Jaded Moon (Ransomed Jewels Book 2) (23 page)

“And you told everyone she had a carriage accident.”

“I’m tired of talking about something that happened another lifetime ago. I’m more concerned with what is happening right now. Where is the cargo Captain Levy brought last night, Miss Foley?”

Lindville pressed the gun harder to her head and repeated his question. “Where is it?”

Ross watched Josie brace her shoulders and lift her chin. He’d never seen anyone braver than she was. He’d never loved anyone more. But he couldn’t let her tell Lindville what she’d done. He’d kill her as soon as he found out.

“Don’t tell him, Josie.”

“Shut up! Where’d you hide it?”

When Josie didn’t answer right away, Lindville clamped his fingers around her arm and twisted it behind her back. “Where!”

She screamed in pain and Ross took a step toward her but Lindville waved his gun and Ross stopped.

“Where is it?”

“There!” she said on a gasp and pointed toward the ocean.

“Where?”

Lindville looked out over the inlet but didn’t understand what she meant.

“Gone.”

Comprehension slowly dawned and the features of his face reddened with violent fury.

“No!” he bellowed and brought his hand up. Before Ross could move, Lindville slammed his fist into Josie’s face. Her head flew back and blood spilled from her mouth.

Ross lunged toward him. If only he’d managed to get closer. If only he could cover the distance separating them before Lindville had time to fire his gun. But he knew he couldn’t. At least Sam and McCormick had heard enough to convict Lindville of smuggling and murder. No matter what, Lindville would hang.

Lindville dropped his hands from around Josie, then lifted the gun and aimed it at Ross’s chest. As if the world shifted into slow motion, he saw Lindville’s finger pull back on the trigger and he fired the gun. At the same time something moved to his right and before he could reach out, Josie was in front of him.

Her gaze locked with his and her look of confusion turned to surprise, then pain. Her breath caught and she staggered a shaky step toward him before her knees buckled. Ross caught her and brought her up against him.

“Josie, no!”

He took her to the ground and shielded her with his body. A second shot echoed from behind him and Ross turned. Sam stood near the edge of the cliff with his arm outstretched. Smoke streamed from the gun in his hand.

Lindville’s eyes opened wide in shocked disbelief before he fell to the ground. McCormick rushed to where he lay and even though it was obvious Lindville was past the point of using it, grabbed the gun from his hand.

It took Ross a second to shift Josie in his arms and when he lifted his hand from around her, his fingers came away sticky and wet.

“Don’t move,” he said when she tried to lift her head.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “…all my fault.”

“Shh. You can talk later.”

Ross pulled his neckcloth from around his neck and pressed it to her back. She winced when he touched her, but she didn’t cry out.

“How badly is she hurt?” Sam asked, kneeling down beside them.

“We need to get her home.”

“McCormick’s getting the horses. It won’t be long.”

Josie’s fingers clamped around Ross’s forearm. “Ross. I was…wrong. It wasn’t him.”

He placed a finger over her lips to quiet her. “Don’t talk, Josie.”

She squeezed his arm tighter. “The vicar. Get…the vicar.”

A lump formed in his throat. “Don’t worry,” he whispered, then brushed a strand of golden hair from her face. “I’ll get him.”

She seemed to relax when he promised to get Vicar Chadwick and that frightened him more than the blood he couldn’t get to stop.

“Why did you do it? Dammit, Josie. Why?”

She slowly lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. Her fingers were ice cold and her hand trembled, but the feel of her touching him with such tenderness brought tears to his eyes.

“…couldn’t…lose you.”

Ross leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips then picked her up when McCormick came with the horses.

Ross mounted first and Sam gently lifted Josie into his arms. Somewhere between the cliffs and Clythebrook Manor she lost consciousness. The bullet was still in her shoulder and Ross prayed she didn’t wake up until they had it out.

It wasn’t until he carried her into her room that he remembered his promise to her. But now he wasn’t sure he could do it. Admitting she needed Vicar Chadwick was admitting that she might die. And he couldn’t do that.

Ross paced the floor at the end of the bed where Josie lay. Doctor Hallam had taken the bullet out and applied salve to the bruises on her face and she’d finally fallen asleep.

He stopped to watch her. Any doubt he had that he loved her was long gone. He only wished he’d have told her when he had the chance. He wished he’d have let her tell him she loved him when she’d started to.

“Why did you sleep with me?”

“Because I lo—”

But he’d stopped her.

He sat down on the edge of her bed and brushed his fingers across her forehead. Doctor Hallam said they needed to watch for fever. The next twenty-four hours were crucial.

He picked up her small hand and held it in his. Why hadn’t she come to him when she’d realized what Lindville was doing? Hadn’t she trusted him enough to know he’d have done anything to help her? Instead, she’d met the smugglers alone, destroyed the opium alone, faced Lindville alone. And stepped in front of the bullet that would have killed him—alone.

“I love you, Josie Foley,” he whispered then leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.

She stirred but didn’t wake, and Ross watched as rays of sunshine streamed through the window and bathed her in a soft glow. Behind him, the door opened then softly closed.

