by Rebecca King
He was still eating when Aaron, Oliver and Jasper found him ten minutes later.
“Comfortable?” Oliver asked. His brows lifted incredulously at the sight of his decidedly comfortable colleague lounging negligently amidst a gaggle of females.
Angus slid the now empty plate onto the table at his elbow and leaned forward. “I think you had better come in and listen to what the ladies have to say,” he said carefully.
There was an air of defeat about him that made Jasper cough to hide his laughter. He too became bemused at the deftness in which he was burdened with a plate of cake and ushered into a high-backed chair beside Angus. Oliver, equally stunned, was nudged down into a chair on the other side of him.
“No, really,” Oliver protested when an elderly lady shoved another piece of cake at him. “I have to get to work. It is my turn on watch.” But he was ignored, and swiftly found himself staring blankly down at another piece of cake.
“We all think you should concentrate on Mr Horvat,” Monika declared boldly. “He is more likely to be your culprit, and it has nothing to do with him being foreign. You need to find out what happened to Mrs Browning. It is strange, is it not, that Mr Horvat arrives at the same time that girls go missing?”
“It is far too co-incidental,” Alice agreed.
“Thank you for your suggestion, ladies,” Oliver assured them diplomatically. “We will check it out. Meantime, if you think of anything else, please tell one of us. Please don’t go about blaming Mr Horvat just now, though. None of us have any proof he is guilty of anything.”
“You are not to try to find any proof either,” Angus warned.
Everyone far too readily murmured their agreement, leaving the men from the Star Elite to look at each other warily. It was Alice’s next words that confirmed the ladies of the tapestry group had no intention of doing what they were told, and that gave the men from the Star Elite one Hell of a headache.
CHAPTER NINE
Charity clutched her basket in her hand as she hurried down the street later that day. It was wonderful to be out in the fresh air for a while. So much so, she took several deep breaths and willed herself to cool down and relax. Today was the first day in a very long time that she truly felt frustrated, annoyed, distinctly out of sorts and fretful. She couldn’t settle. Not only because the ladies – her friends – had caught her in a passionate embrace with Angus, but because they had made it clear they were going to get involved in the investigation regardless of what Angus and his colleagues wanted.
It had just taken her two hours to get the ladies to go home, having secured a somewhat vague promise from them that they would keep quiet about what was going on. Charity had promptly left not long after and had simply abandoned the men in her sitting room, laden with empty cake plates, to discuss what they were going to do now.
“Psst.”
Charity immediately stopped walking. She frowned and looked at the street behind her.
“Psst.”
She looked about but still couldn’t see anybody.
“Over here.”
Charity looked at the hedge beside her.
“Hello?”
“Well, don’t stand talking to the hedge. People will think you are odd.”
Charity huffed. “Don’t you think a talking hedge is odd?” she countered. Having identified the owner of that voice she relaxed enough to be able to glance behind her and make sure Angus wasn’t following. Cautiously, she stepped closer.
“Just what are you doing?” she whispered to Gertrude, who was on her knees in Mrs Taylor’s garden.
“Talking to you,” Gertrude replied.
Charity sighed and rolled her eyes.
“I can’t get up dearie, someone will see me,” Gertrude grunted.
“Do you need some help?” Charity offered, trying her hardest not to smile.
“No. I can shuffle back a bit if I can just get unstuck from this silly rose bush. Just meet us at Monika’s house tonight at seven,” Gertrude whispered. “Oh, damn, I have torn my dress now.”
“Are you all right?” Charity asked. “Why all the secrecy?”
“Well, we thought this had to be kept a secret,” Gertrude replied in a muffled voice.
“Er,” Charity was a little lost for words.
“Monika’s tonight at seven. Bring cake,” Gertrude replied.
Charity waited. All she could hear for a moment or two was the rustling of leaves. To her amazement, when she ventured toward the Taylor’s garden gate, there was no sign of Gertrude.
“What are you up to?” she murmured.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Angus muttered from behind her.
Charity whirled around. She tried to hide the guilty expression on her face, but it was hopeless.
“I am going to go to the shop,” she declared suddenly.
Angus looked at the hedge. “Something wrong with it?” he murmured.
“No,” Charity replied.
As nonchalantly as she could, Charity resumed her steady journey into the village.
“Are you actively trying to get yourself noticed?” she murmured out of the corner of her mouth when she noticed a couple of the villagers openly staring at Angus walking beside her. “People will talk about us walking out together, you know.”
“Because of your shenanigans last night, the boss seems to think it is a good idea that people begin to suspect you are not alone,” Angus warned.
“Shenanigans?” Charity frowned at him. “I only did what you couldn’t.”
“I do my job perfectly well, thank you,” Angus retorted crisply.
Charity had no proof otherwise. “I am not saying you don’t, but you didn’t make much effort to go after Mr Horvat.”
“That is because I already have men outside the house who followed him.”
Charity frowned. “Was it them who chased me?”
Angus hesitated but saw no reason to lie to her. “They will do whatever it takes to make sure people in this village are protected, especially you.”
