The Missing Partner (The Adventures of Xavier & Vic Book 2) Read online

  Gregory had become her instructor of a gentleman’s deportment. Yet, he had always been more than that. He was her second father and her first mentor.

  She rose and hugged him.

  “Here now! What is this foolishness?” His words scolded but his hand patted her back with love.

  “I’m just glad you are here.” She stopped hugging him since it made him uncomfortable. Proper men did not hug each other. She stepped back and smiled at him. “Don’t worry about the Bedlam nonsense. I believe Inspector Stone already knew I was involved.”

  “He looked surprised to me.”

  “He looked surprised that Mrs. Carson was alive. He did not look surprised to discover I caused the riot.”

  “But…”

  “One of my Oxford classmates was in the tour. I think the big-mouthed cretin mentioned me.”

  “Well, to be fair, the inspector has a way of getting to the truth.”

  “You don’t know the half of it. He has men who will interrogate you until you want to confess to crimes you didn’t commit.” Vic grimaced. “I do not look forward to that again.”

  Gregory’s eyebrows rose. “Again?”

  She smacked her head for the slip. “All right then. We have both had a slip of the tongue today. Let us forget them and move forward.”

  Her butler’s eyes narrowed and studied her with intense scrutiny.

  “Gregory, please! This is my day when everything goes to my liking.”

  Finally, he released a long breath of air. “Very well, we will put the matter to the side—for the moment.”

  She would have preferred him to forget it entirely, but at least she had a parole.

  ***

  Dr. Connors taught Vic and Gregory how to change Xavier’s bandages. Every hour, they would take turns cleaning the wound and bandaging it. Once satisfied his patient was in good care and on the mend, the doctor packed his bag to leave.

  “Are you leaving so soon?” Vic protested.

  The doctor pulled out his pocket watch. “It is past midnight.”

  “If you are tired, you can sleep in the bed—no, I already gave that to Mr. Tubs.”

  The doctor smiled and patted Vic on her back. “His pulse is considerably stronger and the fever is lower. Continue to give him water. Try feeding him chicken broth in the morning. Also, if he wakes in pain, I have left you packets of salicylic acid. You may pour it in his water or he can swallow it in powder form. I’ll return in the morning to check his wound and progress. Hopefully, we can move him to a safer place in a few days.”

  A worrisome thought crept in Vic’s mind. The streets outside were probably crawling with two legged rats. They might kill Dr. Connors on his way home. “At least, let Davy drive you.”

  Her nosey driver’s head popped in from his post in the hallway. “Are you going to wake Tubs?”

  Vic glared at him. One minute past mid-night and he was already giving her trouble again. “No, I am not waking Mr. Tubs. I don’t think he’s slept for days.”

  “Then I’m not leaving this hall.”

  Dr. Connors laughed softly and then looked at Davy. “You are aware there are Queen’s Men and the Royal Rifles Corp surrounding this building and all other occupants have been temporarily evicted.”

  Walking to the window, she leaned out. Even in the dark, the white pointed helmets and red jackets with white belts of the Royal Rifles were visible. They surrounded the building like a human picket fence. “He’s right, Davy. Come look.”

  Her driver walked over and stared out. “I’ll take you home, doctor.”

  Dr. Connors patted him on his back. “If you don’t mind allowing a Queen’s Man to drive your carriage, I’m sure one of the off-duty men would see me home.”

  Davy’s face scrunched up. “No, I’ll do it.” He then glared at Vic. “Do you promise to stay here?”

  Vic knew he hated other people driving his horse, Marybell. She pointed to Xavier. “After how hard I worked to find him? I’m not leaving his side for anything.”

  Satisfied, Davy followed the doctor downstairs.

  She glanced at Gregory. “You should go too, or how else will Mrs. Yarrows know to prepare chicken broth for breakfast?”

  Gregory nodded and hurried after Davy and the doctor.

  ***

  All alone, Vic turned her attention to Xavier. She carefully eased onto the right side of the narrow bed and laid her head upon his right arm. She didn’t care the sheets were wet and sticky with alcohol. She had recovered her lost partner and all would be well again.

