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“You shall not,” Marcus protested. “They need to stay here.”
“They are criminals,” Ben protested. “I can’t have them here. What about Jess?”
“Jess will be safe as long as we don’t take any risks.”
“How can you be sure about that? You said they had killed Mr Grant. He was an innocent old man. They have stolen his house,” Ben protested.
“Jess is as safe as anybody can be in this village can be. If you or Jess suddenly disappear then the entire village will start to ask questions, and all eyes will turn on the guests here,” Marcus sighed. “Not only that but they will have half of the War Office onto them as well.”
“The War Office?” Ben gulped and looked at him warily.
Marcus nodded and told him, quite succinctly, who he was. Ben looked a little stunned, but Marcus’ mind was thinking over what they needed to do next.
Ben could get over his shock another time.
“Tell me about the guests we just saw.”
“I don’t know much about them. Jess is the one who answered the door to them. I only had a say whether you stayed or not,” Ben replied frankly.
“Did they all arrive together?”
Marcus stopped Ben from lighting a candle and quickly explained that the men would be likely to return soon.
“No. Mr Ball came first, then Mr Gillespie and Mr Abernathy appeared about two or three weeks later, then Mr Brammall about a week after that.”
“How long have they been here?” Marcus propped his hips against the wall and folded his arms.
Ben stood sentry-like in the middle of the room, his eyes wide with surprise and a little fear.
“About two months,” Ben murmured, flicking a nervous glance at the door.
“Just stay calm and keep the noise down. I have a clear view of the back door. I will tell you if it starts to open.”
/> The calmness in Marcus’ voice was so cold, so unemotional, that Ben began to worry – a lot.
“What do you want with Jessica?”
“I like her – a lot,” Marcus assured him. “I might work for the government, but I am still a man. Your sister is a beautiful woman but is vulnerable here all alone the way she is. You are relying on the guests you have being honest and forthright individuals. Unfortunately, Ben, as you well know, not everyone is honest. You need to make sure she is well cared for before you go gallivanting off anywhere. You must watch Jess’ back while the guests are here. I am going to be here, and won’t leave until that lot have gone.”
“What happens when you do leave?” Ben asked. “I know what you are doing. I know she didn’t sleep in her bedroom last night. Are you just going to walk away?”
Marcus thought about that for a moment and then nodded. “Yes, I have to.”
He held a hand up when Ben opened his mouth.
“I am going to have to move on because my work demands it. However, I am going to take Jess with me, whether she likes it or not. We still have a lot to sort out between us; there is a lot we need to learn about each other but, seeing as you are going to be busy elsewhere, we have the time.”
“Am I going to be busy elsewhere?” Ben asked. He glanced around the room shiftily. “Where am I going? I am not stopping here, and that’s a fact. I am not going to gaol either.”
“I never said you were,” Marcus replied. “You are going to work here with me, but then you are going to move on with my colleagues. Call this your training ground of sorts. We could do with men like you in our line of work.”
He could see he had the lad’s interest and grinned. “Don’t you want to see Lloyds face when you are the one who arrests him?”
Ben snorted with laughter.
“If you work for the Star Elite, Ben, you will bring that corrupt magistrate down, and many more criminals like him.”
At Ben’s questioning look, Marcus explained who the Star Elite were, and what kind of work Ben would do.
