The Dashing Thief of Her Dreams

by Alice Kirks

Geoffrey’s jaw dropped. He had expected that the law would be harsh on Henry, but he hadn’t expected them to be quite this hard. He had thought that Henry would maybe get 8 months of jail time, and that would be that. But a year plus service to the community? That was outrageous.

  Suddenly, Miles was standing up beside Geoffrey. “Pardon my interruption, Your Honour,” Miles shouted in the direction of the judge.

  The judge lowered the spectacles on his face and squinted at Miles. “Young man, why are you interrupting the proceedings of this court?” he asked Miles.

  “My name is Lord Miles Nott, and I am the cousin of Henry Partridge,” Miles explained. “If you’ll allow me, I would like to present one last aspect of this case that has not yet been taken into consideration.

  The judge continued to glare at Miles, but eventually he nodded and put his glasses further up his nose. “You may proceed,” he said.

  “Your Honour,” Miles began, stepping into the aisle of the courthouse, “I wanted to bring to your attention the matter of my father, Lord Philip. As you know, he was the magistrate in this area for-”

  “Yes, yes, I know who your father was, get on with it,” the judge said rudely to Miles.

  Miles, however, was unfazed by the judge’s behaviour. “He was a well-respected member of this community, and he did his job well. But in the last year of his life, his health began to fail him and I am not certain that anyone outside of his immediate family was aware of that.”

  The judge’s face softened ever so slightly and he shook his head. “You would be correct in saying that, Lord Miles,” he agreed.

  “Thank you for confirming that, Your Honour,” Miles continued. “And so I feel that it is my duty to present to the court that when my father’s health was failing him the most, as it was during the time that Henry committed his crimes, he was unable to assist the community in the ways that he ordinarily did.”

  Miles paused, and Geoffrey noticed an almost imperceptible stiffening of his body. Geoffrey was immediately concerned for his brother, for he knew that Miles became stiff when he was emotional, and Geoffrey knew that if he continued speaking, he would undoubtedly have to face some emotions that he did not wish to.

  Miles soldiered on, however. “My father consistently went above and beyond the call of his position to help those who fell under his care in their times of need. I remember a great many occasions where he leant or gave money to people whose loved ones had passed away, or whose businesses were struggling, or whose wives had just fallen pregnant with another child. My father’s kindness knew no bounds, and so, naturally, the community came to rely on him when times became tough.

  “And that is why, when my father could no longer perform the more exceptional aspects of his role as magistrate because of his health, the community began to struggle. My brother and I take responsibility for our inaction amidst all of this, as we did not work to pick up where my father had left off with our neighbours,” Miles looked momentarily to his brother, and Geoffrey gave him a nod to show that he supported what he was saying.

  “Henry, however,” Miles continued, “saw first-hand the effect that our father’s absence was having on those who needed him most. And because he did not have access to the finances necessary to assist these people, he took it upon himself to find another way to assist them. While I do not condone my cousin’s methods for helping our community, I do have to applaud him for working to assist our father in caring for the community that he so loved and worked tirelessly to assist. And so, I believe that Henry’s sentence should be looked upon with slightly more kindness, as that is the place where his actions came from.”

  As Miles finished speaking, Geoffrey could hardly believe his ears or eyes. Had Miles really just stood up in the middle of court and given that incredible speech, when not but two weeks ago he had practically wished Geoffrey dead? What was it that had changed in him that made him see that his ways were not appropriate?

  Whatever it was, Geoffrey was so proud of him for having said that incredible speech. Miles was absolutely right: Henry was doing what their father had done for so many years, and he and Miles should have done it before Henry so that he did not have to steal to assist them.

  The judge looked Miles up and down a few times, silently thinking. Geoffrey looked from the judge to Miles to Henry, and back to the judge. He crossed his fingers that Miles’ speech worked, for his cousin did not deserve as harsh a punishment as had been suggested for him.

  Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the judge took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “That was a very moving speech, Lord Miles,” he said. “However, as this is a court of law, we cannot allow our emotions to sway us one way or the other and so I would ask you to return to your seat so that I might give my final sentencing.”

  Geoffrey’s heart sank. There was nothing that Miles could have done that was going to change this man’s mind, and Geoffrey felt very badly that Miles’ first good deed in a long time had been met with such hostility.

  Miles gave the judge a curt nod, and came to sit back with Geoffrey. Both brothers waited with bated breath as the judge looked over to Henry and said, “Henry Partridge, for your crimes of theft, intrusion and social disturbance, you are hereby sentenced to...” he gave an agonisingly long pause, and then finished, “six months in the county jail.”

