to bring that brute, Mr. Thomas, with me, I’m afraid. If I can convince him to let me go at all. Mr. Delcour has told him on no uncertain terms I’m not allowed.”
“Who is this Mr. Thomas, exactly? Why is he here?”
“It’s the strangest thing. He’s the brother of Mr. Delcour’s first wife, and showed up out of nowhere asking for a job. Something about him makes me uneasy.”
“He’s awfully handsome,” said Theodosia. “If you convince him to take you, I’ll distract him at the ball so you can speak with Percy in private. It’ll be my pleasure.”
Catherine smiled and took a sip of her tea. There was hope yet.
* * * *
Upstairs, Benjamin leafed through the papers atop Delcour’s desk in the study. When he’d first noticed the oak crate with the Yquem stamp on it sitting on a bookshelf, he was certain he’d found his prize. But the crate was empty except for some loose straw indented where the bottle had lain.
The papers on Delcour’s desk were surprising. The bills of lading and shipping manifests listed mediocre vintages, not the top quality wines Delcour had bragged about. Benjamin put them back where he’d found them and went downstairs. The two women smiled at him as he entered, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He shouldn’t have left them alone. They were definitely scheming.
“So nice to see you again, Mr. Thomas,” said Miss Higbee. “Can we offer you some tea?”
Benjamin declined and sat in the armchair by the fireplace. He was quite ill at ease. He’d much rather be working outside. Sitting and making small talk was a pastime he’d always found onerous. All of those days at sea, speaking only with men, had made him reticent in the company of women.
“And where do you come from, Mr. Thomas?” asked Miss Higbee.
“I was born in Haiti.”
Mrs. Delcour shot him a look. “But Mr. Thomas has been working in France the past few years.”
“How lovely,” said Miss Higbee. “I’m surprised you didn’t meet Mr. and Mrs. Delcour while you were there.”
“We didn’t move in the same circles. Also, the Delcours were in Paris, and I was in Burgundy.”
“And where did you live in Burgundy?”
He shifted in his seat. With Delcour, he’d been as vague as possible regarding his whereabouts, and Delcour had been more eager to speak of his own success than question Benjamin’s past.
“I worked for a man who lived in Dijon,” he said.
“How lovely. I spent the summer there a couple of years ago. What was your employer’s name?”
Benjamin made up a name, stumbling as he said it.
Miss Higbee gave him a long look. “I’ve never heard of the man. How strange.”
“There seem to be many things about Mr. Thomas that don’t quite add up,” said Mrs. Delcour.
“Your husband is satisfied, that’s all that matters, Mrs. Delcour,” he retorted.
“Do you see, Theo? He’s got quite a temper,” she teased. “Which will make my next request even more difficult.”
He tugged at his collar. The woman was excruciating. “And what request would that be?”
“Miss Higbee has insisted I attend the ball Mr. Carpenter is giving tomorrow night.”
“I must remind you Mr. Delcour has already turned down the invitation,” he said.
“I know my husband wouldn’t want me to go alone, so she has kindly extended an invitation to you as well. You may attend as my chaperone.”
He took a moment before answering. On one hand, it would be no surprise to find Percy Bonneville there. But the opportunity to be in Carpenter’s home to see what he could discover was a good one. Benjamin’s plan to drive Delcour to ruin would take precedence. For now.
“I appreciate the invitation and am happy to accept,” he said.
Miss Higbee smiled. “How lovely.”
Mrs. Delcour clearly hadn’t expected his answer, and regarded at him with a skeptical delight. “What an enigma you are, Mr. Thomas. Do have a cup of tea.”
He did so, handling the china cup with
“Who is this Mr. Thomas, exactly? Why is he here?”
“It’s the strangest thing. He’s the brother of Mr. Delcour’s first wife, and showed up out of nowhere asking for a job. Something about him makes me uneasy.”
“He’s awfully handsome,” said Theodosia. “If you convince him to take you, I’ll distract him at the ball so you can speak with Percy in private. It’ll be my pleasure.”
Catherine smiled and took a sip of her tea. There was hope yet.
* * * *
Upstairs, Benjamin leafed through the papers atop Delcour’s desk in the study. When he’d first noticed the oak crate with the Yquem stamp on it sitting on a bookshelf, he was certain he’d found his prize. But the crate was empty except for some loose straw indented where the bottle had lain.
The papers on Delcour’s desk were surprising. The bills of lading and shipping manifests listed mediocre vintages, not the top quality wines Delcour had bragged about. Benjamin put them back where he’d found them and went downstairs. The two women smiled at him as he entered, making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He shouldn’t have left them alone. They were definitely scheming.
“So nice to see you again, Mr. Thomas,” said Miss Higbee. “Can we offer you some tea?”
Benjamin declined and sat in the armchair by the fireplace. He was quite ill at ease. He’d much rather be working outside. Sitting and making small talk was a pastime he’d always found onerous. All of those days at sea, speaking only with men, had made him reticent in the company of women.
“And where do you come from, Mr. Thomas?” asked Miss Higbee.
“I was born in Haiti.”
Mrs. Delcour shot him a look. “But Mr. Thomas has been working in France the past few years.”
“How lovely,” said Miss Higbee. “I’m surprised you didn’t meet Mr. and Mrs. Delcour while you were there.”
“We didn’t move in the same circles. Also, the Delcours were in Paris, and I was in Burgundy.”
“And where did you live in Burgundy?”
He shifted in his seat. With Delcour, he’d been as vague as possible regarding his whereabouts, and Delcour had been more eager to speak of his own success than question Benjamin’s past.
“I worked for a man who lived in Dijon,” he said.
“How lovely. I spent the summer there a couple of years ago. What was your employer’s name?”
Benjamin made up a name, stumbling as he said it.
Miss Higbee gave him a long look. “I’ve never heard of the man. How strange.”
“There seem to be many things about Mr. Thomas that don’t quite add up,” said Mrs. Delcour.
“Your husband is satisfied, that’s all that matters, Mrs. Delcour,” he retorted.
“Do you see, Theo? He’s got quite a temper,” she teased. “Which will make my next request even more difficult.”
He tugged at his collar. The woman was excruciating. “And what request would that be?”
“Miss Higbee has insisted I attend the ball Mr. Carpenter is giving tomorrow night.”
“I must remind you Mr. Delcour has already turned down the invitation,” he said.
“I know my husband wouldn’t want me to go alone, so she has kindly extended an invitation to you as well. You may attend as my chaperone.”
He took a moment before answering. On one hand, it would be no surprise to find Percy Bonneville there. But the opportunity to be in Carpenter’s home to see what he could discover was a good one. Benjamin’s plan to drive Delcour to ruin would take precedence. For now.
“I appreciate the invitation and am happy to accept,” he said.
Miss Higbee smiled. “How lovely.”
Mrs. Delcour clearly hadn’t expected his answer, and regarded at him with a skeptical delight. “What an enigma you are, Mr. Thomas. Do have a cup of tea.”
He did so, handling the china cup with
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