Page 74 of A Little Bit Dangerous
“Or loading them aboard the conte’s ship.” Christian made a mental note to discover where it was docked. “Either way, we’ll deal with Oldman first.”
* * *
Oldman’s snooty butler would get a medal for sheer stubbornness. Despite Christian shoving the letter from the Home Secretary in the servant’s face, he insisted his master wasn’t home.
“His lordship is dining at his club.”
The butler was lying. Christian had spent enough time with gamblers and cheats to know the signs. “We’ve been watching the house for two hours and saw your master at the window.”
The manservant’s indifferent mask slipped. His bottom lip trembled, and he lowered his voice. “Trust me, sir. Leave now. Take the lady with you. Come back in an hour, if you must. If I let you into this house, we’ll all be out of work.”
With courage abound, Isabella stepped forward. “You don’t need to welcome us over the threshold.” She pushed past the servant before he had time to stop her. “We’re forcing our way inside. Follow me, gentlemen.”
The butler’s eyes widened, the brief look of terror giving way to a flash of relief. “We’ve been powerless to stop him,” the man said cryptically before hanging his head in shame.
“Nancy!” A sudden panic had Isabella darting through the dimly lit house, heading for the basement stairs.
Fearing what Oldman would do if she reached him first, Christian sprinted ahead, vaulting down the stone staircase and landing with a thud on the tiled floor.
The corridor was deserted.
All the doors to the servants’ rooms were closed.
The faint whimpering came from Lord Oldman’s treasure vault.
“The door’s closed,” Isabella whispered.
The butler appeared behind them, still trembling in fear. “He locks it from the inside when he’s in one of his moods. There’s no getting in.”
Aramis joined Christian at the bottom of the stairs. “He’ll have left the key in the door. If we want inside, we need to lure him out.”
A muffled string of obscenities reached their ears.
Oldman was angry and needed someone weak to blame.
Isabella wrapped her arms around Christian’s waist and hugged him tightly. “Please, Christian. Make him stop. I cannot bear it.”
Christian stroked Isabella’s hair while glaring at the butler. “Tell your master that Daventry is here and won’t leave until he’s been granted an audience.”
The servant found every excuse not to disturb the lord, but Aramis grabbed him and dragged him to the sturdy iron door.
“He’ll kill me if he knows I’ve betrayed him.”
“I’ll kill you if you don’t comply with my brother’s request.”
The butler gathered himself. After three failed attempts, he found the courage to knock on the iron door. “My lord, you must come quickly.”
Aramis clenched his fist and banged hard, the sound echoing in the chamber.
With Aramis’ help, the butler repeated what he’d been told to say.
Oldman gave a furious growl from inside his Egyptian vault. “What in heaven’s name is it, Walker?”
The servant relayed Aramis’ mouthed words. “Daventry said he’ll summon the magistrate. He said he’ll arrest me for hindering an investigation.”
They heard Oldman speaking to someone, heard banging and scraping and the crunch of metal as the lord turned the key in the lock.
Oldman peered around the jamb but could not see them hiding in the shadows. “I’m deducting a month’s wages for your insolence. You’re paid to turn visitors away, not disturb me when I’m studying the artefacts.”