  Geoffrey and Miles looked at each other, bewildered. Then, they both looked back up towards Henry, who was looking relieved and mouthed ‘thanks’ to Miles.

  The judge banged his gavel against his desk once more and said, “The court is adjourned.” Henry was led away by a guard, and the lawyers made a hasty exit. That left only Geoffrey and Miles in the courthouse.

  Geoffrey waited a moment before he turned to his brother, clapped him on the back and said, “Where did that come from? That was brilliant!”

  Miles gave him a small smile. “You aren’t the only one who has been inspired by a woman to make things right,” he said bashfully.

  Geoffrey raised his eyebrows. “But you haven’t seen Lady Deborah in... a very long time,” he said, surprised.

  Miles chuckled. “Haven’t you wondered why the red carriage has looked slightly more worse for wear than usual? I’ve been using it in the middle of the night, brother,” he explained to Geoffrey with a satisfied smile on his face.

  “No!” Geoffrey said, stunned. “I thought the midnight visits were my idea!”

  Miles shook his head, and then was quiet for a moment. “Do you think Father will forgive me for missing his funeral after a speech like that?” he asked when he was ready.

  Geoffrey looked upon his brother thoughtfully. “I think Father would have forgiven you even if you hadn’t made that remarkable speech. He was prouder of you than he’d ever let you know,” he said quietly.

  Geoffrey thought that his comment may have made Miles laugh, but instead Miles looked as though he might cry. Geoffrey was taken aback. First his brother had stood up and made an emotional speech about his father, and now he was about to break down in court? What on earth had Lady Deborah done to create such a change in Miles?

  But instead of allowing himself a moment to be swept away by his emotions, Miles cleared his throat, shook his head and said, “Should we not move towards the carriage?”

  Geoffrey was about to try and think of something to say to encourage Miles further on his recovery, but he decided against it. He did not want to push him too much on the first day, after all. “Certainly, after you,” Geoffrey said, gesturing towards the doors of the courthouse. The two brothers walked side-by-side out of the building, each now having a new appreciation for the other.

  Chapter 34

  As the carriage thundered down the path towards the Nott Estate, Geoffrey and Miles began to talk with more ease. “Do you remember when he was furious with you for misplacing his treasured horse whip?” Geoffrey asked Miles, grinning.

  “How could I forget?” Miles asked, shaking his head. “I was about... eight if I reme
mber correctly? I had borrowed it to pretend to be a great horse racer, and then forgot where I left it out on the estate. He always told us never to touch it, and then not only had I done that, but I had misplaced it. I thought he was going to string me up by my toes and leave me to suffer!”

  Both brothers laughed. The day had cleared up quite nicely, and the threatening clouds that had clustered over their heads earlier had now dissipated. As the boys reminisced about their father, they passed by many of the most stately homes in their part of Surrey and Geoffrey could not help but get distracted by them from time to time.

  Just now, for example, they were passing by the Lockley Estate, which was home to the richest family in the county. There were six large buildings scattered artfully across the perfectly-kept lawn, and each building looked large enough that it could fit a family of ten. Geoffrey’s mind was boggled by that kind of wealth: he could not wrap his head around how someone could be comfortable holding that many riches purely for themselves. Yes, he knew he was quite well-off himself, but not that well-off.

  “But then all he ended up doing was making you search the grounds from gate to creek until you found it,” Geoffrey reminded Miles.

  Miles raised an eyebrow. “All he ended up doing? Brother, do you not remember how large our estate is? I spent three days from sun up to sun down looking for that bloody whip, and it turned out that I had practically put it back where it belonged in the barn, it was just hidden under a few things!”

  Geoffrey guffawed and doubled over. “I had forgotten about that part of it!” he said through his laughter. “You had to do all of that work only to discover that it was basically where it was supposed to be.”

  “Yes, yes, laugh it up,” Miles said good-naturedly. “At least it was not as bad as when you decided to leave the damn country without telling Father, and when you came back, he made you sleep in the barn with the horses.”

  Geoffrey rolled his eyes. “I did not tell him I was leaving because he wouldn’t have let me go otherwise,” he replied. “It was essential that I did, so I decided that whatever punishment he gave me would be worth it.”

  “And was it?” Miles asked.

  Geoffrey paused and looked over his side of the phaeton. Another massive manor was rolling by just then, but Geoffrey was not distracted by it for once. He was too thoughtful about having had to slumber in that scratchy, horrible hay with the mice and other vermin for two weeks. “Yes,” Geoffrey finally said, but he knew that Miles could tell that he was bluffing. “But I’d never been happier to see my bloody bed in my entire life when that was over.”