“How is she?” Sam asked, walking across the room.

“She doesn’t have a fever. Hallam said that could be more dangerous than the bullet wound.”

“It is. But she’s strong.

“I should have listened to her, Sam. She tried to tell me she didn’t have anything to do with the smuggling but I wouldn’t even give her a chance to explain. I was so angry and all I could think was that she’d taken away my only chance to redeem my name.”

Sam didn’t say anything, but Ross didn’t expect him to. Sam didn’t know the real reason it was so important for Ross to restore his name. “I have a son. His name is Charles.”

Ross lifted his head and looked at the surprised expression on Sam’s face.

“Carrie Gardner was pregnant when she left London and had the babe after she arrived here. I never knew. When she died, Josie took my son to live with her, then placed him in the orphanage. When I found out he was there, I went to get him.” He looked down at Josie and smiled. “She wouldn’t give him to me because she said someone with my reputation didn’t deserve to raise a child. I should have known then that she wouldn’t have anything to do with smuggling opium.”

“If she wasn’t involved, how did she find out about it?”

Ross laughed. “I told her. I even asked for her help. I told her I was watching the cove and asked her to give me any information she might hear. Then I told her that when the government found the smugglers, they’d be arrested and hanged. She asked me why the government was so interested in something so insignificant. I told her there was nothing insignificant about smuggling in opium.”

Ross raked his fingers through his hair. “You should have seen the shocked expression on her face.”

“Then, it was Josie you saw below the cliffs.”

“I was watching when the shipment came ashore. I had the match in my hand ready to light the flare when she stepped into the moonlight. I thought I couldn’t be seeing right yet there she was, checking each crate and barrel as they unloaded them.”

“So you didn’t light the signal.”

“I couldn’t.”

Sam paced the room as if sorting through the details to make sure they made sense. “All the time she thought they were bringing in goods the merchant Cornelius Sharpe sold in his shops in Clytheborough, Lindville was bringing in opium he transported to London and sold on the black market. So it was Lindville who was behind the smuggling?”

When Ross didn’t answer right away, Sam stopped pacing and looked at him. “Why that look on your face?”

“I don’t know. A gut feeling there’s something I’m not seeing.”

“Explain yourself.”

Ross placed Josie’s hand atop the covers and turned to face Sam. “Right after she was shot, she grabbed my arm and said, “I was wrong. It wasn’t him.”

“Who wasn’t him?”

“I don’t know. Maybe she meant Lindville. Maybe she was trying to tell us that someone else was involved.”

Ross started to put his thoughts into words but a knock on the door stopped him. Vicar Chadwick stepped into the room and walked over to where Josie lay.

“I just heard what happened. How is she?”

“She’s sleeping and Doctor Hallam says that’s the best thing for her right now. Vicar Chadwick,” Ross said, rising to introduce the vicar to Sam. “I don’t think you’ve met my cousin, Major Samuel Bennett.”

Sam and the vicar shook hands. “No. I haven’t had the pleasure. I met Agent McCormick downstairs. He asked me to tell you he was taking the men back to your camp but he’d return before they left for London. Will you be going back with them, Major?”

“No. I’m going to stay on until I tie everything up. There are a few details I need answers to first.”

“Such as?”

“What can you tell me about Baron Lindville, Vicar?”

The vicar shook his head. “I just came from Lady Lindville. She’s taking her son’s death very hard.”

“She had no idea he was involved in smuggling opium?”

“Oh, I’m sure she didn’t. No one here did.”

“Was there anyone here to whom Baron Lindville was especially close?”

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Someone who might have been involved with him in the smuggling? A partner perhaps?”

The vicar looked shocked. “You don’t think Lindville was acting alone?”

“We’re not sure.”

The vicar looked to where Josie lay on the bed, then back to Major Bennett. “Do you think Miss Foley knows the smuggler’s identity?”

“It’s possible. Was Lindville particularly close to anyone here?”

“Not that I know of. He didn’t spend a lot of time here. He found country living quite boring so he spent most of his time in London. From the stories that came back, he led quite a wild life, but then most idle young men do, I’m told.”

The vicar didn’t look in Ross’s direction, but Ross felt the implication in his words nonetheless.

“He had a penchant for spending money. I’m afraid that might be what led him to get involved in such an activity.”

“Were you aware of the smuggling?”

A sheepish grin covered his face and Vicar Chadwick quickly lowered his gaze. “I’m afraid I was. Or at least suspected it. So did most of us who live in the vicinity. But the children needed the money so desperately that … well, everyone just looked the other way. No one dreamed Lindville was smuggling in opium.”

“Did you know about the caves that ran beneath the orphanage?”

“Yes, I’d heard rumors they existed, although I’d never seen them. Miss Foley was the only one who knew their exact location or had a key to get to them.”

“Do you know where she kept this key?”

“I’m not sure. There’s a small tin box in the bottom drawer of her desk that she keeps locked.”

“Can you open it?”

“No, but the key may be one that she keeps on a ring she has hidden in the lining of her cloak. I saw her take it out one day when she didn’t think anyone was around.”

