He had not stood there long when the door opened again. His back straight and stiff, Liam stared forward as Lord Ampleforth emerged. Liam instantly recognized the anger in the Baron’s tight expression, the restrained fury in the tense set of his shoulders. He did not seem to see Liam at all, for which Liam felt grateful.
But I see you, you bloody bugger, and remember what you did.
He did not have to wait long before the door opened again, and Lord Willowdale’s valet beckoned to him. “Lord Willowdale and Miss Miller wish to see you, Mr. Carter.”
Stepping past the valet, Liam strode through the opulent chambers with ancient tapestries hanging from the walls, rugs and furs on the tiled floor, and small marble statues on pedestals. In the bedchamber, he found Lord Willowdale, clad in a night shirt sitting up in his bed with a heap of pillows behind him, and Thea sitting in a chair beside him. Mr. Noonan stood at the foot of the bed and gave Liam an appraising glance and a nod of approval. Liam bowed low.
“My sister tells me our scoundrel in the walls had a go at you, Mr. Carter,” said Lord Willowdale.
His dark hair tousled, and his mouth tight with pain, Lord Willowdale nonetheless appeared strong and healthy despite the shot that nearly killed him. Thea watched him, her expression bland, yet curious, as though she gazed at something she had never seen before.
“That is correct, My Lord.”
“Though my sister told me what happened,” Lord Willowdale continued, his pale brown eyes on Liam’s, “I would like you to tell it so both Mr. Noonan and I might hear it.”
“My Lord, you are well aware that this man in the house lurks in the walls to hear your plans and to use this information to know where you are going and what you are planning.”
“You footmen are not supposed to be eavesdropping on your employers,” Lord Willowdale said, his tone dry.
Liam opened his mouth, but Lord Willowdale held up his hand to forestall him. “I know, it is going to happen, it is inevitable since you wait on us hand and foot. For once I think I can appreciate you using the information you hear to my advantage. Pray continue.”
“I spoke with three of my fellows,” Liam went on, his mouth dry. “To see if we can find this villain’s lair, and perhaps catch him on your behalf, My Lord. I received the permission of Mr. O’Bannon to conduct some private snooping. I did find the villain’s lair, but he hit me on the head and tried to kill me by tossing me down an old well.”
Lord Willowdale frowned slightly. “But you climbed up and out of it?”
“Yes, My Lord.” Liam displayed the raw flesh of his fingers and hands. “I escaped, and Miss Miller found me, aided me, last night.”
Thea nodded as though it were merely her due. “Glad to see you are up and about, Mr. Carter,” she said. “By the way, I saw him last night.”
Liam jerked his eyes to her, scorching fear for her running through his veins. Lord Willowdale also snapped his gaze to her while Mr. Noonan lifted his brow, his countenance as impassive as always. Thea shrugged under the scrutiny.
“I was not close enough to get a good look at him,” she continued. “I followed him, but he disappeared soon after. I expect he went inside one of his holes.”
“Do you realize that had he seen you,” Lord Willowdale demanded, “he might easily have killed you?”
“And one good scream would have brought the entire household down about his ears,” Thea replied, her tone dry.
Lord Willowdale shook his head, muttering under his breath. He finally glanced at Liam again.
“So you found proof that I do indeed have a lurker in the walls,” Lord Willowdale said, rubbing his stubbled chin with his thumb. “And he thinks he killed you, is that right?”
“I believe so, My Lord.”
“How do we catch him then? Go inside the tunnels in force?”
Mr. Noonan shook his head. “I think not, My Lord. To do so would only force him to flee. He would see us coming and bolt. We must lure him out somehow.”
Thea suddenly stiffened, her mouth open. “We should not be discussing this here. What if he is listening even now?”
Lord Willowdale gaped, and turned his head and stared at the nearest wall. Mr. Noonan lifted a placating hand. “Miss Miller, you have the right idea, we should be careful about where we speak from now on. However, that wall.”
He pointed toward the one behind Lord Willowdale’s headboard, “Is an exterior wall – it has no tunnels behind it. That one.” He jerked his thumb toward the chamber where Michael, Lord Willowdale’s valet, worked tidying the room and caring for his master’s clothes. “Is where the tunnel would be, in order for the lord’s valet to come and go. At the moment, our rat cannot hear us.”
Thea relaxed a fraction. “Good. But from now on, we find a better place in which to talk. Perhaps by the lake where we know if someone is close by.”
“Good idea,” Lord Willowdale said, wincing as he tried to make himself more comfortable. “So how do we lure our little rat out of hiding?”
“We will have to use you as bait, Freddie,” Thea said. “After you are well again, of course.”
