inside.”
At that moment, Evangeline rushed into the room. She’d actually managed to conjure some tears for the occasion. Either that, or facing Father’s wrath had been a truly dire experience. After all, the events of the evening were enough to make almost anyone weep with frustration. A moment later, Cecilia felt some tears of sympathy forming in her own eyes.
“What is the meaning of this outrage?” Father demanded. “Why are you searching my daughters’ room?”
“I have instructions to search every room. No exceptions.” The policeman lifted his chin, but Cecilia sensed that he was nervous.
“Father, he wants to search through my clothes. My clothes!” Evangeline’s distraught tones filled the room. “Why on earth would he want to do something so indecent?”
“I’m tiring of these delays,” Rafferty said. “I need to search the entire hotel. If you can’t produce the key, then I’ll break the lock and be done with it.”
“Not my trunk!” Evangeline cried. “You’ll ruin it.”
“If you damage that trunk, I’ll have you discharged, and don’t think I can’t!” Father thundered. He could thunder mightily when angered, and tonight was stretching his patience to its limits. “My family has been through enough tonight. Get out.”
When the policeman hesitated, Father’s face turned a deeper shade of red. He stepped out in the hallway and shouted, “Where’s Sergeant Jolicoeur? Get him up here immediately! And if Chief Superintendent Oglesby has arrived, send him up
as well! I won’t stand for this sort of treatment!”
He turned and glared at Rafferty, whose face had gone quite pale.
“Excuse me, sir, but there’s no need to bother the chief superintendent. Your daughter is quite right. It’s quite impossible for a man the size of Mr. Montlake to be inside a traveling trunk.”
“Quite right. Quite right. It’s about time you saw some sense.” Father’s jowly neck quivered as he nodded.
“If you’ll excuse me, sir, ladies, I should continue my search.” Officer Rafferty hurried forward, and since Father wouldn’t budge, the poor man had to sidle past him to make his escape.
Cecilia was tempted to laugh, but she thought better of it when she glanced at her father’s angry face.
“Are you all right, dear?” he asked, closing the distance so he stood next to Cecilia. “I know tonight has been a trial for you.”
“This has all been quite a shock,” she said, searching for words that wouldn’t anger her father. “I refuse to believe Devin could be capable of theft. There must be some other explanation.”
Father shook his head. “We can never see clearly into another man’s soul. Even those we consider as lofty as angels can conceal the blackest of hearts.”
“Not Devin. I simply don’t believe it of him.”
Father gave her a pitying smile. “For your sake, I hope you’re right. But you need to face facts. He was caught red-handed.”
“Not precisely. Mother’s necklace could have been put in his pocket to divert suspicion away from the real thief.”
Father’s eyes focused on some distant spot for a moment. “I suppose that’s possible, but who? And how? Surely Montlake would have noticed when it happened.”
Cecilia raised one eyebrow. “Just as you did every time a pickpocket stole something from you? I imagine it’s much easier to leave an item in a pocket than to take one out.”
“Touché.” Father’s gaze became unfocused.
“I just want you to promise me you won’t jump to conclusions.”
“But the evidence…”
“Could have been planted.”
Father shook his head. “That’s highly unlikely.”
“Father,” Evangeline said, “I think it would be best if Cecilia were to rest now, don’t you? And I’m sure Mother needs you.”
“Yes, you’re right. You’re right.” He patted Cecilia’s arm and then turned to face Evangeline. “I should return to her. She’s quite fretful tonight.” He reached out and cupped Evangeline’s cheek. “Thank you for coming to get me. You know I’d do anything to protect my girls.”
“I know.” Evangeline placed her hand over her father’s, and he pulled her into a warm embrace. He kissed the top of her head and then released her. He gave a quick sniff and then strode out of the room, closing the door behind him.
A moment later he called, “Lock the door,” from the corridor.
Evangeline scurried over and dutifully shot the lock home.
“Good girls. Good night.” Father’s footsteps faded as he hurried back toward his room.
Cecilia leaned forward and plunged her thumb and forefinger into her cleavage. It took less than a second to produce the trunk key. She slid it into place, turned it and then opened the latches. Devin almost fell out of the trunk as it slid open.
“That was decidedly ungentlemanly,” Devin said. “It was galling to hide when I’m not even guilty.”
“Better to hide than to be in jail.” Evangeline didn’t look the least bit sympathetic.
“What I find the most galling is that while they’re wasting time searching for me, the real criminal is escaping.”
“For all we know, he could already be on his way to France or beyond with Mother’s jewels,” Cecilia said.
“Or,” Devin said, “it’s also quite possible that our thief hopes to remain at large here in London. What if he was one of the guests at the ball?”
“That seems likely,” Cecilia said. “How else would he have slipped the necklace into your jacket?”
“Do you mean you don’t already know who it is?” Evangeline looked genuinely surprised. “I thought it was obvious.”
5 - Evangeline Hatches a Plan
Devin glared at Evangeline. Did the girl go out of her way to be this patronizing? “Obvious? If it’s so obvious, why are the police trying to arrest me?”
Cecilia looked startled. “What on earth are you talking about, Evangeline? Do you mean to say you know who the thief is?”
Evangeline ignored their comments. “I’ve never trusted the man. Something about him never rang true.”
