Romancing His English Rose (Entangled Scandalous) (11 page)

“Well then, help me find the door. I can hardly see a thing down here,” Rose snapped.

Simon had to chuckle. Apparently he wasn’t the only one feeling a little prickly tonight. “Here,” he said, reaching for Rose’s hand, “this way.”

Simon led Rose in the general direction of the door. It was definitely dark in the large cellar, but after a moment their eyes adjusted somewhat, and Simon was able to lead them successfully out of the room and up the narrow staircase to the kitchen.

Holding his finger to his lips, Simon indicated that they should be very quiet as they walked through the kitchen to the hallway that led from the back of the house in the general direction of the home’s front entrance. Fortunately, the second library was situated nearer the basement, so they didn’t have to walk down the clear, open hallway very far. Within seconds, Simon pulled Rose through the second door on the left and softly shut the door behind them.

“Stay here,” Simon whispered.

Rose nodded and waited by the door as Simon walked over to the window and pulled the curtains back. Bright moonlight immediately filled the room and, in comparison to the darkness moments before, it seemed as if a dozen silvery lights had been lit. With the aid of the shimmery glow, Simon was finally able to see the contents of the room. He had to admit it was rather impressive.

One wall was dedicated to a display of medieval artifacts. There was, in fact, a full set of armor standing in one corner, sword raised, as if to protect the entire room from marauders. There was another area devoted to Oriental weapons of some kind. Simon was familiar with most of them, but—although they were clearly deadly instruments—there was a beautiful artistic look to them, many with graceful curves and intricate carvings.

Under the window, gleaming in the moonlight, there was a massive display case—the type you would see in a jewelry store—full of snuff boxes, just as Simon had remembered. There were hundreds of the jeweled and lacquered boxes. If this was the size of the collection Caleb had of rings, Simon knew he and Rose had a difficult task ahead of them.

“Memory, don’t fail me now,” Rose breathed softly.

Simon looked to find Rose by his side. She appeared completely monochromatic in the moonlight—as did most everything around them—except for her beautiful hazel eyes. They gleamed like gems in the silvery light; also shining there was a surety and confidence that instantly made Simon feel more optimistic.

“So, do you want to help me look for a way into this hidden room of Caleb’s?” he asked with a smile.

“Oh yes,” Rose replied, obviously quite excited about finding a secret door or passageway to the enigmatic room. Together, they searched through the shelves looking for any levers, triggers, or mechanical devices. They weren’t having much luck until Simon noticed a rather plain looking leather-bound book on one of the upper shelves. The area directly in front of it showed a strange wear pattern that was not present anywhere else along the shelf. It almost appeared to be track marks.

Simon cocked his head to the side so that he could read the title of the book. It read The Ultimate Arbiter Elegantiarum: a book that prescribes, rules on, or is a recognized authority on matters of social behavior and taste.

Grinning, Simon said, “I think I found it.” He indicated the book in question and pointed out the strange grooves in the wood just in front of it.

Rose snorted with derision. “Of course he would use a book on how to be a gentleman as the trigger. What a monumental poseur.”

“Very well said, my dear.”

“Thank you…now how does that book work?” Rose said, reaching up to feel around the volume.

“Judging from the marks,” Simon replied, grabbing the book firmly, “I suspect you just…pull…on it.” Which he did just as he uttered the word pull and with a muffled pop, one side of the bookcase angled toward them about an inch. Moving over to the right, Simon felt along the edge of the bookcase and found that he could now wedge his fingers behind it and, with very little effort, he was able to pull the entire bookcase open, as one would a door.

Simon looked back at Rose and smiled. Caleb be damned! he thought. For today, he—and his fiancée—would finally see inside Collicott’s legendary hidden room.

Chapter Fourteen

Very few things that are considered impossible actually are.

