Page 46 of The Swan Detective (The Swan Syndicate #2)

Beckworth left Hensley’s manor with so much information swirling in his head that he barely registered his arrival at Templeton’s manor.

He worked through the last few days, organizing the data into buckets: the mission, the jewelry theft, Stella’s role in all of it, where everything intersected, and the damage it was doing to their relationship.

Perhaps damage was too strong a word, but the intimacy that came easily between them had slipped away. Once he quieted all the other distractions, a spark of inspiration released the tension and urged his race up the steps and through the foyer.

In order to put his plan in place, he needed Libby, who was doing such a marvelous job of staying out of his way that it took fifteen minutes to find anyone willing to tell him where she might be.

He marched through the manor on his way to the garden, shutting down his irritation.

He’d wanted Libby to be Stella’s lady’s maid because she had the same innate bold nature as Stella.

Then he’d worried—perhaps with a bit of irritation—when she’d become Stella’s accomplice and, at times, the instigator.

When another realization hit him, he stopped in the solarium to sit for a few minutes. Libby had become more than a lady’s maid and sidekick. She’d become her protector. And she had enough gumption to use the skills she’d learned as a member of a crew to stand between him and Stella if needed.

Her actions weren’t proper in this time period, where men ruled the house, but it wasn’t the same in Stella’s time period.

He’d never had an issue with Libby before Stella came into his life.

In fact, he depended on her for many reasons.

She was one of the best spies in his service.

Libby was who she was because she had to grow up fast and grow up tough to survive in the East End.

But as much trouble as the two could get into, he knew Libby would keep her safe.

He found her cutting blooms from a group of wallflowers. There were also sweet peas, daffodils, and roses lying in her basket.

She turned when she heard his footsteps, and though he caught her initial guard go up, she gave him a pleasant smile. “Hello, sir. Stella is still at Hensley’s manor.” She snipped another stalk of blooms and held it to her nose. “These aren’t her favorites, but they have such a lovely scent.”

He sat on a nearby bench. “She doesn’t have any in her garden in Baywood, so she’s not as familiar with them, but she’ll appreciate them if not for their color alone.

And yes, she’ll be at Hensley’s for another couple of hours.

” He was going to apologize for his recent behavior, then decided on a different approach that wouldn’t ruffle her feathers.

For now, he ignored the tension between them.

“I was wondering if you’d help me with something I’d like to do for Stella.” When her brow lifted, he gave her a sheepish grin. “I owe her an apology.”

Libby straightened and did her best to hold back a smile. “What did you have in mind?”

The tension between them eased after he discussed his plans, and his spirits were higher than they’d been in days as he rode his horse to the East End. Though the closer he got to his destination, the more he grumbled at the prospect of dealing with taunts, no matter how well deserved.

He hadn’t expected Chester to answer the door, but he had anticipated the wide grin he received.

“Did you enjoy helping Stella behind my back?” He kept his tone light as he handed Chester a bottle of Jameson.

Chester barked a laugh. “Feeling left out? I assume the flowers aren’t for me.” He gripped the bottle of whiskey and gave his back to Beckworth. “Shut the door behind you.”

Beckworth closed the door and followed Chester down the narrow hall to the kitchen, where Katherine was busy making biscuits.

“Hello, stranger.” Her grin was as warm as always, and she wiped her hands on a towel when she spotted the flowers. “Such a grand gesture.” She sniffed them. “Oh, they’re lovely. Did you snip these yourself?” She waved for him to sit.

He pulled out a chair while Chester opened the bottle and grabbed two glasses from a cupboard. “Libby might have helped. She was the one with the snippers, but I pointed out the ones I wanted.”

“You’ve always had a way with flowers.” Katherine found a pitcher and poured water into it before arranging the blooms. “I was just getting ready to feed Chester. Do you have time to stay?”

“When have I ever said no to your food?”

Katherine set the pitcher of flowers on a nearby table and patted his hand on her return to the biscuits. “You’ve found yourself a strong woman in Stella. You’d be unsatisfied with anything less.”

“And you played a large part in making Libby the sassy wench she is.” Chester pushed the glass of whiskey over, then pulled out his pipe. The soft scent of cherry mixed well with the pot of stew on the stove.

