by Cindy Anstey
The sounds of the churchyard drifted away … until a pounding noise interrupted them—footsteps rushing up the tower. They broke apart.
Panting as if they had been the ones running up the stairs, Sophia stared at Jeremy in wonder. He stared back in much the same way … and then he smiled. It was a grin, really. It was saucy and joyful and offered wonderful things to come.
“Miss Thompson, are you all right?” someone behind her asked. “Miss Thompson?”
Sophia continued to stare at Jeremy, and then she started to laugh. She reached up to touch his lips but he grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on her palm. It sent a shiver up her spine. A most delicious shiver.
“Yes, never better,” Sophia whispered.
* * *
Miss Sophia Thompson was stubborn, frustratingly so.
Try as he might, Jeremy could not convince her to take the hired carriage and go back to Allenton Park. She insisted that she needed to stay at the ruined church until all the loose ends were tied up; he insisted that she needed to see to her wound. Unfortunately, she countered that by pointing out his own wound. And round and round they went, until Mr. Hayter tapped Jeremy on the shoulder and passed him a bucket of clean water.
“Got it from the Hummels. Their place is at the top of the road,” he said, pointing somewhat uselessly in that direction—but then, he did not know that Jeremy and Sophia had visited the Hummel cottage just a couple of hours earlier and knew exactly where it was. “It seems that neither of you are goin’ anywhere in a hurry and best clean your wounds afore they start ta fester.”
Sophia thanked the man prettily. Jeremy grumbled; he now had no leverage to insist that Sophia return to her aunt and uncle’s home. Still, he unwound the neckcloth on her arm and washed her wound as best he could. It was still bleeding freely, so he rewrapped it with the sash from Sophia’s gown.
Sophia returned the favor, washing the wound on his arm. The cut was not as deep as hers—the thick wool of Jeremy’s coat had acted as a barrier to the steel. It would not require stitches, so she said. Better yet, it was no longer bleeding.
Sophia also tried to clean Mrs. Curtis’ wounds, but the woman slapped at Sophia whenever she approached. The woman gasped in pain with each lunge. Jeremy put an end to it by splashing the water from the bucket over the housekeeper’s head; it cleaned her wound and cooled her temper.
Waiting for a wagon to carry Mrs. Curtis and her accomplice, Miss Dewey, back down to West Ravenwood took a fair amount of time. Sophia had suggested going to Allenton Park for this purpose, as it was nearby and it took care of two necessities: transportation and information. The family needed to know that Sophia was safe and soon to return.
The three hunters were instructed to say little at the big house—just to request the wagon but not state the reason. Unfortunately, a surgeon was also needed, and Jeremy had no doubt that it was this requirement that brought the family rushing up the hill.
Mr. and Mrs. Waverley, along with William, Daphne, and Mr. Thompson, arrived before the surgeon and the constable. They alighted from their carriage and rushed to where Sophia and Jeremy were seated on the church stairs.
Shocked by their explanation, the Waverleys called the accusations of murder against Mrs. Curtis outrageous. Mr. Thompson was silent in his condemnation; only his shift to stand beside Sophia, shoulder to shoulder, showed his solidarity with his daughter. Mrs. Curtis did not help her case by mocking and deriding her defenders for giving her such little credit. Clearly, pain was clouding the woman’s better judgment.
Mrs. Curtis ignored Mrs. Waverley when she knelt beside her, even going so far as to turn her back on her employer … former employer. It was sad to watch. Not just because of the pain Mrs. Curtis was inflicting on herself—Jeremy thought broken ribs a possibility besides the broken foot—but the sadness and stillness of Mrs. Waverley that showed her heartache, memories of her eldest son still raw.
Finally her sense of mother’s rage flared, and Mrs. Waverley flailed at the housekeeper, smacking and slapping the woman until the hunters pulled her off.
William, however, was a surprise. He did not go near Miss Dewey, despite her entreaties. He shook his head, and simply shouted, “No!”
Sophia left her father’s side and stood next to her cousins for some minutes, saying nothing. She laid her uninjured hand on William’s arm, and still they stood in silence. Eventually, William sighed, so deeply that Jeremy heard it across the yard, and after a quick word to Sophia, William turned and walked up the road.
“William is going to walk back to Allenton,” she said, turning to her father. “He’s not comfortable with the situation and prefers to take himself out of the equation. Might you keep him company?”
Miss Dewey, having heard Sophia’s words, jumped to her feet, and would have run after William had not Mr. Phillips grabbed her shoulder. “William!” she screamed after him. “I love you!”
William’s step faltered, but he didn’t turn around, continuing down the path. Mr. Thompson nodded to Sophia and followed his nephew down the road.
Sophia turned to Miss Dewey. “Perhaps being party to his brother’s murder is not a good demonstration of that love.” Her tone was smooth, but her words were shards of glass.
“It was Mother’s idea.” Charlotte lifted her chin, sounding defiant. “I did not kill anyone.”
