Page 2 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)
Stella Caldway burst into the kitchen and rushed to set the bags on the dining room table, brushing past a dazed-looking AJ Murphy, who fell back against the sink to give her room. After blowing out a long sigh, her arms now burden-free, she spun around.
“I thought for sure I was going to drop everything in the hallway. I should know better than to bring everything in one trip, but I didn’t account for weight.” Stella tilted her head and stared at her best friend. “What?” She grinned. “Did Beckworth forget to call?”
AJ pulled out of her dazed response. “Why would Beckworth call?” She hesitated before shuffling to the table to peer into the first bag. A brow lifted.
“I was running late, and he was supposed to let you know I was dropping by.” Stella stepped back, waiting for the explosion to come. She wasn’t disappointed.
“What’s up?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know damn well what I mean. The last time you brought me one of Donna’s pies was when you confessed you were going back to Waverly.” She stared into the second bag, then slowly glanced up at Stella. “No. The wine isn’t going to help, either.”
“It’s no big deal.” She bit her lower lip, trying not to smile, knowing she shouldn’t, but AJ was so predictable.
“We agreed we wouldn’t use the Mórdha stones like round-trip tickets to Europe.”
She managed to hold in a chuckle. It was difficult with AJ’s brows scrunched over her eyes, squinting so hard, tiny lines appeared above her nose.
“I agree, the travel through the fog is not pleasant. In fact,” She rubbed her backside, remembering the last landing from three months ago. “It seems to be getting rougher.”
“That seems a good enough reason not to go.” She unpacked the pie and placed it on the counter, shoving the box under a cabinet in a vain attempt to get it out of their line of sight. AJ was very protective of her marionberry pies. “You were at Waverly just three months ago.”
“But we didn’t get an opportunity to go to London for the season. I hadn’t even considered it, but Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Mary cornered me and insisted we come back.”
AJ turned a bit green with the mention of the dowager, Dame Elizabeth Ellingsworth, then her expression lightened and a small smile crossed her lips. Was she thinking of her time in London? “We never went to a ball.” She laughed. “At least not one that wasn’t part of a mission.”
Stella was never one to pass on an opening, and she pounced on this one. “Wouldn’t it be fun to hang out in London and do nothing but go to parties and balls. Just think about the fashion.”
“It was like playing dress-up.” AJ stared dreamily into space before shrugging her shoulders. “You seem to have survived the last trip without any issues.”
Stella opened one of the bottles of wine and grabbed two wineglasses from the kitchen cabinet.
They had survived, but it hadn’t been without bloodshed.
And she’d been the one to spill it. The thought of Cheval and the crossbow sent shivers down her spine, but her nightmares had diminished, thanks to Beckworth.
Whenever she woke from one, he was always there to hold her. He never gave her the typical responses of “it will get better soon” or “you didn’t have a choice.” Rather, he comforted her with soft words of “it’s alright” or “I’m right here with you” until she fell back to sleep.
It hadn’t been her fault. She had to save Beckworth.
Cheval had kidnapped her and forced her to watch him torture someone.
There was no doubt in her mind that he’d committed countless other atrocities as a smuggler.
England was better off without him. If it hadn’t been her, it would eventually have been someone else.
Besides, most of her memories of their trip were filled with shared stories and laughter among good friends.
She was excited about going back. If she could only get AJ to understand.
Pushing thoughts of Cheval aside, she squared her shoulders and handed AJ a glass of wine before strolling out to the back deck.
The sun was out and the temperature mild.
With no coastal breeze, it was warm enough to spend time enjoying the view.
“I know everyone thinks it would be better for Beckworth to close that chapter of his life and concentrate on his life here. And he is trying.”
AJ leaned back in her chair and propped her feet on another, resting her wineglass on her belly in between sips. “He needs a purpose. I get it. I think we’ve all felt that way at some point in our lives. He had it all in his timeline. A grand estate, a title, and an occasional mission for Hensley.”
“He worked hard to climb his way out of the poorest part of London, eventually rising from nothing to the aristocracy. Though he does admit some of that path wasn’t performed with the cleanest of hands.”
