Captain Jones's Temptation - Audrey Harrison Page 0,23
no idea whether it was a genuine compliment or not. She had certainly expected an argument even after her explanation. Since he had entered her life she had felt a little discomfited, and every day he seemed to affect her more. He had certainly filled her thoughts in much more than a professional way, which was both torturous and disappointing. To be drawn to someone so wholly antagonistic was totally out of character, and she wondered why he attracted yet tormented her. Today of all days she could not try to work out the meaning of his words; there was too much else going on.
A knock on the door disturbed Esther’s thoughts. On her acknowledging the knock, Lizzy entered the room with the footman.
“Miss Hardy, Lizzy is ready to leave,” the footman said.
“Here, Lizzy.” Esther handed the girl a quickly written reference and a folded note.
Lizzy looked down in surprise at the note. “But, Miss Hardy, this is too much.”
“It will help your mama until you can find another position. I wish you no harm, Lizzy, but I hope you will be wiser after your escapade. It could have ended very differently.”
Lizzy’s tears started once more. “I am so sorry, Miss Hardy. I truly am.”
“I know, Lizzy. Now goodbye.” Esther nodded dismissal to the footman, and the pair left the room once more. Esther felt desolate. She knew Lizzy would suffer. Sidmouth was a small town, and her folly would be remarked upon. Perhaps her removal to another town would not be a bad thing for the girl.
“I do not think I have ever seen so many tears in one day, and I hope to goodness I never see that many again!” Samuel said, successfully breaking the tension in the room.
“Not a fan of watering pots, I presume?”
“Good grief, no. Shudder at the idea. It is bad enough when one is faced with a lady prone to seeking her smelling salts, but tears are a step too far.”
Esther laughed quietly but stopped when Lydia and Matthew walked into the room. “Where’s Isabella?”
“With Cook and Mr. Dawson. Neither will leave her,” Matthew said easily. He closed the door behind him.
“And the children and other teachers?”
“Enjoying luncheon as normal,” Lydia said.
Matthew looked at Samuel; his face was devoid of its usual humour. “This was only a test.”
“Those were my thoughts exactly,” Samuel replied.
“What do you mean?” Esther asked.
“A ploy to test our responses. They would have been jubilant if it had succeeded, but they were not really expecting it to do so,” Matthew answered.
“And who are they?” Esther asked.
“Some group or individual who wants to make a point,” Matthew said. “We have very little more information than you do.”
“How can we prepare for an enemy we have no clue about?” Esther said in frustration.
“We prepare, Miss Hardy?” Samuel asked dryly.
“If you think after today’s escapades and the update Captain Dunn has just given us that I am going to sit around and wait meekly for the next surprise, you have sadly underestimated me, Captain Jones.”
“I might have done that once upon a time, but I would not dare to now.” Samuel turned to Matthew. “What did you find out from the boy?”
“Hardly anything of use. He was paid to create a diversion, but only realised his folly when Dawson started to threaten him with hanging,” Matthew said. “I have questioned the staff. No one saw anything untoward, nor have they noticed anything or anyone unusual these last few days.”
“Not a surprise, but it means we have no clue as to when the next attack will be.”
“You are certain there will be another?” Esther asked Samuel.
“Undoubtedly. They’ve gone to some trouble and cost to deliver a message. The dagger was a mocking reminder that even though we were all on the alert and searching for Isabella, they were able to get into the house and deliver the message. I think they are telling us they are perfectly serious.”
Esther sat down heavily while Samuel told Matthew of the position of the knife.
“That means someone came into this room after we had checked it,” Matthew said. “It was not here when we first realised something was amiss.”
“So there was another person involved?” Esther asked.
“There must have been. Neither Lizzy nor the boy had the opportunity to carry it out.”
Esther paled. She had not taken the threat seriously enough. She looked at the three facing her. “We have to close the school early.”
“What? No!” Lydia said, the first words she had spoken.
“It is only a week