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Chapter 16
Last night there was a clear sighting of a rogue Shadow on London streets. Our suspicion is that the rogue shadow is you. If our suspicions are confirmed, you will be dismissed from the Shadow society without the ability to be reinstated. Until then, you are to remain inside your house between the hours of dusk and dawn.
Erebus.
Jarviscrumpledthenotein his hand and threw the piece of paper into the fire.
“If you want to keep me indoors, just show your face and tie me up, you bastard!” Jarvis growled at the walls. He threw his head back and covered his face.
In all honesty, he wasn’t angry with Erebus. He was angry with himself for being reckless. The society paper came out this morning describing last night’s attacks in great detail, down to the fact that a masked vigilante wearing black clothing saved the Landens. The encounter was so detailed that Jarvis wondered if the author of the piece was present for the attack.
How had Jarvis missed that somebody was observing him? By acting so recklessly, he’d put the entire Shadow society at risk. But at the same time, he couldn’t leave Olivia in trouble. He wouldn’t.
And he was not going to start now.
But if Erebus found out how he felt about Olivia, it could hurt her, too. As it was, she had been the target of last night’s attack. The bandits who attacked her were obviously after Jarvis. How did they even know to target her?
Was the time they had spent during the house party enough to identify his feelings for her?
Either way, he was damn right to try to keep her away from himself. Now that he’d spent a few evenings in her company in front of society’s eyes, she was marked as important to him and therefore was in danger.
She was paying for his mistakes, and she was not even officially linked to him.
What would happen to her if he claimed her as his?
He should just let Bradshaw have her. That would be the simplest solution to his woes. A sharp ache originated in the region of his chest at the thought. He shoved the thought aside.
For now, he needed to concentrate on surviving this current onslaught of attacks. Someone was eager to dispose of him by any means necessary. Starting from the shooting at the house party and ending by accosting Olivia’s carriage.
He needed to be meticulous in his process of elimination, scratching every name off his list of suspects.
Jarvis walked to his desk and combed through the envelopes. He took one and rotated it between his fingers. He could start with the person who was there during his first attack.
He opened the envelope and took out the invitation to the first ball hosted by the Duke and Duchess of Kensington. The invitation was carved in the shape of a domino mask.
“My lord.” Butler knocked on the doorframe and stood meekly, waiting to be noticed.
“Yes?” Jarvis raised his head.
“You have a visitor, my lord.”
Jarvis frowned. “A visitor? Let them in. But first, take this envelope and send my acceptance to the Kensington masquerade ball.”
“Right away, my lord.” The butler bowed and left the room.
Jarvis settled comfortably behind his desk, awaiting his visitor.
A few moments later, Ford Gunning, the thief-taker, appeared in the doorframe.
“Good day, my lord… er… St. John.” He bowed lightly.
“What a… surprise.” Jarvis sat up.
“Not an unpleasant one, I hope?” Gunning smiled crookedly.
“I hope so too,” Jarvis answered with a grin. “Would you like some tea, coffee?”
“No, thank you.”
