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When Vic and Xavier arrived at her new business, the lights were still on, despite it was nearly eight o’clock. “I can’t believe he’s still here,” Vic whispered.
“Have you given him a key yet.”
Vic hit her head. “No.”
She hurried inside and apologized for her delayed arrival.
Instead of being angry, Luke just smiled and asked her to sit down. “I’m actually glad you were a bit late, for it gave me time to write down more of the improvements we can make.”
Vic almost asked him how much the improvements would cost, but held her tongue, for Luke was brimming with happiness. Instead, she sat beside him and gave him her full attention.
“If we hired two more people, we could have three service lines rather than one. That way the customers in the back won’t give up and leave. We lose a lot of business with just one line.”
“I totally agree,” Vic said.
Luke smiled happily and went on to his next improvement. “Since we aren’t going to need the forging rooms, we could break out some walls that my father had needed and put half the printing equipment in the back. While I believe seeing the printers impresses the customer, I don’t think they need to see them all, and this way we can have a front area for pre-printed cards.”
“Makes sense to me,” Vic replied. “Do you have any idea what it will cost to remove the walls?”
“I can do it. I spent a summer building houses. In fact, I built the walls for my dad.”
“Did you get a building permit for that.”
His smile disappeared. “No, sir. Is that going to be a problem?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”
He still seemed worried.
“Luke, you are not in trouble. I appreciate you telling me what’s been done.” She then smiled “In fact, I think I have a way around this.”
“How?”
“Well, given no inspector has gotten upset over the fact that you built the walls, then, as the new owner, if I bring them in, they will see the wall that they never approved, thus they will demand I take the walls down since they had not been properly built.”
“But I built them proper!” Luke insisted.
“I’m sure you did but building inspectors do not like people doing projects without their input. They’ll probably tell us to take them down, which is exactly what we want to do.”
Luke laughed. “You are clever! No wonder you caught on to my attempt to deceive you when you came looking for my father.”
Vic sobered at once. “About that. Luke, this business has to be a hundred percent legitimate. No more forgeries.”
“That’s fine with me. I don’t even know how to do a forgery. My father told me to focus on improving the printing business. He said it was the future.”
“Your father was right. There’s a very good future here for you, Luke. Once we get past the building issue, then you’ll be my manager, and I’ll go back to sleuthing. And because you’ll be taking on more responsibility, I will pay you twice your current salary.”
“Twice?” Luke grinned from ear to ear. “I am so glad that I came back!”
“Does your father know you returned to London?”
“Yes, sir. He bought a little shop in Scotland. It’s about half this size. He says it will be enough for him and my mother but advised me to go find a job. Then I asked him if he’d mind if I came back and worked for you, and he said that was a fine idea. Since I never did any forgeries, neither the forgers nor Scotland Yard would have any interest in me.”
“I agree and I’m glad you returned.” Vic grinned, “Honestly, I have no interest in running a shop. I like to catch criminals.”
“Yes, sir. We’ve all got a talent.” Luke breathed in and out with great satisfaction.
Vic handed him the key. “I keep forgetting to get a copy made for you, so let’s reverse the task. Can you have someone on your staff that you trust make a copy for me?”
Luke handed her back the key and reached in his pocket. “I still have my key. My father gave you his key.”
“Does anyone else have a key, such as the three forgers who worked for your father?”
“No, sir. My father was always the first in and the last to leave.”
“Excellent. So, I understand you are temporarily staying at Vivian’s home.”
“Yes, sir, if that is fine with you. She seems to be a really nice woman.”
“She is. I’ll give you a ride home tonight if you want.”
Luke grimaced. “I need to finish my plans, first. Don’t worry, I can find my way.”
“Do you have her address?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then I’ll stop by once I get more advice on how to handle the building inspector.”
“Excellent,” he grinned. “Should I admit that I built the walls?”
“Definitely not. He’ll be nicer if you just tell him you will see them taken down.”
Luke grinned. “You are very clever.”
“He is indeed,” Xavier spoke from the door. “Are we done here?”
Vic grinned at his unspoken desire. “We are.”
She turned to Luke. “I will stop by tomorrow morning to see the remainder of your plans.”
“I’ll be here,” he assured her.
***
Vic and Xavier returned to their carriage.
“I had hoped you’d get to know Luke a bit better, so you could assure Barns he’s not a problem.”
