What a disaster this day had been.
What a disaster everything seemed to be right now.
He cut across the courtyard, skirted around several of the outbuildings, and crossed Lanwyn Manor’s west meadow toward the public road where he had met Julia so many times.
Oh, Julia.
There was no telling what she thought of him now. Her expression of confusion and hurt haunted him, and her angry tone rattled in his head. It was all a mistake, of course, an unfortunate misunderstanding, but he doubted she’d see it that way.
He tightened his coat as he approached the drystone wall—the very place where he and Julia had spent so many mornings talking.
Perhaps it was for the best, for in truth, a relationship between them was doomed from the start. He had little to offer her. She was not from their part of the country. She had said several times that she would stay until the baby was born and then what? She was going to return home to her life—away from Goldweth.
He prepared to climb the stile over the wall when something to the north near the Lanwyn stables caught his eye. He slowed his steps.
Two, maybe three shadows moved around the space, their hats outlined by the silver moonlight.
Isaac continued along the low wall. After all, he had every right to be on the public road. Then, as he drew closer, he recognized something odd about one of the men—long, greasy dark hair, free of a queue, with the same odd-shaped felt hat as the man who had brought the travel papers to his brother’s study.
A fallen branch cracked under Isaac’s boot, and one of the men turned. The man with the long hair glanced up, then approached him. “Thought you was inside. Somethin’ go wrong?”
Isaac blinked, buying himself more time. Apparently this man thought he was Matthew again.
Isaac lowered his hat to guard his identity. If he wanted to find out what was going on, now was the time. “Inside?”
“Yeah. Thought you said you was comin’ out the tunnel.”
Tunnel? Isaac looked around, searching for words. “Uh, no. Everything’s fine. Just wanted to go over the plan again.”
The men exchanged glances.
Isaac groaned inwardly. He’d just said something that would never pass Matthew’s lips. He held his breath until one of the other men spoke.
The man with the long hair leaned forward. “You changin’ your mind? ’Cuz if you are, we—”
Isaac scoffed. “Of course not.”
The man leaned forward and lowered his voice further. “Prynne was going to show you where to go. You get the chest, carry it out the tunnel, and we deliver it to Tregarthan quiet like. That still the plan?”
Isaac’s blood pulsed through his veins. Had he heard correctly? Miss Prynne was going to help Matthew take something from Lanwyn?
“Yes. It’s still the plan. Let me see the tunnel again.”
The men stepped inside, pulled aside a blanket of dead ivy, and revealed a door.
Isaac licked his lips and hid his shock, hoping he wasn’t giving himself away. He’d never heard of a tunnel to Lanwyn, but after what Julia had told him about the hidden passageway to her tower chamber, he wasn’t surprised.
One of the men opened the door.
Whether he liked it or not, he had engaged enough with these men that he could not turn back now, even if he wanted to.
Bricks lined the walls and curved up, forming a ceiling almost big enough for a man to stand in. If so much wasn’t at stake, he might be fascinated by this find.
He weighed his options. He was in dangerous territory. They thought he was his brother, and if Matthew should appear, there would be no way to explain. But if Matthew were truly up to something, like these men suggested, perhaps there was still time to stop it.
“I’ll be back.” He picked up the lantern, stepped into the tunnel, and began walking.
Chapter 49
It seemed that everyone was able to sleep—except Julia.
Even Mrs. Benson had returned to the lying-in chamber and had dozed off on the settee near Jane and the baby. Aunt Beatrice and Caroline had been abed for hours, and Miss Prynne and Miss Trebell were snug in their chambers.
Julia knew sleep would not come. The day’s emotional strain had almost been too much, and her heart had been too disturbed by what she saw in Isaac’s hand. The nauseating thought that perhaps he was not what he had seemed—and that she had misjudged yet another man—sickened her and made her head feel light.
Candle in hand, clad in her nightclothes and dressing gown with her hair down over her shoulders, Julia made her way to the study. She’d promised Jane that she’d write Jonathan on her behalf, but the inkwell in her chamber was dry. Once she arrived at the study door, she turned the knob, pushed it open, and stepped inside. No sounds save for the clicking of the case clock against the wall met her ears. She placed the candle on the large desk in the middle of the room and opened the drawer, looking for another inkwell.
Suddenly she froze.
Was that a whisper coming from the library?
Julia frowned. The midnight hours were upon them. No one should be moving about the main living area, least of all in the secluded library.
Had Oscar gotten free perhaps?
She heard the voice again. Was that Miss Prynne? Julia recalled encountering her in this chamber once before.
Concerned, Julia stepped toward the library and poked her head through the doorway. All was dark inside, save for the moonlight sliding through the open curtains. An unexpected breeze swept over her, and she shivered as the icy air met her skin.
She’d been right—Miss Prynne stood near the far opposite wall, and next to her stood Matthew Blake.
A gasp rose in her throat. Her blood slowed in her veins.
They did not notice her. They were bent over the table studying something. Julia’s mind raced to make sense of what she was seeing. Two people who should not be here. A stack of papers on the table.
“What’s going on?” The words slipped out of her mouth before she had time to check them.
