To Trust a Thief (13 page)

Bryant leaned in, his lips brushing across her jawline. Min gasped, her heart pounding so hard she couldn’t breathe.

“Do you think you are the only one distracted here?” he whispered into her ear. “And do you think I believe for a moment you’ve told
me
everything?” His finger dipped into the neckline of her blouse and trailed along the locket’s chain.

Min jerked back, but he wouldn’t let go.

“The difference, my dear Minuette, is the more I tell you, the more danger I put you in. I’m trying to keep you safe.” He rubbed his cheek against hers. “Why are
you
hiding things from
me
?”

“Because I don’t trust you,” Min murmured.

“I don’t trust you, either,” he whispered just before his lips met hers.

Bryant’s hands cupped her face. Min’s arms wound around his neck and he crushed her to him with a groan. Happiness and longing flowed through her. And something she very much feared was love. It frightened her.

She pushed it all away, unwilling to think of anything but the sensations his lips wrought. If this moment was all she’d have, she wanted to revel in every second. His mouth melted into hers and she pressed herself closer. She couldn’t breathe and she didn’t care. She would have very happily suffocated rather than come up for air.

Bryant pulled back, leaving Min aching for more. She reached for him, intent on pulling him back, but his words froze her in place. “Do you love him?”

“What?”

He leaned his forehead against hers and took a shaky breath. “Do you love him?”

Min’s stomach dropped. Voicing her true feelings aloud would be a betrayal. He had no right to ask her such a question. “I…I… Why do you keep asking me that?”

Bryant sighed. “I’m a thief, Min. Have been for most of my miserable life. But I’ve never stolen a woman whose heart belonged to another. I won’t do it now. If you love him, I need to know.”

Min breathed deeply. His woodsy scent was intoxicating. She knew the necklace wasn’t the only thing at stake here. Bryant was fire and she was tossing her heart right into the midst with a pretty good guarantee she would get burned. But she wasn’t sure she cared. Even though she knew there was no future for them. The thought filled her with a pain more sharp than any she’d ever felt.

And Arthur…kind, wonderful Arthur. He was her friend. She enjoyed his company. She could be content with him, safe, cared for. But…

“No, Bryant. I care for Arthur very much. But I don’t love him.”

Bryant released a pent-up breath and wrapped her in his arms just as the door flew open. Min and Bryant jumped apart.

“Arthur,” Min breathed.

Chapter Twenty-one

Arthur’s eyes were glued to Min. The pain in them sent a stab to Min’s heart that made her cry out. Bryant reached for her, squeezed her arm. The touch seemed to break Arthur from his stony silence. He straightened, his face hardening. He looked at Bryant.

“Lady Katherine said you wished to meet with me here. But I see she must have been mistaken. No matter. I thought we had something to discuss,” he said. His anguished gaze rested briefly on Bryant’s hand that still touched Min. “Apparently we don’t.”

He turned to leave.

“Arthur, wait,” Min said.

He shook his head and held up his hand to ward her off. “Good day, Miss Sinclair.” He marched back down the hall, passing a startled Charlotte on his way.

“Bryant?” Min whispered. She didn’t know what to do. She wanted to follow Arthur and erase that look from his face.

“Give him a minute,” Bryant cautioned, giving her arm a final squeeze before he let her go. Min turned to look at him, unshed tears choking her. She’d cried more in the last week than she had her whole life.

“I didn’t want to hurt him.”

“I know. But it was unavoidable.”

Min’s tears dissolved in a rush of anger. “But it didn’t have to be like that. I’ll kill Katherine. I don’t know how she knew, but I’ll kill her anyway.”

Charlotte stood in the doorway. “Min, you need to come. Someone will see…”

Min nodded and Charlotte moved a little farther down the hallway, pausing to wait.

Bryant reached out and gently turned Min’s face to his. He gazed into her eyes for a moment before letting her go. “I think perhaps you care for him more than you realize,” he said quietly.

Min shook her head and suppressed her emotions as much as she could. “I am upset because I hurt him, because of
how
he found out. I should have talked to him first, before anything…happened…between us.”

