Miss Minnie and the Brass Pluggit (6 page)

“What are your goals, Minnie?” Pierce watched the expressive eyes as she considered his question.

“To do good, as I said. To part some of those filthy rich socialites from a tiny part of their fortunes and change lives.”

“Is it working?”

The eyes lit up. “Definitely. Remind me to show you my charity records sometime.”

“I will. I’d like to see them.” He eased away from her desk, thankful that the awkwardness between them had receded. “But for now perhaps we should return to business?”

She wrinkled her nose. “Damn. I shall have to tell Roger something.” She glanced at him as she began to tap the tiny telegraph key. “Is there a way to describe your research in simple terms? One that a woman might use?”

“Oh dear.” He grinned. “Roger wasn’t able to appreciate your intellect?”

“It’s more that I don’t have a high opinion of his. When it comes to scientific concepts, Roger’s about eight years old. So let’s keep it simple. If he passes it on to his associates, which I’m sure he will, then they are free to assume I’m a stupid woman. It all works out quite nicely.”

“Well, you can describe my work as an investigation into magnetism. Tell him…” Pierce paused, wondering exactly how to simplify the complex. “Tell him I have some theoretical ideas about propulsion systems, but don’t have much to show for them yet.”

The taps accelerated as Minnie sent the message, then tapped out the closing signal and leaned back. “Done.”

“You don’t think he’ll feel it necessary to come down here, do you?”

“God no.” She shook her head. “London, at this time of year, is perfect for him to take care of some details. He can catch up with his Tory cronies, do some visiting, spend the entire summer politicking quietly and in the autumn burst onto the floor of the House of Commons in full flower.”

“Ah.” Pierce privately questioned why on earth a man would waste time doing that kind of thing. “And this is his pleasure, is it?”

“Apparently.” Minnie paused as the key began to stutter and beneath the desk a small thin strip of paper unspooled through the slot above it. “Aha.” She read the first few words and smiled. “Felicia’s arriving tomorrow.”

“I’ll make the arrangements.”

Minnie rose and shook out her skirts. “Well, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. Shall we return to the Brass Pluggit?”

He picked up her valise. “Are you sure this is everything?”

She smirked. “Not every woman needs fourteen suitcases and a steamer trunk.”

“I’m impressed.” He followed her back out into the sunshine and watched as she exchanged greetings with the captain of the vessel. He was bowing and smiling and nodding—obviously a victim of the
Minnie charm
.

The sun was high in the sky now, and the midafternoon heat surprisingly strong. Minnie blew out a breath of air and fanned herself as Pierce, with an apologetic glance, shrugged out of his coat.

It was probably rather childish, but he made a point of flexing his shirt-covered body as he lifted her valise into the back of the open carriage and then helped her up. He tugged at the shade, lifting it by himself, aware of her scrutiny as he secured the fasteners holding it in place.

“Ahh. Better.” He sat next to her in the relative cool beneath the canvas. “Open carriages are all well and good, but…”

For a moment she was silent, her gaze still fixed on his chest and the thin silk shirt covering it.

Promising himself he’d not repeat his earlier conversational gaffe, Pierce managed to remain silent, simply smiling politely and nodding as Dusk took the seat in front of them and clicked up the horses.

She was still looking at him as they turned and headed out of Yarmouth toward the Brass Pluggit.

“Minnie?”

“Yes?” She blinked.

“Nothing.” His inner chuckle grew to a full-blown laugh, but he kept it ruthlessly suppressed. He’d given her enough to think about today.

Tonight he’d see if she’d come to any conclusions.

Minnie sighed with pleasure as Dusk removed the last of the cups from the small table and offered her a biscuit. “Thank you, Dusk, but no. I’m very content.”

“Very good, Miss Minnie. Your things are in your room and I’ll have Mrs. Armitage’s ready by the morning. Will you be wanting me to meet her tomorrow?”

She glanced at Pierce. “I’d like to be there, if possible?”

Pierce nodded. “Let’s all go, Dusk. There’s room in the carriage. And I need to check with Edward. He was going to examine our unfortunate woman before…” He paused.

“Is Edward a physician?” Minnie had wondered but not had chance to ask before now.

“A veterinarian.” Pierce sighed. “We have no true physician in this area as yet. There are several in Cowes who come out this way quite often and until now that’s been adequate. After all, it’s not that long a trip to Cowes for those in need of medical attention. And Edward is very good at our sorts of emergencies. The occasional broken bone or farm accident. You know the sort of thing.”

She nodded. “It makes sense. Small communities often develop the best system for themselves without any outside help.”

Pierce stood and waved Minnie to an overstuffed chair near the windows. “Will you join me here? The sunset can be quite stunning and I’m not one to require an after-dinner port in solitary splendor.”

She laughed and willingly changed her seat. “This is most pleasant.” Dusk moved a small rolling cart of drinks near Pierce. “And convenient too. Dusk, you are a treasure.”

“Thank you, Miss Minnie.” The half of his face she could see curved into a smile. “Anything else, sir?”

“That’ll do it. You’re all clear.”

“Good night then.” Dusk turned and left, using the staircase.

“Does
anyone
use the mechanical lift?” She turned an inquiring eye to Pierce.

“Now and again. But honestly? It’s more for show.”

“I thought so.” She laughed. “Boys and toys.”

“Of course.”

Silence fell, a comfortable silence that spoke of mutual appreciation, relaxation and one of the most seductively soothing vistas—the sea.