  Chapter 18

  Xavier woke to excruciating pain, an intense craving for opium, and an inexplicable sense of well-being.

  Great, I’ve lost my bloody mind!

  He no longer felt he stood at death’s door. He breathed in and caught the smell of carbolic acid, alcohol, and the musky scent of his beloved pup.

  Even my sense of smell has gone mad.

  Flexing his right arm, he tested his bonds and discovered his movement unencumbered up to his elbow. Hope blossomed.

  He heard the soft and steady breaths of someone near his right. Vic’s unmistakable scent settled in his nose. Victor.

  Seth has captured Victor!

  Rage surged through his body and threatened to overtake him. He could not afford the indulgence. He needed hard cold rational logic to get them out of this. His beloved’s life depended upon it.

  Once fully in control of his thoughts and senses, he opened his eyes a sliver. He had hoped beyond reason he might see the wall of his bedroom.

  The exposed grey wood and torn faded wallpaper killed all possibility his capture had been nothing more than a nightmare.

  Vic slept on his right, and even in her sleep, she held onto his arm with a tenacious strength. His heart swelled with love, but he pushed away the emotion. Right now, he needed to focus on escaping.

  Hearing no sign of anyone else in the room, he gently shook Vic awake.

  She groaned and muttered something that sounded like ‘leave me be.’

  He shook her harder and she woke up barking. “What?” she demanded as she bolted upright.

  “Be quiet, damn you,” Xavier whispered as he pushed himself up to a sitting position. The resulting pain threatened to undo him.

  “You’re awake.” She covered his face with kisses.

  He pushed her away. “Not now! I’ve first got to get us out of here.”

  “But you’re in no condition to move.”

  “I know that, but since you require rescue, I really don’t have a choice, now do I?” She cringed at his angry tone. His fear and worry for her safety had made his words sound far uglier than he intended.

  “Rescue me?” she yelled in full voice.

  Xavier tried to cover her mouth, but the attempt only intensified the excruciating pain in his wound and he collapsed. However, before he lost consciousness he forced three words from his mouth. “Vic, save yourself.”

  ***

  Vic glared at him. “Save myself? I saved you, you ungrateful beggar! I worked very hard to find you. And do you think it was easy? Do you think you were my only case? I had to save over a hundred people first and rescue Mrs. Carson from an asylum. But, at least they were grateful and didn’t insult me.” Vic stopped her tirade.

  Xavier’s head tilted towards her, his mouth open. He looked…dead.

  “No, no, no! You cannot insult me and die, Xavier, I won’t allow it.”

  Her cries caused Mr. Tubs and Davy to run into the room. Mr. Tubs remained at the door, but Davy ran to Xavier’s left side and grabbed his wrist.

  “Xavier, please. You can rescue me if you want. Just come back, please.” Tears streamed down her face.

  “Vic, he’s not dead,” Davy said.

  “Not…” She grabbed Xavier’s right wrist and felt for his pulse, finally finding it. Steadying herself, she dried her eyes. Then in a sudden burst of emotional rage, she slapped Xavier’s good arm. “How dare you scare me like that!”
r />   “You need to calm down,” Davy scolded. “Now, tell me what happened.”

  She sniffed and glared at Xavier. “He woke me up and cursed at me. When he tried to get up, I told him he was in no condition to move and he snapped my head off, telling me he knew that, but since I needed rescue, he had no choice.” Upon retelling it, Vic frowned. “Do you think he’s lost his mind?”

  Davy smiled and looked around the room. “I think Xavier concluded from his poor surroundings that you had been captured, as well.”

  “Oh…which explains why he was yelling and cursing in whispers.”

  Davy nodded and then looked at Mr. Tubs. “Until we convince Xavier that Vic doesn’t need rescue, you should probably stay out of the room.”

  Mr. Tubs nodded and disappeared.

  She slapped Davy’s arm. “That was rude of you!”