“Maybe you should take some time before you make any decisions ab—”

“I don’t need any time,” she said uneasily.

“I don’t want you to regret any—”

“I regret nothing.”

Bryant raised an eyebrow.

“All right, yes. There are a lot of things I regret. I regret that Arthur saw us. I regret hurting him. I regret the fact that we are dealing with this whole mess instead of finding the necklace like we should be. I regret the fact that we have to find it at all.” She took a deep breath. “But that is all.”

“Maybe that is enough.”

“Bryant…”

He shook his head. “I don’t regret it, Min. But…” He wouldn’t look at her. “It’s obvious whatever is going on between us is becoming more of a distraction than either of us can afford.”

“What are you saying?” she asked, not wanting to hear the answer she knew was coming.

He rammed a hand through his hair. “Perhaps, for the time being, until…other things have been resolved, we should keep things between us…”

“Professional?”

“Yes. Professional.”

Min swallowed, hoping the pain slicing her heart wasn’t showing on her face. “Fine. Yes. Perhaps that would be best.”

Min knew Bryant was right, and she even agreed with him. But she couldn’t help feeling rejected. And his answers had done nothing but raise more questions. She bit her lip, her hands straying once again to the frame in her bodice. Bryant dropped into a chair with his head in his hands.

Min was happy to see that he wasn’t completely unaffected. She gleaned some small satisfaction from his discomfort. But it didn’t ease the crushing pain piercing her very soul. Somehow, in the space of just a few minutes, she’d lost both her best friend and the man she suspected she was very much in love with. It had to be a record for blunders, even for her. How was it possible to go from being so happy to being so miserable this quickly?

Min gathered her skirts, a heavy sadness filling her with every breath. “I suppose, Mr. Westley, I should be going.”

Bryant blinked in surprise at her sudden formality. He bowed his head before raising his eyes back to hers. It might be a small thing, but refraining from the intimacy of his Christian name was a simple but effective way to remove some of the connection between them.

“Then I will see you in class, Miss Sinclair.” Bryant stood and walked with her to the door.

His hand shot out and grasped hers. Min stopped, desperate to stay with him, desperate to go.

“I am sorry, Min,” he said, his voice hoarse, quiet. He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to the tender skin of her inner wrist, just below her palm.

Min swallowed the lump in her throat, amazed that she could hurt so much over something she never really had. “I’m sorry, too, Bryant.”

A tear escaped before she could stop it. Bryant reached out and followed its trail down her cheek.

“Is this for me?” he asked, his voice husky with emotion. “Or him? Do you even know?”

Min’s jaw clenched. She wouldn’t meet his gaze.

“Perhaps you do love him after all,” he whispered.

“Perhaps, Mr. Westley, you don’t know me as well as you think you do.”

She pulled her hand from his and walked away, not caring if anyone saw her leave.

Charlotte took one look at her face and wrapped an arm around her. She took Min straight to their room, shut the door, and held her while Min, for the second time in her life, totally and utterly broke down.

Chapter Twenty-two

Late that night, Min sat on her bed with Charlotte, their bodies blocking the soft glow of the single candle and the thin sheet of onion paper that lay between them. Min hadn’t returned to the secret room to meet Bryant. And after what had happened between them, she had no plans to. She would just have to find the necklace on her own. Charlotte played with the first piece of the map. There were obvious fold lines on the page, so Charlotte tried folding and refolding it a dozen different ways, but to no avail. No other clue appeared.

Min looked at the small silver frame in her hands. Staring back at her was a canvas portrait, the beautiful green eye of a woman, a delicate blond brow arching over it. She flipped the picture over and carefully worked it away from its frame.

“Have you thought how Mr. Westley will react when he finds the frame gone?” Charlotte asked. “He’ll know it was you.”

Min repressed a shiver. He was going to be furious. “No help for it. He shouldn’t have hidden it in the first place.”

“Right, just like you were so forthcoming with the locket map.”

Min ignored her, not needing Charlotte’s reminder to add to her already unbearable guilt over everything.

