Chapter Nineteen

In the shadow of the townhouse where Chatterley resided, Adam’s skin crawled, as if eyes peered from every window. He tugged Lily closer to his side. “I would do this if I could…”

“You can’t. He hates you and we both know it.”

The reminder that they had been reduced to begging more time from their enemy rankled. But they couldn’t accomplish anything—not Chatterley’s task, not removing themselves from his influence—without more time. Despite Chatterley’s attempts, Adam would not walk away if doing so would leave his wife in a precarious position.

Truthfully, he didn’t know if he could walk away at all.

Lily laid her free hand on his chest, over his heart. Spending the night with her had only increased his awareness of her, not lessened it. He ached to keep her with him, out of danger, for as long as possible.

When he met her gaze, the crinkles at the corners of her eyes deepened. “I know. I’m not some weak-willed damsel who will melt at the first sign of danger. I can face him— I will face him. He sees me as a friend.”

Adam tightened his grip on her. “Does he? It seems to me that if he did, he would never have asked you to do this.”

Lily’s gaze traveled up over his shoulder, growing distant and reflecting the overcast sky.

She knew he was right. As a friend, Chatterley had finally flown his true colors. Adam had taken his measure four years ago. Now Lily knew, as well.

But if she let on that he’d told her anything, their lives would be forfeit. Chatterley held all the cards. Adam wouldn’t gamble with Lily’s life.

So he had to let her go. Prying up his fingers felt like prying up bars of steel. When he released her, he clenched his fist and lowered it to his side. Unfortunately, Lily was the best person to approach Chatterley and renegotiate their bargain.

“Do you know what to say?”

She nodded, though she looked dubious. She studied a chipped cobblestone at her foot before raising her gaze to Adam’s once more. “I think so. We need more time, yes?”

He nodded, curt. “Yes. He’s a devilish fellow, so be wary. Don’t attempt to manipulate him. A straightforward approach is better. With luck, he’ll see reason.” Adam didn’t believe in luck, not in the life he’d led, but he forced a hopeful smile. “I have faith in you. If you can, convince him and leave straightaway.”

He had plans for this evening while she was keeping Chatterley occupied, but he would rather jeopardize those plans than see her in danger.

“I will. Here I go.”

Adam waited in the shadow of the neighboring townhouse as she mounted the steps and was let into Chatterley’s residence. Weeks of research had taught him that Chatterley kept a single manservant as these quarters were intended for a bachelor’s use. A maidservant went up and down the street on a weekly basis, cleaning each of the residences for a fee. But today, the only people inside would be Chatterley, his valet, and Lily.

As the valet led her deeper into the house, he left the servants’ entrance unguarded. Adam slipped inside without trouble. Now, he prayed he could find any shred of evidence to use against Chatterley when persuading him to leave them alone.

Adam had a lot of work ahead of him, and not much time to do it.

…

Straight-backed, Lily stepped into Reid’s study. His eyes intense, he stood from behind the desk.

“How are you enjoying the books I lent you?”

Inwardly, she cursed. She should have brought them with her. Her smile fluttered at the edges, but she held it valiantly. “I’m learning a lot from them. Thank you.”

His eyes brightened a moment. “Which ones have you finished? I might have others on the subject to lend you. Or perhaps you’d care to take a stroll through the museum…”

Staring him in the face, she clenched her teeth. How could he treat her as a friend, as if nothing had changed, after the way he had actively ruined her life?

She smiled tightly. “Perhaps after I’ve settled this matter. I have a lot of work to do yet.”

His expression darkened. “You haven’t sent me further updates.”

“That’s because I haven’t got any to send,” she snapped.

The air hummed with tension from her quick rebuff, but she held his gaze, refusing to back down. Refusing to show weakness to this greedy, grasping man who used others for his pleasure.

What would he think if I told him he was the very image of the man he believed Adam to be?

Adam…was a different man. Possessed of a deep generosity of spirit and an unshakable loyalty. Adam would never have asked a friend to steal for him.