“Barns is just doing his job. He has to treat the three businesses the same. However, I’m quite certain Luke will be fine.”
“How would you know? You ran off. And where did you go?”
“I entered through the back door and checked to see if any new forgeries had been placed in the vault yesterday.”
“And what did you find?”
“Nothing. The vault is there, but it is completely empty. I suspect Granger handed over his works in progress to the other two. I’ll be sure to share that with Barns tomorrow, so they won’t come in expecting to find anything here. In fact, I will suggest they do it last.”
Vic cuddled against him and shared her idea how to get the backrooms restored to long halls to hold the printer lines with the building inspector’s approval.
At first Xavier shook his head, but when he grasped her tangled weave of cleverness, he finally burst into laughter, then covered her face with kisses.
She gently pushed him back. “Does all your laughter mean you think me clever or do you think me foolish?”
“Oh, the first to be sure. When you started your story, I was going to warn you that the building inspector would not let you keep the rooms intact. But now that I understand you want to return it to the long room, all you have to do is follow what the building inspector will demand you do, which is tear down the rooms.”
***
Once they returned home, they had a romantic evening in their room. Gregory heated up their dinners and brought them upstairs, then wished them a fine evening.
Once satiated with food and wine, Xavier led her to the bath, where they made love without too much water being lost to the floor.
Finally, he spoke, “I know I snapped at you for your far too candid words at Scotland Yard.”
“I was entirely out of line,” Vic admitted. “I promise I will be more careful in the future.”
“Well, I did high-jack your teaching lesson. Fortunately, you showed up all the same with some very good points that I had not even considered. David’s electrical devices are most impressive. I am very pleased that he is sharing his knowledge with our boys.”
Vic nodded in agreement.
Xavier sighed heavily. “They will be broken-hearted when he eventually leaves.”
“Why would he leave?” Vic demanded.
“Your sister is very stubborn, I suspect that eventually she will convince him to return to her.”
“According to Gregory, she writes him monthly, demanding he return to her and Maddy. But given he always seems happy, I suspect he is not reading the letters at all. As hateful as she can be in person, her letters are worse.”
“You cannot believe she will allow this situation to continue forever,” Xavier replied.
Vic sighed heavily. “Since I see nothing positive in David returning to her at the present, I think we should leave this be. Perhaps when Danny is ten, I can give the little guy the deed to Claire’s house, then she’ll be forced to be nice to him.”
Xavier furrowed his brow. “Hold on. Danny has three fathers, and two of us live here. Thus, Danny will always live here.”
“Then I doubt David will ever leave until Danny grows up and wants to set out on his own. To be honest, I’m sorry I gave Maddy to Claire.”
“Other than dressing the child in formal gowns to match hers, Claire seems to be a good mother.”
Vic sighed. “Well, five years ago I would have said she was a good sister, only she truly seems to be going mad. I worry about how this change in Claire is affecting Maddy. If Claire is truly going insane, then we will need to rescue the girl.”
Xavier gripped Vic’s hands. “I agree. But to justify taking Maddy, Claire will first have to be admitted into an asylum,”
“Well, if that time ever comes,” Vic softly spoke, “you will have to take charge, because I could never do that to my baby sister. Not even to save Maddy.”
Xavier pulled her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “I am aware that your anger towards Claire is nothing to the love you still hold for her.” He sighed heavily. “Honestly, in my opinion, there is nothing that can be done right now, so let us leave it be and focus on other matters.”
“Such as...?”
“Barns,” Xavier replied.
“I called him on the telephone, and he’s no longer angry with me,” Vic assured him.
“I’m glad to hear it, because he needs assistance,” Xavier admitted.
“In what way?”
“Many of the Parliament Ministers feel he was pushed into the position too hastily and they want Stone to return as Director.”
“That’s too bad. They tossed Stone out and he’s ours now!” Vic declared with outrage.
Xavier smiled. “Then you still want him?”
“I do!” She then frowned. “But I believe we need to modify the front room into two rooms before he comes.”
“And how will that help?”
“Stone has always had a private office. And if we leave the office as it is, Stone will take Pete’s desk and where will Pete go?”
“I’m sure Jacko could find him—”
“No! We are not getting rid of Pete. He is polite and willing to do anything I ask, including making tea. I assure you, Stone will not make anyone tea.”
Vic went to her closet and put on the same clothes she had worn before.
“Vic. Why are you dressing?”