—The Duke of Lancaster

Rose couldn’t believe it. They had found the secret room and the way inside it! Wait until Lady Lancaster hears this, she thought. She glanced at Simon expectantly, but he was looking back over her shoulder. Curious as to what could be more interesting than the room they had just uncovered, Rose asked, “Simon, is something wrong?”

“Wait just a moment, dear,” he replied. He went over to the library window and closed the curtains, giving another cursory look around the room. When he returned to her side, Rose looked at him inquisitively.

He shrugged. “Just in case one of the servants awakens. I wouldn’t want anyone to find anything out of place.”

Rose was impressed once again with Simon’s forethought. Flashing him an approving smile, she looked at the opening in the bookcase and then back at him.

“Oh, by all means…ladies first,” Simon said grandly, with a sweep of his arm.

Rose’s smile turned into an excited grin and she ducked through the narrow gap. She moved into the room just far enough to allow Simon space to enter behind her, but then she stopped. Looking around, she was just able to see a lamp and flint on a nearby shelf. Realizing the chances of finding the ring in the dark were pretty slim, Rose decided to risk lighting the lamp. And within moments the small room was filled with a golden light.

Simon ducked around her and she watched him immediately remove his overcoat and use it to cover the window. Rose then tugged and pulled on the bookshelf until it was almost closed, but not quite. Honestly, she didn’t want to hazard not being able to find the release mechanism on this side of the shelving if she didn’t have to.

When they were both finished with their tasks, they took a moment to look around at the contents of the room. As Rose saw through the window earlier, most of the wall space was occupied by more jewelry-store-type display cases. There were also items hanging on the walls and set on pedestals around the room. In one corner, there was a massive floor-to-ceiling armoire. It sat next to a display of strange objects, the majority of which Rose did not recognize, though the most prominent pieces appeared to be whips and belts of various sizes, made of leather and chains.

She moved a little closer to examine the curious collection further.

…

Glancing in Rose’s direction, Simon realized that the group of objects she found so intriguing was not something to be viewed by an impressionable young lady. Apparently Caleb was fascinated by the ancient art of torture and, presumably after the passing of Frederick, he had decided this room was as good a place as any to house his, er, playthings.

Quickly moving to intercept Rose’s investigation, Simon turned her firmly in the direction of the case holding Caleb’s innumerable rings; if for no other reason than to distract her, because while Rose had been sidetracked by the oddities in the far corner of the room, Simon had swiftly made note of the rest of the collectables in the space. If there had been any doubt before, Simon was now convinced that Caleb was completely off his rocker.

Aside from the smaller weapons of torment and the poison rings, the rest of the room was filled with torture devices—archaic and new alike. And where an actual guillotine or rack wouldn’t fit, there was a detailed scientific drawing of both framed and hung as if it were a piece of fine art. It was truly a horrific compilation of items, displayed by someone with an incredibly dark and twisted mind. Simon shuddered at the blackness that must make up Caleb’s soul.

It made him even more eager to find the stupid ring and get out of there.

“Here are the rings, Rose,” Simon said quietly, once they were in front of the case.

…

Rose looked at the large expanse of glittering and shining jewels. There were hundreds of them, just as she feared.

“There are so many, Simon,” Rose whispered despondently.

“I know, darling, but you can do this.”

Simon squeezed her hand and with his support, Rose took a deep breath and calmed her jittering nerves somewhat. She closed her eyes tight for a moment, then focused on the case in front of her and began searching through the hundreds of small sparkly rings for the one that matched the ring in her memory.

After a long couple of minutes, Rose looked up at Simon with a surprised look on her face. “It isn’t here,” she declared.

Simon turned to look at the baubles, as if he thought he could find it when she couldn’t. “That’s impossible! Are you sure? There are an awful lot of rings here; maybe you missed it.”

“I didn’t miss it.”

Rose glared at him and Simon immediately held up his hands. “All right. It’s not here. Now what?”

“Now, we…” Rose stopped and let out a long sigh. “Now we finally admit that Caleb is going to get away with murder and there is nothing we can do about it.”

