Arianna laughed. “Good heavens, Violet! If he grovels any more than what I’ve heard about from the townsfolk, you’ll have some dandy following you around like an adoring puppy instead of a man who is equal to you.”
The image of Gideon acting like some doting fool had her laughing with her friend. “Yes… I suppose you’re right. Never could stand a man who didn’t have a spine. Which reminds me… I want to check on the apothecary just to make sure everything is all right.”
Arianna frowned. “Did something happen?”
“It may be nothing and perhaps I forgot, but last week the back door was ajar. Since I rarely leave that way, I found it odd but dismissed it thinking maybe Owen had come in through the back, or left, and didn’t close it all the way.”
Arianna shook her head. “Highly unlikely but I’ll walk with you just so you’re not going alone.”
“I’ll appreciate the company. I did have a few things I needed to finish for a customer who was stopping by early in the morning. Now is a good a time as any to complete the order so I don’t have to get up extra early.”
The two women left Violet’s house and began walking the short distance into town. They turned onto High Street and walked along the wooden boardwalk but when they reached the apothecary and Violet touched the door to place the key in the lock, it clicked open. The two women frowned at one another.
“Perhaps we should get your brother and not go in. What if someone is inside, robbing the place?” Arianna warned, clutching Violet’s arm.
“Go fetch him,” Violet replied. She stood and watched as her friend ran down the walkway and out of sight. She peered into the front window but couldn’t see anyone inside. Footsteps caused her to turn around and she gasped in surprise to see it wasn’t Owen but Gideon, smiling.
“Happy to see me?” he said cheerfully but his expression quickly changed when he most likely saw how worried she was. “Violet… what’s wrong?”
She pointed to the door. “I think someone broke in.”
Gideon gently pushed her aside. “Stay here.” He disappeared inside.
She waited impatiently until Gideon finally returned. “There’s no one here. Come inside and see if anything has been stolen.”
Violet entered feeling as though her space had been violated. Thefact that someone had entered her business by jimmying the lock had her concerned for her safety in the future. How would she feel safe here if someone could enter her place at any time? Worse, why was this happening all of a sudden? Nothing seemed to be out of place or taken so she couldn’t understand what the intruder’s purpose had been.
She went to stare out the main window to the empty street. Gideon came and took her hand, raising it to his lips. Staring up at him, she had never felt safer knowing he was here with her and perhaps now was the perfect time to tell him how she truly felt.
“Gideon—”
“Look out!” Before she knew what was happening, he grabbed her and pushed her to the floor. She struggled to escape his grasp, but then there was the sound of shattering glass; shards flew into the building and there was a final a thud as a brick landed on the floor just beside Violet’s head.
When they sat up, he rested his hand on her cheek. “Are you injured?”
“No. I’m fine, I think. You?” she asked quietly though her hands shook when he took them in his own.
“I’m fine as well,” he answered, helping her to rise to her feet. “Stay here.”
With that, he ran outside to see who the culprit might have been but after a few moments he returned. “I didn’t see anyone on the street. It was empty.”
“No one?” Violet asked through suddenly chattering teeth. She was shaking too hard to make them stop.
“Angel.” Gideon took her arm to escort her to a chair. The bell on the door rang out a few seconds later as Owen and Arianna entered.
“What the bloody hell happened?” Owen bellowed as Violet burst into tears.
Arianna went to comfort her as Gideon began to tell her brother ofthe incident. Owen cursed and the two men began to clean up the glass. After seeing that Violet hadn’t been harmed in the accident, Owen said he would return with wood to board up the broken window until they could have another pane commissioned.
It was only when Violet went to the counter to open a cabinet where she kept her reticule that she noted a folded piece of paper. The wordsI’m watching youswam before her eyes, causing her head to spin and her knees buckling. The last thing she remembered was crying out for Gideon.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gideon sat withthe Barnet family as they ate their dinner at the Raven. The group had all voiced their concern for Violet’s welfare and were troubled by the recent break-in and incident at the apothecary. Gideon was apprehensive about allowing Violet to continue working there alone and he had voiced his concerns to her parents and brother, who agreed with him. He still could remember the feel of the lady in his arms when she fainted and when she had woken, she opened her fist to reveal a note that had caused Gideon’s temper to flare. This was no accident or prank by some child. Someone had it out for the woman but why? And who?
One person came to mind, but Gideon had no proof to suspect Cosmo Dawkes would be so blatant. Although he was the obvious choice of a suspect, he seemed to be too convenient. But still… what if the major was continuing what he started back in London and was taking out his vendetta against Gideon on Violet?
Gideon had made it abundantly clear that the lady was under his protection no matter what Dawkes thought his chances might have been to win the woman over. He dismissed Dawkes for the moment. Violet was all that mattered. She was uneasy, as she should be, giventhe circumstances but at least she managed a few bites of the meal.