“Even if that means frightening people?” Charity demanded.
“If it stops you tearing off into the night like a fool then yes,” Angus snapped.
“I am not a fool,” Charity retorted coldly. Her scowl was deep when she looked at him.
“Look, I am not going to get into an argument with you. I must go and get some sleep. I just came to ask if you would speak with your friends to get them to stay at home for the time being, that’s all.”
“They won’t be kept under house arrest either,” Charity informed him.
Charity felt somewhat deflated. All the enjoyment she had experienced only moments ago suddenly vanished. In its wake was yet another cold wave of disappointment that was truly starting to hurt. She wondered why she continued to let herself in for the pain by expecting more from him than he was quite clearly prepared to give.
She knew then that she was going to meet with her friends tonight at Monika’s house, and would not feel guilty in any way for the secrecy of the topics they discussed. Her loyalty had to lie with her friends, the people who had always been a part of her life, not to the man who was going to leave it one day soon. That put a distance between her and Angus that went far beyond the physical gap between them on the pavement. As a result, it was difficult to know what to say.
“Do you not consider that they know the village, and the villagers, a little better than you?”
“I am not arguing that,” Angus sighed. “Look, we have been through all of this. Just make sure that they aren’t going to get themselves in any danger. I know they are willing but look what happened to you last night. You were chased. How do you think Edwina would cope with being chased through the streets like that? Just stop them. Please?”
Angus read the hesitation in Charity’s eye and had to bite back on his impatience. He wanted to shake her, if only to try to knock some common sense into her but he daren’t touch her in public. He was already painfully aware of eyes b
oring into his back and had little doubt he had been weighed up, categorised, assessed, and would continue to be monitored every time he showed his face in the village from now on.
It is going to make my job damned near impossible, he thought in disgust.
When an old farmer’s cart rumbled past, and the elderly man sitting high atop the bench seat openly stared at him as he passed without saying a word of greeting, Angus began to feel decidedly uneasy.
“Maybe your foreigner suspect has a right to feel unwelcome in a place like this,” he growled. “It might not be his fault he is reticent. Have you thought about that? It doesn’t make him guilty. One thing I have learnt in my job is never to judge a person’s character on first impressions. Until you get to know a person, understand the workings of their mind, you never truly know what they are capable of. First impressions last, but they aren’t always accurate. Remember that.”
“Well, I thought you were dependable. Was I wrong about that?” Charity murmured.
“I am here to do a job, Charity, that’s all,” Angus whispered.
He knew he was putting an end to any further intimacies between them. It was damned difficult to convince himself that it was for the best for them both, especially when he felt as though he had just made a serious mistake he was going to regret later.
“Are you going straight home?” He pointed to the grocery beside them.
“I might,” Charity replied. She worked hard to keep her face devoid of emotion.
“I am going to get some sleep and food but will be back on watch later,” Angus informed her. “Until then stay in plain sight of people, and don’t wander off.”
Charity nodded, but Angus had already turned away and was making his way down the street but away from her house. She felt bereft as she watched him leave and wondered if this was what it would be like when she had to watch him walk out of her life for good.
“I have to stay away from him,” she murmured.
As she went about fetching her groceries, Charity began to wonder if Monika would mind having a guest for the night. At least if she was away from temptation, Charity suspected she wouldn’t be, well, tempted to venture anywhere near someone as dangerous to her as Angus.
Charity sighed as she studied the rain falling on her washing. She was bored, fed up and desperately wanted to go to Monika’s, if only to get out of the house for a while. It was so deathly quiet she wasn’t at all sure she could stand it any longer. To while away her time, and ease her boredom, she had spent the afternoon baking. The house now smelt divine and was blessedly warm given Angus’s friends had taken to bringing in coal and wood with them whenever they entered the house.
“Everything is fine. So, why can’t I settle?” Charity wasn’t at all sure what caused her problem, but was decidedly on edge, nervous, fretful, and annoyed.
She was annoyed because she was truly starting to suspect the main reason for her disquiet was the absence of Angus, but that was ridiculous. She was at home, the place where she always sought refuge. Why should she feel so uncomfortable in it just because one man, who was only visiting anyway, wasn’t there? It just didn’t make sense.
“Hopefully, seeing the ladies will help,” Charity whispered as she let herself out of the house and began to unpeg the washing.
“Are the ladies coming here again?” Angus asked as he wandered down the path.
Charity yanked a sheet off the line, folded it and dropped it into the basket at her feet.
“We are meeting at Monika’s tonight,” she replied honestly, and was thankful she didn’t have to lie about that at least.
For some odd reason Charity struggled to meet his gaze, even though she felt Angus studying her closely as she shuffled down the line gathering in her washing. Quietly, he began to help.
The line was nearly empty when Charity folded the last of her pillow cases and turned to drop it into the basket. At the same time, Angus was putting a freshly folded table cloth down. Their hands touched. Charity’s gaze flew to his. Her stomach coiled with nervous anticipation. Every ounce of self-protection she possessed was screaming at her to step away and ignore the moment, but it was impossible to tear her gaze away from his.
