Next to her, Laura’s rhythmic breathing confirmed she was sound asleep, and the ticking of the mantel clock marked the lateness of the hour.
Olivia surrendered to the sounds. She stood from the bed, lit a candle, and made her way to the kitchen to make tea. Knowing that the servant girls slept on the other side of the kitchen wall, Olivia did her best to be quiet.
Once in the kitchen, she heard voices. At first she thought it nothing more than the maids engaged in a late conversation or the sounds of the street filtering through the windows.
But then it sounded as if the noises were coming from the storeroom.
Concerned, she tiptoed from the kitchen into the corridor and listened.
There could be no mistaking it—the voices came from behind the door.
Her heart began to race within her chest. No one should be in the storeroom at this hour. She extinguished her candle and moved to the door, held her breath, and listened.
She recognized Russell’s voice first. “I got your letter. What were you thinking coming here again? It was bad enough you were here at all.”
“I couldn’t help that,” responded a heavily accented feminine voice. “Mrs.Milton made me.”
Olivia froze.
Tabitha!
But how? She’d left nearly a week prior.
Why would Tabitha be talking to Russell? She hadn’t even spoken to him while she was a guest in the house.
Olivia pressed her lips together in concentration as Tabitha resumed talking.
“Besides, I had to. Time’s runnin’ out. Mr. Wainbridge is takin’ t’ lot o’ them t’ London soon. I ’eard ’im say as much t’ Mrs. Milton two days ago. If ye want t’ switch ’em out, ye need t’ be quick ’bout it.”
“When?”
“From what I ’eard, a transport with guards an’ t’ like is comin’ within the fortnight.”
Olivia froze. Could she be hearing this correctly?
“How would I even know if the pieces are ready yet?” snapped Russell. “These things don’t just appear out of thin air.”
“Don’t I know that?” she hissed back. “But ye need t’ figure it out. Our time’s comin’ t’ an end, an’ fast.”
“All right, all right,” came the hasty reply. “When?”
“Mr.Wainbridge an’ ’is sister’ll be at an engagement next Wednesday—another party at t’ Whitmore House. Mrs.Milton too. Cloverton’ll be empty.”
“You’re certain no one suspects anything?”
Tabitha scoffed. “If t’ debacle with t’ vase didn’t incite anythin’, I think we’re clear.”
Olivia felt sick. Tabitha was referring to the Cavesee Vase—there was no other explanation.
Russell muttered, “It’ll cost us a pretty penny to make up for that. Wakes will demand payment for his work. He doesn’t care if we got the original out or not.”
Wakes!Surely it was not a coincidence that his name was on the paperwork.
“I knew it was a bad idea t’ trust Billy t’ get the vase. This whole mess is ’is fault. ’e dropped it—said it were ’eavier than ’eexpected, and it fell when he was gettin’ it down. Broke into a ’undred pieces.”
“Why did you even bring him into it? You should have just done it yourself.”
“It was clear up on t’ shelf! You know full well I couldn’t get it down.”
