Page 34 of Beatrix

But never had he lost control from one kiss.

And now his visit to England had become complicated in a way he’d never even considered when he set sail, determined to find and bring home his godson.

Of course, he could simply shrug and put his attraction to Beatrix down to the normal physical reaction to an attractive woman, were it not for the fact that he liked her. Indeed, he liked everything about her.

And currently, the very thought of leaving her felt like a knife stuck in his heart.

* * *

It was past midday by the time Beatrix, Rob and Billy finally arrived back at Cliff House. They were all weary, travel-stained and sleep deprived – though granted for very different reasons.

On entering the drawing room, they weren’t surprised to see every individual with a stake in the current investigation waiting for them.

‘Well?’ Charlotte demanded before the door had even fully shut behind them. ‘I trust you have a good reason for abandoning all propriety without so much as a by your leave?’

‘I reckon the reason’s not the one you’ve got the woefuls fer,’ Billy interrupted boldly before Charlotte had the chance to get into her stride. His unusual impudence was the result of spending the entire journey back from Exeter describing - in minute detail - his apparently death-defying descent into the devil’s own coal ‘ole, as he referred to it. Naturally, the tale got more fanciful with each telling, and by the time they reached Paignton, his heroic exploits were about to become the stuff of legend – once he’d finished learning how to write of course.

However, observing his employer’s face as it turned a dark shade of puce had him considering the possibility that he might not actually reach an age to become the next Arthur Conan Doyle. Wisely he shut up.

Henry looked at the sheepish boy over top of his spectacles. ‘As much as I’m entirely certain there was a perfectly good reason for spending the night in Exeter, I do think an apology to Miss Charlotte would not go amiss, Billy Wiggins. Especially given the fact that the privy has not yet been cleaned out this morning.’ He turned to look at Beatrix and Rob. ‘Perhaps it would behove us to begin this conversation again – this time with some sustenance inside us.’ Climbing to his feet, he went to ring the bell. Moments later, Peggy appeared.

‘Could you ask Mrs Williams if she has the time to make us some sandwiches and a pot of tea?’ he asked. ‘Billy will assist her – after he’s washed his hands of course. At the moment he looks like he’s spent the night down a coal hole.’

Billy opened his mouth in indignation, before shutting it again after a quick glance towards Miss Charlotte convinced him she’d not yet abandoned the urge to box his ears, let alone put him to cleaning the privy.

‘I think we’d better start from the beginning,’ Rob declared wearily, sitting down. ‘Please forgive me for risking Beatrix’s reputation, but in truth, there was no other option.’

‘It certainly wasn’t Rob’s fault,’ Beatrix added heatedly. ‘He had no choice since I refused to return home without him.’

Charlotte sniffed. ‘Why does that not surprise me?’

‘So, what exactly happened?’ Ben quizzed them, leaning forward.

Quickly, Rob apprised the room’s occupants of everything that had happened up to and including their unexpected meeting in the White Hart.

‘Do you have any idea what exactly Grainger and Holt are hiding in this strongroom?’ Rhys asked, just as Peggy and Billy returned with their impromptu lunch.

‘Before I answer that, could I request that Billy remains in the room?’ Rob countered, his entreaty clearly directed towards Charlotte. ‘He is not a small part of this story and may very well have something worth adding that Beatrix and I have forgotten.’

With a last narrow-eyed glare at the errant boy, Charlotte gave a magnanimous nod, taking a sip of her tea…

‘We broke into Grainger and Holt to find out.’

… and promptly spat it out again.

‘But they wudden ‘ave bin able ter do it wi’out me,’ Billy boasted into the silence that followed.

Fortunately, the tea going down the wrong hole and the subsequent fear of asphyxiation prevented Charlotte from voicing her opinion concerning the recklessness of breaking and entering without a proper plan, which gave Rob enough time to say soberly, ‘Tom’s name was in a ledger we found.’ He pulled out the torn page, adding, ‘My godson was definitely taken by the same despicable organisation.’

‘Does it say where he is now?’ Alex asked.

Rob swallowed, clearly trying not to let his fears for his godson overtake him. After a few seconds, he added hoarsely, ‘That’s not all we found.’ He looked over at Beatrix, who gave him a sympathetic nod.

‘I think we might know who Jacob White is,’ she obliged. ‘And where he came from.’

Her words got everyone’s attention.

‘We found a deed of gift,’ Rob said, taking up the account. ‘Land in Somerset made over to a Giacomo Bianchi eleven years past.’ He paused, watching the name land. ‘Beatrix worked it out before I did. Giacomo Bianchi is simply Jacob White dressed up in Italian. It names him the recently declared Baron Cadmore. Whether Giacomo Bianchi was his original name before he became a peer, we’ve no way of knowing at this point in time.’