Page 46 of In Just a Year
Esther found herself alone in the Klonimus kitchen. Ben’s home. His big brother was fighting with a stranger downstairs who was obviously an enemy. Chawa had rushed to help. She had to act now.
Yes. Act now.
Doing what?
Esther pressed her hand to her forehead, a silent plea for patience as she tried to think and looked at the paper. There was the sign Ben had sketched, but she didn’t know what it was or why he needed it.
But if Ben needed it, why did Nagy have a key? His page was illegible, but she assumed that’s what it was. She took the white cloth, wrapped it around her hand, and picked up the iron. She set it on Nagy’s letter until there wasn’t just steam but smoke.
She blew on the paper and set the iron aside but kept the cloth in her hand. Her father hated lies, but she didn’t usually listen to everything he said.
Esther arrived downstairs minutes later with Nagy’s coat that she’d hung in the drawing room. It was still damp but no longer dripping.
Nagy stood next to the door, patting his vest pockets and surveying the room. “I know I put it in here.”
“Ah, Esther,” Chawa said, a white parcel wrapped with twine in hand. “Thank you for drying the coat.”
“I knew I had it,” Nagy mumbled.
Raphi shot Esther a big-eyed look.
“Pardon me, milord.” She winced as she said it, but she was pretending to be a humble servant speaking to the Bailiff of the Prince Regent, so she ought to act her role. “I found this wet on the floor, and the ink was bleeding, so I ironed it for you.” She handed him the stiff straight paper, bearing a large black triangle in the top corner, where the symbols from Ben’s letter had been.
“This isn’t legible anymore! What have you done, you stupid girl?” The Bailiff’s German accent made his voice sound even more menacing.
Chawa’s lips tightened and Raphi straightened his back, but Esther pretended not to notice. She lifted her hand in the air, donning the cloth around her palm, then lowered her gaze. “I’m so clumsy, milord.”
“That’s enough, Esther,” Raphi said sternly. “Off you go.”
Esther turned and left the room but stayed in the stairway within earshot.
Nagy continued complaining to Raphi, and Chawa sent him off with a parcel of strudel to make up for the trouble. Both Chawa and Raphi feigned ignorance as if the burned paper meant nothing more to them than a few scribbles.
Why had he come there in the first place? Esther couldn’t understand why the Klonimuses were so afraid of him that they complied with his ridiculous snooping.
The door shut and a key turned with a clunk.
“Esther, you can come out now.” Chawa sounded nervous but friendly.
When Esther appeared from the stairway, Raphi broke into a laugh.
Chawa feigned displeasure but didn’t try too hard. Hands on her hips, she gave a lop-sided smile. “You’re a brilliant spy, do you know that,maidale? You have the key that was in Ben’s letter and burned his copy.”
A smile built on Raphi’s friendly face.
“Come, darling, and tell me what my son needs.” Chawa pulled the chair from Ben’s table and signaled for Esther to sit. This grand gesture could only be understood if you knew the Klonimuses well: she was one of them now.
CHAPTER20
“Aletter came to me and I opened it but it’s for you.” Greg handed Ben a wrinkled sheet and he recognized Raphi’s writing.
“Why was it addressed to you?” Ben asked when he unfolded the letter. Greg had refolded it but the seal bearing the swirly K for Klonimus had been broken.
“I don’t know,” Greg whispered pressing his back against the door. “But we are setting sail in the morning.”
“What?” A chilling apprehension gripped his chest and Ben couldn’t breathe in. “It’s too soon. I haven’t-”
“Better too soon than too late, Ben. I promised your father to bring you back safely. The Shah increased the customs duty on gemstone exports by twenty percent. Twenty! Can you imagine?” Ben jerked his head back and stared at Greg’s bloodshot eyes. He looked tired and spent, as if this trip had consumed the last of his energy. “The Governor-General, Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of Hastings-”