  Miles laughed out loud, and then the two gentlemen became quiet. Geoffrey watched as the Blackmoor Estate, with its three massive riding barns and seventeen fountains, rolled past. He wanted to try to ask Miles why exactly he had missed their father’s funeral one more time, but they were getting along so well that he did not want to risk ruining anything.

  “I shall answer your second question now,” Miles said, as if reading Geoffrey’s mind.

  Geoffrey turned to him and gave him his full attention. “Whenever you’re ready,” he encouraged him.

  Miles ran his hands through his hair and sat up straighter in his seat, and then gave a big sigh before beginning. “There were a few reasons why I did not come to Father’s funeral,” he explained, “and the first one, as you may have already guessed, was because I thought he had left everything to you because you were his favourite son.”

  “Which we’ve already cleared up,” Geoffrey reminded him, and Miles nodded.

  “Right. But the other reason why I did not want to come was because...” Miles trailed off and looked into the distance. “I truly wish that I had a better explanation for my actions, but the truth is that I simply could not bear to live through another parent’s funeral.”

  Geoffrey looked thoughtfully upon his brother, and realised that he had not fully taken into account how hard Miles took their father’s death. As he looked at him, he remembered him standing by the graveside at their mother’s funeral, looking as though he wanted to be entombed in the ground right along with her.

  Geoffrey was lucky in that regard; he was able to compartmentalise his emotions so that he was able to get through difficult situations with ease. Miles, on the other hand, had not developed that ability, for better or for worse, and so he was forced to feel everything right out there in the open.

  “You know how close Mama and I were,” Miles continued, “and my bet is that you thought when Papa passed, it would be easier for me. To be honest, I thought the same thing... until it happened. I realised that Father’s passing affected me almost as much as Mother’s did, and the thought of having to go downstairs on the day of his funeral and make small talk about him with anyone and everyone was... unbearable.”

  Geoffrey gave Miles a few beats to ensure that he was finished saying what he needed to. When it appeared that he was, Geoffrey dove in, saying, “Brother, I am so sorry. I had not for a moment considered-”

  Geoffrey had just begun to apologise for his foolishness, but Miles waved his hand and dismissed his apology. “Don’t start with all of that now, it’s in the past,” he explained to Geoffrey. “We were both fools, me more than you, as always, and now we’ve got through quite possibly our most challenging adventure together. If you are prepared to bury the hatchet and move forwards, then I am as well.”

  “I’m very impressed,” Geoffrey said. “And of course, nothing would give me more pleasure than to move past our prior difficulties with each other. But I have to ask... what did Lady Deborah say to you to make this great change come about?”

  Miles laughed. “That is between her and me,” he said quietly, and so Geoffrey did not press upon the subject any further.

  Five minutes later, the boys pulled up in front of the estate. They got out of the carriage and went into the house, and as they were passing through the foyer, Miles turned to Geoffrey and asked, “Did you receive Lady Deborah’s invitation to the picnic at the Stanhope Estate?”

  Geoffrey nodded as he removed his gloves, hat and boots. “I certainly did. Do you know why she’s arranged it?” he asked.

  Miles shook his head. He, too, removed his gloves and placed them on the side table in the foyer. “She hasn’t said a word about her plans for it to me, which has left me baffled,” he explained with a bemused expression on his face.

  “Perhaps we shall have to leave it to the Stanhope sisters to surprise us, then,” Geoffrey replied nonchalantly.

  Miles stopped walking towards his bedroom, turned around and gave Geoffrey a look. “That’s far better than you showing up to their house in the middle of the night and surprising them, if you ask me.”

  Geoffrey laughed and playfully swatted his brother with his coat, and then the two brothers parted ways to change in their respective bedrooms.

  Chapter 35

  The day of Deborah’s big picnic came, and Bridget could not have been more nervous. She had spent the last week trying to figure out the perfect thing to say to Lord Geoffrey, and at the end of all of it... she had come up with nothing brilliant.

  She did not want to bother her sister, for she had thrown herself headlong into the planning of the picnic, and so Bridget went to the next best place for advice: her books.

  In the first volume she consulted, entitled My Pirate, My Love, the female protagonist told the male protagonist that she forgave him for his wrongdoings by allowing herself to be kidnapped by the rival group of pirates so that her love could escape with their riches. While Bridget considered this option, she did not feel that it was applicable to this situation, as Geoffrey did not want to make away with her riches (although it had seemed that way when she had first met him) and there was no rival thief for her to be kidnapped by.

  In the second book she turned to, entitled The Rake of Remington, Etta, the heroine, made up with her star-crossed beloved by picking ten thousand of his favourite thorny flowers and suffering through the pain of the cuts
that they made. Bridget thought that this was a very foolish and altogether impractical idea, and so she threw this out immediately.