It Takes a Spy...: A Secrets and Seduction book (13 page)

“Posh,” Cecilia said, turning to face him as his hand fell away from her back. “M LeCompte said that this Savel character isn’t violent. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

“You can’t be certain of that,” Devin said, irritation evident in his tone. “You’ve never met the man.”

“But M LeCompte knows a great deal about him,” she replied calmly, “and I trust his opinion regarding the man’s character.”

“Cecilia, be sensible.” Devin wore the overly calm and reasonable expression that she’d learned indicated that he was suppressing his anger, and at that particular moment, she found his anger to be condescending.

“I am being sensible, and if you’d take a moment to think about it, you’d agree with me,” she said, and she pierced Devin with a stern gaze. “I refuse to allow you to face this alone. What if the police see you?” She took a step closer to him. “Admit it. Evangeline and I were instrumental in keeping you from being captured. We helped you escape from the ballroom,” she said, and held her hand up to begin enumerating items on her fingers, “we hid you when the police searched our room at the hotel, we helped you escape through the laundry chute, and we disguised you and escorted you from the building. In fact, if not for Evangeline, we never would have come this far. You know as well as I do that without our help you’d be sitting in a jail cell.”

As she spoke, the muscle along Devin’s jaw tensed. She also noticed that a one-sided smile slowly spread across M LeCompte’s face.

“
C'est incroyable!
Did you really do all that?” LeCompte asked. He lifted his chin, narrowed his gaze comically and gave them both assessing looks. Then he nodded approvingly. “You
Mesdemoiselles
appear to have a number of hidden talents.”

Evangeline blushed at his praise but said nothing.

“Fine,” Devin said. “Have it your way. But remember to stay back.” He shot her a stern look. “I can’t believe you’d risk so much for some glittering stones.”

Stones? He thought this was about the stones? She opened her mouth to retort, but he turned his back to her to face LeCompte. His stiff posture radiated anger and tension. She almost reached out to touch him and call him back to her, but stopped herself. She knew him too well. He’d only pull away. He hated losing his temper and showing his emotions, and right now the last thing he’d want would be to discuss this further in front of the others.

LeCompte was talking and as he reached out to take Devin by the arm, she focused on his words. “…only a sword? Come with me. I’ll loan you a pistol.”

Devin remained rooted in place, and Cecilia could tell that he was startled by LeCompte’s request. LeCompte paused and gave him a curious look. “You do want to borrow a pistol, don’t you?” He shot a quick, sidelong glance at Cecilia.

Cecilia couldn’t see Devin’s face, but noted the moment when the tension in his shoulders fell away. “Yes,” he said. “I’d very much appreciate it.”

CHAPTER NINE

Devin followed LeCompte into a small room at the top of the stairs that looked like a linen closet. LeCompte pulled open a set of cabinet doors along the wall to reveal a supply of weapons. He plucked a pistol from the wall and passed it to Devin.

He hefted the pistol in his hand, liking the weight and feel of it. The carved wooden handle held a polished sheen, and the delicately engraved metal was muted and sleek. Beautiful and deadly. A wicked combination.

“It’s a newer design. Lighter. More accurate,” LeCompte said. “It’s American.”

Devin checked the weapon. It wasn’t loaded. “Thank you,” he said.

LeCompte pulled open a small drawer, rummaged around in it, and then passed Devin a box of ammunition. “I hope I won’t need this,” Devin murmured, but he loaded the weapon and pocketed the rest.

“
Soyez prêt,
” he said. When he noticed Devin’s blank expression he translated, “Be prepared.”

Devin glanced down at his evening attire. “I wish I were wearing something different.” A lopsided smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he lifted the pistol slightly. “This isn’t exactly a typical evening accessory. Canes seem much more innocuous.”

“But a pistol is much more effective.” LeCompte glanced at Devin appraisingly. “You’re a bit broad in the shoulders to wear one of my coats.” He rubbed at his chin, and then his face lit up. “Ah, yes. I have just the thing.
Je serai tout de suite
,” he said, and darted from the room.