The pair both jerked up their heads.
“My child, what are you doing here?” Miss Prynne said in a frustratingly calm voice, as if they were meeting on Sunday at church instead of a private room in the middle of the night.
Julia ignored Miss Prynne’s question. “Why are you here, Mr. Blake?”
Matthew stared at her, his eyes wide, and then stepped forward. “Go back, Julia. Forget you saw this.”
“Forget I saw what? The two of you sneaking around my uncle’s home in the middle of the night?”
He fixed a glare on her. “Leave. This doesn’t concern you.”
The condescension in his tone wore on her courage, and as he stepped closer, his overwhelming scent of tobacco and the outdoors smacked her senses. Her heart raced and she employed every ounce of willpower in her body not to look away from the directness of his glare.
“Of course it concerns me.”
“The less you know, the better. Go back to your bed and . . .”
His words faded as she continued to assess what she saw. They seemed to have removed part of the wall.
And then she remembered—the hidden treasure.
Surely they weren’t searching for it.
Surely.
And yet Miss Prynne had been in here. Did she know something?
Julia glanced over her shoulder, trying to put the pieces together. The tiny hidden door she had discovered her first day was open. Light glowed from it.
She moved that direction, and Mr. Blake grabbed her arm with surprising force. “I said go back to your chamber.”
His eyes were hard, dark slits, and the candlelight cast odd shadows on his brow and cheekbones. It was almost frightening.
“And if you tell anyone what you saw here, anyone . . .” He produced a blade from his coat.
Her gaze followed the blade as he brandished it through the air, as if transfixed by the candlelight reflecting off the surface.
/> All the random pieces were circling around her. The warnings and the stares.
“This is not what we agreed on, Mr. Blake,” Miss Prynne said, the protest shaky and small.
Julia swallowed her fright. “You wouldn’t dare.”
He sneered. “Dear Julia. I have plans. I tried to include you in them, really I did, but now I must look out for myself. I suggest you do the same.”
“You’re despicable.”
He laughed again. “You’re full of grit, aren’t you? Unfortunately, that does not bode well for you. I’ve tried to be nice about this, but you leave me little choice.” He took her by the arm and started to push her toward the door.
“Let go of me! Let go or I’ll—”
He clamped his hand over her mouth.
Julia thrashed, kicking her leg out, but somehow in one quick motion, he whirled her around so her back pressed against his chest, and he held up the blade. Dangerously close. “Enough.”
“Mr. Blake! Put that down this instant!” Miss Prynne’s voice was sharper than before.
“Quiet, woman! Or you’ll find yourself in the same situation as Miss Twethewey. Don’t forget, you’ve as much to lose as I.” He shoved Julia toward the short door and forced her inside. “Let’s see how long it takes before someone misses you.”
Chapter 50
Isaac had gone too far to turn back now.
Candles lined the tunnel. They were stuck in little grooves built into the bricks, giving it an eerily similar feeling to that of a mine. He was underground, he knew, for several yards into the tunnel he descended several stone steps, but instead of the jagged rock of a mine, smooth bricks formed a domed shape above him, and the same bricks formed a path beneath his feet. Someone had spent a great deal of time making this passageway.
He cast a glance backward, and the tunnel disappeared into a curve. From what he could tell, he was alone—and on borrowed time. The men at the entrance may not know he was Matthew’s twin, but he didn’t want to give them an opportunity to find out.
He walked for several minutes until another set of stairs led him upward, and then the tunnel ended at a closed wooden door. Perspiration beaded on his brow, and the overwhelming scent of candle smoke and damp earth surrounded him.
Pulse pounding, he pressed his ear against the door. Whatever was behind it was apparently very important to Matthew.
He listened a bit longer but heard nothing. He turned the handle so slowly that even if someone was on the other side, they might not notice. It was, surprisingly, not locked.
He had no weapon. No way to defend himself, should it come to that. But whatever reason Matthew had for sneaking into Lanwyn Manor could only bring him harm.
And Isaac had to stop it.
* * *
Julia sucked a deep breath as the lock on the door clicked.
Panicked, she whirled and darted her gaze around the tiny room. She’d not come into this room since she discovered it all those weeks ago. Maps and tapestries still hung on the walls. A table still occupied the center.
Matthew was stealing something; she was sure of it. Somehow he’d employed Miss Prynne to assist. And now he’d threatened Julia. With a knife.
She heard them shuffling in the library. Every so often she’d hear Matthew curse or Miss Prynne whimper. He’d left her with no candle. The only light was the moonlight through the windows to the kitchen garden. Julia looked out, hoping someone might see her and come, but all was silent. Everyone was asleep. She sat at the table, trying to figure out the best course of action.
She was not sure how long she sat there. Perhaps fifteen minutes. Perhaps fifty. The shadows played tricks with her eyes, and fear manipulated her emotions.
Then she noticed it: one of the tapestries on the walls was moving.
Julia jumped up, nearly overturning her chair.
It continued to move, until it pushed outward. A door behind it was opening!
She pressed her back against the wall and held her breath as she waited for whatever, or whoever, might come out.
And then Isaac Blake peeked around the tapestry.