AJ lifted her face to the sun. “I’m not sure he could have done it any other way.
Not in those times. And he was the son of a duke, bastard or not.
I know he didn’t make Maire’s life easy.
When I first met her, I’d made a comment that at least she was being held in comfort.
She’d called it a gilded cage, and she was right.
But after Reginald locked her in a horrid, dark cell for months like some common thief, she looks at Beckworth differently.
He had her best interest in mind, keeping her safe and well-cared for while he walked a line with the duke and Dugan.
” She turned her gaze from the ocean to Stella.
“Where is he, anyway? You two are still joined at the hips most days.”
Stella grinned. “He’s taken an interest in our city and various businesses. He spends a lot of time at the community center. He’s actually joined a couple of groups.”
“Don’t tell me. One of the groups is the old guys who play chess on the waterfront.”
Stella laughed. “He loves their stories, and who knows the town better than those who’ve spent their whole lives here.
And they talk about every subject under the sun.
Then there’s a book club, though he only goes to a few of the gatherings.
He’s more interested in knowing what books they’re reading.
And he begged me to let him be my representative on the business council. ”
AJ snorted. “Did you really make him beg? You hated having to show up for those. And if I remember correctly, you missed half of them.”
She grinned at her knowing friend. “If he went to all the trouble of creating the perfect romantic day, who am I to spoil his fun?”
They laughed then fell silent, each in their own thoughts as they enjoyed the sun and the crisp, salty scent of the sea.
“I’m okay if you want to go back. I doubt this will be the last time.” AJ placed her empty wineglass on the patio table. “I think we should set some ground rules.”
“Should I get a notepad to get them all down?”
“Funny.” AJ sat up and turned toward her.
“The scariest thing is not being able to pick up a phone and check to make sure you’re okay.
I know we don’t have to worry about the stones or the chronicles anymore, but there’s a war going on, and with it being very different times, no pun intended, it can be dangerous. ”
“I can’t argue that.” She’d certainly experienced that well enough. “We need to define a period of time for when you’re right to start worrying.”
“Exactly. What about two weeks? That’s several months in that time period.”
“And then what?” Stella asked.
“It’s best if we send either Ethan or Finn to Hensley’s estate in Bristol. If anyone knows what’s going on, it would be him.”
“What if he’s in London for the season or some other reason?”
“Waverly is close. Barrington would be the next best person to check in with.”
Stella nodded. Her inclination would be to go straight to Waverly, but Hensley made better sense.
“Beckworth wants to leave this weekend. How about a dinner the night before, and we’ll nail down the rules.
” She glanced at AJ, who had turned back to the sea.
“You know Finn and Ethan would both want to go.”
AJ nodded. “I suppose it makes sense for them to both go. Then, depending on what the problem is, they can either handle it together or one can come back if they need help.”
Stella reached across the table and held out her hand, and AJ gripped it. “It’s like umbrellas.”
AJ snorted. “If you have one, it probably won’t rain.”
“And backup plans are the same. It brings comfort.” Stella had come here without Beckworth specifically so she could have alone time with her friend.
Her task was to reassure AJ about their trip in case it did become a regular quarterly event.
She thought she’d succeeded, but it was confirmed with AJ’s next words.
“Well, let’s not let that pie go to waste.”
V iscount Theodore Beckworth rose early, leaving Stella to sleep in.
They’d leave in a couple of hours to meet the group at the inn’s dock for their trip to Waverly.
They could leave from any location, but the dock had become the single gathering point from the first time Finn Murphy had stolen AJ away to the past. It had become a ritual that no one was comfortable changing, and with the Heart Stone and the earrings that had been chipped from the stone securely stored at the inn, it simply made sense.
While he had his own reason for getting up early, there was no reason to wake Stella. She wasn’t a morning person, and she’d be irritable enough when it was time to lure her out of bed.
He tiptoed down the dark hall to the guest room where he’d set up his office.
A bed filled a portion of the room, but there was enough space for a desk near the window.
They’d replaced two dressers with bookshelves, leaving one dresser for guests.
Though a guest had never used the room, it made sense to make the room dual-purpose, just in case.