Beckworth held up his hands. “I’m not here to question why you helped Stella. I’ll admit I was upset when I first discovered it, but now that I’ve had time to think, it might have been worse between us had I known at the time.”

“Are things not right with you and Stella?” Katherine gave Chester a worried glance.

“It’s more that I’ve been distracted with a new mission of Hensley’s.”

“And the mission would be more important than a theft of jewelry.” Chester nodded as he released another pleasant puff of smoke. “I understand that. Though I would think Stella would understand it as well.”

Beckworth took a sip of whiskey, and his words came out in a rush. “Stella didn’t know about the mission.”

“You didn’t tell her?”

“Hensley requested I not mention it.”

Chester pulled the pipe from his lips in time for a loud belly laugh to burst out. “Well, that put you in quite the dilemma.”

He didn’t look at Katherine because he didn’t need to see the pity. He downed the rest of the whiskey instead, grimacing as the amber liquid heated him from the inside out. “It was a difficult lesson to learn.”

“I don’t know what I’d have done in that situation, but I know how Katherine would have responded. As long as you’ve learned, there’s nothing more I can say that Stella hasn’t already advised.”

Beckworth lifted his empty glass. Chester refilled it then lifted his glass in a toast to Beckworth’s growth as a committed man.

Chester caught him up on events since the crew party. “This theft among the nobles has created problems for the crews.”

“That should ease up soon. If you haven’t heard, your crew’s help has led us to the thief’s den.”

“We knew the urchins would be able to track him, but we didn’t know if it would help beyond that.”

“Stella and Libby did the rest.”

“The urchins thought he was a sailor.” Chester scratched his jaw, and rather than give Beckworth a hard time since Stella had claimed that fact from the beginning, he moved on. “Now, why would a sailor be stealing jewelry from the rich? And specific jewelry made by a Frenchman.”

“You should be in Parliament. You made the connection faster than most of us.”

“Is the jewelry worth the price of rifles or other contraband, or is there a fat Frenchman with a penchant for rare French fashion accessories?”

“Smugglers might believe they’re worth it.”

Chester sat back and puffed on his pipe as he considered the information. “I take it Hensley has made the connection.”

Beckworth snorted. “He already has plans drawn up. He wants to put Lady Swan into play.”

Chester’s brow lifted.

Katherine squeaked out, “Oh, my. That sounds dangerous.”

“I agree.” Beckworth still had misgivings, regardless of how sound the plan.

“Are you looking for protection?” Chester asked.

“Maybe for a couple of nights. Only when she’s around the docks, the pub where the thief led the urchins, and the private club that appears to be French only.”

Chester nodded. “The one a couple doors down from Harrington’s tailor shop?”

“You know it?”

“We’ve been aware of it and the clientele it attracts. Just let us know when and where.” Chester put the cork back in the whiskey bottle and gave him a sly smile. “And this time, we’ll expect payment.”

Beckworth grinned and pulled out a pouch. The coins jingled as they hit the table. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.” When Chester reached over to take it, Beckworth laid a hand on his arm. “And thank you for helping Stella with the urchins. I know she paid them, but you’ve been a good friend.”

“She’s one of us. You only need to ask.”

S tella was quiet on the carriage ride back to the manor. Eleanor didn’t seem to mind as she watched the city go by. The women had been reenergized with hope that the stolen jewelry might be recovered.

She’d also been positive that, if the items hadn’t already been sold, there was a chance of retrieving them.

Still, she’d only picked at her food, her nerves a jumble about assuming the role of Lady Swan again.

In many ways, she’d been excited about being included in the mission.

She liked working with Beckworth—discussing the mission, working through various strategies, and getting his opinion on her thoughts.

They worked well together and had since the first day they’d met when she refused to get on his horse. It wasn’t as if she’d had a choice. She either did what he asked or be recaptured by Gemini’s men. But she’d been stubborn and scared.

He’d seen through her nonsense and had simply walked off, his horse trailing behind him.

She didn’t think he’d have left without her, but he could have just grabbed her and tossed her over the saddle as Gaines, Gemini’s henchman, had done.

Beckworth had given her the opportunity to work through her options, knowing she’d get on the horse with him, someone AJ had known and trusted, rather than deal with Gemini’s mercenaries.