Page 60 of Betrayal from Beyond
“If you think to warn Petra, or in any way inform her of our doings…” Gyda stopped, but the threat was left, clearly dangling.
“No. I only wish to avoid her. Completely,” Hawkins said earnestly. “She will never think to look for me here.”
“Are you sure about that?” Preston asked.
“She’ll think I’ve scarpered off after failing to complete her task.” Hawkins gave them all a bitter grin. “It’s what I usually would have done.”
“Turner, are you sure?” asked Kara.
“Perhaps Mr. Hawkins merely needs some time to think about how he means to go on,” Turner ventured. “We will keep his hands busy and free his mind to ponder the question.”
“Yes. That is it, exactly. Thank you.” Hawkins sounded genuinely grateful.
Turner nodded. “He’ll stay here with us, then.” The butler turned to look at Niall, then raised his brows at Kara. “As long as you promise to keep us informed. I will do the same. We can use the old network, if messengers cannot be easily had or will be too easily detected.”
“Of course,” Kara agreed. She glared at Hawkins. “You will stay away from Prudence,” she warned. “And the rest of the maids, too.” The threat was clear in her tone.
Turner cleared his throat. “It might be best if I put a cot in the laboratory. He can stay out there with no one the wiser. No one goes in there, save for Harold and me. And the boy will enjoy being in on the secret.”
“You are being far kinder than we deserve,” Preston said. “Perhaps I will come out, when I can find the time, to check on things here?”
“Of course,” Niall said. “I’ll tell Stayme he might use you as a courier.”
“Let’s go,” Gyda called from the threshold.
Kara was right behind her.
Niall set out after his wife and his best friend, sending up a silent prayer for their safety. “Yes. Let’s go.”
Chapter Seventeen
“Oh, yes. Iknow her.” Mr. Norrey of Kingston Larder and Goods managed to infuse quite a large amount of disdain in so few words. “Or, at least, I thought I knew her. I had thought her to be a well-bred lady of morals and decency.”
Kara, Niall, and Gyda had arrived in Kingston Upon Thames just after noon. They had taken the measure of the high street and decided to start their search for information on Petra at the general store. A wise choice, it seemed.
Kara raised a brow at the shopkeeper. “Would you share the lady’s name, sir?”
“Of course. That is Miss Katherine Prentice.” He returned her expectant look. “May I ask why you are looking for her?”
Kara shared looks with Niall and Gyda, but didn’t answer right away.
“Some trouble, I take it?” The shopkeeper leaned in, as if inviting her to share the secret.
“You might say so.”
Norrey sniffed. “I will take the liberty of warning you away from any idea of doing business with her.”
“Is that what changed your opinion of the lady?” asked Kara. “A disagreement in business?”
“That’s not what I would call it,” he replied, surly.
“What would you call it, then, man?” Gyda asked sharply. As an attempt to blend into the traditional village, she had tried totame her fierce braids by sweeping them up into a knot, but the effect was still a little…unruly.
“Outright thievery,” he said indignantly. “It can be named naught else. Though I would never have thought her capable of such a thing, not so long ago.”
“What, exactly, was her offense?” asked Niall.
“None at all, for near on to three years. I counted her a good, if infrequent, customer. Her parents took a cottage hereabouts and she visited them—that’s when we would see her about. After the parents died, she continued to come and stay for a few weeks at a time, during school holidays.”