“Finally,” Min said, releasing the last bit of glue. She slipped her finger between the metal and the canvas and gently slid the portrait out. Elation filled her to the brim. She flipped the canvas over. On the back was a series of black lines, similar to those on the locket paper. Min laid them side-by-side and she and Charlotte hunched over them.

Several minutes of turning and flipping and lining them up revealed nothing.

Min dropped her head into her hands, trying to rein in the frantic energy clawing through her. They only had three days until the end of term. Her train ticket was purchased. Her aunt expected her company on her travels. Her time was running out.

She stared at the markings until they began to blur, despair eating at her more with each passing second.

She straightened, her eyes focusing on the upper left-hand corner of the canvas. Then she looked at the same spot on the thin paper from the locket.

“Charlotte!” She grabbed the pages, bringing them closer so she could be sure. “Bring the light nearer.”

Charlotte scooted forward with the candle.

“Look.” Min laid the canvas on her knee. “There’s a star up here in the corner.”

“Where?”

“Here.” Min pointed it out. “I thought it was just an ink spot or something, but look.”

Charlotte leaned closer, her eyes trained on the spot Min indicated. After a second, she sat back. “There is a tiny star there. I hadn’t noticed. But I don’t understand…”

Min picked up the locket paper and showed Charlotte the matching star. Charlotte looked up at Min with a smile. “Do you think…?”

Min nodded and laid the locket paper on top of the canvas, taking care to be sure the stars were aligned. The strange lines and markings on each sheet met, overlapped, connected.

Min and Charlotte stared in silence and then hugged each other with muffled squeals of jubilation.

“I have to tell Arthur!” Min said, hurriedly replacing the paper inside its locket. She pressed the second portrait into the opposite side of the locket, hoping it would fit. It was a bit too large, but a little maneuvering had it secured well enough. Min felt infinitely better having them in the same place.

“But it’s the middle of the night.”

“I know, but this can’t wait.”

“Well, you can’t just ride into town with your nightclothes flapping about your ankles.”

“Of course not! Wouldn’t do me any good in any case. I need him here.” Min put the locket back around her neck. She paused, then smiled.

Charlotte gave her a distrustful glare. “Min…”

Min grabbed her stomach. “Ohhhh!”

“Min!” Charlotte swatted at her. “That’s never going to work.”

“Not if you don’t play along, it won’t. Now go tell my aunt I need a doctor. Ohhhh!” Min flung herself back on her pillows and did her blasted best to look like she was at death’s door.

Within short order, Charlotte had roused Reilly, who had consulted with Lady Courtland, who had taken one look at Min (who had managed to conjure up a tear or two) and sent straight away for Dr. Carmichael.

It wasn’t hard for Min to keep up her performance during the hour or so it took for Arthur to arrive. With each passing second, Min grew more and more agitated, fearing he might refuse to come altogether. After everything that had happened, she couldn’t dismiss the notion that Arthur would happily leave her to suffer. But she chided herself, another layer of guilt smothering her at the unwarranted thought. Arthur was a good man, and he cared for her. Even if he suspected a ploy on her part, he would come.

When he finally did arrive, Min didn’t bother to keep the relief from her face, though she did manage to close her eyes and force a little whimper from her lips. Reilly filled Arthur in on Min’s symptoms, and he asked everyone to exit the room so he could examine her.

As soon as the door closed, Min opened one eye. Arthur stood by the bed, glaring down at her.

“What game are you playing, Min? We both know there is nothing wrong with you.”

“I know, but I had to get you here and this seemed the most efficient way.”

Arthur shook his head and rubbed a hand over his tired face. “What do you want, Min?”

She flinched at the sadness in his voice. Well, she couldn’t take back what had happened, but hopefully her news would go a little way to making it up to him. She reached out to him. He didn’t touch her. But he didn’t back away, either. She saw that as a good sign.

Min let her hand drop. “Thank you for coming. I wasn’t sure you would.”

“I’m a doctor and supposedly your fiancé. It would have looked strange if I’d refused to come.” He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “And I still care about you. I’ll always come if you need me.” He shifted uneasily. “I haven’t told you yet how sorry I am about your father.”