…

“Rose—” Simon began, when suddenly he heard laughter coming from the other side of the bookcase. “Someone’s coming,” he whispered. Simon looked around the room swiftly and he soon determined there was only one real place to hide. “Quick, in here.”

He ran over to the armoire and flung the door open. Hanging in the closet were a dozen or more costumes for both men and women, it appeared. Oh Caleb, Simon thought with a shake of his head. Clearly these were items he utilized in his sexual fantasies, for certainly they were not appropriate for a fancy dress party or anywhere else, for that matter.

Grimacing over the fact that he and Rose were going to have to hide among Caleb’s, ah, special clothes—for lack of a better description—Simon grabbed Rose and pushed her into the large wardrobe. Looking around the room again, Simon swore when he saw his coat still hanging over the window. Motioning to Rose to stay put, he ran to the window and removed the garment, and then he went to the bookcase to extinguish the lamp, leaving it where he found it.

Before joining Rose in the armoire, he paused to listen at the opening of the hidden entrance. He could hear Caleb talking to someone. The person who replied sounded like a rather husky-voiced woman. Simon briefly held out hope that Caleb had just brought his lady friend to see the outer room, but then he heard Caleb say something about how the woman was really going to like his special collection.

Realizing that they were indeed coming into the secret room, Simon eased the bookcase all the way closed and hurried to join Rose in the closet. Once inside with the door shut, Simon and Rose pushed themselves all the way to the back of the armoire and arranged the clothes in front of them to conceal as much of themselves as possible. Simon knew that if Caleb gave the interior any more than a cursory glance, they would be spotted immediately, but there was nothing he could do about that.

Except pray. Not something with which he had had a whole lot of practice, but if he got out of this, he might seriously consider taking up the habit.

“Is he coming in here?” Rose whispered.

“Shhh,” Simon shushed. “Yes, he is, but there is someone with him, so if we remain completely quiet, hopefully they will just get what they need and then go.”

Simon only hoped and prayed that what they needed was not inside the wardrobe.

Rose nodded, but she was trembling so hard Simon would not have been surprised if the whole armoire was shaking. He moved slightly so that he could wrap her completely in his arms and then he just held her tight.

Seconds later, he heard the now familiar pop of the bookcase opening.

“Almost there, my sweet,” Caleb was crooning.

“Can I take this blindfold off?” the woman said. “I am afraid of what it is doing to my hair.”

“You have never looked more lovely, my girl,” Caleb responded silkily. “However, the blindfold is no longer necessary, so yes, we may remove it.”

Simon could see a faint light shining through the cracks of the armoire and he could hear the rustling of what he guessed was Caleb removing the person’s mask.

“Oh my!” the woman exclaimed.

“What do you think, my dear?” Caleb oozed. “Isn’t my collection just…titillating?”

His friend giggled. “Mmm, yes, darling. It is simply delicious.”

It sounded as if the two of them were standing just outside the wardrobe, which meant they were looking at his ring collection.

“Those are my pride and joy. Poison rings, you know.”

“Oh? You mean they all open in some way?”

“Yes, yes…they can all hold a bauble of some kind…or more likely a poison of some kind. Historically they were quite useful modes of, ah, execution, shall we say?” Caleb replied, before adding ominously, “As well as in recent history, too.”

“Recent history?” the woman repeated thoughtfully.

“What was that dear?” Caleb asked. “My hearing, you know.”

“Sorry, darling. I just wondered what you meant by ‘recent history’?”

“Oh, just that one ring in particular has come in very handy, as of late.”

“Really?” his friend drawled, before giggling again. “Oh, you naughty, naughty man.”

“I’ll show you naughty…” Caleb purred.

Simon heard what sounded like kissing and for a moment he was sure he was going to be sick right there in the closet. After much too long—in Simon’s opinion—the couple finally broke apart.

“My, my Caleb. You are a ravenous thing, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea,” Caleb replied huskily.

“So, which one did you use?” the woman asked, apparently returning to the subject of the rings.