Ross rushed over to the cloak they’d removed from Josie and turned it inside out. He pulled the ring from a deep pocket and showed it to Sam.

“We need to check out the caves again,” Ross said, then turned to the vicar. “Would you stay with Miss Foley until we return? It shouldn’t take long.”

“Of course,” the vicar offered. “I’m sure she won’t wake up for a while yet and Lady Clythebrook is just down the hall if I need anything.”

Ross looked at Josie. He wouldn’t be gone long and if she did wake up, the vicar would be here.

“Thank you,” Ross said, and followed Sam to the door. He walked down the hall at a fast clip, certain he and Sam would be able to answer the niggling questions that wouldn’t go away.

…

“What are you thinking?” Sam asked as he tried the key they’d found in the small tin box in the bottom drawer of her desk. Sam turned the key and opened the thick, oak door in the cave. Ross handed Sam one of the two lanterns he had with him and they walked into the tunnel.

“I keep thinking of what Josie said. ‘I was wrong. It wasn’t him.’”

“What do you think she meant?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t who? Lindville? But it was. He as much as admitted it.”

They both walked on, following the tracks the smugglers had left behind. “Maybe she meant he wasn’t the only one. Maybe someone worked for him?”

“More than likely he worked for someone else.”

Sam stopped and knelt down, shining his lantern closer to something he found on the ground. “Why do you say that?”

“I didn’t know Lindville well, but I can’t believe he could have masterminded such a well-organized smuggling operation. Nor can I believe he had the contacts necessary to bring in the quantity of opium that was coming into London.”

Sam rose to his feet and slipped what he’d found into his pocket. “Who do you know in this area who would fit the profile?”

“No one. It would have to be someone with close ties to the orphanage and who knew about the tunnels. Perhaps even someone who works here. Or at least spends a lot of time here. And it would have to be someone who visits London frequently. Someone who goes there enough to make the necessary arrangements both for buying and selling.”

Ross lifted his lantern and walked further into the tunnels. “That points us back to Lindville.” He stopped at the opening on the other side of the orphanage. “What do you know about this Captain Levy?”

“We’ve been watching him for some time now. We think he meets a Chinese trader in the Bangka Strait, east of Sumatra, and trades tea from Batavia for opium he brings to England. The Chinese have been major opium suppliers since the early days of the East India Company.” Sam stopped to shine his lantern on a piece of colored glass peeking out of the ground. “Once you have a connection with someone local it’s simple to make the necessary arrangements.”

Sam bent to pick up the colored object, then turned it over in his fingers. “What the hell? This is the second one I’ve found. Do you know what this is?”

He handed it to Ross and Ross looked down at a piece of smashed red gumdrop. A gumdrop like Vicar Chadwick always carried in his pocket. But Chadwick said he’d never been here.

Chadwick’s lie hit Ross square in the gut along with the danger Josie was in by being alone with him.

“Bloody hell. No!”

Ross clutched the gumdrop in his fist and ran to the opening of the tunnel. It was him. This is what she meant. Lindville wasn’t behind the smuggling ring. It was Chadwick. Somehow she’d found out.

And Chadwick couldn’t let her live to expose him.

…

Josie awoke in a foggy haze. Pain shot through her shoulder and down her arm. She tried to go back to the dark place where it didn’t hurt so much but she’d lost her way and was trapped somewhere between where she’d been and where she was going.

She tried to open her eyes but couldn’t. It was as if heavy fingers held her eyelids closed and she couldn’t lift them. She knew something had happened, something that still terrified her enough to make her heart beat faster but she couldn’t remember what it was. Only that it had frightened her.

With her eyes shut and her mind racing from one place to another, she let her ears try to decipher what was going on. There were voices. One was Lady Clythebrook’s and Josie heard the worry. She wanted to reassure her she was all right and tried harder to open her eyes, but the black hole she had fallen into was so deep. She tried to speak but no words would come so she gave up and sank back to listen again.

The other voice was a man’s. She hoped it belonged to Ross. She desperately needed him to be with her. She would be safe then. But when the voice spoke again she knew it wasn’t his.

Stabs of warning raced through her. This voice belonged to someone she needed to fear. Josie tried to open her eyes again and this time she saw shadows on the other side of the room.

One of the shadows was Lady Clythebrook and Josie felt safe, but Lady Clythebrook left the room and Josie knew she’d been left alone with the man who wanted to kill her. She forced herself to breathe through the pain, then opened her eyes.

“Well, well, Miss Foley. Welcome back.”

“Where’s Lady Clythebrook?”

“You just missed her. She’s been quite concerned about you but I assured her you were in good hands and convinced her to leave for a while.”

“Please, ask her to—”

The sardonic grin on his face stopped her words and Josie looked up at him with new-found fear.

“I’m sorry, but I prefer she didn’t return just yet. Not until I’m finished.”

Vicar Chadwick reached for one of the pillows on her bed and held it in his hands.

“You realize I have to kill you, don’t you.” He took a step closer.

“Captain Levy came to me right away. He assumed you knew I was involved, but realized too late that you didn’t.”