The Troublesome Apprentice (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 1)

by Liza O'Connor

  “Oh, I’m thinking about one a day…”

  “More like two…and I distinctly remember one day when I fired three in a row.” He slapped Davy’s back. “Thank God, I finally found you...and now that we’ve acquired young Victor, I might actually get time to learn the violin.”

  The old driver sneezed. “I hope not, sir. Those things sound like someone’s skinning a cat.”

  “Stop by the pharmacy and get something for that cold, as well.”

  Victor spoke from the door. “It’s already on my list.”

  Xavier shook his head. “Well, clearly, I’m not needed here. Mr. Hamilton has everything under control. Only, don’t let him start the stove,” he added and walked down the street, feeling strangely content.

  ***

  Vic was deep in thought when Xavier entered the kitchen and lodged his complaint.

  “I leave for a few hours and you stop working for the amusement of watching water boil?”

  “I am making Davy a cup of herbal tea to help relieve his cold,” she said. “And my work is all done.”

  “All?”

  She smiled and nodded. “Last night it seemed a bit overwhelming, but once I had lunch, I regained my strength and impressed even myself.”

  Suddenly his hands were upon her head stretching his fingers across the top. She laughed. “What are you doing?”

  “I am checking to see if your head is swelling from an excess of approbations. If you plan to compliment yourself, I’ll have no choice but to cut back on mine.”

  “I’ll stop, for I much prefer yours.” She sniffed and caught the slight scent of horse and sweat beyond his own pleasant and very masculine odor. “Did you rent a horse and go to Ollie Simpson’s without me?”

  His arms wrapped around her, pinning her arms to her side. “That proves it. You’re not intuitive and logical, you’re a bloody warlock and I’ve no choice but to throw you in the stove.”

  Vic cried out for Davy to save her and, a moment later, she heard his feet pounding up the steps. She had hoped his arrival would make Xavier release her but her lunatic boss simply turned them both to face his driver.

  “Glad you’re here. Grab the boy’s feet and we’ll toss him into the fire.”

  Davy reached down and lifted Vic’s feet.

  “Put me down. You’re supposed to be my friend!” Vic scolded.

  “Ah…you made a fatal mistake, clever scamp,” Xavier growled. “Davy always follows my orders.”

  Davy nodded. “That’s right, even when they don’t make the least bit of sense, I follow them. Can I put him down now, sir?”

  Xavier loosened his grip and let Vic slide to the floor and nodded for Davy to release her feet. “Stick around. Vic has some magic potion he wishes to pour down your throat.”

  Vic swatted at Xavier’s ankles but his reactions were too quick for her to land a single blow before he escaped the room. She sighed and stood up. “It’s just mint tea, but it will help clear your congestion.”

  Davy sat down at the table. “I ain’t never seen Mr. Thorn happy before,” he said. “I can see you’re really good for him.” Davy paused. “You two going out on the town tonight?”

  “We’re headed out on a manhunt.”

  “Really…that’s odd…”

  “Why?”

  “Well, Mr. Thorn don’t normally put on cologne to hunt down people. Rather defeats the purpose if they can smell you coming.”

  Vic sniffed the air and detected a heavy scent wafting from Xavier’s bedroom. She was about to compliment Davy on his fine nose, but realized that someone without a nose could probably detect this odor. If nothing else, their eyes would water. “You’ve got a bit of detective in you, Davy.”

  “Thank you. The water’s ‘bout ready. Do I just pour it in the cup?”

  “I’ll do it.”

  “No, sir, Mr. Thorn said I was to keep you away from the stove.”

  “Fine order from a man who wanted to throw me in it,” Vic grumbled. “Just pour the water over the basket of mint leaves and let the basket remain for five minutes before drinking the tea.”

  Xavier entered with an entirely different face. His hair was slicked back and his ears stuck out more than usual. She reached up and felt something hard behind the lobe.

  He smiled but did not prevent her from investigating the changes. His nose seemed rounder and wider.

