A Heartless Design Read Online Free

heaves, he turned back toward the house.
    He found the study a blaze of light, with the furious housemaid Ivy, Stiles, and now Bond all surveying the damage.
    “Jem!” Bond cried when she saw him. “Did you get hurt?”
    “No, I’m all right,” he said, leaning on the doorjamb. “Afraid I didn’t catch him, though, sir,” he added, looking at Stiles.
    “Too bad,” Stiles growled, his face red. “I had a few things to say to him.” His hands clenched into fists.
    “Was anything taken?” Bond asked anxiously. She swallowed, thinking the same thing as everyone else. If any sort of officials came to the house, they would question everyone, looking for an easy suspect. That was something that struck fear in any servant’s heart. For these particular servants, such an event would be tantamount to a second trial.
    “He was holding something,” Ivy declared. “But I’m afraid I didn’t notice what it was. Maybe he dropped it outside?” 
    Jem shook his head. “Maybe. It was dark. I think he was startled before he could get further into the house. He couldn’t have wanted anything in here, right?” He looked at Stiles for confirmation. “There’s nothing worth much money here. It’s just Miss Bering’s study.”
    Stiles agreed. “He probably just broke in through here because it was the furthest room from where we were.”
    “But Nero sounded the alarm,” Bond said proudly, now holding the cat in question tightly in her arms. “I’ll find an extra piece of fish for you, sir.” Nero purred loudly, his injury forgotten.
    “We may be grateful for that,” Stiles said. “And there’s no need to consult the authorities. But I will inform Miss Bering when she returns. Jem,” he said, turning to the footman, “I’ll have to ask you to stay awake tonight, lad. We may have scared him off, but…”
    “Aye. I’ll stay up, and I’ll walk the house every hour. Nothing will happen that I won’t hear.”
    “Good. Ivy, ask Cook make up a bit of soup for the boy,” Stiles ordered. “He looks in need of a bite, after all that running.”
    “Sure I will, and Bond will bring it to you.”
    “I’m going to check the rest of the windows and doors,” Stiles said grimly. “And we’ll have to take steps to improve the locks. Imagine! Breaking into
this
house!” he said in mild astonishment.
    “Well, they don’t know who we are.” Ivy chuckled.
    Bond gasped. “But what if they do? Perhaps that’s why they chose it! They knew we wouldn’t want to make a fuss!” Nero, riled by her tension, leapt free and disappeared out of the room.
    “You worry too much, Lucy,” Jem said, putting his arm around her. “I’ve been in this house for years now. No one knows what little secrets we may have, aside from our own families. It’s just a coincidence.” He looked at Stiles and Ivy over her head, warning them not to disagree and upset the girl further.
    Whether or not Bond believed Jem, she relaxed slightly, and certainly didn’t mind his closeness.
    “A coincidence,” Ivy said strongly, whether she believed it or not. “And if they do come back, we’ll make sure they know we’re not to be trifled with.”

Chapter 4
    The party quickly became too much for Cordelia to tolerate. She left her aunt with their mutual friend Lord Dunham, who was quite charming enough that her own momentary absence would not be missed. She decided to go outside for a while.
    Pacing through the gardens, Cordelia found herself sighing restlessly. She never really minded the London Season, but this year’s distractions were unsettling. She couldn’t put off the feeling that she was being watched…and not just by admirers.
    She found a hidden grotto in the garden, the sort of den trysting lovers might hide in. But it suited her purposes as well. She desired more than anything else to be alone. The usual crowd of men had clung to her tonight, all polite and all attentive. Too attentive.
    She sat on a stone