The Archer's Paradox (The Heart of a Hero Book 8) Read online

  “Oh!” Beatrice leaped up. “Do you think that’s how they got the money to open the school?”

  “Perhaps.” He paced over to the window, then back toward Beatrice, debating the ramifications of their find. His mind always worked through problems more quickly when he kept moving.

  “I have to conclude that they used those unaccounted for years to steal valuable items from the wealthy. How they went about it is anyone’s guess.”

  After her initial excitement of their discovery, Beatrice became very quiet. “I simply cannot believe that Madame was a thief and a swindler.”

  He squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “So am I.”

  A tear slid down her cheek and he wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. “I wish there was something I could say to make you feel better.”

  “You already have, just by being here and supporting me.”

  He wiped away another tear and kissed her forehead, then met her eyes to gauge her reaction. Before he could decide how to proceed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his. She fanned the fire that had been growing inside him for some time now, and he had to remind himself to proceed slowly.

  He gently pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers.

  Moments later, footsteps on the staircase forced them to separate. She went back to sorting clothes, and he decided to search for hidden compartments in the desk. Given her finds, he wanted to have something to show for his efforts.

  “We have returned,” Jane said. “I think the girls enjoyed the park, and I managed to bring everyone back home without mishap.”

  Beatrice met his gaze and raised her brows briefly before addressing Jane. “That is the definition of a successful outing with the ducklings.”

  “Ducklings?” Colin asked.

  “Yes, Madam and I…used to refer to them as ducklings because one or another of them would always wander off or get distracted.”

  Jane smiled. “Well, I have to say I’m relieved to hear that. I thought it was just my lack of skill wrangling young ladies.”

  “Even if that were true, you have many other valuable skills.” In truth, Colin would be lost without her.

  “How did your meeting with the Home Office go?”

  “Exactly the way you think it did, but I do have something I need you to follow up on.” He explained about the Madame’s sons and how it seemed that she had never been married. “I need you to find them so we can figure out where they came from and what role they played in all of this.”

  Jane let out a big sigh. “Is that all they gave you?”

  “No, there’s more, but right now there’s something Beatrice needs to show you.” He pointed toward the chest of drawers.

  Jane walked to where the diamonds were laid out and stared at them for some time before speaking. “I wonder how long it took them to steal that many diamonds.”

  “At my visit to the Home Office today, I discovered that Madame and her brother entered the country in 1793, and there are no records of either of them again until she bought this building a decade ago. So I’d say it took them about ten years.”

  “What in the world could they have been planning to do with all of that? It appears to be enough to purchase a small country.” Jane shook her head. “I’m going to set a fire under my contacts and start tracking down the dates all of these diamonds went missing, and who the rightful owners are.” She walked out the door, then turned back.

  “My dear Beatrice, you might want to go count the girls and make sure I didn’t allow anyone to escape.”

  Beatrice and Colin both laughed.

  “And don’t worry,” she called from the top of the staircase. “I held Harriet’s hand the entire time we were away, so I am certain she has not been misplaced.”

  Colin smiled at Beatrice. “Now that we have the Legion standing watch over the house, I’m not worried about Harriet escaping. I do, however, worry about the continued sanity of the guards if she persists in testing them.”

  Chapter Eight

  There were so many productive things Beatrice could have accomplished, but instead she had spent the morning daydreaming about Colin kissing her again. She stood and stretched, then walked through the room, checking to ensure the girls were working on their French essays. She still hadn’t hired a new mathematics teacher to replace Monsieur yet, but with the uncertainty regarding the future of the school, it didn’t seem fair to hire someone new until they could be certain the school wasn’t going to close.

  She loved all of the girls and truly enjoyed teaching, but she was no longer certain this was the life she wanted to lead, especially since she would have to find a new place to work because she would never be in a position to purchase this building. Despite the things she had done, Beatrice could not hate Madame. No matter how hard she tried, she could not picture Madame as a villain. Perhaps she had been involved in something that got out of control and she was unable to fix the situation, but in any case, Beatrice would always remember her as a kind and loving person.

  “Girls, you may take a break now.” A collective sigh of relief whooshed through the room. “I expect everyone to have at least three pages to show me in class tomorrow, so use your time wisely.”

  The girls rushed up the staircase before she could change her mind about letting them leave the classroom early. She busied herself putting away pencils and discarding bits of paper that were too small to be of use while contemplating what she wanted for her future. She was proud to help her country by being a part of the Legion, but she also wanted to have a home and family of her own, and she wasn’t convinced the two things were compatible.

  Once the girls had cleared out, she went up to her bedchamber. She wasn’t comfortable having all of the presumably stolen jewelry lying about the house. It was currently locked in a box that was hidden inside a drawer in her bedchamber. Colin was working on a plan to turn them over to the authorities, but there had been no decision yet about who to give them to. With the Legion guarding the house around the clock, it was unlikely anything would be stolen, but she couldn’t ignore that Monsieur might have a way to get into the house that none of them were aware of. To be safe, she had decided to catalog each of the items. Though her drawing skills weren’t great, she attempted to make a sketch of each piece, then wrote a description that would be kept in a different location from the jewelry in the unlikely event of a theft.

