Isabella took another long sip of tea, as if enjoying the discussion very much. “You two seem as if you’ve been working closely together.”
“W-we are in a similar business,” Olivia stammered.
A knowing grin curved Isabella’s lips, and she tilted her head to the side. “Many people are in a similar business, but may I point something out? They do not look at each other the way Mr.Avery looks at you.”
Chapter42
Had it really been three entire days since they’d left London?
Lucas made his way down the high street of the small village just outside of the Cloverton estate, where he—not to mention Olivia—would be lodging until the issues surrounding the counterfeit pieces were resolved.
Lucas and Wainbridge left the meeting with the local magistrate—a nearby landowner by the name of Arthur Cunningham. All the planning, all the waiting, was coming to a head. Together the men had formulated a plan, and if everything went according to that plan, in mere hours the three people behind this enterprise would be arrested.
Lucas turned from the village’s high street and headed toward the inn when a man on the far side of the road caught his eye. He squinted to ensure that the overcast sky and misty fog weren’t obscuring his vision, but there was no denying it.
He recognized the tight, curly hair and pale skin: Russell Crane.
The muscles in Lucas’s neck and jaw tightened. Crane was speaking with another man. Could it be Wakes? At first glance the conversation appeared quite casual, but upon closer inspection, the stance of both men suggested urgency, and the sudden jerk of the other man as he looked over his shoulder suggested he was far from being at ease.
Lucas lowered his hat to obscure his face as much as possible and made his way to the inn’s main entrance. If Crane recognized either Olivia or him, their entire plan could be in jeopardy. What was more, Tabitha had indicated that Wakes was violent. He didn’t fear for himself, but Olivia’s safety was another matter entirely.
He found Olivia at a table in the dining room, where they’d planned to meet following his interview with the magistrate and Wainbridge.
She smiled warmly, even affectionately, at him as he approached, but the expression quickly faded as he sat opposite her.
“What?” A frown creased her brow. “What is it?”
He glanced around the dining room. “You must go to your chamber. Without delay.”
“But why? I—”
“Go up,” he urged in a low tone. “I’ll be up in a minute to explain.”
She pressed her lips together and wordlessly complied, and Lucas did not move from his spot until he was certain that Russell Crane had not noticed him or followed him in. After a few minutes, he made his way up the inn’s narrow wooden stairs and down the paneled corridor, then tapped his knuckles against Olivia’s door.
The lock clicked. The door opened.
He quickly stepped inside and shut the door behind him.
“What’s the matter?” she whispered, her hazel eyes wide.
“Russell Crane is here.” He swept his hat from his head and combed his fingers through his hair. “I saw him on the street just outside.”
Her eyes grew even wider, and her hand flew to her mouth.
“We shouldn’t be surprised,” he added quickly to calm her. “We knew he’d be here. If anything, this validates our suspicions.”
She lowered her hand and toyed with the coral necklace about her neck. “Was Tabitha with him?”
“No, but when I spoke with Wainbridge earlier, he confirmed that he saw her at Cloverton. There was a man with Crane. I’m assuming it was Wakes.”
“Did you and Mr.Wainbridge meet with the magistrate?”
“We did. His name is Arthur Cunningham. He owns the estate directly to the east of Cloverton. We explained the entire situation, and he has agreed to assist us. He said he will round up some constables to help.”
“That’s a relief.” Her shoulders slacked slightly. “So what is the plan?”
“Later this evening we’ll meet the magistrate and constables at the cottage at dusk and wait for Crane and his associates to arrive. The constables on hand will apprehend them. Wainbridge has also engaged additional guards to be aware of any other unusual comings and goings on the property. The magistrate will be there to observe, which will give him eyewitness proof for the legal proceedings.”