  “Be gentle,” he warned. “I do not wish to have a fingerprint on my nose all night.”

  She caressed his eyes, which slanted catlike. She could feel, but not actually see the tape at each temple. His bottom lip seemed thicker and when she curled his lip back, she found a small roll of pink cloth inside. She returned his lip over the cloth and he promptly nipped her finger. She glanced at Davy to see if he had seen, for she did not want him to think there was anything of a personal nature between her and Xavier.

  “Ready for your disguise?” Xavier asked.

  When she smiled and nodded, he led her to his room.

  From the moment she stepped through the door, her focus riveted to the bed. First, it was ridiculously large, over twice the size of her bed, and second, the sheets and pillows were shiny satin in the boldest of colors: red, orange, yellow, and blue. The same colors echoed in the sheer bed curtains. However, the gold bed frame shocked her the most. An artist had sculpted lewd scenes of naked men and women having sex on the headboard and footboard.

  “Has my bed enchanted you?” He sat her before his dressing mirror, built in the same gaudy gold but without the naked sculptures.

  “Where did you get such a thing?” she asked in amazement.

  He selected a brush and altered her hair to a more feminine style. Turning her to face him, he knelt down before her, spreading her legs so he could move in closer. She made a quick attempt to scoot back and escape, but he pressed down on her leg.

  “Be still. This won’t take long.”

  With a few brush strokes over her eyes and cheekbones plus color to her lips and earrings on her lobes, he declared her disguise complete.

  She stared in the mirror, startled by the image staring back. “I’m prettier than Claire.”

  Xavier laughed. “We’ll have to wash you down before you return home, for no lady wishes to discover her brother is prettier than she is.”

  “Are you certain this is a good disguise? Shouldn’t we want to blend in, rather than stand out?”

  “We are too handsome a couple to fade into the background, but we will certainly blend in the crowd and, if Ollie and his lady friend see us staring at them or approaching them, they will think nothing of it.” He paused with his hands gently resting on her legs. “The places we will go tonight and the things you will see may shock you, more so than the bed. If, at any time, you become overwhelmed, tell me, and we’ll leave. I will not hold it against you. In truth, I have reservations about throwing you into deep water so soon. Unfortunately, that is where the case has taken us.”

  “I can do this,” she said, hoping to God it was true.

  Chapter 11

  Davy gripped his forehead and groaned as if ill when Vic stepped into the hallway.

  Xavier smiled. “Don’t worry, Davy, I will keep a firm grip on our new apprentice.”

  “You’re armed, I hope,” Davy said.

  “To the teeth. No one is going to steal Victor.” He presented her a fan. “But just for safety, here is a prop for the night.”

  She frowned at the dainty, but oddly heavy, feminine accoutrement. “What am I supposed to do? Charm them to death?” She tried to give it back. “It doesn’t really go with my suit.”

  “You’d be surprised.” He pressed the bottom of the fan and a small narrow blade jutted three inches out of the handle. He placed her hand on his chest above his heart. “If someone grabs you and you are facing him, pretend you are going to pound his chest with your little fist holding the innocuous device. As you strike, hit the lever and strengthen your blow. If your abductor grabs you from behind, reac
h between your legs and drive the blade upward as far as you possibly can.”

  Vic suddenly felt ill.

  “Maybe if you just didn’t make him so pretty, sir,” Davy suggested.

  “To hell with the fan. I am not going to let anyone steal you away,” he promised. “You can do this, Vic, I know you can, but if I’ve frightened you with this impromptu lesson in self-defense, you may stay here and I’ll go alone.”

  “But it’s my case,” Vic protested. “I want to go and, while I’d prefer a gun, I’ll take the disguised dagger in lieu of nothing.”

  “I will teach you to shoot a gun this weekend,” he promised. “After tonight, you will have earned it.”

  ***

  They exited through the back door and hurried down an alley where Davy, in a simple disguise, had left the carriage. Xavier suspected Victor’s amazing brain pondered the reason for their surreptitious departure.

