Read Online To Catch A Thief (Saved By Desire 2) by Rebecca King - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Rebecca King
Tags: Fiction, Suspense, Romance, Historical, Adult, series, Regency, England, romantic suspense, 19th century, fear, Bachelor, Victorian, Investigation, Deception, Britain, Mysteries, dangerous, deceit, Forever Love, Single Woman, Hearts Desire, London Society, Saved By Desire, Star Elite, Summons, Harrowing Ordeal, Hertfordshire, Sleepy Village, Killer Revealed
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dresser, which had once contained the stolen items, and found it empty.
“Have you taken them to hide them where I can’t find them, or are you meeting someone?”
There was only one way of finding out what her aunt was up to. She had to go out there and see for herself. Quickly slipping her boots on, she drew her thickest cloak around her, and paid particular attention to hiding the brilliant white material of her nightgown. Once the hood was tugged over her hair, Sophia quietly let herself out of the side door but, before she could follow, Delilah re-emerged out of the trees and headed back to the house.
Sophia quickly slipped back inside and hid in the downstairs cupboard while she waited for her aunt to go back to bed. Her heart pounded as the minutes ticked by. Her ears strained for sounds of movement outside but, apart from the faint rustle of clothing, she could hear nothing. She prayed that her aunt wouldn’t use the cupboard to store her soiled boots in, and edged toward the furthest corner of the closet to wait.
Eventually, the quiet creaks and groans of the stairs protesting beneath Delilah’s weight broke the silence. Sophia puffed out her cheeks and remained perfectly still while she listened for the quiet click of Delilah’s bedroom door. She waited a few minutes longer, just to make sure that her aunt had gone to bed, and let herself out of the cupboard.
It was only when she was about to close the door behind her that she realised someone had been in the closet lately. The box of candles that used to sit on the shelf now rested on the floor. In its place on the shelf was another, much larger box. Her hand shook as she lifted the unusually heavy box down and took a peek inside.
“I need a candle,” she muttered.
Once a candle had been lit, she returned to the closet to take a look inside the box suspecting that she already knew what it contained. Not everything that had been in the drawer upstairs was there, but the majority of Delilah’s stolen hoard was now tucked away in the box, secreted in a place where actually, only Delilah usually ever went.
“Damn you, Delilah.”
Sophia scowled as she slid the box back into position on the shelf and quietly crept back to bed. It was only when she threw the covers back over her legs that she realised the parchment was still downstairs, in the bureau, the top of which had stupidly been left open. Delilah would know she had been in there, and had seen the newly stolen items, if she happened to go into the drawing room before Sophia did. What then?
Would Delilah move the rest of the stolen goods out of the house?
That thought led Sophia to wonder what Delilah had taken into the woods and why. It was two o’clock in the morning; not the usual time to be making social calls. If she was meeting with someone, it wasn’t anyone reputable, of that Sophia had no doubt. Delilah hadn’t been in the woods long enough to hide the package anywhere, and certainly hadn’t taken anything with which to dig a hole.
So what on earth had she been doing? Some of the items had gone, but had Delilah handed them over to someone waiting in the woods? If so, who?
Sophia’s worries increased tenfold as she thought about the rest of the items in the box. She knew they were stolen. The right thing to do would be to return them to their rightful owners, assuming Delilah knew who they were and was prepared to hand them back. That thought led her on to wonder how on earth she could return them without admitting she had taken them in the first place?
With a deep sigh, Sophia threw the covers off her legs and hurried back downstairs. Once she had the required items to write a letter to Hooky, and the bureau lid was closed, she made her way back to bed.
Unfortunately, sleep was a very long time coming.
The following morning, tired, grumpy, and in no mood for any more of Delilah’s social functions, Sophia made her way downstairs. Unsurprisingly, Delilah appeared to be
“Have you taken them to hide them where I can’t find them, or are you meeting someone?”
There was only one way of finding out what her aunt was up to. She had to go out there and see for herself. Quickly slipping her boots on, she drew her thickest cloak around her, and paid particular attention to hiding the brilliant white material of her nightgown. Once the hood was tugged over her hair, Sophia quietly let herself out of the side door but, before she could follow, Delilah re-emerged out of the trees and headed back to the house.
Sophia quickly slipped back inside and hid in the downstairs cupboard while she waited for her aunt to go back to bed. Her heart pounded as the minutes ticked by. Her ears strained for sounds of movement outside but, apart from the faint rustle of clothing, she could hear nothing. She prayed that her aunt wouldn’t use the cupboard to store her soiled boots in, and edged toward the furthest corner of the closet to wait.
Eventually, the quiet creaks and groans of the stairs protesting beneath Delilah’s weight broke the silence. Sophia puffed out her cheeks and remained perfectly still while she listened for the quiet click of Delilah’s bedroom door. She waited a few minutes longer, just to make sure that her aunt had gone to bed, and let herself out of the cupboard.
It was only when she was about to close the door behind her that she realised someone had been in the closet lately. The box of candles that used to sit on the shelf now rested on the floor. In its place on the shelf was another, much larger box. Her hand shook as she lifted the unusually heavy box down and took a peek inside.
“I need a candle,” she muttered.
Once a candle had been lit, she returned to the closet to take a look inside the box suspecting that she already knew what it contained. Not everything that had been in the drawer upstairs was there, but the majority of Delilah’s stolen hoard was now tucked away in the box, secreted in a place where actually, only Delilah usually ever went.
“Damn you, Delilah.”
Sophia scowled as she slid the box back into position on the shelf and quietly crept back to bed. It was only when she threw the covers back over her legs that she realised the parchment was still downstairs, in the bureau, the top of which had stupidly been left open. Delilah would know she had been in there, and had seen the newly stolen items, if she happened to go into the drawing room before Sophia did. What then?
Would Delilah move the rest of the stolen goods out of the house?
That thought led Sophia to wonder what Delilah had taken into the woods and why. It was two o’clock in the morning; not the usual time to be making social calls. If she was meeting with someone, it wasn’t anyone reputable, of that Sophia had no doubt. Delilah hadn’t been in the woods long enough to hide the package anywhere, and certainly hadn’t taken anything with which to dig a hole.
So what on earth had she been doing? Some of the items had gone, but had Delilah handed them over to someone waiting in the woods? If so, who?
Sophia’s worries increased tenfold as she thought about the rest of the items in the box. She knew they were stolen. The right thing to do would be to return them to their rightful owners, assuming Delilah knew who they were and was prepared to hand them back. That thought led her on to wonder how on earth she could return them without admitting she had taken them in the first place?
With a deep sigh, Sophia threw the covers off her legs and hurried back downstairs. Once she had the required items to write a letter to Hooky, and the bureau lid was closed, she made her way back to bed.
Unfortunately, sleep was a very long time coming.
The following morning, tired, grumpy, and in no mood for any more of Delilah’s social functions, Sophia made her way downstairs. Unsurprisingly, Delilah appeared to be
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