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Chapter Twenty-Three

“I didn’t know it was possible to enjoy having intercourse so much without actually having it!” confessed Deo, collapsing in a panting heap on top of Emily. A comfort kiss had led to caresses and fondling and rubbing, and, well, now here they were, naked, tangled up, and sated.

Em giggled. “Is that what we’re doing?”

“Yes,” he said emphatically.

His plan to sleep in the sitting room had come to nought, because he was weak where Em was concerned. There was no other excuse. That and the fact that he couldn’t bear it when she got upset. A hint of tears on her part, and he was giving in.

It had been a near run thing tonight, too. He had come perilously close to slipping his cock inside her as he rubbed it against her lips. The position was erotic as hell and very dangerous. Even knowing their situation now was barely enough to stop him. Perhaps he should just post back to London and see her father? They really couldn’t go on like this.

He pulled her close and she snuggled into him. He did love that. It was impossible to imagine his life without her now.

*

After breakfast the next morning, Deo accompanied Emily straight to the library to continue where they had left off yesterday. Emily went to the table and he to his desk.

“Deo.” Something in Em’s voice made him turn from the desk, where he was about to sit down, with a presentiment of fear.

“What—” He took a step toward her.

“Deo, it’s gone!” She was staring at a box. “The goblet! It’s gone!”

He stepped closer and saw that the box was empty.

Em put out a hand to him, and he steadied her with his arm as she staggered. “Where . . . how?” she said helplessly, as he eased her down into her chair.

“I don’t know, Em,” he said grimly and began checking the other boxes. “The shield, the broach, the cross, and the drinking horn are also gone. And the belt buckle. Everything of obvious value. Clearly, we should have taken more precautions. There is a thief in the house. Stay here. I will alert the duke.”

He left the room, going in search of his host. He found him in his study. Ten minutes later, Deo, Em, the duke, Emrys, Annis, and the duchess were all gathered in the study.

“I will ask Creighton to assemble the servants immediately,” said the duke.

“Where are Bidenden and Kenrick?” asked Deo.

“Gone shooting, I believe; I heard them organizing it yesterday,” said Emrys.

“The first thing we need to do is organize a full-scale search. For which we will need a fair few people,” said Deo.

“Surely whoever took the items will have absconded with them immediately?” said Emrys.

“As much as it pains me to do so, we must question the servants first, I think,” said the duke. “I will ask Creighton to assemble everyone in the ballroom. I will address them. The rest of you, watch everyone’s faces, if anyone is guilty or knows something, their expression may reveal it. I am going to put the fear of God into them anyway. I cannot believe—” He stopped, clearly profoundly affected by this apparent betrayal by people he trusted.

He left the room, and the duchess wrung her hands, tears starting to her eyes. “This is so upsetting!”

Annis put her arm round her. “I know. I cannot believe it either.”

Shortly, the duke came back into the room with Creighton, who looked around at the assembled company and then at the duke. “Your Grace?”

The duke shut the door. “Creighton, I need you to assemble the household. All of the household—outdoor and indoor servants, no exceptions—in the ballroom immediately.”

Creighton’s eyebrows went up, and he visibly fought the impulse to ask why. After a moment he bowed. “Of course, Your Grace, at once.”

“He’s well trained,” remarked Emrys, as the door shut on the butler.

Within thirty minutes, everyone was assembled in the ballroom. The chatter died down as the duke and duchess entered with Deo, Em, Annis, and Emrys. Deo estimated there were between forty and fifty people gathered in the room.

The duke and duchess took their places at the front of the room and the rest of them positioned themselves so that they could see everyone’s faces. They were clearly puzzled as to why they had been assembled. Creighton and Mrs. Williams, the housekeeper, were doing a head count. Smiggens and Hastings, as the most senior outdoor servants, nodded at a question from Creighton.