  The young man climbed into the carriage and sat across from him. “You will need to move next to me before much longer,” Xavier said.

  The word “why” form on Victor’s mouth, but the pup never voiced the question. After a second of hesitation, Victor took the space next to him.

  Xavier could sense his tension. He understood. A part of him wanted to call this evening off, as well. Unfortunately, they needed to stop a murder and he trusted Maddy’s nephew was strong enough to endure his trial by fire.

  “Victor, I cannot completely prepare you for what will happen tonight, but let me tell you what you can expect to occur between us and what I hope to achieve with our performance.”

  The young man stared up at him with intense blue eyes.

  “To observers, we will be lovers. I will be the dominant male and you the submissive feminine male. It is not the only way homosexuals might interact, but it is one way. The club we’ll attend tonight caters to such.”

  “You expect to find Ollie and Edward there, with Ollie as the male and Edward the female.”

  “I do. By being just provocative enough with you, I hope to gain an invitation to return home with them. Once they have supplied the address, you will suddenly lose your nerve at the idea of engaging three men at once and cry off. I, your besotted lover, will not force you, and thus we will leave.”

  “Why not simply follow them home?”

  “For several reasons. We’d have to traipse after them the entire night, and I’d rather get at least some sleep before work tomorrow. Also, following people in the dark is harder than you imagine and I do not wish to attempt it with you looking so delectable. Finally, I believe if they get wind of our intent as anything other than a handsome couple, they will dig in deep and we’ll not have another chance at finding Edward for quite some time.”

  Vic remained quiet.

  “What concerns you?” he asked, knowing damn well what bothered Victor. The young man wasn’t ready to commit to his sexual feelings. “We are but characters playing roles. I will place my arm about your shoulder or waist. I might kiss your hand.”

  “You don’t believe Mrs. Wimple,” Victor said. “The reason we went out the back is because you thought she might have someone watching you to see where you went tonight. That’s why even Davy is in disguise. You think she wants to know where her husband is so she can kill him.”

  A sense of pleasure and pride washed over him. “You amaze me. Especially, given I have not yet shared several critical facts I acquired today. First, Lady Catherine is near death and unable to write letters to anyone, so Mrs. Wimple’s heartfelt story was a complete lie. Second, I could find no evidence Lady Catherine has stopped Mrs. Wimple’s monthly allowance, nor does Mrs. Wimple’s spending indicate such. Third, Edward has always remained in contact with his mother; otherwise, she would have gone to Scotland Yard long ago. Fourth, someone is most certainly watching my office. They’ve been watching since the day Mrs. Wimple first engaged my services. My lack of action no doubt prompted her return visit after a mere three days. “

  Vic nodded. “She wants to know where Edward is located so she can kill him after his mother dies, assuming the estate will flow from mother to son to wife.”

  “I have inquired into the wills of Lady Catherine and Edward. The estate is not entailed. If both were to die in proper order, Mrs. Wimple will never lack for money again.”

  “So why are we here? Why are we trying to locate Edward?”

  “We are here to put him on guard, in case he is not aware how much his wife truly hates him, and to advise him on his best course of action.”

  “Which is?”

  “To die before she can kill him.”

  Chapter 12

  Vic tried to come up with a better plan than Xavier’s, but she had not found one by the time the carriage pulled to a halt.

  “Showtime, my love.” He exited the carriage and turned to help her out.

  The moment she stepped out, Vic felt like a lamb among wolves—vile, disgusting wolves. One man was actually wagging his tongue at her.

  Pressed tight against Xavier, she took comfort in his ability to keep his woman, or, in this case, ersatz-man-woman, safe even in this crowd. She curled both her arms about his waist just to ensure no one could steal her away from him.

  He hurried her towards several burly men standing between them and a pair of ornate doors. One man reached out and opened the door for them, while the other yelled at someone to back off or lose a limb.