Frustration weighed down her already-weary heart.
At first neither spoke. Then he whispered, “What are you doing here?”
“What am I doing here?” she whispered back, arms folded tightly across her chest. “What are you doing here?”
He stepped through the door, candle first, and wiped his coat and looked around. “If you know, please tell me, where are we?”
“You don’t know?” She eyed him.
“No, I don’t know,” he responded. “But I think my brother might be up to something, and I am trying to find out what it is.”
“Your brother? The kidnapper?” she hurled. “You expect me to believe that you are not involved?”
“Involved in what?”
His innocent demeanor was convincing, but she was not certain. Not yet. She moved to the other door and rattled the handle, proving it was locked. “He locked me in here—he and Miss Prynne.”
“HP,” he breathed.
“And he has a knife. Isaac, I think Miss Prynne might be in danger.”
“Please, Julia. You must trust me. I am trying to get to the bottom of this, just like you.”
After several seconds she sighed. His actions might have hurt her, but in her heart of hearts she did not really believe him to be capable of anything criminal.
She drew a deep breath to organize her thoughts. “I’m not sure, exactly. They are searching for something. They’ve removed a portion of the wall in the library, which is just on the other side of the door.”
He glanced at the door. “The treasure. The ridiculous treasure. That has to be it.”
* * *
Isaac stared at Julia. Even though her face looked cool in the faint moonlight filtering through the tiny chamber’s only window, her eyes flashed bright with indignation. Her long black hair hung in wild ringlets about her face. He’d give just about anything to see that softness return to her face—the gentleness, the joy he’d witnessed those mornings when they’d been alone.
They were alone now, as they had been then, and Julia stood before him, but how different things were.
He took a step in farther, hand extended, as if trying to soothe a frightened animal. “You’ve made it clear you do not want me here, and I understand that, but I’m here only to keep my brother from doing something he might seriously regret.”
“It’s far too late for that.”
Despite her determined expression, she was frightened. He’d seen the look before—that night in the inn. He lowered his voice further. “If you’d but trust me—”
“I saw you with Aunt Beatrice’s brooch, Isaac,” she snipped. “I saw you with Mrs. Benson in her home. I’m not a fool, nor am I a child.”
“I never meant to suggest you were either.” He swallowed hard. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know, if you’ll only hear what I have to say. I found the brooch in my brother’s house and was returning it. There’s no use trying to defend Matthew anymore. Now my main priority is keeping him from doing significant damage and keeping the people I care for safe. And my visit with Margaret was only to discuss mine business. It was Charlie’s wish to open Wheal Gwenna with me, and Margaret wants to proceed with it, for the sake of her son. We have a potential investor, and we were only discussing the wisdom of such a venture. You must believe me. Somehow the rest of this mess is all connected—from the attack at the inn, to the missing items, to this secret tunnel. And as far as Margaret goes . . .”
His heart raced as her expression softened. A tear balanced on her lower eyelid. Encouraged by the change in her demeanor, he took her hand in his. “She is a wonderful person, but oh, how she pales in comparison to you, my dear Julia.” He brushed a curl away from her face. “Now is hardly the time for declarations and sentiment, but when we are out of this mess and all is settled, I’ll tell you properly. But for now we must figure out what is going on
once and for all.”
Chapter 51
Isaac tightened his fingers around Julia’s trembling hand.
“They’re on the other side of this door,” she whispered, her face close to his, her eyes wide and alert.
“And you have no idea what Miss Prynne is doing with him?”
“No, other than she seemed to be assisting him.”
Isaac turned his full attention to the door’s brass handle. “And you’re certain it’s locked?”
“Yes. I heard it click.”
“What’s on the other side?” Isaac whispered.
“The library.”
He scoffed. “I didn’t even know a library was here.”
She nodded, leaning close, her long hair draping over his arm. “You access it through the study. That’s the only way, I think. There are secret walls and doors all over this house—and outside, it would appear.”
“The tunnel I came from had an entrance near the stables. The door was hidden in plain sight. I’ve lived in Goldweth my entire life and had no idea. If Matthew’s been here, that’s how he was coming and going.”
“There have been times he seemed to materialize from nowhere. No one really ever questioned it. Now I know where he came from.”
Isaac put his ear against the door. “Someone’s out there, but I can’t make out the words. Stand back.” After a quick squeeze of her hand, he stepped in front of her, and using the heel of his boot he kicked through the lock.
Ancient wood splintered and shattered. Isaac burst through the door and quickly assessed the darkened chamber.
Miss Prynne was tied and gagged. Matthew and Mrs. Sedrick were removing a large wooden panel off the wall.
Without thinking, Isaac raced over to his brother and tackled him to the ground.
Miss Prynne grunted and thrashed from her chair. Mrs. Sedrick, in a flash, ran past them, shoved Julia into a bookshelf, and disappeared through the door from which they’d just come.
“Isaac!” Julia cried. “She’s leaving!”
“Let her.” He grunted, struggling to pin his stunned brother to the ground. His gaze swept the space and then landed on the table. “The pistol!”
The Thief of Lanwyn Manor Page 26
