Margo Maguire (21 page)

“Where’s Charlotte?” Lilly allowed some of her apprehension into her voice. “You said she’s had an accident.”

“Well, about that accident, Miss Tearwater…”

“We need your help,” said Hamlet in his gruff voice.

Lilly sat up and discovered that her hands were bound together. So were her feet. “Why am I tied up?”

She recognized the cave. In the flickering candlelight Lilly could see the place where Tom had climbed up and carved all their initials into one wall when they were young. It was Underwood, just below Penny Top.

There were dangerous ledges outside the cave, and Lilly did not relish the prospect of having to climb down in the dark. With the rain, the path could easily become dangerous and inaccessible, but if she used her magic, she might unleash some cataclysmic effect.

“Miss Tearwater, I have a proposition for you.”

“What proposition?”

“We have your sister,” said Hamlet.

“Where? Where is Charlotte? Is she all right?”

“As soon as you do us one small favor, we’ll tell you where she is, and let you go to her. Isn’t that right, George?”

Hamlet nodded.

Lilly knew they intended to ask for riches of some sort, but the predatory gleam in their eyes frightened her.

“You have a special talent,” Hamlet said.

“I saw you,” said Dawson. “I know what you can do. I want ten million pounds—no, make that fifty million pounds. Make
fifty million pounds
appear on the balance sheets of my accounts in the Bank of England.”

“And how do you expect me to do that, Mr. Dawson?” She decided to go along with him for the moment. “The money is no problem, but your accounts… How am I to know which accounts are yours?”

Dawson frowned and Lilly looked past him, to the entrance of the cave. It was raining hard. If she could get out of Underwood, she had a chance of getting away from them. There were other caves and paths Lilly was certain they would not be able to find in this weather.

“I can produce the numbers of each account.”

“All right. And you’ll have to release me. I cannot work trussed in this manner. I must have my hands free. And my feet.”

“I don’t know…”

“You heard her,” Hamlet whispered. “If we want the money, we’ve got to let her go. She won’t try anything as long as she doesn’t know what we’ve done with her friend.”

Dawson looked dubious, but after a short delay, Hamlet reached into his pocket for a knife and slit the ropes that held her hands together. Then he freed her feet.

“I have a gun, too,” Dawson said. “So don’t try anything.” He picked it up off a rock ledge and pointed it in Lilly’s direction, although he did not
appear quite comfortable holding it. Lilly wondered if it was loaded and whether to risk the consequence of disarming him. If Penny Top cracked off the mountainside…

She pushed herself up to a sitting position. Dizzy and nauseated, she ignored how she felt and focused her attention on getting out of this insane situation. “First, where is Charlotte?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Tearwater, but that is not how we intend—”

“You need me—my talents,” she retorted. “Tell me where my friend is, and then you shall have whatever you want.”

As soon as she knew Charlotte was safe, she would enclose these two in an unbreakable cage and dangle it over the edge of the highest cliff in Cumbria. Lilly was so angry, she had to guard her thoughts so their punishment did not occur prematurely.

“Well?”

Hamlet pushed Dawson aside. “She’s in town taking tea with the chemist’s sister.”

“With Ada Simpson?”

“Now do it!” growled Hamlet. “Put the money in… Wait just a minute. Why does it all go to
your
accounts?” he demanded, turning to face his cohort.

Dawson poked Hamlet’s chest with his finger while he held the gun in his other hand. “Don’t start making things more complicated than they need to—”

The candle suddenly went out and the cavern was shrouded in shadows. It was Lilly’s chance to make her move, and she turned quickly toward the cave
wall. It would take them a moment to realize where she’d gone.

But someone else came into the cave, bounding past her to confront Dawson and Hamlet.

Samuel!

L
illy was shocked to see that he’d come back, but there he stood, facing her captors. He struck the first blow, quickly knocking Dawson to the cave’s floor. The gun slid out of the man’s hand, and Lilly reached for it while Samuel grabbed Hamlet and threw him to the ground, too.

“Lilly?” he asked. “Are you all right?”

“Yes! But Charlotte—”

“I brought her home. Or, rather, Fletcher did.”

“She’s unharmed?”

He nodded. “Hold the gun on these two. We need to restrain them so they can’t do any more damage. Is that a rope over there?”

Samuel tied the two together while Lilly watched and tried not to hope. He had come back for some reason, but it seemed unlikely that she was it. He had been so appalled a few hours ago that he’d left her…

She bit her lip and waited for him to finish with Dawson and Hamlet.

“These two can stay here and rot,” Sam said, taking Lilly’s arm and escorting her out of the cave.

The rain had stopped, but it was nearly dark now. “We’ll need to hurry,” he cautioned.

It was disorienting to follow the path now, when she had no memory of coming this way under her own power. Samuel stayed close behind, his hand outstretched and ready to assist her if needed.

“Let me go first,” he said, when they got to the point where they would have to climb through the brush. He made his way through and turned, reaching for her. Lilly took his hand and he pulled her up, but did not let her go.

