Page 41 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)

Her instinct was to ask why, but the sound of boots close to the alley entrance kept her mouth shut as she helped move it. A small door that led to a basement had been hidden behind it. There was an alcove just the right size for the two of them.

Stella jumped down next to Libby.

“Pull that board over.” Libby pointed to an old piece of lumber.

Stella dropped the duffel and yanked on the board, cringing at the sound it made. Libby pressed into her as she grabbed part of it, and soon the board covered most of the doorway entrance.

Libby pulled her down to sit in the darkness.

The doorway wasn’t completely covered, but there was limited light, so they should be well hidden from the men following them.

It didn’t reduce her anxiety. If the men hadn’t heard the screech of the board, they would certainly hear the thumping of her heart that sounded like a bass drum.

Libby gripped her hand, but it wasn’t because she was scared.

Her breaths were calm and even, and soon, Stella’s heartbeat slowed as she leaned her head back against the door.

She would need a good bath after this, and she took a moment to sniff her armpits.

She was sweating like she was sitting in the Arizona desert at high noon in the middle of summer without a cactus in sight for shade.

And she didn’t want to know what her hair looked like.

It seemed like forever before the bootsteps slowed as they approached the women’s hiding spot. Three men strode by, but rather than continue, they slowed to a stop.

They turned around and stopped with their backs to the women. They must have sensed they’d lost the trail. Or were they privy to the hidey-hole Libby had found?

When one of the men turned in a slow circle, scanning every inch of the alley, Stella sucked in a breath.

O nce the meeting with Hensley was over, and the spymaster had left the room, preferring not to be seen with anyone, Beckworth glanced at the others.

“It’s still early enough to check the pub,” he suggested, looking to Jamie, who was directing this mission. Now that Stella expected him to be out most of the evening, he might as well make the most of it.

“It’s about the right hour that we might catch something.” Fitz was always up for surveillance.

Jamie looked to André, whose gaze flitted from one man to the next, not anxious, just waiting to see what the next move might be. “Are you game to give it a go this evening?”

The Frenchman shrugged. “It’s a good hour for loose lips. And it would make sense that I might be relieved of my station or watch—whatever you call it.”

Fitz grinned. “That’s what I like. A man up for a challenge. I know I said I’d follow you in, but I think I’ll go in first and find a spot for a quiet drink.” He covered the bowl of his pipe to snuff out the fire. “Keep a sharp eye, but once you spot me, don’t look my way again.”

André nodded, but his smile was melancholy and perhaps a bit defeated.

Beckworth slapped him on the shoulder. “That’s exactly what we want.

” And seeing the light in André’s eyes dim, he leaned in.

“Pull on that experience while you’re playing your part.

Stay in that role if that’s what you need to do, but your days of being at the bottom are over.

This is your first step to something better.

But what you do with it is on you. Understand. ”

André’s rare smile flickered. “I understand. But, for now, I feel more comfortable with what I know.”

“Then let’s be off.” Jamie stood. “Let’s give it an hour this evening, unless André finds someone to listen to his woes.” He glanced down at André, who remained seated. “Do you know where the Daphne is moored?”

He shook his head.

Fitz stood. “Not to worry. When you’re ready to leave, make a left out of the pub and a right on the main street.

It will lead you to the docks. Sit on a crate and wait for me.

I’ll be right behind you. When you see me, wait for a bit to make sure no one is following me, then come along.

I’ll wait for you farther down the pier. ”

André stood on somewhat shaky legs but nodded.

Jamie turned to Beckworth. “And where shall we go?”

“To our lookout. I don’t expect André to get an invitation this evening, but we might as well see who comes and goes from the clubhouse.”

Twenty minutes later, Beckworth climbed the stairs to the second-floor office in the old warehouse. Jamie and Lando followed once they lit two lanterns on the first floor, which provided enough dim light to guide their way upstairs.

The street wasn’t nearly as busy as during the day, but a few couples with their heads down scurried through. Most of the traffic came from single men heading home from a pub or stumbling to the next one. No one slowed for the door to the clubhouse.