  She stared at the ornate chandeliers and dining tables and booths. At first glance, the place resembled an elegant dining establishment with wealthy men and women enjoying a night out.

  A beautiful woman in an elegant tea gown approached them. Xavier requested a particular table and, after a pass of money, she led them to a secluded booth and handed them menus.

  Vic liked the wraparound bench because she did not want to leave Xavier’s side. Once they slid into their seat, he turned her face to his.

  “Are you all right?”

  She nodded.

  To her surprise, he leaned in and lightly kissed her lips. Her body tingled in delight.

  He pulled back and smiled. “I would have kissed your hand, but presently you have them both firmly gripped about my waist,” he teased.

  “Sorry.” With great reluctance, she released him and buried her face in his shirt so he couldn’t see her embarrassment.

  He curled her arm back across his waist. “I don’t mind.” After a pause, he asked, “What would you like to eat?”

  Vic took a deep breath to steady herself and studied the menu. “I’ll have the filet mignon.”

  Xavier flicked his hand in the air. A moment later, a rather pretty waitress with a thin fabric skirt took their order.

  “I’m surprised they do not have male waiters,” she said when the woman left.

  Xavier leaned towards her and whispered in her ear, “They are all men.”

  Vic studied the waitress bringing food to the table across from them. The front of the skirt showed no sign of a man’s bulge. “But where is his…you know.”

  With a quirk of his lip, he replied, “Surely you know what it is called.”

  “Of course, I know. It’s just not something I discuss out loud.”

  “Well, unless you are willing to discuss it, how can I tell you what the lad has done with it?”

  “Oh, God, he hasn’t cut it off has he?” Vic grimaced at the thought.

  After a deep chuckle, he kissed her on her lips again. “A gentleman would be most unhappy to discover he had.” Leaning in, he spoke against her ear, sending caresses of soft warm air onto her neck. “It is pulled backwards and hidden between his legs.”

  “Sounds uncomfortable.”

  Xavier raised her hand to his lips, kissed her knuckles. He turned her hand so her palm touched his lips and traced circles upon her flesh with his tongue. He paused when she gasped for air. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No, I’m fine,” she stammered and closed her eyes to the bombardment of sensations his tongue
caused to her entire body.

  All she could remember about dinner was that they fed each other bites of food and it was wonderfully romantic. When the waitress removed their plates, she/he declared the floor show quite good.

  “Shall we attend?” Xavier slid off the bench and Vic followed.

  As they passed a nearby table, a prettier and happier version of Mrs. Wimple smiled at her. She smiled in return and whispered, “The woman resembles Mrs. Wimple.”

  He gave the man and ersatz Mrs. Wimple a nod before leading Vic out of the restaurant. The moment they exited the doors and entered the crowded street Vic’s grip tightened around his waist.

  “If it becomes too much, tell me and we’ll leave,” he reminded her before they entered the theatre and paid.

  She stumbled several times as Xavier led her across the expansive room. Instead of seats, customers sprawled on red velvet lounges set out in lines. Most were already occupied and, in some, men openly made love in all sorts of manner.

  When he located their settee and eased her down upon it, she trembled, ashamed and terrified. “I can’t do this.”

  “I’ll take you home now.”

  “No, we don’t have to leave. I just meant I can’t do what they are doing.”

  Xavier pulled her tight against him. “Victor, I never expected you to. I had not anticipated the audience would be quite so bold in their affections. However, we need not follow their lead. We will do nothing more than kiss,” he assured her and did so with soft tenderness.

  When the show began, he leaned back and she curled up beside him, secure in his arms. They laughed at the ribald humor and sexual pranks of the beautiful young men on stage.

  As she teased Xavier for his pained expression after a particularly bad pun, a smiling face caught her attention. Slightly behind them, the happy Mrs. Wimple watched her rather than the show. Vic turned to Xavier and alerted him. He responded with a kiss that sent sparks all the way to her toes. When he released her, she had lost all interest in the show and the ersatz Mrs. Wimple.