“You might want to work on your defense,” Daphne said coldly. “That one will not impress the jury.”
The surgeon arrived in a rush just before Constable Marley and the Allenton wagon. His examination was brief and confirmed Jeremy’s expectation; Mrs. Curtis was inflicted with several broken bones. The criminals would be patched up and then transferred to the town prison to await trial.
* * *
Jeremy and Sophia were the last to leave the church clearing, and did not rush to follow the others.
“And so this ends our adventures together, Miss Thompson,” Jeremy said with a tight throat as he unwound the reins from the hitching post.
He knew that they would have little time together before he headed east. He would have to write his reports, give his evidence to the magistrate, and then join his fellow Runners on the long journey back to London.
This was not what he wanted. He wanted to pick Sophia up and kiss her until her toes curled. He wanted to spend his days laughing and teasing with this wonderful young lady. All his days might be enough—but only just.
“Miss Thompson? You kissed me not an hour ago. You can hardly call me Miss Thompson now. Besides, we agreed to use first names.”
Sophia lifted her hand to Jeremy’s cheek, and he leaned closer. So close that he could feel her breath on his lips … lips that were itching to find hers.
Jeremy stared at Sophia’s mouth for a moment before he realized that she was waiting for him to say something. “Yes, yes, we had agreed to first names but … I’ll be heading back to London soon—”
“Yes, and I will as well. I’m going to plague Sir Elderberry until he accepts me as a Bow Street Detective.”
“Sophia…”
She cupped his chin and stretched up on her toes. “We make good partners,” she said. “I’m almost certain that Sir Elderberry will not want to separate us.”
And then, before Jeremy could argue, Sophia pressed her mouth to his in a kiss that made his heart sing. It took his thoughts away from death and criminals, and left him wondering about the wonders of life and the magical appeal of a young lady called Miss Sophia Thompson.
After
Sophia was miserable.
Not with Jeremy and their planned future together. Absolutely not! In fact, Sophia was of a mind that Jeremy was handsomer, kinder, funnier, and more loving every time she saw him. He was no longer a novice detective but a freshly minted sergeant, one who was touted as being of a superior variety, and cited as having a great ability to reason.
Yes, all was well.
Except for one … tiny … little … problem.
Sir Elde
rberry was without a doubt the most belligerently unreasonable gentleman that Sophia had ever had to deal with! Despite countless letters explaining the value of a woman detective at Bow Street and stacks of letters from various lords and ladies lending their support to Sophia’s ambitions, Sophia had not been able to convince Sir Elderberry that she was Bow Street material.
But now, at last, she had cornered the man at the Frasers’ London townhouse. It was a small gathering of friends and associates—just forty or fifty persons—enjoying the dulcet tones of an operatic soprano in the spacious drawing room.
Sophia was prepared, having studied Investigating Murder and Mayhem from cover to cover. She could quote from the book and even cite various laws. Yes, she was ready with arguments and salient points about the value of women in policework. As planned, Jeremy had instigated the conversation and then signaled for Sophia to join them.
“Ah yes, my dear,” Sir Elderberry said as Sophia approached and was introduced. “I’m not surprised to find you here. Oh no, worry not, Fraser, I’m not displeased. It’s good actually to be able to speak to you in person, Miss Thompson.”
“Oh?” Sophia said with great intelligence and hope. “Do you have good news?” She glanced at Jeremy, giving him a bright smile.
“No, I’m so sorry, my dear, no. But I wanted to explain to you face-to-face. I have to be official in my letters; I never get a chance to say what I mean.” He, too, glanced at Jeremy. “Shall we walk? The soprano will be back in a minute, and I’d best say what needs to be said quickly.”
Sophia’s hopes plummeted, but she still followed Sir Elderberry and Jeremy to a quieter corner of the entrance hall.
“First,” Sir Elderberry said, “I would like to say that I agree with all your arguments about the need for women in the police force.”
“Wonderful!” Jeremy said, bless him.
Sir Elderberry shook his head. “No, not wonderful, there is a but. But, I’m afraid we are a long way away from that day. Wives of the present detectives would string me up by the toes if I allowed a woman in among the men—and an unmarried young lady at that.”
“That will be rectified soon, sir. I’m to be married in February.”
Glancing toward Jeremy, Sir Elderberry nodded and then grinned. “So I understand. Congratulations. However, you will still be a young lady.”
“But that can’t be helped, sir. My career choice can’t be thwarted simply because I’m a girl.”
“It is really, gone for that very reason. Not only would there be trouble at home for my detectives, but we would have to be careful which cases you worked on—”
“But—”
“A Bow Street Detective has to be able to travel to other parts of the country, all alone—wherever we are hired. You would encounter sleazy people and be required to visit sordid places. And while we would try to keep the ugliness at a minimum, there would be times … It’s not a pretty picture, you see. And hiring a woman would make me a man short. So, you see, there is a great dilemma here.
