Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

Molly mentally cheered and started to relax now that she realised Jasper wasn’t going to be so blindly led after all.

Both Jasper and Sir Hugo suspected Marilyn was lying because they knew that after Jasper had overheard Oscar and Molly discussing their plans to leave, the Star Elite had rarely left them alone. The only time Molly could have stolen something was in the middle of the night when the house was reduced to a handful of men on night watch. Regardless of his doubts, though, Jasper also remembered the part of the conversation between the siblings where they discussed getting their hands on some money. He had a duty to see if Marilyn’s accusations were founded on truth, and Molly was in possession of a bracelet that wasn’t hers.

“I have never set eyes on her before she arrived here,” Molly replied honestly, completely oblivious to his thoughts.

“So, what makes you think that out of everyone in this house, Molly or Oscar are thieves? How can you prove ownership of the bracelet? How do we know you haven’t stolen it?” Jasper didn’t take his eyes off Marilyn but felt Sir Hugo turn to watch him challenge the young woman. Strangely, he didn’t interrupt – or continue searching.

“I am not a thief,” Marilyn protested. “That necklace was given to me by my father.”

“I thought you said it was a bracelet,” Sir Hugo growled.

Marilyn blinked at him. “I said bracelet,” she replied but without heat.

“No, you just said it was a necklace. So, what are we supposed to be looking for? A bracelet or a necklace?” Sir Hugo’s voice was soft and silky, but no less menacing than Jasper’s dark glare.

“Well? Out with it woman! You are not going to go around this property accusing people of stealing when you don’t even know for definite what it is they are supposed to have taken,” Jasper rapped out sharply. “Well? What has she taken?”

“A bracelet. I have told you. She has stolen a bracelet,” Marilyn repeated.

“Prove it,” Jasper ordered.

Marilyn peered down her nose at him. “We are going to – by searching this room.”

Moll

y waved to the room. “Go on then. I can assure you that you shan’t find anything because I am not a thief.” She looked hard at Marilyn, her gaze challenging. “Nor am I a liar. I don’t have anything to hide but warn you now that if you do find anything it hasn’t been stolen by me, or Oscar.”

“We need to see if it is here,” Sir Hugo sighed.

“Then do. But if you do find anything, don’t accuse me of stealing it without making her prove that she legitimately owns the bracelet in the first place. Given where you found her, and what the people of Rigley Row usually do, I think you should consider that she might be a thief who has planted her stolen goods in here to make me look guilty because she doesn’t want to be caught in possession of something she couldn’t ever hope to own by legal means.”

Behind her, Oscar sniggered. Marilyn’s cheeks flooded with colour when Molly slid a spiteful gaze down the length of Marilyn’s somewhat soiled and clearly outdated dress that neither Jasper nor any of the other men of the Star Elite had attempted to replace. That thought gave Molly a reason to pause and contemplate Jasper a little more. He hadn’t done anything to make sure Marilyn was dressed to perfection. She had to wonder why.

Jasper shook his head as he watched the women size each other up in much the same way as boxers would before they rolled their sleeves up. He knew he and his colleagues had to keep the women apart because Marilyn clearly had something against Molly and didn’t care what she had to do to get her out of the house.

“Now, Marilyn, go downstairs like you are told to. Oliver, take her down. If she won’t go, take her to gaol. She can stay there and make their lives miserable until we are done with her,” Jasper growled.

When Marilyn made no attempt to walk to the door, Oliver grabbed her by the arm and began to propel her out into the hallway.

“Wait! Why do I have to go to gaol? I haven’t done anything wrong. I am not the thief here. She is,” Marilyn protested, pointing one long finger at Molly.

“I haven’t stolen anything,” Molly sighed once Marilyn had been forced to go downstairs out of the way.

“But you do plan to try to leave again, don’t you?” Jasper murmured knowingly. “You will need money for your journey, won’t you?”

“But we won’t steal from anybody in this house,” Oscar cried with all his youthful belligerence.

Molly mentally cursed at how much his simple statement condemned them both.

“We aren’t going to steal full stop,” Molly bit out through clenched teeth. She wanted to glare at her brother and warn him to stay quiet, but it was already too late.

“Why don’t you go downstairs and keep an eye on Marilyn with Oliver?” Sir Hugo suggested to Oscar.

Oscar hesitated but when Molly nodded, he heaved a heavy sigh and dutifully stomped out of the room. He made his displeasure known through forcefully slamming the door behind him as he went.

“Right now, I would strongly advise against you or your brother trying to leave this house,” Sir Hugo warned when a heavy silence had fallen over everyone still in the bed chamber.

“We aren’t going to,” Molly replied, but ruined her lie by blushing guiltily.