Devin’s understanding of French was minim. Had LeCompte said he’d be right back? From a nearby room, Devin could hear what sounded like a wardrobe door banging shut, and a moment later LeCompte came in carrying a charcoal-gray frock coat.

“This should do,” LeCompte said. “A friend left a few items with me for safekeeping while he travels around England. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you were to borrow it for a few hours.”

Devin shrugged into the coat. The shoulders were a bit tight, but it would do. Patting his palms over the fabric, he quickly located the most essential part of this coat’s design: pockets large enough to hold a pistol. He locked gazes with LeCompte and gave him a quick nod. “Let’s go.”

Devin trotted downstairs to find Cecilia waiting for him at the bottom step. “Afraid we’d leave without you?” he asked.

“The thought crossed my mind, but since I know where Mr. Savel’s pawn shop is located, I realized it was unlikely you’d leave me to find my way there alone,” she said, grinning up at him as though she knew she’d trapped him.

Devin’s chest tightened. She looked so jaunty and excited. Her slightly crooked eyetooth caught on her lower lip in such an adorable way that it took every bit of Devin’s self-control not to lean down and kiss her. He wanted to pull her to him and hold her close. Didn’t she realize how dangerous this could be? Didn’t she realize that this was a far different situation than facing LeCompte had been?

That thought brought him up short. Had he recognized deep down that LeCompte wasn’t the real culprit? Is that why he hadn’t really minded that she and Evangeline had wanted to come? Had he been relying on intuition more than he’d realized? How startling. He was a man of reason and logic, not whim and irrationality. He’d always believed in facts. In what he could see and prove. But had he been fooling himself all these years? Was he guided by instinct and intuition as well?

He watched as Cecilia turned to speak to her sister. He’d never been able to make a logical argument for why he should marry Cecilia. Had he made his decision based on intuition? Is that why he’d felt compelled by something he couldn’t explain?

“My carriage is ready,” LeCompte said. “Do you want your driver to continue to wait for you?”

Devin snapped back to the moment. “I’ll send him on his way. Give me a moment.”

§

Thirty minutes later, LeCompte’s carriage arrived outside Mr. Savel’s pawn shop. When Devin stepped out onto the pavement, he glanced up and saw the curtain move in an upstairs window. “Savel knows we’re here,” he said.

“There’s no point in waiting,” Cecilia said, glancing over at a pair of clocks in the pawnshop window. “Let’s talk to him before Kenning arrives. It’s already half past seven.”

Devin moved toward the narrow entry door at the side of the pawn shop and pushed it open. A narrow staircase greeted him, and he hurried up it with LeCompte immediately behind him and the Paring sisters close on their heels.

There was only one door at the top of the landing. “Remember what I said,” Devin said to Cecilia. “Stand back.” His eyes met hers, and he didn’t move until she nodded. That would have to be good enough.

Devin knocked sharply on the door, and after a moment, a key scraped in the lock. The door only opened an inch, and Devin saw a pair of small, dark, glittering eyes peering at him. The man was much shorter than he’d expected. But that didn’t make him any less dangerous. Guns were an excellent equalizer, and if Savel held one, he’d be dangerous indeed.

Devin’s hand tightened on the weapon in his frock coat pocket. “Mr. Savel? We were hoping we could have a word with you. It won’t take long, and I promise to make it worth your time.”

The glittering eyes narrowed, and Devin could tell the man was examining him. Evaluating every thread of his clothing to decide if he wanted to risk opening the door.

Finally the door opened wider. "Come on in, then," Savel said. "But mind you get to the point fast. I have a business to open, and my customers will begin arriving soon." As he turned his back to them, he bit into a round piece of bread with a hole in the center, and a thick dollop of what looked like soft, white cheese oozed from it.

Devin followed him into the dark room. It was cluttered with boxes stacked up and labeled with cryptic marks. Devin had the impression that there was order and logic in their arrangement, but he wasn't certain what it was. Savel tossed the round bit of bread onto a plate next to a cup of tea at the table as he sat heavily on the single chair, and Devin noticed that a full carpetbag sat on the table next to the plate.