  A knock sounded on the door. She quickly hid the jewelry in her drawer and placed her descriptions in her reticule.

  “Beatrice?”

  The mere sound of Colin’s voice made her heart leap. She rushed over and opened the door.

  “I wanted to ask if you are free this evening.”

  She nodded.

  “Good. I’d like to take you to meet someone who is very important to me.”

  She glanced down at the serviceable muslin gown she wore. “Am I dressed appropriately?”

  He took her hand and kissed it. “You’re perfect. Besides, where we’re going, no one will care what we’re wearing.”

  “Should I be scared?”

  He shook his head. “Certainly not. We are embarking on a wonderful adventure.”

  “Are you planning to tell me where we’re going?”

  “It’s a surprise, but I promise you will enjoy it.” He pulled her toward the door. “Come along now. Jane is waiting for us outside.”

  For once, it was a beautiful, sunny day. The promise of spring hung in the air, and she was glad Colin had decided to walk rather than take the carriage. Jane hummed as they strolled along and Beatrice’s heart lightened for the first time since she had learned of Madame’s death.

  “Can you at least give me a hint about where we’re going?”

  He shook his head. “We’ll be there soon enough. Be patient.”

  She turned to Jane. “Will you tell me?”

  “I’m sorry, my dear, but I’ve been sworn to secrecy.”

  They
walked silently for a few moments, then turned the corner and entered the gardens at Vauxhall. They weren’t yet in their full glory at this time of year, but they were still lovely. “Is this what you wanted to show me?”

  Colin shook his head. “No, but I would be happy to bring you back when the flowers are in bloom.”

  “You ought to take him up on that offer,” Jane said. “Now if you will excuse me, I am going to do a bit of shopping during the walk back to the school. When would you like me to send the carriage for you?”

  “Mr. Astley is an early riser, so I’d think ten o’clock would be all right. Feel free to come into the house when you arrive. I’m certain he would be delighted to see you again.”

  Jane nodded and headed back into the gardens.

  They crossed over to Lambeth and approached a large house. A sign proclaimed it Hercules Hall.

  “Are you sure we’re in the right place?” she asked.

  Colin smiled, then led her to the front door and knocked.

  A jolt of excitement shot up her spine. The door swung open and an elderly man pulled Colin into his embrace. “It’s been too long since the last time you’ve come to visit me.”

  Colin gently pulled away from him and smiled. “Philip, I am very pleased to present Miss Beatrice Pottinger. Beatrice, this is Mr. Philip Astley.”

  Her jaw dropped and her mouth actually hung open for a moment before she thought to close it. “Mr. Astley, it’s such an honor to meet you. Colin has told me much about you, but I’m certain there is more to learn. I can only imagine the stories you must have to tell.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Pottinger. Please come inside.”

  He led them down a long corridor to the most amazing parlor she’d ever seen. It was covered with paintings of performers from his circus. She stopped to study one picture in particular. “Is this your amphitheater, Mr. Astley? How did you come up with the idea to have a round stage?”

  “That is the question everyone always asks. It was quite simple, really. A round stage offers the advantage of centripetal force to keep our riders atop their horses while they perform their stunts.”

  Colin grinned. “Of course, it didn’t always prevent us from falling, but it sure did help.”

  “I think it was the idea of a genius.” She moved slowly along the wall, studying paintings of clowns, rope dancers, and jugglers.

  She glanced back at Mr. Astley. “What tricks does the pig perform?”

  “Ah, he was very accomplished at counting.”

  She grinned. “And I suppose that horse is playing cards.”

  “Something like that.” Colin squeezed her hand.

  “Would you like to hear what the most anticipated part of our show was?” Mr. Astley asked.

  She nodded.

  “When ten-year-old Colin would shoot burning arrows from atop a galloping horse and never failed to hit his targets.”

  Colin leaned close and whispered in her ear, “He’s exaggerating.”

  A shiver slid up her neck and she resisted the urge to lean her head against his shoulder. “I witnessed a similar display from him just before we left to come to London. I have to admit I was dumbfounded at first. I’d never seen anything like it. I’m certainly not brave enough to do those sorts of things.”

  Mr. Astley winked at her. “I’m glad to hear that he’s still practicing.”

  Colin shrugged. “Being able to stand on the back of a horse and shoot accurately is a skill that sometimes helps with my current profession as well.”

  “How did you come to join the circus?” she asked Colin.

  “If I may?” Mr. Astley raised a brow at Colin, and he nodded is assent.

  “The rascal was living on the streets at the time.”

  Colin’s mentor smiled fondly at him. “The first time I saw him, he had sneaked into the amphitheater to hide from someone who was chasing him. He climbed up the rigging and walked across a thin, very high rope with ease. When he came down, I offered him a job. He also has a way with animals. I don’t think he’s ever met a horse that didn’t like him.”