“Because we are going to assess the changes we need to make in the office. Now get dressed!”
Xavier gathered his clothes from the day and put them back on, muttering that this could have waited until tomorrow.
“Not if you are bringing him home tomorrow.”
“And what can we possibly get done tonight?”
“We can determine what will be done, so tomorrow, he will not think that we had completely forgotten about his arrival, only that we have fallen behind schedule due to our efforts to improve Barns.”
Vic then stormed downstairs with Xavier in tow. Once they crossed the street and entered their office, Vic pointed to the area that currently held the file cabinets. “We can remove the cabinets and line them in the hallway.”
“How about putting them in our rarely used pantry? We can take out the shelves and make it a file room.”
“Excellent! But let’s leave the upper shelves. They won’t interfere with the file cabinets. We can use them to hold other items, such as electronic devices and books we rarely use.”
“A much better plan,” Xavier stated.
Having decided the relocation of the file cabinets, they returned to the front room.
Vic pointed to the two long benches. “We’ll have to remove Davy’s long bench.”
“Davy won’t like it,” Xavier warned.
“Xavier, when is the last time you’ve seen Davy sitting on that bench. He prefers to nap on his bed or go to our house for fresh scones.”
“True enough, but I still expect he’s going to be hurt by the loss.”
Vic sighed. Xavier knew Davy better than anyone, so if he thought Davy would throw a fit, he would. “Well, it can’t be worse than the fit he threw when Gregory hired a second and third carriage driver, and now Casey and Fagan are his best friends.”
Xavier smiled. “That is true, but he only changed his mind about the two when they saved him from dying. I seriously doubt Stone has sufficient strength to save anyone now.”
His words struck Vic hard. “Is he not better?”
“A bit, but he is not the man he was. If any of the Parliament had ever bothered to visit him since he was injured, they would not be demanding his return. Fortunately, while quick to irritate, his brain is as sharp as ever.”
“Then we definitely need to get our office renovated. She pointed to the long bench area. We’ll build an office for Stone on the left side, the same size as yours on the right, and leave the space between for Pete’s desk. That will enable Pete to do his job, since he should always be the first person a client speaks to. He can then either show them to Stone or us, depending upon who is available and best to deal with their problem.”
Xavier chuckled. “I see you have been giving this matter thought.”
“Yes, I have.”
“Thank you. Your idea is better than mine. Have you decided who will do the renovations?”
“David said he would create the blue prints, then once I get them approved by the building inspector, he suggested we use Luke and Tubs.”
“We need this sooner than later,” Xavier warned.
“Because the ministers want to hire him back?”
“That, and his wife is most unhappy with him underfoot. She has spent most of her life taking care of the house and children on her own. She was willing to nurse Stone back to health, but she clearly wants him to spend his days out of her house now.”
Vic laughed. “You said that would happen.”
“I did. I just thought it would take longer, so now it’s rather critical Stone has a place sooner than later.”
“How long could it possibly take to put up two walls and a door?” Vic challenged.
“With building inspectors, one never knows,” Xavier warned. “I’ve promised to pick him up tomorrow.”
“Well, it won’t be done tomorrow. So, until his office is ready, he’ll just have to use our desk.”
“Bloody Hell! I do not like people rummaging about in my office.”
“I will try to get this completed as quickly as possible,” Vic promised. “But I have other matters to handle as well.”
Having planned out the new floor plan for their office, they locked the door and headed back to their house, only there was an angry she-devil banging on the door.
“Let’s try to get in the carriage door,” Xavier whispered.
“I guarantee you, the carriage door is locked,” Vic warned him.
“Damnation!” Xavier snapped. “Claire, stop making a spectacle and go home!” Xavier barked.
Claire turned on him. “I need to speak to David. Maddy is missing.”
“What did you do this time?” Vic demanded.
“I believe David has taken her.”
“David does not have Maddy! Now tell me exactly what happened!”
“Her window was open, and she is nowhere to be found.” Claire returned to pounding on the door. “David, you return Maddy to me, right now!”
Vic pulled her from the door. “Claire, Maddy is not here. When did she go missing?” Vic asked again.
“I don’t know when he took her. I only know David did this and you were probably in on it.”
Vic realized Xavier had disappeared. He no doubt went to the back door where a servant would let him in.
“Claire, I gave you Maddy. I would never take her away.”
“You took my husband!”
