Page 19 of The Thief
Liza curtsied and said, “Thank you, My Lord.”
Everett winked at her and she rushed off, her giggles echoing behind her. Everett waited until she was fully out of sight before entering the bedroom she had just left. The man inside looked up from the fireplace he was emptying and looked surprised to see him.
“Sir, this is the guest wing. Are you lost?” he asked, standing quickly and adjusting his mussed clothes. The man looked no older than Everett, who was himself only thirty years of age. He had dark hair and dark eyes, those eyes raising suspicions in Everett’s mind.
“I’m actually not lost. I am here to ask you a few questions, Mr. Holmes. Would you do me the honor?” he asked, motioning for Mr. Holmes to sit. He did as he asked and sat down in a chair next to the cold fireplace.
Everett could tell he was nervous, but not as nervous as one usually was when they were going to be questioned, which immediately put Everett on his guard.
“Lord Alastair has a few questions he has had me ask the staff and you are unfortunately the last one I could find. No doubt because of your romantic interlude.”
Edward opened his mouth to speak and Everett raised his hand to silence him.
“Not to worry. I have already informed the lovely Miss Liza that your secret is safe with me.”
Edward visibly relaxed.
“I do want to know if you have seen anything suspicious since you have arrived here. I know that you have only been an employee here for about seven days, but new employees tend to see things that the older ones miss.”
Edward shook his head. “I haven’t seen much of anything around here since I arrived. I have worked down in the kitchens with Liza or upstairs in this wing, but I haven’t been anywhere else but the servants’ quarters.”
Everett watched him carefully to see if anything seemed untrue.
He felt something was off but wasn’t sure if he could continue without causing an issue.
“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me,” he said, standing up.
He went to leave and noticed a painting on the wall and pointed to it.
“They have some lovely art.”
Edward nodded. “They do. They have a particularly lovely Mizet in their collection.”
Everett smiled and thanked him and walked out, noticing the small look of panic that came to Edward’s face when he realized what he had said.
Everett stayed calm and walked out the door, heading downstairs to ask Alastair about that painting. He had not seen it in any of the rooms he had been in since he had arrived there and that made him question the validity of Edward’s claim. Ten minutes later, he arrived back downstairs and knocked on the door of the study where he was told Alastair was.
“Enter!” Alastair called out.
Everett entered the study and Alastair stood at the large wooden desk, watching as Everett walked in.
“Come sit down,” Alastair said, motioning for Everett to sit. “Did you find anything useful?” he asked.
Everett nodded and said, “You have a very nosy butler, many lovely maids, and a great Mizet painting.” He leaned forward in his seat and asked, “Where is that painting, if I may ask?”
Alastair looked at him with a smile. “It is kept upstairs in my sitting room off of my bedroom.” His eyes turned dark and his smile faded. “Why do you ask about the painting?”
“I would like to see where you keep it. May I?” Everett asked.
Confused, Alastair nodded and stood up, heading out the door and up to his room as Everett followed. They arrived in the sitting room a couple of minutes later and Alastair showed him the Mizet.
“This is the Mizet,” he said, pointing at the wall.
Everett looked at the painting for a brief moment and finding nothing amiss with the artwork, although he was not an expert, he turned to look around the room he stood in.
He carefully scanned the room, taking in every book, piece of furniture, and every paper in the room.
“Does anyone else use this room but you?” he asked.