“I have thought this through. I’ve considered the welfare of the force, and you, naturally. And no matter how I consider it, the likelihood of me placing a woman in harm’s way is slim to none. Unless you decide to open your own agency, I don’t see you ever being a detective. Don’t look so crestfallen, my dear. Did you really want to stand in the cold, staring at a mutilated body?”
“No, that would not be my favorite part of the job,” Sophia said hotly. “But apprehending the murderer or returning a stolen item, finding a lost child … those moments would make up for the others.”
“Yes, I can see that you have thought this through, too. But, my dear, my mind is made up. You’re welcome to continue plaguing me with letters, but I will not change my mind.”
And then, after having stomped all over Sophia’s hopes, Sir Elderberry looked up and tipped his head. “We must be getting back. The soprano has returned.”
Sophia watched Sir Elderberry disappear into the drawing room again as the first notes of a beautiful aria drifted into the cavernous entrance hall.
“I’m so sorry, my love.” Jeremy looked as crestfallen as Sophia felt.
As she should have felt. But she … didn’t.
“Did you hear it?” Sophia asked. She whirled around and grabbed both of Jeremy’s hands. “Sir Elderberry’s suggestion? Casually dismissed but, in truth, a marvelous idea.”
Jeremy grinned, looked about, and then kissed her right on the mouth—in the middle of the entrance hall, where anyone could have seen them.
“I did, indeed,” he said, pulling away. “Will you call it the Thompson Detective Agency or the Fraser Detective Agency?”
“I think the Thompson-Fraser Detective Agency has a nice ring to it, don’t you?” Sophia lifted her eyebrows and bounced them up and down. “If you ever get tired of Bow Street, we could be partners.”
Jeremy grinned. “The Thompson-Fraser Detective Agency does have a very nice ring.”
And again he kissed her full on the mouth—in the middle of the entrance hall, where anyone could have seen them.
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my great appreciation to the many people who helped make Deadly Curious a reality. This book was written while I was dealing with significant health issues, and as a result, it experienced some delays. A big thank-you to the entire Swoon Reads team for their patience and guidance throughout the process.
I would especially like to thank Emily Settle for her support and encouragement as well as her finely honed skills as an editor. Many thanks to Kat Brzozowski, who made sense of my first draft. Liz Dresner and KB, who created the cover: superb artwork conveying a mysterious atmosphere with lots of drama. Wonderful! Thank you, Mandy Veloso, my production editor; Kelsey Marrujo, my publicist; and Lauren Forte, my copy editor. And, of course, many thanks to Swoon Reads authors and readers for their interest and support.
As always, I would like to thank my friends and family—particularly my husband, Mike, who deals not only with my woes but those of my characters as well. Christine and Deb, my beta readers who are not afraid to let me know when I have gone astray. And Dan, who thinks everything I write is great.
Also by Cindy Anstey
LOVE, LIES AND SPIES
DUELS & DECEPTION
SUITORS AND SABOTAGE
CAROLS AND CHAOS
THE HUMMINGBIRD DAGGER
DEADLY CURIOUS
About the Author
Cindy Anstey spends her days painting with words, flowers, threads, and acrylics. After many years living as an expat in Singapore, Memphis, and Belgium, Cindy now resides with her husband and energetic chocolate Labrador, Chester, in Nova Scotia, Canada. She is the author of Love, Lies and Spies; Duels & Deception; Suitors and Sabotage; Carols and Chaos; The Hummingbird Dagger; and Deadly Curious. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Before
Chapter One. Investigating Murder and Mayhem
Chapter Two. Defective Detective
Chapter Three. Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
Chapter Four. Listening at the Door
Chapter Five. Fear and Loathing
Chapter Six. Between a Whisker and a Squeak
Chapter Seven. Dark Corners of Forgotten Spaces
Chapter Eight. Watching from the Shadows
Chapter Nine. Called Back
Chapter Ten. Confusion and Convulsions
Chapter Eleven. A Pall Across the Estate
Chapter Twelve. Tampered Evidence
Chapter Thirteen. Tumbling Down
Chapter Fourteen. The Jitters
Chapter Fifteen. An Arresting Development
Chapter Sixteen. A Deep, Dark Abyss
Chapter Seventeen. Them Bones Will Rise Again
Chapter Eighteen. Fair Weather
Chapter Nineteen. It Takes Two
Chapter Twenty. Wild Goose Chase
Chapter Twenty-One. Grave Concern
Chapter Twenty-Two. Catch Me!
Chapter Twenty-Three. Learning to Fly
After
Acknowledgments
Also by Cindy Anstey
About the Author
Copyright
Copyright © 2020 by Cynthia Ann Anstey
A Swoon Reads Book
An imprint of Feiwel and Friends and Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC
120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271
swoonreads.com
All rights reserved.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.
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First edition, 2020
eBook edition, 2020
eISBN 9781250252265
