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“I had a feeling this would be the case,” I admit.
“Oh really? How nice of you to enlighten me,” he says sweetly.
“No reflection on your man, here,” Jowan tells Levi. “I know he’s a specialist so to speak, but his lordship trusts only a few.”
“Well, my husband is very trustworthy, thank you very much,” Levi snaps. “Xander would be lucky to speak to Blue.”
I look at him affectionately. I love it when he sticks up for me. It’s still a bit of a surprise, given how I spent most of my life not caring if anyone liked me or got close.
“Your man will need to stick around here to explain where you are. If you both vanish, then the old sort will raise the alarm.”
“Do you mean Laura?” Levi says.
“Aye, that’s her. A nose longer than a pelican that one. Always sticking it in places she shouldn’t. I’ve never seen a person more invested in old bits of wallpaper.” He gestures behind him. “Well, come along, then. We haven’t got much time.”
I put a hand on Levi’s shoulder and tell Jowan, steady and cool, “He comes back safe and sound. He’s on loan. Not a permanent resident.”
Jowan touches his fingers to his forehead in a mocking salute. “Of course, sir.”
The grim expression on my face must clue him in that I’m deadly serious, because the smirk drops from his face. He raises his hands in surrender. “I swear to you that he’ll be alright. It’s only his lordship who wants to talk to him, and he’s safe as a beach at low tide.” He tuts. “I reckon the amulet that the lad’s wearing will protect him anyway.”
“You can see it?” Levi asks, putting a startled hand to his chest.
Jowan winks. “I can sense it, mate. It’s giving off a hum loud enough to wake a graveyard.”
“I bloody hope not. We’ve got enough problems,” I say gloomily. I grab Levi’s jumper and pull him close to drop a kiss on his lips. “Don’t be too long,” I whisper. “I’ll meet you back at the car, okay?”
He squeezes my hand, his pretty face full of a repressed excitement, and then vanishes through the door after the little man. He looks back once and winks at me and then the door closes with a soft click. When I look at the wall it’s as though the entrance was never there. Worry steals over me. There’s not an easy way to get to Levi if he needs me.
“Everything okay, Mr Billings?” Laura’s voice comes from behind me.
I jump. “Oh yes, fine. Just examining this… this wall. The wallpaper is lovely.”
She looks up at it. “Chinese wallpaper from the seventeenth century. Hand painted. A beautiful example of artwork if you believe that wallpaper can ever be art.”
She looks piercingly at me, and I get the strong sense that I had better not be a person who disagrees with that belief.
“Surely one person’s creativity is always art,” I settle for saying vaguely.
She smiles approvingly and edges close, saying in a hushed voice. “There’s a household legend that says there was once a secret door there.”
“Really?”
She nods. “It was said to lead to a secret passage that spanned the width of the house.” She tuts. “Utter nonsense of course. It’s never been found.”
“How strange.”
She looks around. “Where is your partner?”
“Oh, he’s not feeling too well,” I say quickly. “He went back to the car.”
“Oh dear. That’s not good. Is he going to be okay?”
“Just a headache. He gets them occasionally. He’ll have a sleep in the car, and I’ll keep out of his way by doing the tour. Hopefully he’ll be feeling better by the time it finishes.”
She nods and guides the group out. I give the disappearing door a final glance before we leave the room. “He’d better be back,” I say grimly and hear the sound of distant laughter.
CHAPTER 16