Minnie’s thoughts roamed freely, darting from one place to another, before settling on those uppermost in her mind. “She was strangled. Were the others? Were there any signs of…well, any other injuries?”

He took a moment before answering. “Yes, she was strangled. And yes the others were, as well. The first had been in the water for quite some time.”

Minnie closed her eyes against the image.

“I’m sorry.” He spoke quietly.

“No. Don’t apologize. I need to know. It will help to have all the facts we have at our command right now. We cannot move forward without them.”

“Very well. The first was strangled but we simply could not tell if there were other injuries. The next two—both strangled. And yes. There were, as you put it,
other injuries
.”

“They were raped?”

“Repeatedly.”

Minnie swallowed. “Ah.” She absorbed the implications. “A man then. Or men. With the strength to restrain these women as well as strangle them.”

“Yes.”

“And disposing of the bodies in the sea would mean someone local?”

“Possibly. But I have another theory.”

Minnie glanced at his face, which was calm and expressionless. But she was learning more about him each minute they spent together. There was a fierce tension beneath the skin, an untapped savagery perhaps. Something that was seriously offended by these crimes.

“And that theory would be…”

“Ships. They’re being tossed away from ships.”

She frowned and once again worked her way through the various possibilities. “You mean they’re
recruited
, for lack of a better word? Paid to go on board as prostitutes for the voyage and then murdered?”

“Something like that.”

The sun set in a blaze of glory, there one moment and gone the next. The room darkened yet neither moved to light a lamp.

“That’s a likely scenario, I suppose.” She puzzled it through. “Where would they go to recruit women? If we could find that location, it would be a place to start looking for whoever is hiring them.”

“I did wonder about that myself.” He stretched out his arm to put his glass down and pour a little more liquid. “Would you care for brandy?”

“Thank you but no.” Her mind was still turning over what he’d suggested. “Why don’t they get rid of these bodies further out to sea?”

“I don’t know. I’m simply chewing over theories here.”

She sighed. “We really do need information, don’t we?”

He glanced at her. “
We
?”

She lifted her chin challengingly. “Yes.
We
.”

“Just checking,” he flashed back with a grin. “And you’re right. We do need more information. With luck, now that we’ve sent out some requests, it’ll start coming in.”

“Agreed.”

The moon was rising now, casting a soft glow through the room. It was almost never dark when one had the ocean as one’s backyard, realized Minnie.

Pierce stirred and stood. “It’s been a long day. And tomorrow may well be even longer.” He held out his hand. “I’ll take you to your room.”

Minnie rose. “There’s no need.” But she placed her hand in his, something inside her eager for the touch of his skin.

“I have a suggestion.” He pulled her nearer.

“I’m sure you do.” She smiled at the shadow of his face.

“Listen before you assume,” he scolded her gently. “You and I—we’ve acknowledged something going on between us. Some very distinct attraction.”

“Yes.” She nodded.

“So my suggestion is in the nature of a small experiment.”

“Oh?”

“A kiss. A simple kiss. To see if that chemistry is truly present or if we’re imagining it.”

The moonlight danced off the brass railing beneath the window and ricocheted around the room. It was a tiny scattering of rainbows, barely visible yet casting a magical glow over her surroundings and the man still holding her hand.

Minnie caught her breath, knowing this was what she’d wanted the first minute she’d set eyes on him.

She wanted to see if they
fit
.

“I’m definitely in favor of experimentation.” She whispered the words as his grasp tightened and he drew her against his chest.

Her free hand slid up over the silk of his shirt to touch the warm skin of his neck even as she felt him tug the other one behind his back, locking her to his body.

His arm encircled her, his heat engulfed her and her brain acknowledged the result of this experiment.

They
fit
.

When his lips came down to claim hers, she forgot about theories, experiments, murders and mayhem. She forgot her own name.

She just fell into him.

The plants were doing well under his delicate supervision, decided Dusk.

Each evening he’d check the rows of seedlings, winnowing out those weaker ones, giving the stronger ones room to reach their full potential.

The larger pots needed a little water, a pinch back here and there, and a compliment to keep them cheerful and blooming. They’d be producing plenty of ripe red deliciousness before too long.

So they were just tomato plants, but they were
his
tomato plants and thus deserving of his complete attention.

His half mask lay forgotten on a table near the greenhouse door. It had become so much a part of his life in the past two years that his routine was ingrained now, a reflex action on his part. Enter the greenhouse after dinner—remove the mask. Retire to his rooms—take the mask with him. Rise in the morning—don the mask with the clothing.

Some might have viewed it as an annoyance. To Dusk it was a valuable asset that had enabled him to rejoin his fellow humans.

The scars beneath were just too awful to exhibit. He’d spent five years hiding, barely speaking with another human being. Certainly not interacting with them. On the rare occasions he’d had to venture out, children had screamed, women gasped and even strong men had turned away.

All because of a vat of acid and a poorly timed experiment by his previous master. His late master.

It could have been worse, certainly. Dusk could have ended up a steaming pile of acid-wilted flesh. Instead, he had screamed out the pain for a month or so, waiting for his savaged face to accomplish something in the way of healing.

Eventually, tucked away in a private hospital courtesy of his late master’s son and a guilty conscience, Dusk had finally bid farewell to the pain. And realized his life would never be the same.

The day Pierce Lowell had bumped into him had marked the turning point, the opening of a door. Neither man had looked back since.

The mask was part of who Dusk was now. He truly didn’t even think about it that much, other than to make sure it was clean and undamaged.