A half hour quickly passed as the men traded stories about various missions, but through it all, Beckworth wondered what Stella was up to. He couldn’t help but question why he was standing in a cold warehouse watching a door that no one entered, rather than being back at the manor with her.

“Here we go.” Lando, who’d been leaning against the window, sharpening his dagger, tucked the blade away. “Two men approaching the door.”

“They look better dressed than most of the men that enter,” Beckworth observed, waiting to see if they went in.

When the men disappeared inside the clubhouse, Beckworth scratched his jaw. “Do you think they came from the pub?”

“Did you see that?” Jamie straightened as he stepped closer to the window.

“In the alley?” Beckworth had caught the movement, but it had been quick.

“Two people. Too big for the crew urchins,” Lando said.

Beckworth focused on the spot, attempting to pick up the nuances of the night shadows.

He’d seen two people as well. Their heads had been down.

One had been in a dress, the other in pants.

There was something familiar about them, though it had only been a flash as they raced down the street in the opposite direction from the door the men had been watching.

“Maybe a young couple,” Jamie said.

Beckworth’s gut twisted. It couldn’t have been.

How would they have gotten down here, and why would they be at the docks?

Another movement caught his eye. Two burly men marched out of the alley where the other two had come from.

After a quick glance both ways, they turned toward the direction the first two had run, and they picked up their pace.

“We need to get down there.” Beckworth didn’t wait for the others as he ran out of the office and down the stairs. The clomping of boots assured him they were right behind him. He was racing out the door as the lanterns in the warehouse turned dark.

Beckworth made a left out of the building, then turned again when he reached the first alley, cutting over to the street with the clubhouse. He rushed to the alley entrance.

“This isn’t the way they went.” Jamie glanced around, then peered down the street where the others had run.

“Damn it to hell.” Beckworth bent down and picked up the one item he hadn’t wanted to find. He held it up for the others to see.

“A swan?” Lando rubbed his face when he realized what that meant.

“Keep your eyes out for more.” Beckworth pocketed the swan and raced down the street in the direction the men had run. They must have been chasing Stella and Libby.

“How could she have gotten down here, and who was with her?” Jamie asked.

“I thought they looked familiar, but I couldn’t put it together fast enough. She’s with Libby.”

No one said another word. They didn’t have to.

After Hensley’s mention of a fourth theft, and Stella not saying a word about it, he had no doubt they were tracking the thief.

How the hell had she located someone the constables and watchmen couldn’t?

It might have been one of her gut instincts, or maybe Libby had gotten her involved with something else entirely.

Either way, if men were following them, it wasn’t good.

They found three more swans, understanding the directional placements where they’d been dropped, before they came upon the two men at an intersection.

They spun around when they heard the hurried footsteps behind them, and Lando fell back to remain in the shadows.

Beckworth had a clear view of their faces, even in the dim light, but didn’t recognize either of them.

“What do you want?” The man on the left spoke with a deep London accent and was an inch shorter than the other man, although it didn’t mean much as they were both husky.

“We’re looking for a couple of natty boys who stole a few quid and a crown from us.” Beckworth was grateful that while his days of spying were few and far between, his ability to come up with a quick lie hadn’t grown rusty.

Jamie glanced at the ground by the corner of the building. Beckworth followed his gaze and spotted the white swan lying on the cobblestone like an injured bird.

“We haven’t seen anyone.” He nudged the bigger man and gave him a head nod in the direction opposite from where the women had run, if the placement of the swan was to be believed.

The men hustled off quickly, and if it hadn’t been for the swans, Beckworth would have thought they’d made a mistake in the men’s intentions.

Lando stepped out of the shadows and picked up the swan.

“Did you recognize the men?” Jamie asked.

Lando nodded. “The sailor on the right has been seen on the Nighthawk .”

Jamie looked at Beckworth. “What are Stella and Libby up to?”

Anger at Stella’s rash decisions nipped at Beckworth. “I don’t know. But let’s see if we can find them.”

They continued to follow the swans and were surprised a block later when they didn’t find any more of them. They scanned the intersection in all four directions.