Cecilia puffed out a frustrated sigh. “That observation is so vague that you could be speaking about anyone we know. Most people hide their true selves. I think that’s doubly the case for members of the nobility.”
“Perhaps,” Evangeline said, “but this man in particular…he isn’t what he seems to be. I’ve been watching him, and he pretends to be something he isn’t.”
Cecilia frowned. “You’ve been watching him?”
“Were you watching him tonight?” Devin asked. Perhaps that’s why he hadn’t found her when he’d searched for her during the ball.
Evangeline nodded. “In the past, I’ve noticed him exiting places where he had no business being, such as servants’ areas and places in shops and hotels where only staff members are permitted to go. It’s happened with some frequency.”
“But tonight…what about tonight?” Devin demanded. If she could identify the real culprit, he could track the man down and clear his name. But he had to be certain. “Tell me everything you saw, and don’t leave out anything. I need facts.”
Evangeline took a calming breath. “Since I wasn’t allowed to attend the ball, I was trying to enjoy it as an observer, but with so many members of the hotel staff around, it was harder to escape their notice than I’d anticipated. Every time I rounded a corner, another staff member seemed to ask me if I needed anything. Since it became obvious I couldn’t remain in the public areas, I made my way into the more unused sections of Mivart’s.”
“Like the hotel vault, where your mother’s jewels were awaiting tomorrow’s auction?”
“Precisely.” Evangeline pressed her mouth into a thin line and then licked her lips. Was she nervous? She swallowed before continuing. “When I rounded a corner, I noticed Monsieur LeCompte standing outside the vault room, looking decidedly sneaky.”
“LeCompte?” Devin stopped breathing for a moment. It felt as though someone had just sucked all the air from the room, leaving nothing for him to breathe. He’d seen LeCompte just after he’d returned to the ballroom. And he’d also been among the crowd surrounding them after the police arrived. The Frenchman could easily have slipped the necklace into his pocket.
“Sneaky?” Cecilia asked, drawing Devin back to the moment. “How was he looking sneaky?”
“He was peering up and down the hallway as though he didn’t want to be seen, which was decidedly suspicious. I barely ducked out of the way before he caught sight of me. It isn’t the first time I’ve seen him skulking about.”
“Skulking? Just like you?”
“Stop it, Cecilia! Why can’t you take me seriously?”
“Because I find your supposition that LeCompte is a criminal preposterous.” She raised her hands in frustration, splaying her fingers wide. “I agree there’s more to the man than he lets the world see, but he isn’t a thief.”
“How can you be so sure?” Evangeline put her fists on her hips. “Just two nights ago, I saw him slipping from the servants’ staircase. And later, I saw him poking through a waste bin in one of the sitting rooms. He tried to pretend he’d accidentally dropped his calling card case in it, but he didn’t fool me with his sleight-of-hand.”
The sound of loud knocking came from somewhere down the hallway, making them all jump. Officer Rafferty must want to search another room.
Cecilia quickly recovered, but when she looked at Evangeline, there was co
nsternation in her gaze. “I agree that LeCompte is a gossip and a sneak, but I simply can’t envision him as a thief. I know you don’t like being contradicted, Evangeline, but you also have to admit that I’m quite good at judging someone’s character and knowing what motivates them.”
Evangeline gave an unfeminine snort.
“Stop that,” Cecilia retorted, obviously irritated with her sister’s behavior. “You’re only annoyed with me because I’m disagreeing with you. You’ve often marveled at my skill in evaluating people and understanding them. Admit it.”
Evangeline remained stony faced.
Cecilia pressed her lips into a straight line, but then plowed on. “Although I agree that LeCompte is hiding something, he is not a man who is driven by greed or avarice, nor is he driven by power or the desire to seduce women. Those might be the faults of many other men of our acquaintance, but they are not LeCompte’s faults. His Achilles heel is that he craves information. He seems to want it the way a drunkard needs spirits. If you’d told me he’d stolen someone’s personal information—someone’s secrets—I’d be suspicious of him. But he wouldn’t steal for money. Nor jewels. It doesn’t fit.”
“How can you be so certain?” Devin interjected, striding across the room to close the distance between them. “I know you’ve come to trust these ‘feelings’ you have about people, and maybe they’re right most of the time—”
He stood a scant few inches away from her as she scowled at him.
“Fine. All of the time,” he conceded. “But, according to Evangeline, she saw him at the door of the vault not long before the theft was discovered. You have to admit, that’s damning evidence. I think we need to confront him. Maybe you’re both right. Maybe he stole the jewels, but maybe it has something to do with a secret.” He shook his head in frustration, feeling as though he was trying to clutch at spider webs. “What if he plans to trade the jewels for some secret?”
Although Evangeline lifted her chin at his words, Cecilia looked stunned by them. “That’s extremely unlikely,” she pointed out, clipping her words as she spoke. “What secret would require him to take such an enormous risk? It’s much more likely that he’s innocent of the crime and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. After all, Evangeline admits she was there as well, but I know she isn’t the thief. It isn’t in her character, either. Let’s think this through a bit more before we focus our sights on LeCompte. We can’t afford to go chasing after the wrong person.”
It Takes a Spy...: A Secrets and Seduction book Page 6