“Angus,” she whispered in a voice that was almost tortured.
Angus stepped toward her. His hand lifted to brush a tiny rivulet of water off her silken cheek. The coarse sweep of his thumb against her chilled flesh sent shivers down her spine. She was entranced, and helpless to do anything but watch him lean closer. Their lips touched. Charity’s breath hitched. Angus lifted his head. He had no idea what the Hell was going on, but wild horses couldn’t have stopped him doing that. He would have done it again, if it weren’t for the fact they were standing in the middle of her back garden, in full view of practically all of Charity’s neighbours.
“Mr Horvat,” she breathed when she saw a flicker of movement over Angus’s shoulder.
Angus turned around and had to work to keep his gaze impassive while he watched the swarthy man walk past the end of Charity’s garden.
“What is he doing on the lane?” Charity whispered. “The road just gives access to the coal stores and outbuildings at the back of the gardens. It isn’t a cut through to anywhere.”
Angus nodded but didn’t take his eyes off Horvat until he disappeared behind a neighbour’s outbuilding. The whole incident lasted no more than a few seconds, but it was enough for Angus to understand Charity’s suspicious. Mr Horvat was indeed more likely than Mr Lawrence to abduct young women. There was certainly something about Charity that had captured the dubious Mr Horvat’s attention.
“Just stay inside, eh? I don’t know what he is doing but we will find out. We are watching him now as well. He may have just been going for a walk,” Angus muttered, but didn’t believe it for a second.
“I doubt it,” Charity scoffed.
She shivered, but it had nothing to do with the chill wind that began to swirl around them. A deep sense of foreboding swept through her.
“I don’t like it, Angus,” she whispered, edging closer to his masculine strength. “I don’t like any of this.”
Angus nodded. “I don’t either. He has to have been looking at, or for, something.” His eyes met hers. “Or someone.”
“It can’t be me,” Charity protested. “I don’t know the man.”
“He might have been trying to see me; to find out if I am with you,” Angus whispered.
“Well, now he knows. Let’s hope he has seen everything he wanted to see.” Charity hefted her basket only for Angus to take it off her. She led the way back inside and sighed with relief when she was encased in blissful warmth the second she stepped into the house.
“It smells nice in here,” Angus smiled. He lifted his brows at the veritable banquet lying on the kitchen table. “You have been busy.”
“I have to take one of the cakes to the meeting tonight,” Charity explained. “The rest is for the men here, if any of you are hungry.”
Angus smiled ruefully when his stomach rumbled loudly.
“Help yourself,” Charity laughed.
Angus swiftly removed his cloak, locked the door, and set about poking some life back into the fire while Charity began to pile food onto three plates.
For a good hour, her life became one of domestic tranquillity she hadn’t ever expected to experience. Not with a man like Angus anyway. It was such a surprise, and so wonderful that she truly didn’t want it to ever end.
She wasn’t ready for the clock on the mantle to strike seven.
“Oh Lord, I have to go,” she gasped when she realised that time had flown past. She had been so engrossed with hearing about Angus’s scary exploits that she had completely forgotten where she was supposed to be going.
“I will walk you there,” Angus said. He was already up and out of his chair before she could thank him. Seconds later, he appeared with both their cloaks in his hand.
“I will just pop up to speak with Jasper and will be back down i
n a minute,” Angus said.
Charity parcelled up one of her cakes and covered everything else over. By the time she was done, the house was ship-shape and tidy, and she was ready to leave.
Together, Charity and Angus headed into the night. Unfortunately, the rain continued its persistent menace as they wound their way through the empty streets, but neither of them seemed to notice.
“All right?” Angus asked. He held his elbow out with a ready smile and wait for her to take it.
Charity smiled and clutched her basket with one hand as she dutifully took his elbow. “It is wonderful to walk out in the rain, don’t you think?”
Angus smiled. “Especially in the dark?” he teased.
Charity wrinkled her nose up at him. “I confess, I don’t like walking out in the dark at all. I have no idea what came over me last night. Looking back on it, it was a foolish thing for me to do. I have no idea what happened.”
To Angus, that was the best thing she could have said to him. For the first time in a long time, he began to relax and suspect that everything would work out all right in the end.
By the time they reached Monika’s house, the ladies were already looking out for her. Angus waved at them when he saw Agatha and Edwina waving frantically at him, with all the excited enthusiasm of small children.
“Don’t encourage them,” Charity scolded. “You will be dragged inside for more cake if you do.”
Angus laughed. “How long do you think you will be?”
“About three hours, I expect. I don’t want to be out too late, but the ladies like to talk,” Charity shrugged.
“I will come back to fetch you. Wait for me,” Angus murmured.
Aware that Monika’s front door had just opened, and Augusta was now standing in the doorway, Angus lifted Charity’s hand off his arm. With little time to do anything else, Angus bent over Charity’s hand and pressed a lingering kiss onto the back of it.
