Page 26 of The Lyon Returns
Instead, she appeared raptly attentive.
“Naturally,” she said.
“It became evident based upon my last two shipments that someone was filching goods. Expensive goods, listed on the manifest, but not found aboard the ship when it arrived at port.”
She arched her brows. “According to whom?”
“The London docks’ customs inspector.”
“Oh. Twice, you say? You don’t suppose he had anything to do with the missing items?”
“Highly unlikely.”
“I’m sure you’re right. And as it happened twice, it’s unlikely to have been an accounting mistake.”
“Correct.”
Her eyes narrowed in concentration. “I assume you never discovered the identity of the person or persons involved in the caper while in India?”
“I did not. But you knew that. How?”
She shrugged and finished off the wine in her glass. “Because the timing is too convenient. Called away on business, an ocean away, to deal with a matter sure to draw your attention and, ultimately, your presence, at precisely the time your involvement in the arms deal might have averted disaster? Bah.”
Unfortunately, he had come to the same conclusion.
She unfolded her legs and planted her slippered feet on the ground before resting one elbow on the armrest and propping her chin in her hand.
He caught a fleeting whiff of the sweet scent that had escaped her chambers when he’d opened the adjoining door, and which had floated in her wake as she’d crossed to the hearth.
“It seems to me there are only two viable possibilities.”
He gazed at her, utterly transfixed. “Do tell.”
“Either your crew sailed from Calcutta and made an unscheduled stop to sell your goods and pocket the proceeds—an operation which would require someone with authority, who also commanded loyalty and respect, to lead it—such as a captain.”
Gideon frowned. He did not care for that explanation. “Or?”
“Or someone stole the goods after your ship reached port.”
He studied her. “Both those premises deny the possibility the goods disappeared in Calcutta before being loaded on the ships.”
“Correct.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Explain your reasoning, madam.”
A self-satisfied gleam shone in her eyes. “Someone involved in subverting your sale of rifles to Britain’s allies created the distraction,sir. That is the most probable scenario—to lead you away from any possible interference in their scheme to steal the rifles. As the rifles are forged here, and the location of the sale, Cadiz, is a mere two weeks’ journey from here, whereas India is four-to-five months away by ship, it stands to reason the villain or villains managed their treachery here, not there.
“Even had they wanted to steal the goods from your warehouse in India, how would they manage? It seems unlikely they would have tentacles reaching to Calcutta, or, for that matter, a reliable method of communication between the continents.
“No. The trap was laid here, stolen goods and all.”
He blinked. By God, she had it right. He had come to the same basic conclusion that someone here had sabotaged him, but he had not worked out the why nearly so well.
Regardless of her previous refusal, he poured more wine into her goblet. “Just a drop,” he said.
She inclined her head and picked up the glass.
“As it happens, I agree with you,” he admitted.