“I did not! You drove David away with your outrageous behaviors.”
Just then, a carriage drove up and Barns climbed out.
He nodded at Vic, then turned to Claire. “I understand your daughter is missing and you believe she is in this house.”
“Yes, David has taken her from me.”
Vic interjected before matters got out of hand. “David is Maddy’s father, but she is not here.”
“Where did he take her?” Claire demanded.
“Claire, he didn’t take her anywhere.” Vic turned to Barns. “If Maddy is truly missing, then I’m very worried, but I believe we should check Claire’s house first.”
“She’s not in the house. David took her!”
“When did she go missing?” Vic asked.
“I don’t know the time. I had company over, so I sent her to bed early.”
“You had company?” Vic asked in shock.
“Yes, Victor, I had company. What is wrong with that?”
“Nothing, except you’ve never invited ladies into your house before. Your company was a female, was she not?”
“I have nothing in common with the ladies of society,” she snapped, “So, no, Victor, I invited a man, since you have stolen my husband!”
“Claire are you saying Maddy is missing, just to get David to come home?”
Barns focused on Vic. “Vic are you a hundred percent certain Maddy is not in your house.”
“It’s very unlikely.”
“Since, we are here, let’s walk through and verify she’s not here.”
Vic gave her secret knock and Xavier opened the door. “Sorry that you’ve been brought out for this nonsense. Jacko is here, so I asked him to search the house for Maddy. He found nothing. David has not seen his daughter in a month, and this has alarmed him greatly. He wishes to accompany you to Claire’s house. Jacko also wishes to assist in finding Maddy.”
“How dare you!” Claire screamed. “You do not get to decide who will enter my house, and I will die before I let that filthy pirate into my home. David no doubt had him steal my baby.”
“How old is this child?” Barns wearily asked.
“She’s just a baby,” Claire insisted.
“Maddy will be three years old in July,” Vic replied.
“We should start the search at your house,” Barns stated.
“I told you she isn’t there. David has taken her.”
David spoke at once, “Claire, I swear to you, I have not taken Maddy.”
“How can I believe a word you say?”
“You don’t have to believe me, Claire. However, I am returning home with you to ensure my daughter is safe and secure, and I pray to God this is just one of your irrational hoaxes.”
Claire responded by slapping David in the face.
“Claire, stop it!” Vic yelled, then turned to Barns. “We need to go and check her house now.”
“I have already told you she is not there! And that house is mine, and none of you will step inside.”
Barns rubbed his temple. “Vic, I can’t enter the house without the owner’s permission.”
“Not a problem. I’m the owner of the house.”
“Liar!” Claire yelled and began slapping at Vic.
Vic escaped her slaps and hid behind Barns and Xavier.
Barns spoke to David. “Who owns Claire’s house?”
Gregory answered like God from above. “Victor is the legal owner of the house, since it can only be passed to a male heir.”
Vic expected Claire to insist Vic was a woman and thus could not be a male heir of anything. Oddly, she remained quiet. Evidently, she realized that if she disqualified Victor, some god-awful uncle could take claim to the house. Or perhaps she recalled Xavier’s threat to put her in an asylum if she ever claimed Vic was a female again, after she had filed a lawsuit to steal Vic’s son.
“Then let’s take a look,” Barns said.
Jacko, David, Xavier, and Vic climbed into Barn’s carriage, leaving Claire to ride alone in her carriage.
When they arrived, Claire declared David must have stolen her key, so Vic pulled out her key and opened the door. That caused Claire to go into yet another rage. “How did you get a key to my house! I had the locks changed!”
Barns knelt beside her. “Claire, if you do not calm down, I will have to constrain you. Please, just let me do my job.”
By the time Claire was calmed, Jacko, David, and Vic were gone. “Where did everyone go?” he asked Xavier.
“I suspect to Maddy’s room.”
They hurried upstairs and found David hugging his daughter. “She’s fine,” David assured Barns.
“You should have waited for me, before you came up here,” Barns scolded.
“You were tending to my wife. I had to ensure my daughter was safe,” David stated and stepped into the hallway with Jack, Xavier, and Vic.
***
Barns knelt and spoke to Maddy. “Maddy, did you hide from your mother today?”
“No, sir, but Mommy sent me to bed really early, only I wasn’t sleepy, so I read books.”
“And where did you read the books?”
“At my desk.” She pointed to a miniature desk.
