Rose looked at him blankly. “What makes you think this Count is him then?” She watched Barnaby’s face break into a rather pleased smile.
“Because one of my colleagues recently married a wonderful woman who found a picture of a Russian Count her uncle considered suspicious. We investigated and discovered that this Count appeared in the ballrooms of the ton not long before the thefts began. He has also attended functions at each house approximately a week or so before the houses are burgled. We think he is attending social functions to scout out which items of jewellery he wants to help himself to. Because of his crimes, Sayers is now a man of wealth. He and his colleagues hate the aristocracy for their money if nothing else. None of them would have any qualms about stealing from Lords and Ladies, and murder if they had to, especially if it meant keeping what they had gained.”
“How awful,” Rose whispered.
“It is a fact of life I am afraid, Rose,” Barnaby replied.
“How do you plan to arrest him?” She knew it was none of her business but was curious.
“As soon as you are safe, my colleagues and I will intercept Chadwick and put him behind bars where he belongs. We will hustle him before a magistrate as a matter of urgency. As soon as you have testified to the judge what you have witnessed, you will be free to return to your normal life as you see fit.” He smiled at her. “Of course, you need to make your mind up where you intend to stay. If you don’t wish to go home, you need to decide how to let your parents know, and brace yourself for any objection they might make.”
Rose thought about that. There was something about that statement that left her with a strange feeling of disquiet that she couldn’t quite shake off. It had nothing to do with her parents, or any confrontation that might occur as a result of her decision. It was more to do with having to say goodbye to Barnaby.
“How long is this likely to take exactly?” she asked with a frown. She couldn’t bring herself to ask him how much longer they would be together.
“We will be in Portsmouth soon,” Barnaby shrugged. “After that, it depends on how long it takes my colleagues to decide on a way to get us out of the area undetected. From here it takes about two days to London if you take a direct route. We will have to go the long way around.”
Rose realised then that he intended to hand her over to the care of his colleagues as soon as they reached Portsmouth. That meant they had only a few hours together. Determined not to feel sorry about it, she began to think about what she wanted to do once this was all over. What she obviously couldn’t do was rely on Barnaby to be there.
The prospect of facing life alone was daunting. Was she ready for it? If she wasn’t, could she really go back to her old life now? This adventure, for want of a better word, had certainly changed her outlook on life. She realised now just how much of a protected life she had led; and how sheltered she had been from the larger world. She had certainly never travelled anywhere. Why, this was the farthest she had ever been away from home and, while she was enjoying the new sights and sounds of the country, she felt all adrift and uncertain of, well, anything.
“I meant, how long will I be in London?” Rose asked dryly.
Before this goes any further and I do something I will really regret like fall for you completely, I need to put some distance between us.
She quickly closed out the small voice that warned her it was already too late; that she had fallen for him and deeply. She knew virtually nothing about him. It was foolish to mistake gratitude for anything deeper and more lasting, but she felt a connection to Barnaby that she had never felt toward another human being in her life and it had nothing to do with Chadwick, or the adventure. There was just something about him that appealed to her, it was as simple as that.
“I don’t know,” Barnaby replied.
“I cannot help but think I should have just gone home in the first place. I mean, if I can vanish in London I can vanish just as easily here. I know these parts better than Chadwick. Besides, he has no idea where I live, I-”
“No,” Barnaby snapped.
Rose blinked at the swift change in his demeanour. He had switched from being open and amiable to stern and commanding in a heartbeat and it rattled her.
“You are coming with me, Rose,” Barnaby said firmly. “Look, I know you probably don’t like the idea of living in London for a while but the Star Elite won’t put you in just any squalid dump. You will be well looked after, and will be provided for while you in our c-care.” He almost said ‘custody’, but suspected she would object to that particular phraseology. When he slid a look at her, he shook his head when he saw doubt on her face and swore beneath his breath, but not quietly enough for her not to hear him.
“You have a guttural mouth,” Rose chided.
Barnaby glared at her. “I am a little stressed right now, alright?”
Rose glared right back. “I refuse to relinquish my life to you.”
Great, now she sounds like me, Barnaby mused ruefully. He glared at her while inside he fought a smile. He began to suspect that she was as thrown by what shimmered between them as he was and was also valiantly trying to ignore it.
That’s good because between the two of us we might be able to get through this and keep our hands to ourselves.
He pinned Rose with a dark look. “You don’t have a choice. This is Star Elite business you are involved in. This is not a game.”
“You think I don’t know that?” she demanded, her eyes flashing with temper.
“I am just saying,” he sighed.
“I know,” Rose snapped with a huff. “And I cannot wait for it to be over.”
With that they both allowed silence to settle between them.
CHAPTER TEN