  Beatrice exchanged a smile with the dear man. His affection for Colin was clear. “That I’ve seen for myself. In fact, I think animals in general are drawn to him.”

  “Colin, would you please go check with the kitchen to make sure we have a good bottle of wine to go with our dinner?”

  “It would be my pleasure.” He shot a smile at her, then went to do as he was asked.

  Mr. Astley turned to her. “I don’t know how well you know Colin, but I think he is one of the best men ever created.”

  “I’ve only recently made his acquaintance. He was very generous to my father when I was away teaching in London, and he has helped me tremendously since the death of my friend and employer.”

  “He’s always been very generous with his time and money. Are you aware that everyone he employs at his estate in Kent is someone who was alone and had no family to turn to? He regularly brings orphans back to his estate and either finds the children a permanent home, or for the older ones, he helps them find employment so they can work toward having a family of their own.”

  She hadn’t known, but she wasn’t surprised. “No. It’s not something he talks about, although I did notice that he had several children at his home.”

  “There’s one other thing you need to know about him. I once asked him why he hasn’t married yet, and he told me that when he found the right woman, I would know because he would bring her to have dinner with me.”

  Beatrice’s stomach tightened and her heart thumped wildly.

  “Now, I know you two haven’t known each other for very long and I probably shouldn’t have said anything, but I wish to see him settled and I am no longer a young man. I do have a word or caution for you, if you’ll allow me.”

  She nodded. “Of course.”

  “I think it’s important you know that, because of his background, he is naturally suspicious of people until they prove they’re worth his regard. It’s very difficult for him to trust anyone, but once he lets down his guard, he will trust you forever and would give his life to help you.”

  All through dinner, Beatrice kept thinking back to what Mr. Astley had said about Colin. Out of all of the people he had to chose from, she was the one he took to meet Mr. Astley. She wasn’t certain she deserved his regard, but she would try her hardest to be worthy of his trust.

  They had just finished a lovely apple pie, which Beatrice now knew was Colin’s favorite, when Jane burst into the room.

  “I’m so sorry to interrupt your dinner, but you are both needed back at the school as soon as possible.

  They said their goodbyes to Mr. Astley and rushed outside. The moment they entered the carriage, rapped on the roof to signal the driver to start.

  “What’s wrong?” Beatrice asked.

  “One of guards from the Legion rode here to tell us to hurry. Monsieur is at the school.”

  Chapter Nine

  Though he would never regret having visited Mr. Astley, Colin cursed their luck to have been away from the school when Monsieur finally came out of hiding. Unfortunately, that likely also meant that he was desperate enough to risk being caught, and desperate men were reckless.

  Beatrice was pale and quiet, and he knew without asking that she was worried about the safety of the girls. He held her hand in his, her skin cold to the touch even through her glove. Though it seemed like they had been in the carriage forever, thankfully they hadn’t been too far away from the school.

  The carriage began to slow. Colin opened the door and jumped out before it stopped moving, then lifted Beatrice down and they ran together up the stairs and into the house. All of the girls were assembled in the parlor, presumably so they would be easier to keep track of until they could be sure they were all safe. The only one missing was Harriet.

  “Where is he?” Colin growled at the guard.

  “He got away, sir.”

  Colin took a deep
breath and deliberately slowed his breathing. “Is anyone out there trying to find him?”

  “Captain Alexander is, sir.”

  Good, that meant Colin could focus on the house and figure out how that devil was able to get in.

  “Miss Pottinger, I’m so sorry.” Harriet ran to her and latched herself around Beatrice’s waist, crying uncontrollably.

  He bent his head toward Beatrice and whispered in her ear. “Why don’t we have Jane take the other girls into the library so we can talk to Harriet alone?”

  Beatrice nodded her agreement and gently stroked the girl’s hair. When he returned from making sure all of the other girls were safe with Jane and two guards, he went back to the parlor.

  “Harriet, can you tell us what happened?” Beatrice asked.

  “He told me he loved me. That he was going to take me with him when he left.”

  Colin exchanged a look with Beatrice. “Harriet, are you saying that Monsieur is your beau?”

  The girl lifted her head off of Beatrice’s shoulder. “How did you know?”

  Beatrice pushed the girl’s hair from her eyes. “Some of the other girls knew about him, though they didn’t know who he was.”

  Colin admired her ability to be so calm with the girl, who really ought to have known better. “Harriet, please start from the beginning and tell us everything that has happened up until now.”

  “It started in math class. At first he told me how intelligent I was, that I was his best student. Then he told me I was pretty, and asked me for a lock of my hair. Before Madame died, he used to climb up to my room so we could spend time together.”

  Colin exchanged another look with Beatrice, and she shook her head, which he took to mean that they should not interrupt her story. If Delacroix had touched that girl Colin was going to kill him.

  “He came to me the night before you returned, Miss Pottinger, and said he wouldn’t be able to come here anymore because he was afraid he would be accused of killing his sister since he was the one who stood to inherit the school. He told me he was going to find the killer, and once he did we could be together.”