Page 34 of The Devil to Pay

“Yes!” Jules replied, nodding with relief. “But not a bad trick, at least, it wasn’t terribly funny, but she’s forgiven me now… I think,” he added in an undertone.

“Oh, she has, I’m sure of it. Lina never holds a grudge. She’s a great gun. I’ve kicked up some dreadful larks in the past, and though she always scolds me—usually because I’ve ruined my trousers or boots or something—she never makes one feel like an idiot. You know how some people can make you feel like a silly child? Lina never does, not like Pa. I don’t like it when he scolds me, but then he’s got no patience for children. Lina says we’ll do better together when I’m older. Don’t reckon we will, though,” he added thoughtfully.

Jules nodded, a little taken aback by this sudden rush of confidence.

“So, you’re repairing the mess Jacob made of the library?” he said, looking around with approval. “I’m glad. It made Lina dreadfully unhappy to see it all in disorder. Can I help?”

Jules nodded his agreement. Help meant he could finish quicker and, the faster he was away from this house, the better. “If you like.”

“I’m Charles, by the way. Everyone calls me Charlie, though. What’s your name?”

“Ju – Mark.”

“Pleased to meet you, Mark. Do these ones go here?”

“No, on this shelf, and likewise,” Jules replied, rather charmed by the boy.

He was a stocky lad, in that awkward stage between child and adult. He had the same shocking red curls as Davenport and the freckles scattered over his nose and cheeks were far more pronounced than on his nemesis. Hers were more delicate, like a faint dusting of cinnamon and Jules could not help but wonder if they appeared on other more interesting parts of her. Furious with himself for allowing such thoughts to creep back in, he shrugged off his coat and climbed the ladder. He must keep his mind on the job, and nothing else.

“Here, pass those up and I’ll put them on the shelf.”

Charlie did as he asked, and they worked in silence for a while.

“Where did you meet Selina?”

Jules paused, cross with himself for not having anticipated the question. He held a book suspended in midair as he looked down at the boy with a vague sense of panic. “She’s… my friend’s neighbour,” he said quickly, before he had time to think too much about it.

“Your friend is a neighbour? But we don’t have any neighbours. Well, except for Goshen Court, I suppose. I know half the county is working there now, but that belongs to the Earl of Ashburton, and I don’t think she knows him at all. Is he your friend?”

Feeling suddenly trapped, for if Davenport discovered he was friends with Ashburton, it would not take her long to join the dots, Jules wracked his brain for an answer. Alongside Jules, Ashburton was one of the founding members of The Sons of Hades. There were few people the earl acknowledged as friends, but Jules was infamous for being among the notorious set he ran with, and Davenport was no fool.

“I say, is that a book about cricket? Do you play?” Jules demanded in desperation.

Much to his relief, Charlie was passionate about cricket and soon they were deep in conversation about the highs and lows of such a wonderful pastime. They had passed an easy and surprisingly enjoyable half an hour in this manner, when the door opened and Charlie’s little brother toddled in.

“Charlie, Jammy hungy,” the boy wailed.

Charlie set down the book he was holding and went to the lad, lifting him up. “It’s not luncheon yet, though, and you had an egg for breakfast, and soldiers.”

Benjamin shook his head, looking mutinous. “Hungy now, Charlie.”

“Well, where is Hilly?” Charlie demanded, sounding a little exasperated.

The little boy put out his hands in an expressive ‘how should I know’ gesture that made Jules smile.

“What about Abigail?”

Benjamin wrinkled his nose. “Looking in the mirror,” he said, with obvious incomprehension.

Charlie sighed.

“You could ring the bell and send for some tea and biscuits?” Jules suggested, feeling a little peckish himself.

“We’re not supposed to eat in the library,” Charlie admitted reluctantly.

“I won’t tell if you don’t, and we’ll be very careful to keep away from the books,” Jules said with a wink.

“Oh, capital,” Charlie replied with a grin, and ran to the fireplace to tug at the bell rope. When a maid appeared, she looked first at Charlie and then stared at Jules in astonishment, her eyes on stalks. “Don’t gawp, Polly, it’s rude,” Charlie admonished her. “Might we have tea and some biscuits? Oh, and cake too, if there is any.”