Without an invitation, Lily crossed to the desk and perched on the seat opposite. Chatterley remained standing, looming over her with an expression of disapproval. “Why are you here?”

There was a faint bruise along one side of his jaw, but she tried not to stare. “What you ask of me is impossible.”

He bristled, seeming even larger in that moment. But Lily had faced down worse than him. She didn’t flinch.

“Then the debt…”

She could almost feel the strings he’d bound her with tighten. “What about the debt, Reid? Are you going to turn it over to the courts?”

He dropped into the chair behind the desk, leaning his elbows against the wood. When he ran his fingers through his hair, his expression turned pained. “What would you have me do, Lily? If I don’t, I won’t be able to continue living here in London. I won’t have the funds. Or have you forgotten how far reduced my circumstances have become?”

You had enough to buy the debt. Which was a far cry more than she.

Having planned to live off the annuity that came with her dowry, she knew Reid could live comfortably, though perhaps not have paid his manservant.

Heaven forbid he should do his own work.

She had no pity for him, despite the way he beseeched her.

Stiffly, she answered, “Perhaps I should rephrase. I meant to say that I can’t do what you ask in so few days. I need more time. Time to formulate a plan or I’ll be hanging from the end of a noose. Is that what you want? You won’t be able to do much with that artifact if the whole world knows that it’s stolen.”

Reid looked away. “I had it in my possession once before. Any papers I write on it could have been created during that time.”

He said nothing of her impending death. He had never cared for her.

“Will you give me the time I need or will you leave me to the wolves?”

He scowled. “The only thing I’ve heard from your lips since we’ve begun is, ‘I need more time.’ What assurance do I have that you will do as I request?”

“I’ve made progress.”

He cocked one eyebrow. “Have you? Because the only progress I’ve seen you make is in confirming a fact that I told you. You could have trusted me.”

After everything you’ve done? She bit her tongue so hard she tasted blood.

After a deep, steadying breath and gingerly touching her tender tongue to the roof of her mouth, she said more civilly, “I am making progress. I don’t want this to reflect on me or my family. And in order to do that, I must be clever about it. I’m confident that I will get another dinner party invitation and at that time, I can make my move. But the next dinner party is a month away and before then, I need time to formulate a plan. I need to research.”

He splayed his palms over the desk and half stood, leaning toward her. “What sort of research? You know that’s my strong point.”

No, she was beginning to think it was Adam’s. Chatterley would have had her toss the artifact out the window the very first evening she’d visited.

She swallowed hard. “It’s the sort that involves a lot of watching of Lord Granby’s household. Noting the times people come and go, where the item is kept when it’s not trotted out in front of guests. That sort of thing. Adam and I still need to figure out the details of how we will smuggle the item out of the house.”

A sneer twisted Reid’s face. He turned away, looking out the glassy window behind his desk, his reflection thrown back at him. “You don’t say his name with as much enmity as you once did.”

She ran a tongue as dry as sand over the roof of her mouth. Was it so obvious that she and Adam had reconciled? She stiffened her spine and bluffed. “Then you aren’t listening, Reid. He stole from me, or had you forgotten that detail?”

She stared at his reflection in the glass, searching for his reaction. His features betrayed no unease, no guilt, no regret. He looked cold and composed as he turned back to her.

“I haven’t forgotten. Nor have I forgiven him.”

She bit her tongue so hard, she flinched at the pain. “And you know I haven’t forgiven him, either.”

Convince him and leave straightaway.

She stood, meeting Reid’s eyes. “Are you going to give me the time I need?”

His lips twisted with distaste, but he nodded. “I’ll expect another update in two days. I want to know what you have planned.”

“I’ll keep you apprised.”

Turning on her heel, she stormed from the room.

She had reached two streets to the south before she realized that Adam wasn’t following her.

