A Spinster's Awakening (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 2)

“Is there anybody else who lives here?” Angus asked again.

Charity sighed. She really didn’t want to tell them. Her gaze fell to the small card on the side table. She picked it up and read it again. Of course, she had heard of the War Office. Who hadn’t? The War Office had become legendary throughout the country. It was a little overwhelming to have two officers from such a fine establishment in her small house. So much so, she felt small and relatively insignificant in the presence of such commanding men and had little doubt they would ultimately succeed in their goal to capture the kidnapper, whoever he was. If they wished her to play a small part in their dark and dangerous work, it would be churlish of her to refuse, wouldn’t it?

“No,” Charity sighed.

Angus was floored by the relief that slammed into him. He had no idea where it came from, or what to do about it. Thankfully, he was spared having to contemplate it by Aaron, who leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

“While I do understand your sentiments with regard to Mr Lawrence, it is my experience that one can never really take appearances at face value,” Aaron assured her. “Can we, Angus?”

“No, indeed,” Angus replied dutifully. His gaze remained nonchalant when Aaron threw him a sharp look. “We need to use just the front bed chamber of your property just for a day or two, a week at the most. We need enough time to follow the suspect when he leaves the house. So far, a young person has been snatched every week to ten days. There is a similar pattern to the disappearances. We hope to have a significant lead within a fortnight. I am sure you will agree that the faster we can return the innocent victims to their families the easier we will all feel.”

Charity shivered at the deep rumble of his voice. She quietly contemplated what had changed in the last few moments. Angus’s voice hadn’t been that deep a moment ago – had it?

Maybe I am colder than I realise, or coming down with influenza, she mused as she contemplated that husky tone, and what it did to her already beleaguered senses. Could she refuse him?

Her heart went out to those already affected, of course it did. She couldn’t imagine the emotional distress their families were enduring. To think of what the victims might have experienced was enough to guarantee her compliance, and it had nothing to do with the persuasive charms of the man seated in her sitting room.

“I find it utterly astonishing that someone in this village might be responsible and agree that you need to do everything possible to catch the culprit as swiftly as possible.” She paused for a moment, then smiled in a way that alarmed both men. “I am happy to help out.”

“We only need to use your bed chamber at the front of the property that overlooks the house across the street, that’s all,” Angus growled.

“Of course,” Charity replied, her smile brightening. “The front bed chamber is mine, but I don’t mind moving into one of the other bed chambers for a while. We can then keep watch.”

“We will do it,” Angus warned waving a hand at Aaron who was emphatically nodding.

“We only need to use your property, ma’am. You will be perfectly safe while we investigate Mr Lawrence, not least because you will have our protection whilst we are here. Meantime, we would ask that you not do anything that might put your life in danger.” Aaron’s voice held a hint of a plea that made Charity’s lips twitch.

“I wouldn’t suggest otherwise,” she scoffed. “I mean, I am hardly likely to wrestle the man, am I?”

She put as much innocence into the look she gave them to convince them that she meant every word.

Unfortunately for her, Angus didn’t believe her for a second. He didn’t like that enthusiastic glint in her eye but was at a loss to know how to squelch it.

“This is an official investigation,” he warned. “Please don’t interfere in it. Don’t discuss it or tell anybody that we are here.”

“They already know, don’t you think?” Charity nodded to the tall coachman still sitting perfectly still atop the huge black carriage. “How many of those did you see in this village on the way here?”

Aaron mentally winced because now that she had pointed it out – not many.

“When do you wish to start?” Charity asked quietly.

She ignored the distinctly uneasy thoughts tumbling through her head but couldn’t prevent her gaze straying to Angus. It was difficult to behave normally around him, not least because of the tell-tale fission of excitement that shivered through her whenever their gazes met – as they seemed to do more and more often. It was shocking because she had not expected to feel it toward anybody – ever. Now that she was barraged with strange sensations she had yet to contemplate further, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with them.

Charity frowned. “Does the magistrate know you are here by the way?”

Angus slid a look at Aaron. “He does but has no leads that might identify a culprit. Given the severity of what is going on in this area, we have taken over the investigation. The magistrate has no authority in this case. Ergo, if you see or hear of anything untoward you should report it to either of us,” Aaron replied.

“Do we have your approval to borrow your house?” Angus asked suddenly.

“All we would ask is that you do not entertain anybody while we are here,” Aaron added quietly.

Charity’s brows lifted. She paused.

“Is that a problem?” Angus prompted when Charity didn’t immediately

agree.

Charity sighed. “I am afraid that is impossible.”