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“I think we have disturbed the guests enough for one day, don’t you?” He murmured with a nod to them.
In contrast to the rather violent scenes of a few moments ago, Marcus now appeared perfectly normal. Jess was amazed at the swift change in him, and the efficient way he had despatched the magistrate. He was the only man she had ever met who had the temerity to do so, and it made her feel somewhat proud to be a part of his life.
Once they were in the kitchen, Marcus closed the door and then rounded on Ben.
“No. To answer your question, I am not a solicitor. However, I know a lot of men who work for the War Office. As such, I know that Lloyd is wrong to keep coming here the way he is. That doesn’t mean he is entirely wrong to warn you. You and I both know what you are doing is illegal. You must keep your hands off the game at the Priory. Don’t trade or purchase anything from Smithers either. It has been stolen; you know that. I cannot help you if you get caught with stolen goods on you. Nobody can. Think about that the next time temptation gets the better of you.”
“You don’t need to steal, Ben,” Jess added. “We can get by.”
“I want out of this house, Jess,” Ben murmured.
“So much so that you would rather live behind bars?” she gasped, horrified at the thought.
“No,” he snapped. “Of course not. I am just saying that I want to do more with my life than ‘get by’. This house is something you want, not me. I hate the bloody place. It is cold in the winter. It is bloody freezing in fact. I don’t even have a proper room. I am sleeping in the scullery like a mouse. Even lowly servants don’t do that. There is barely enough to make ends meet as it is, yet you persist as though it is going to get you somewhere. Well, it won’t because while you are running yourself ragged trying to keep everything going, this house is slowly falling apart around you. It is already going to take more money than you can afford to turn it into a home. Living in a smaller house might mean that we don’t have lodgers. But it does mean that we only have to feed ourselves, not that lot of strange creatures who lodge here.”
“Oh, well, that solves everything then, doesn’t it?” Jess cried with her hands outstretched. “I mean, the Lord has spoken. Let me just ask you, though, how I am supposed to go about feeding myself when I don’t have any skills with which to get a job? I cannot read or write, and I don’t have any experience in doing anything but running a house. I am too young to be a house maid, not trained enough to work in any of the big houses, and have no sewing or cooking skills good enough to work for anyone? Tell me, oh great oracle of mine, what do I do?”
Ben stared at her while he thought. “You have me to provide for you,” he replied weakly.
Marcus remained quiet and let the argument rage. He rather suspected that it wasn’t they had discussed this, but they had clearly not been able to come to any amicable conclusion.
“Jess is worried about you, Ben, you know that,” he began reasonably. “She is right to warn you. However, if this isn’t the life for you then you need to tell her what you do want to do.”
Ben looked at him in confusion. It was as though this was the first time anyone had ever asked him, and he had never given the answer much thought before. He had no idea what he wanted to do. He just knew what he didn’t want to do.
Marcus understood the lad’s confusion. He was trying to do right by his sister, but clearly hated the life he had. At some point, he would start to resent Jess, not just the house. Marcus knew that would destroy the beautiful young woman who clearly adored her only relative, but was helpless to find a way to stop it becoming a reality.
“I think that you need to give it some careful thought, Ben,” Marcus murmured. “Until you know for definite, I have a few jobs you can do to help me out. You will get paid, of course, but it will mean you have to work during the night sometimes and work to avoid that magistrate at all costs.”
“Doing what?”
“I will explain later,” he replied mysteriously.
He turned to Jess, who was looking at him warily.
Jess knew what he was suggesting and was amazed that Marcus would consider it. She looked askance at him but voiced no protest. Marcus was a man who knew what he was doing. He always seemed to have a solution to everything. It didn’t surprise her now that he had plans for Ben. As long as it kept him out of trouble, then Jess would give whatever he suggested her full support.
“Meantime, Ben, you should know that Jess and I have become very close. You don’t have to consider your future involves providing for her. I will see to that.”
His gaze remained locked on hers as he spoke. He needed her to understand that they had a future together. After the past few days, he felt that she essential to his happiness. Not having her in bed waiting for him was something he couldn’t even begin to contemplate.
Jess melted beneath that lingering gaze. While she still had a lot of questions, she knew they would get answered in time. If Ben did want to move on with his life, then she really couldn’t stop him, or blame him, especially if his staying meant that he was likely to end up behind bars. That left her able to face her own future, and decide what she wanted to do with it. Right now, all she wanted was Ben in her life somewhere, a lot happier, and a free man. She didn’t care where they lived, as long as they were together.
Before either Jess or Marcus could say anything else, Ben slammed out of the kitchen.
CHAPTER TEN
Later that night, Marcus watched Ben creep out of the house and swore violently. What the lad planned to do at nearly midnight was anyone’s guess, but Marcus suspected that it wasn’t legal.
The house had fallen silent some time ago. Although from the look of the subdued lighting coming from the windows upstairs, nobody had chosen to go to bed yet. He studied the windows and knew there was something amiss. It was highly unusual for all of them not to have their lights out by now. What were they waiting for?
Marcus made a mental note to finish searching the bedrooms tomorrow and set out after the Ben. He didn’t have to go far before he came to a stop and watched Ben meet with Smithers.
“I take it you didn’t tell her?” Smithers grinned.
“It’s not funny,” Ben snapped. “She doesn’t understand.”
Ben’s bad temper dimmed the thug’s smile a little.