Simon immediately perked up. Wouldn’t it be amazing if Caleb gave them the exact information they needed to convict him?

“Oh, it’s not here.”

“Where is it, then? Did you have to get rid of it?” she asked in a furtive whisper.

Simon and Rose both leaned forward, as interested in the answer as the woman.

“Oh, no, no,” Caleb chuckled. “That ring has not yet lost its usefulness. There is one more thing I need to take care of first. Then it can be returned to this room and be displayed in a place of honor.”

Rose gasped and Simon quickly covered her mouth with his hand. He stood frozen for a moment, expecting Caleb to throw open the door at any second. But after a full minute, Simon realized he was much too absorbed in his, er, friend to notice such a little sound.

A few minutes later, Simon began to pray that Caleb didn’t take his romance to its conclusion right there in the room. The couple seemed extremely caught up in the passion of the moment. Fortunately, seconds later, his prayers were answered when he heard the woman whisper something about taking their lovemaking upstairs. Caleb readily agreed and, despite some argument over putting the blindfold back on, the two quickly exited the room and made their way elsewhere in the mansion.

Simon heaved a huge sigh of relief and, after waiting another five minutes in the stifling armoire, he and Rose stepped out into the now dark and quiet room. Neither one said a word as they made their way over to the bookcase.

The lever to open the secret door from this side was much more obvious—apparently the Collicotts figured that once in the room, keeping the door a secret was rather unnecessary—and within seconds, the duo was making their way down the hall, through the kitchen, and down the basement staircase.

Finding the window in the basement was much easier than finding the door, since their eyes had long since adjusted to the gloominess, and the moonlight was shining brightly through the dusty panes.

Simon gave Rose a boost and she scrambled up through the opening. He quickly followed. Closing the window behind them, Simon followed Rose silently away from the Shrewsbury Manse and back down the dark streets and alleyways toward Rose’s house.

…

About halfway home, Rose had to stop. She felt as if her heart was going to explode. The events of the evening had begun to catch up with her and if she didn’t stop for a moment, she was afraid she would pass out.

Simon, apparently sensing her need, led her over to a large rock situated under the shadow of a tree where they could rest for a few minutes without being seen.

Rose gratefully sat on the hard surface and lowered her head to her knees. She remembered reading somewhere that putting your head down while sitting could really help when one is feeling faint. At this point, she decided it couldn’t hurt to try.

“Are you all right?” Simon asked, his voice filled with concern.

Rose waved her hand to indicate she was fine and a few moments later sat upright and said, “I’m sorry. I just needed to get my breath.”

“Don’t be sorry, love,” Simon replied. “This has been a strange and difficult night.”

She nodded. “Did you hear that Caleb plans to use his ring again?”

“You caught that too, did you?”

“Yes, what do you suppose he meant?”

“I think someone is in danger.”

Rose considered that statement and had to agree that was likely the case. The question was…who? One name immediately popped into her head. William!

William and Hannah had had a run-in with Caleb recently that left the lord humiliated. Caleb had tried to blackmail Hannah into marrying him, and had even gone so far as to threaten her life before he was stopped. And while all involved had decided pressing charges against Caleb would lead nowhere because of the man’s standing in society, the hatred for the engaged couple still clearly burned in the man’s eyes whenever they appeared at the same event.

“Simon,” she said in a hushed tone, “you don’t suppose he is going after William, do you?”

“That would be my guess, yes.”

Rose looked at Simon with stark fear. “We have to stop him.”

“And we will,” Simon said. “But right now, we need to get you home. We can work on a plan tomorrow.”

“All right,” Rose said. Perhaps once they had a plan the knot growing in her stomach would go away. It wouldn’t do to become bogged down in fright. They had to remain alert and aware. There was no way that Rose would let someone else die at the hands of this monster—no way at all.

Standing, she held out her hand to Simon, who took it immediately. Together they quickly made their way back to the Warren house.