Her heart thrummed in her chest when he tugged her close and pressed his lips to her hair.

“Lilly.” She felt him swallow. Felt the beat of his heart against her, his warm breath on her forehead. “Can you forgive me? I was—”

“Samuel!” she cried, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You came back!”

“I was a fool,” he said. “I should never have left you.”

Sam couldn’t bring himself to let her go. “I want to stand here and hold you all night,” he said. “But I’ve soaked you through already.”

She seemed to notice for the first time that he was dripping wet. “I don’t care. Kiss me.”

He dipped his head and touched his lips to hers, gently, reverently. Her lips were cool and moist, and she opened to him as she slipped her arms around his neck to pull him closer. Instantly, the kiss turned fiery. Sam invaded her with his tongue and thought of laying her down in the moss and making love to her here…

But reality intruded. The ground was sodden and
there were other, more immediate details to deal with, up here and down at the inn. Reluctantly, he broke away. “Lilly,” he rasped. “I want you. Now. Desperately. Always.”

Amazement shone in her eyes, and Samuel could not blame her for being dazed. He’d walked out mere hours ago, like a coward, without a word of explanation. “You are so much more than I deserve, sweet Lilly,” he said. “Marry me.”

“Samuel.” Her voice was but a whisper, one that held an edge of despair.

“It will work out, Lilly,” he said. If he wasn’t mistaken, the problem of what to do about Charlotte was already solved. But Sam would not say anything—not until Tom and Charlotte made their own declaration. “We’ll make it work.”

“I want to believe you, Samuel,” she replied. “I love you.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m sorry for hurting you. For jumping to the wrong conclusions…”

She kissed him then, and he felt all the love and passion she had to give. It was pure magic.

“Come on,” he said, when he was able to breathe again. “We’ve got to see if Davy’s been found.” Sam elaborated briefly on how he’d discovered him.

Lilly started to ask questions, but Sam took her hand and pulled her along. “Fletcher has probably already found him, but we should get down there before it grows any darker.”

Making their way over the wet ground, they stumbled along. Sam led the way down the path, helping Lilly over slippery areas and sections that had washed over the edge. The descent seemed more ar
duous to Sam than his climb to find Lilly, but he’d been focused on rescuing her, not caring so much about the condition of the path.

“Is that Tom down there?”

Sam nodded. “Looks like it. That’s where I left Davy.”

“You’re sure Davy will be all right?”

Sam stopped and turned to face her. “I’m certain,” he said, and tipped up her chin for his kiss. She tasted sweet and pure. And he was the luckiest man on earth.

They arrived at Davy’s location in time to help Tom lift him from the ledge where he’d landed. The young man had sprained his ankle, as well as broken his arm, and it was necessary for the two men to carry him down the hill to the place where Sam had tethered the horse. With a good deal of difficulty, they seated Davy on the gelding, and Tom led the horse back to Ravenwell, with Lilly and Sam following.

Charlotte was the first person they saw, pacing nervously in the yard with all her kittens around her—nipping at her skirts.

As soon as she saw the party approaching, she ran toward them.

Sam put his arm around Lilly’s waist and restrained her when she called out and waved to Charlotte. “Lilly, there’s something you should know,” he said.

“Charlotte!” Lilly started to go to her, but stopped short when Charlotte propelled herself into Tom’s arms.

“Charlotte?”

“Lilly, wait,” Sam said. “Let them tell you.”

Speechless, she watched them, her eyes blinking once, slowly, and then again, as if to clear them.

“They’re…” She looked up at Sam.

He nodded. And when Tom put one arm around Charlotte and began to lead the horse to the inn, Sam felt Lilly’s head drop against him. “I wonder how long… Why didn’t they tell me?”

“I guess you’ll have to ask them.”

“I must have been blind to have missed it. Tom loves her.”

Sam did not reply, but pulled her closer and slowed their pace.

“She’s…do you suppose they were afraid to tell me?”

“I think it’s fairly certain they didn’t want you to know,” Sam replied.

Lilly came to a sudden standstill. “Charlotte wouldn’t leave me. She felt responsible for me!” A sudden sob wrenched free of her. “Did Maude make Charlotte promise, too? Did Charlotte feel bound to Ravenwell the way I did?”

Sam hugged her close. “Your promise kept you here, Lilly, until I could find you.”

“I’ve been wanting to get you alone like this all evening,” Samuel said, pulling Lilly into his arms. The tension finally left her body and she melted into him, giving herself up to his kiss. “I love to touch you.”

Charlotte and Tom were staying in the sun parlor with Davy, waiting for the doctor to arrive. Most of Ravenwell’s guests had retired for the night, unaware of all that had transpired.

Lilly slid her arms up Samuel’s chest. They stood
against the gate leading to the rose garden, and though Lilly would have chosen a more secluded spot, Samuel had led them out here blindly.

“Tell me again, Lilly,” he whispered, nuzzling her ear. “Tell me you love me.”