"Are you taking a trip?" Devin asked, gesturing toward the bag.

Savel scowled at him and rubbed at the corner of his mouth, wiping away a fleck of the soft cheese. "What's it to you? And what d'you want? You’re wastin' me time."

LeCompte moved forward. “Mr. Savel, do you remember me?”

“Yea,” he said without a pause. “You’re that Frenchie what’s been spying on me customers. ‘Zat why you’re ‘ere? To ask me about ‘em?”

LeCompte smiled approvingly. “I knew you had a keen eye. Let’s see if you also have a keen mind.”

Savel stiffened. Devin could swear the man stopped breathing for a moment as he peered more closely at his unwanted guests.

Finally, Savel let out a sigh. “I think I knows why yer ‘ere, but I’ll let you tell me. No use puttin’ me own neck on the line by saying somethin’ I shouldn’t.”

“
Très bien.
My regard for the keenness of your intellect keeps increasing,” LeCompte said as he nodded with approval. “Since you are being direct with us, I’ll do the same. We know Mr. Kenning stole Lady Babbage’s jewels at Mivart Hotel last night. What you may not be aware of is that in doing so, he attacked a guard at the hotel, and that man could quite possibly die.” LeCompte paused and eyed the pawnbroker with keen interest. After a moment of contemplation, he pressed his lips into a straight line. “I see you’re ignorant of that fact. That must mean Kenning hasn’t been here yet. Am I correct?” He continued to watch Savel intently.

Savel narrowed his eyes. His gaze flicked toward the carpetbag on the table before he looked at Devin and then back at LeCompte.

“I think he has not, which is good,” LeCompte said to Devin. He returned his attention to Savel. “You see, that fits into our plans perfectly since we intend to waylay Mr. Kenning when he arrives this morning. We’ll make sure those jewels return to their rightful owners. With your help, of course.”

Savel shriveled in his chair, and his dark, hollow eyes seemed to grow in size until they took up most of his face. He glanced away from them and let out a huff of breath before meeting LeCompte’s gaze. “Well, I can’t honestly say I never met this man Kenning. It’s clear you already know he’s been here a few times to sell bits and pieces he won gambling. ‘Least-ways, that’s where he said he got ‘em. But you’re saying he’s a thief? Maybe even a murderer?” Savel made a tut-tutting noise. “Ain’t that a shame. Him being such an upright-looking young bloke. But I’ll tell ya’, I don’t do no business with thieves. I’d never put me shop at risk. If this man Kenning’s a thief and a murderer, then I got no business with ‘im.”

LeCompte grinned. “That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. As I said, you have a keen mind, Mr. Savel.”

Savel glanced at a small clock above the mantel. “You’re runnin’ outta time if you want to catch ‘im. E’s always a bit early.”

CHAPTER TEN

Cecilia let LeCompte and Evangeline lead the way down the stairs toward the street exit. Their leather-soled shoes clattered noisily on the wooden treads as she and Devin trailed after the others. A shaft of brilliant sunlight streamed in through the transom window above the door, causing her to squint against the glare. The rare bit of sunlight warmed the narrow space against the morning chill, bringing a ray of hope with it. Kenning was within their grasp, she could feel it.

When Devin touched her arm, she glanced up at him at the same moment that the rare glint of clear morning sunlight disappeared behind a cloud, and she immediately missed dawn’s kiss as her skin abruptly cooled. Devin’s expression made her pause. “What is it?” she asked.

He frowned, opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something, and then hesitated. Then, an expression of grim determination settled onto him. “I don’t trust Kenning, and I don’t think he’ll simply hand over the jewels if all we do is ask politely.” He hesitated, but then forged ahead. “Promise me you and your sister will wait in LeCompte’s carriage where it’s safe.”

Cecilia cocked one eyebrow. “Is that another order? Haven’t you learned yet that I don’t respond well to them?”

“Don’t take it as an order then, take it as a request.” Devin puffed out his breath in frustration. “Please, Cecilia. This isn’t a game. Why won’t you listen to reason?”