“Beckworth. Over here.”

He whipped around. “Stella?” He peered into the darkness and walked toward the voice.

Jamie and Lando followed as they kept an eye on their surroundings.

“Yes. Get over here. There are men following us.”

“I know. They’re gone.” Beckworth’s anger was tempered by curiosity while he watched a board pushed aside to reveal what looked like a doorway.

There was a shuffle of feet as Stella, followed by Libby, stepped out of the small alcove.

“What are you doing down here?” Beckworth hissed.

Stella and Libby stared at each other but didn’t seem eager to share.

“What made you drop the swans?” Jamie asked, seeming to understand that a different tactic was required.

Beckworth would have done the same thing if his anger and fear for Stella’s safety hadn’t overridden his common sense. He should know that his darkening mood wouldn’t sit well with her.

“So you could track us.” Stella pulled up the duffel strap that kept sliding down her shoulder.

“What made you think anyone who understood the swans would be down here?” Beckworth asked.

“Because you were watching from the warehouse window.”

Beckworth took a step back and ignored the low chuckles coming from Jamie and Lando. “How did you know that?”

Stella rolled her eyes and pointed to Libby. “She saw you moments before the bad guys saw us.”

“I should have known.” He gave Libby an appraising look. His inner crew member found it difficult to admonish her for her excellent skills. “Good to see you haven’t become lazy.”

Libby tsked. “Please. I’m not as old as some.” She grinned, then elbowed Stella. “We should get going. They might come back this way.”

Beckworth grabbed Stella’s arm when she moved toward the alley. “Not that way. You’re coming with us.”

Stella tugged her arm free. “Lincoln is waiting for us.”

Beckworth’s original irritation returned.

“You got Lincoln involved in your scheming? And you still haven’t explained why you’re here in the first place.

” He pointed at Libby. “You know how dangerous it is down here.” He waved his arm down the street where the two brutes had gone. “Two men were chasing you.”

Stella took a step back and planted both fists on her hips.

“I’m not sure where to start with you.” She ignored another round of chuckles from Jamie and Lando.

“First, we were not scheming. We were investigating a theft. Something the police, guards, inspectors, whatever you call them—” she waved an arm in the air as if the universe could provide the answer, “—should be doing. But they don’t seem to care that precious items are being stolen.

” She stood straighter. “I’m going to find Elizabeth’s necklace, and now we’re one step closer.

” She stopped, her eyes rolling upward as she thought.

“What was I saying? Oh, yeah. We’re not scheming.

“Secondly, and I suppose my only other thought, is regarding Lincoln’s involvement.

How else were we supposed to get down here?

It’s too far to walk, and I can’t drive the coach in these narrow streets.

” She considered her statement. “Maybe I need to learn to do that. You know. In case we have to escape in a hurry and there’s no other conveyance. ”

Libby attempted to hold back a grin but failed miserably. Lando stared at the dark night sky as if searching for answers to life in the stars, and Jamie, unabashed about his wide smile, looked on in apparent adoration.

Beckworth rubbed his temple. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a headache. All he could do was growl out, “We’ll walk you back to your carriage.”

Libby nudged Stella. “Shouldn’t we tell them about the thief and his partner going into that unmarked door?”

“Back where we first saw you?” Jamie asked.

Libby nodded. “Two men, dressed in fine clothing, though not nice enough for a ball. One had a cloak.”

The men looked at each other.

“We still need to check on Fitz and André,” Lando said.

“They’ll be alright for another hour. Let’s go back to the warehouse and see if we can catch them leaving, if they haven’t already.” Jamie waited for Beckworth. “We can catch up with Barrington.”

When Beckworth nodded, the men rushed off, leaving him to follow behind Libby, since she was the only one who could lead them to Lincoln.

His anger at Stella diminished slightly as he watched her march alongside Libby.

She kept her chin lifted and her stride confident all the way back to the coach.

He jumped onto the bench with Lincoln rather than be enclosed with two hostile women for the ride back, and mused, not for the first time, how he could be so upset with her yet proud at the same time.