“Allow me, milord.”
Samuels bent down with his burglar’s tool and jimmied up a plank. “Milord, have a gander at this!”
His hand on Samuels’s shoulder, his pulse racing, Dominic peered into the dark space. A large box filled most of it. A pistol and a large blade tucked beside it.
Samuels pulled out the box. It appeared weighty as he set it on the floor.
Dominic held the taper over it, the light revealing several large sacks. He lifted one out and untied it. Coins, some of them gold sovereigns.
Samuels grunted. “That’s a lot of blunt.”
“He must have been pilfering from my uncle for years. We’ll leave this undisturbed,” Dominic said. “Pike would be in the habit of checking it.” To do so fit the character of the man.
“Found this at the bottom, milord.” Samuels held it out.
His heart skittered. It was a Bank of England banknote, made out for one thousand pounds, signed by his uncle. On the back, Alberic had written Jenner’s name, but Pike had crossed it out. “Foolish, Mister Pike,” Dominic murmured, fighting the rage flowing through him.
He pocketed the banknote while Samuels tidied everything else away and replaced the lid.
An owl hooted. Twice. Then hooted again.
Dominic grinned. “Jack.”
Someone scratched at the door.
Dominic strode across and opened it a crack. “Pike’s just left,” Jack whispered.
“Right. Go home, Jack.”
The rug replaced, they checked everything was as they found it, and left through the back door.
“A good night’s work, milord,” Samuels said after they’d turned the corner.
“Most satisfying, Samuels,” Dominic replied as they mounted. “Thank you for your invaluable help. Your services will be rewarded.”
Samuels chuckled. “Enjoyed it, milord. Anytime you want to do it again, I’m your fellow.”
Dominic laughed. “I don’t foresee it happening again, but I’ll certainly bear it in mind.”
As the horses cantered toward home, Dominic faced the worry still nagging at him. Unless Pike hid it somewhere else, he did not own a rifle.
*
Breakfast over, thestaff had gone about their duties.
Michael came in with a message as Olivia lingered over her cup of tea in the servants’ hall. Redcliffe wished to see her. Now. She put down her teacup. What prompted such urgency and this surprising change in routine? Redcliffe always rode before breakfast.
“Where is Jack?”
“He went on an errand for his lordship.”
It was barely eight o’clock. “An errand this early?”
“Jack said he’d be gone for several hours, Miss Jenner.”
Olivia entered her office and tidied her hair before the small mirror she kept in the drawer of her desk. She pinched her cheeks before hurrying to the library. She already suspected something was up. Sam had been annoyingly smug this morning. Grinning as he cooked the eggs. And he refused to tell her why.
She knocked and was told to enter.