…

If Adam hoped to make a change of career, he ought to cross cat burglar off the list. For the second time this month, he found himself scrambling to find a place to hide before he was interrupted in his fruitless search of Chatterley’s bedchamber. The box he’d revealed beneath the loose floorboard tempted him to open it. But he could do no more damage with it than hurl it at Chatterley’s head if he was interrupted. Hastily, he replaced the board and stood.

Unfortunately, this time, there was no convenient sarcophagus in which to hide. A pity, for he would not have been surprised to learn that Chatterley slept in a coffin. Adam sat on the foot of the bed, wondering if there was enough space beneath to conceal him.

The door opened wide, framing Chatterley.

Adam held his breath as he met his enemy’s startled gaze.

The man cursed the air blue. “Hell and damnation! You’re skulking into my bedchamber now?”

When he didn’t call for his manservant or the Bow Street Runners, Adam relaxed. He feigned confidence as he watched Chatterley curse and pace the length of his modest room.

“I suppose you want to know the answer I gave to your wife. Why don’t you ask her—or are you at odds?” He paused, a smug smile twisting his lips.

Adam clenched his fist behind his back. Hatred simmered in his gut, but Chatterley had unwittingly helped him. After all, he’d handed Adam a reason to be here. All Adam had to do was bluff.

Fortunately, he was a sight better at bluffing than infiltrating houses undetected.

“Indulge me.”

Chatterley curled his lip as though viewing an insect he wanted to crush. “I’ll give you the time you need, but I’ll need to know more specifics. What are you planning?”

“I haven’t yet discussed the matter with Lily.”

Chatterley thrust his shoulders back, straightening his spine. “Discuss it with me.”

Gritting his teeth, Adam answered, “We should use Lily’s strengths to our advantage. If she is able to replicate the armband, we can switch them and Lord Granby will be none the wiser. However, I have yet to consult with Lily to see whether her abilities meet with the demand.”

Chatterley wrinkled his nose. “You’re relying on her?”

At that, Adam regained his feet. Anger fueled him. Before he realized what he was doing, he’d crossed to Chatterley and backed the smaller man against the wall. His knuckles cracked from the force of curling his hands into fists. If that man said one more word against her…

Adam wasn’t certain how he found his voice, but it emerged with a lethal edge he felt to his core. “If you think for a second she isn’t the most talented jeweler in England, you clearly don’t know her as well as you pretend. If she can make an original piece, she can damn well forge one. I only need to know whether she can also age it convincingly.”

Reluctantly, Chatterley tested the air with his next words. “How long do you expect this to take?”

“A month. Maybe more.”

“A month?”

Adam stepped closer to him, forcing him to shrink back. “We’ll need to make prototypes first. And you’ll have a hand in this, too.”

Chatterley sniffed, drawing himself up. “I will not.”

“You most certainly will. We will need an expert to examine our prototype and tell us the flaws. Unless you no longer consider yourself an expert in Egyptian antiquities.”

“I do. I am.”

Adam flashed him a sinister smile. “Then you won’t object to examining our products. I’ll have Lily send you a notice when we have the first one made.”

When he didn’t move, Chatterley showed him the door. “If you’ll kindly vacate my bedchamber.”

“I will, once you tell me what assurance I have that after this is done you’ll leave Lily in peace.”

Smugness radiated through Chatterley’s expression. “I’ll leave you with no assurances at all.”

When Adam raised his fist, Chatterley flinched and sidled along the wall. It saved Adam the trouble of having to throw him there to knock some sense into him. “I am not doing this unless I know there is an end, Chatterley. Lily deserves her freedom.”

The weasel of a man looked him in the eye and had the gall to agree. “Yes, she does. She needs her freedom from you.”

The barb wedged itself somewhere in the vicinity of Adam’s heart. Would Lily be better off without him—these past four years notwithstanding? Softly, he murmured, “You made certain of that, haven’t you?”

Chatterley cocked an eyebrow. “As long as you don’t forget it. And get out before I call my manservant.”

Adam could probably best them both in a fight, but he couldn’t risk jeopardizing Lily’s future, despite the insult to her ability. Seething, he left the house to rejoin her. For now, it was his only choice.