“I do,” she said. “I love you, Samuel.”

“If only I’d been here with you! Dawson and Hamlet would never—”

“Oh!” She lifted her head. “I’ve got to do something about those two. They know about me, about what I can do.”

“You’re right. They’ll talk…”

“I’ll make them forget what they saw,” she replied. “But something will happen. Something I don’t intend…”

“You’ll have to risk it, Lilly. You have no choice.”

“One of them has been following me. For weeks I’ve felt someone watching at odd times.”

Samuel took her hand and they walked into the garden, where the rain droplets sparkled in the moonlight. Lilly couldn’t have conjured a more beautiful sight.

“Dawson must have been the one who sneaked into the kitchen that night when I bashed my head.”

“I thought you’d just bumped your head in the dark.”

“No. I saw someone skulking around and followed him. I thought it was your cohort—whoever was making the ghosts appear. But it must have been Dawson who bashed my skull when I got too close.” She touched the spot she had healed.

“I fixed it. I couldn’t bear to see you hurt.”

He hugged her close and she felt his quiet laugh.
“You couldn’t keep your hands off me…real or phantom.”

She turned serious. “I want those two to go to jail. They’re evil and greedy.”

“Then, instead of making them forget, can you just change the scenario? Make them think they stole from you. Your rooms were ransacked. Put some of your money, or your valuables with them in the cave.”

“Samuel Temple, you have a devious mind.”

“But you love me.”

“I do.”

And she did what he suggested. When Dawson and Hamlet were found, they would be in possession of a few pieces of her jewelry and the week’s receipts.

“And you’ll come to India with me?”

“I will,” she said. “Anywhere.”

“Funny, I don’t remember your roses ever looking so well,” said Tom.

“Must have been last night’s rain,” Lilly replied, although there was no doubt that the blossoms were due solely to the magic she’d performed when she’d settled up with Dawson and Hamlet.

The magistrate and his men had come from town earlier and climbed Penny Top to collect the two felons and their booty. Breakfast at Ravenwell had gone on as usual, and the inn’s guests were enjoying the beautiful landscape.

“Those two were a cagey lot,” Tom remarked. “Getting that old prune Simpson to take Charlotte to town so that Lilly would go off searching for her.”

“It worked.”

Charlotte touched Lilly’s sleeve and began to speak in her own way as Lilly interpreted. “I’m sorry I did not tell you about Tom sooner. I was afraid…”

“You didn’t want to leave me alone. I understand.” Even without her promise to Maude, Lilly could never have left Charlotte, either, though Sam had told her he was prepared to stay at Ravenwell if his suspicions about Tom and Charlotte had proved unfounded.

“I’ve been putting some pressure on Charlotte to choose, Lilly,” Tom remarked. He took Charlotte’s arm and placed it possessively in the crook of his own. “I love her. We want to stop sneaking around you and marry.”

Samuel ducked under the garden gate and joined them. He stuck his hand out to Tom for a congratulatory shake. “When is the wedding?”

“I might ask the same.”

Samuel smiled and slipped his arm around Lilly’s waist. “As soon as we can arrange it.”

“Will you close down the inn?”

Lilly nodded. “We’re going to India.”

“What about Ravenwell Cottage? Will the ghosts be haunting a vacant building?”

“Miss Tearwater!” Mr. Hinkley and Mr. Beecher came through the parlor door, carrying the same folders and documents they’d brought before. “A word, Miss Tearwater.”

Since there wasn’t a dry seat outside, they returned to the parlor, where Mr. Hinkley set down his papers.

“Lilly,” said Tom, “I think you should know that I rode down to Asbury this morning and mentioned
to the mayor that you were likely to close Ravenwell Cottage in the near future.”

“The town wants to buy it!” cried Mr. Hinkley.

“But Mr. Hinkley,” said Lilly, “as you know, there is a sizable balance on the mortgage.

Beecher cleared his throat. “Miss Tearwater, the offer is a generous one. Mr. Hinkley has assured our consortium that you and Miss Gray will profit quite nicely once the debt is paid.”

Lilly took the document from the mayor’s hand and looked at the figures. The mortgage could be paid, as well as Maude’s other debts, and she and Charlotte would each have a small sum left over. It wasn’t what Lilly could truthfully call a generous offer, although it was adequate.

“I’m not so sure, Lilly,” said Sam, glancing over her shoulder. “I thought it might be nice to stay on here, run the inn as it is.”

“Another five thousand pounds,” Hinkley quietly said.

Tom took the document from Lilly and perused it. “It might be nice to move my mother up here, too. With the maids to do the work, her arthritis would—”

“All right, ten thousand more, but that’s all I’m authorized to offer.”

“Lilly?”

She loved Samuel Temple so much right then, she could hardly answer. He had suggested that she sign Ravenwell over to Charlotte and Tom, so that they would always be secure. He’d told her he would take care of her, that he would cherish her forever.

And then he’d promised to give her the world.