“Thank you, Arthur,” Min said, her heart clenching at the mention of her father.

“I wasn’t able to come sooner. I came to see you today, but when I couldn’t find you, I thought maybe I should have a word with… Well…that’s all over and done with. Still…I am very sorry for your loss.”

Min reached for him again, but he ignored her outstretched hand.

“Besides, we still need to find the necklace. That hasn’t changed just because everything else has.”

“Arthur, I—”

“Don’t, Min. Let’s just…”

“Keep it professional?” she asked, unable to keep the bitterness from her voice.

“I was going to say let’s not complicate things. We have a necklace to find. So let’s find it. We’ll deal with…everything else later.”

Min wanted to argue, but all things considered, Arthur was behaving remarkably well.

“I found the second map.”

“What?”

Min patted the bed and Arthur hurried to her side. She pulled out the locket paper and second canvas and pieced them together.

Arthur stared in amazement at the miniature map that lay in her hands. The lines on each page had intersected and connected to form boxes and pathways…a small representation of the estate’s grounds.

“Here is the cemetery. And here,” Min said, pointing to the upper left corner where the tiny star was now encased in a box, “is the good part. Do you know where that is?”

“I believe so. It looks like the mausoleum.”

“Right. Well, a star just like this one marked the panels on a secret room I found and a hidden storage space in a window seat in that room. It’s too big a coincidence not to mean something.”

“Secret rooms and compartments? Min, did you find… Wait.” Arthur smiled. “Are you saying the star…?”

“I think so.” Min’s smile joined his.

“Did we just find our treasure?” Arthur whispered.

“Only one way to find out.”

Arthur gathered Min in a huge, bone-cracking hug, his shout of joy muffled in her neck. She laughed, overflowing with hope and happiness.

All too soon, Arthur seemed to remember he had great reason to be furious with Min and he released her, quickly standing and moving a safe distance away.

“We’ll meet tomorrow night,” he said, and Min’s face fell.

“Tomorrow?”

“We can’t just go running out of the school with a pair of shovels thrown over our shoulders. Don’t you think that might look a bit odd?”

Min crossed her arms but couldn’t deny he was right. “Fine. Tomorrow night, then.”

“Is the building locked?”

“I believe so.”

“Is there a key?”

“If there is, Aunt Laura will have it.”

“Do you think you can find it?”

A slow smile spread over Min’s face. “If we need a key, I’ll get it.”

“Good.” Arthur returned her smile and the crushing weight on Min’s shoulders lifted slightly.

There was a knock on the door and Min lay back against her pillows, yanking the blanket up and doing her best to look ill.

“Midnight,” Arthur whispered as he turned toward the opening door. Reilly, Aunt Laura, and Charlotte came in.

“How is she, Dr. Carmichael?” Lady Courtland asked.

“She’ll live,” Arthur said. His tone was one of jovial indulgence that didn’t quite match the look on his face. He was staring past the women into the hallway, but his body blocked Min’s view. He wasn’t happy about whatever, or whomever, was in the corridor. “I suspect our Miss Sinclair merely indulged in something that disagreed with her,” Arthur continued. “She’s also had a very upsetting few days. These things take their toll. She’ll be fine with a little rest. I would recommend taking it easy tomorrow.”

Lady Courtland nodded. “Of course. My poor dear.” Aunt Laura patted her hand affectionately. “With everything that’s happened, it’s a wonder you haven’t collapsed long before now. You don’t worry about a thing. Take some time, Minuette. You’ll be excused from your classes tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Aunt,” Min murmured.

Arthur gathered his things and allowed Lady Courtland and Reilly to escort him out, shrugging off their thanks with his usual modest grace. Charlotte followed them to close the door. Min sat up, her heart jumping to attention as she caught sight of Bryant’s thunderous face watching her from the hall. Oh yes, he knew she had the frame. The door closed and Min slumped back against the pillows, suddenly exhausted.

“Well?” Charlotte asked.

“We have a key to find,” Min said with a smile.