“Do you know the magistrate?Personally?”Matthew leaned around Vincent to get a better look at Gertrude.
“What if he thinks you are involved?Or one of us?”Vincent’s gesture took in himself and Matthew.
Aunt Gertrude let out an indignant huff.“Well, of course we’re not involved!The Hobart family in Sidmouth has a long history of—” She pursed her lips.“Blast.Your great-grandfather supplemented the family coffers … increativeways.He is the one who enlarged several of the caves.”
“That’s why the beach is so rocky just outside the tunnel,” Agnes piped up.“What they dug out had to go somewhere.”
Vincent took a moment to picture the portrait of his great-grandfather that hung in the family gallery of Hobart Hall in Sussex, looking genteel in his powdered wig and pale green satin knee breeches and coat, sitting at a desk surrounded by books, his hounds at his feet.So refined.So proper.
Appearances were deceiving.
Just look at Miss Walden across from him, looking demure and proper, so petite that her feet barely touched the floor when she sat in a chair.He was fairly confident the schoolteacher had cursed at him when he was reluctant to wake up in the cave last night, preferring the painless cocoon of unconsciousness.And despite her diminutive stature, she’d heaved rocks with fierce determination rather than sit back and rely on someone else coming to her rescue.
“What if we set up a watch?Catch them in the act and capture them ourselves?”Matthew looked at everyone, searching for agreement.
“That wentsowell the first time,” Vincent drawled, looking at Matthew sideways.
“What if we did nothing?Let them fetch their goods uncontested and be gone.”Miss Walden set down her spoon and sipped her coffee.
“They saw me.”Vincent noticed her tiny shudder only because he was watching her closely.
“They are using my property without my permission.”Aunt Gert clenched her fists on the tabletop.“And if we don’t do something, they will continue to do so.”
“Repeatedly.”Aunt Agnes nodded, her lace cap fluttering.“Perhaps even when one of us is taking a walk at night when sleep eludes us.”
Aunt Gert pointed a bony finger at Vincent.“You said you saw them.Do you think you could recognize them if you saw them again?”
“I don’t need to see them again.I recognized Clyde.”
Aunt Gert sat back.“You’re certain it was he?Renwick’s son?”
Agnes gave an indignant huff.
Vincent nodded.“Even if I hadn’t seen him clearly, he was annoyed with his associate.He uses a distinctive phrase for encouraging his employees to move faster.”
Miss Walden snorted, and quickly covered it with a cough.
Aunt Gert’s brows threatened to climb into her hairline before she gave out an aggrievedtsk.“That boy needs a stern talking to.”She called for Kendall as she stood up from the table.
The butler appeared in the doorway almost immediately, as though he had stationed himself just out of sight.“Yes, ma’am?”
“Have the carriage readied and brought ‘round as soon as possible.I’m going into Sidmouth.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“You don’t mean to go by yourself to confront Clyde?”Vincent also stood.
“Don’t be silly.I know you would follow me on horseback if I didn’t allow you in the carriage.And I have no intention of speaking to Clyde.”She headed for the door.“I’m going to have a chat with his mother.”
* * *
Two hours later, Vincent and Matthew flanked Aunt Gert on the beach near the tunnel entrance.The young footman, Marshall, stood at attention nearby.Kendall and Bickford had stationed themselves just out of sight on the steep path above them, within hearing, both armed.
Mr.Renwick had followed Gert’s carriage from the inn on horseback, while Clyde and an ostler from the inn followed in a cart.They arrived a few minutes later, having travelled on the sunken lane rather than the main road.
“I’m right sorry about this,” Mr.Renwick said for the third time.“I don’t know what my lunkhead offspring was thinking, using the cave without your permission.”
Aunt Gert gave a magnanimous wave of her hand.“Simply remove the goods, and we’ll say no more about it.”
