Page 56 of A Secret Correspondence
“Should you not lay down, Sam?” Eliza asked. “You’ve suffered a head wound.”
“He gave me a milling,” Samuel said, stretching his jaw. He could feel the soreness radiating the side of his face where he had collided with the floor. “That is all. I do not need the doctor or a bed or any invalid treatment, though I appreciate your concern.”
Eliza frowned. “I do not like it.”
“Did you see him?” Ridley asked.
Samuel shook his head, then closed his eyes as pain shot down his temple. “No. Dashed shame, that. I was watching through the upstairs window when I heard the noise. He must have heard me on the stairs, because he was waiting when I snuck down.” He gave a humorless laugh. “The wretch used my very plan against me.”
“Can I make you some tea?” Marguerite asked.
Samuel lifted his gaze. “That would be nice.”
She left immediately through the door beside the stairs to heat water and returned a minute later.
“Did he leave a note?” Samuel asked.
Ridley and Eliza shared a glance.
“No,” Marguerite said. “You must have frightened him.”
Eliza chewed on her lip. “He was searching. Part of the shopis a disaster. Perhaps he didn’t intend to leave a note this time—just to take what he wanted.”
“Only part of the shop?” Samuel asked.
Marguerite lifted a shoulder in a shrug. “Your presence here stopped the search. If they intended to look through the entire place and leave a note at the end, they were thwarted. If they were trying to find diamonds, they would have been disappointed.”
The bell rang above the front door, and all three of them turned toward it in unison. Samuel shut his eyes against the reverberating sound.
Ruth marched directly toward them, Oliver behind her. “We came as soon as the final guest left.”
“Gads, Sam,” Oliver said. “Your eye.”
“It will heal.”
Marguerite slipped back into the kitchen while Eliza explained all that had occurred so far. When she returned, she was carrying a teacup prepared exactly how Samuel liked it. Interesting, for he did not recall sharing tea with her before.
“At least we know it could not have been Mr. Leclair,” Eliza said. “We left before he did.”
Ruth tilted her head in thought. “He rode separately from his party, though. And he requested his horse as soon as you asked for your carriage.”
“Then we cannot rule him out just yet,” Ridley said quietly.
Marguerite shook her head. “This is too dangerous. We are not continuing this plan.”
“I think it is more imperative now than ever,” Samuel said. He looked to his friends, who were all nodding their agreement.
But Marguerite’s brow furrowed, her head shaking against their unanimous agreement. “I could not live with myself if someone else is hurt.”
“Our mistake was leaving one man here alone,” Ridley said. “Next time, therewill be two of us.”
Oliver nodded. “One to watch the windows, another down here.”
“Poor Ryland, missing all the fun.” Samuel smiled, then dropped the expression when it stung his eye.
“I think he would prefer to be at home with his very pregnant wife,” Ruth said, laughing. “Let us not drag him into this, please.”
“Agreed,” Eliza said.
