“Us? You can’t go,” she protested. “Not if someone is trying to kill you. Why, you will take these people straight to the man’s door. It isn’t right. You can’t do it. You cannot put an innocent man at risk like that.”
Connor sighed heavily not least because he knew she was right.
“What?” she asked.
“You can’t do this yourself, Tahlia, it is far too dangerous. You don’t know these people,” Connor warned.
Frustrated at his lack of faith in her capabilities, Tahlia glared at him.
“Nonsense. Oscar can come with me. There is no reason for anybody to mean us any harm. After all, unless this Sayers person has had someone waiting outside of this house since my uncle died; how is he to know I have left the house? I mean, it is too far-fetched to even contemplate, isn’t it? I am sure you are just being a little nervous because of what happened, but there is no reason why anybody in London should wish me ill. I think it is safe to say that it is more likely to be you they are aiming at given the kind of work you do. I would be in far more danger being seen out with you than I would be alone, I don’t doubt.”
Connor tried to find a way to get her to see sense.
“But my being seen out with you has already put you at risk, Tahlia,” he announced quietly. “They know I have connections to you now because they have seen me in the house.”
“They must have followed you here,” Oscar warned bitterly.
“I am sorry,” Connor sighed.
“It isn’t your fault, is it? I mean, who was to know what these people were likely to do?” Oscar challenged. He pointed to the safe. “Nobody even knew they were there. If I were you, I would put the whole lot back and cover it up. While we remain in this house we need to pretend it isn’t there. If anybody does break in they are not likely to find it, are they?”
Connor nodded. “We need to put all of your uncle’s notes in here too so we don’t leave any hint about the safe’s whereabouts around for a burglar to find.”
“Oh, good Lord,” Cecily whispered. She looked at Oscar for reassurance but found none. Oscar was busy staring thoughtfully down at Henry’s last letter.
“I will go to see this Jeremiah Tate with you,” Connor said firmly.
Tahlia was having none of it though, and pushed angrily to her feet. He stared at her in amazement when she placed her hands on her hips in a challenging stance and glared down at him.
“No, you will not take over this, Connor Humphries. This message was left for me, not you. My uncle has asked me to see his friend, not you. There is no reason for you to get yourself involved in this. I am perfectly safe. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realise that I am in more danger with you around.”
“Now that you are in danger, Tahlia, you need to be protected,” Connor reasoned.
Guilt weighed heavily on him that he had put her life at risk, but there was little he could do about that now except protect her with his life.
Connor glanced at Oscar and Cecily and then turned his gaze on Tahlia.
“Is there just you, Oscar, and Cecily in this house?” he began.
When everybody nodded, Connor turned to Tahlia.
“So, who is Joseph?”
A deathly silence settled over the room that stretched to uncomfortable proportions.
When Tahlia looked him in the eye he read fear and secrets in her eyes and knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say. He glanced at Oscar, who was trying to pretend he wasn’t there. Cecily’s face was, however, far too expressive to hide much.
Connor realised then that they were all hiding a secret about this Joseph, and he
wasn’t going to like the truth.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Tahlia knew she should tell him but daren’t, not yet. Not until she had considered the situation a little more. After all, telling him would change not just her life but Joseph’s too. She would bring her son so much more than she could give him alone; a father, a mentor, a protector, a guide, and another branch of the family. However, given the nature of Connor’s work, which seemingly took him up and down the country at a moment’s notice, he couldn’t bring stability, security, and a reliable mentor who would be around often enough to provide support when it was needed.
Torn, Tahlia threw Oscar a beseeching glance.
“Just someone at home,” Tahlia replied vaguely.