“And did you stay in here the whole time?”
Maddy tilted her head for a long moment. “I had to go to the water closet once, but I came right back.”
“And you were never frightened or harmed by anyone?”
Maddy hugged herself.
“Maddy did someone frighten or hurt you?” Barns asked.
“There was a man with my mommy. I didn’t like him.”
“Why not?”
“He was touching my mommy. I want my father.”
“I need to talk to him first, but then I’ll send him in.”
Barns stepped out to four worried faces. “Maddy is fine. She’s been here the entire time, Claire had sent her to bed early, so she could entertain some fellow.”
“This fellow didn’t hurt my daughter, did he?” David asked.
“No, according to Maddy, the only one he touched was your wife.”
David closed his eyes and said nothing, but pain was etched on his face.
Barns spoke softly to him. “Maddy says she wants to live with you, and frankly, you have just cause to take custody of your daughter.”
“I don’t know what to do,” he whispered. “There is something wrong with Claire, but I am certain she loves Maddy and would not cause her harm.”
“Well, if Claire continues to make false allegations, she will end up in jail. And, your daughter wants to go home with you. I realize you are torn, but in this case, I believe your child would be safer with you.”
David entered his daughter’s room and gathered her into his arms. “Would you like to live with me in Vic and Xavier’s home?”
“Yes, please. I want to be happy.”
“Then let’s pack up some clothes,” he said.
Maddy scurried about collecting her favorite toys.
David turned to Vic. “I should have asked you and Xavier first.”
“Nonsense! You are family. Maddy should be with you.” Just as Vic spoke, the little cherub returned and nodded her head in agreement.
David knelt before his daughter and grasped her tiny hands. “I expect this to be temporary.”
Maddy’s smile dimmed. “Does that mean you don’t love me anymore now that you have Danny?”
David pulled her to his chest. “Not at all, Sweet Pea. Why would you even think that?”
“Mother keeps saying you no longer love me,” she whispered.
“Did she truly say that?”
“She says it all the time, but I wouldn’t believe her.”
“Thank you for not believing her.” He lifted her into his arms and stood. “Vic will you pack her a trunk of clothes. I fear all she selected were toys.”
“Of course, I will.”
Vic opened her closet only to discover tiny size evening gowns. “Oh, for the love of God!” she slammed the door closed and stormed from the room.
David frowned upon seeing no trunk, just a box of toys.
Vic rolled her eyes. “We’ll buy her new clothes. Clothes that she can play in.”
Maddy smiled at her declaration.
Vic kissed her forehead. “Let’s go.”
When they returned downstairs, Claire was weeping on poor Barns. He immediately detached himself and hurried them out the door.
Claire ran after him. “You cannot allow David to take my child!”
Barns turned and focused on her. “Madam, given the circumstances, your husband has every right to take the child.”
“What circumstances?”
“You accused your husband of stealing your daughter, when you had her locked in her room while you entertained a gentleman downstairs.”
“That is a lie. Did Vic tell you that?”
Barns sighed heavily. “It really doesn’t matter. The father is the head of the household and it is his right to take his children.”
“But he doesn’t live here anymore.”
“It does not matter. No judge will ever choose the mother over the father. Your best option is to make up with your husband and ask him to bring both his children home.”
“Both? I only have Maddy. I have nothing to do with the baby that Vic dangled before David.”
“I am aware of the entire situation, and it is up to you to change, not your husband. He is completely within his legal rights.”
Claire attempted to slap his face, only Barns caught her wrist in time. “Striking an officer of Scotland Yard is a crime. Do you truly wish to be arrested?”
She stepped back. “Get out of my house. Now! You are useless. I’ve no idea why I bothered telephoning you at all. You claim to serve justice, but you don’t. You serve the Parliament as they destroy our country. You are as guilty as they are for the diseases and deaths in the streets. And while the members of Parliament spend whatever they need to keep themselves safe, I doubt they care so much about you.”
Before he could pursue what sounded like a threat, Claire stormed into her house and slammed the door shut.
Regretting he had bothered trying to help the woman at all, Barns hurried to his carriage and climbed in. Since the child sat in David’s lap, playing a game of where’s the pebble, he refrained from sharing his opinion of Claire. Once they returned to Xavier and Vic’s house, everyone but Barns left the carriage. Barns wished them a good night, then ordered his driver to take him home.