  “Just trying to save his life. Now instead of slapping people trying to help, maybe you could come over here and change the bandage. And don’t let me see you hitting your patient again either!”

  Vic scowled as she tended to Xavier’s wound. “I didn’t hurt him. I hit his good arm and he was unconscious, so he doesn’t know.”

  “Doesn’t make it right,” Davy grumbled.

  “No, it doesn’t. And I’m sorry for hitting you, as well.” She paused, struggling to keep her composure. “It was what he said to me—‘Vic, save yourself.’ Those were the last words my mother said before those damnable skirts she wore pulled her to the ocean’s floor. I felt this terrible surge of helplessness and rage, just like I did back then.”

  He patted her back. “I’m sorry he brought back that memory, but on the bright side, he’s not drowning. He’s safe and sound on this sticky bed and getting stronger by the hour.”

  “This bed is sticky. Maybe while he’s unconscious we can move him to the other bed.”

  “That’s a good idea. The other room won’t scare him so bad when he wakes up.”

  ***

  Mr. Tubs had no problem lifting Xavier and carrying him across the hall to a bed fitted with fresh clean sheets.

  When Dr. Connors arrived, he was not pleased they had moved Xavier without his permission, but agreed the new cleaner environment was better for the patient.

  Vic defended her decision. “Mr. Tubs was very gentle as he carried him. The fresh blood on his bandage is due to his attempt to escape.”

  “Escape?” Dr. Connors’ eyes rounded in shock.

  “He woke up this morning determined to rescue me from our squalid surroundings.”

  “He tried to leave?” The doctor pressed his hand on Xavier’s forehead.

  “He only managed to sit up and yell at me before collapsing from the pain.” She frowned at the memory. “For a moment, I thought he had died.”

  Dr. Connors finished his exam. “He was frightfully close to death yesterday when I arrived, but he has made significant progress since then. If you don’t mind, I will stay until he wakes.”

  “I don’t mind.” Vic sat on the bed beside Xavier and brushed his unruly black hair from his face. She smiled at her beloved grump, currently in sore need of a barber.

  Dr. Connors sat down in a chair on the other side of the bed.

  His presence was reassuring. Now if Xavier woke and decided to leap about, the doctor could help her calm him down.

  She gnawed her bottom lip. Unless Xavier mistook the doctor for his abductor and tried to kill him…

  “Something wrong?” the doctor asked.

  Realizing she had been under his scrutiny, her frown deepened. “I think perhaps you should wait in the other room. I wouldn’t want Xavier to mistake you for his abductor.”

  While her comment made his brow furrow, Dr. Connors didn’t run from the room. Instead, he stood and checked Xavier’s temperature again. “Was Xavier having delusions when he woke?”

  “No. He was his normal, cranky, ungrateful self.” She still resented him yelling at her.

  Chuckling, he returned to his seat. “Well, that I am accustomed to. He has never been a gracious patient.”

  His words surprised her. “You know him?”

  “I’ve patched him up on an occasion or two.”

  Vic grasped Xavier’s right hand and smiled at her sleeping employer.

  After a long moment of silence, Dr. Connors leaned forward and stared at her. “Forgive me for asking, but do you always dress as a man? I noticed everyone refers to you in male gender, and you play the part quite effectively.”

  Vic tightened her grip on Xavier’s hand. “What makes you think I’m not a man?”

  His finger touched the Adam’s apple on his neck. “Most young men your age have developed a bump in their throat as their voice box grows in size.”

  Vic’s eyes narrowed. “Well, perhaps mine did not grow so much. That hardly warrants you to defame my character.”

  Unexpectedly a third party weighed in on the matter. While his eyes remained closed, Xavier spoke. “Be careful, Connors. Vic has a deadly aim and a cruel penchant for shooting people in the gut. Challenge his manhood and you might survive the duel, but you will certainly regret the error of your ways.”

  Vic glared at the doctor. “He is not being delusional.”

  The doctor’s eyebrows rose a full inch. “Then you do shoot people in the stomach?”

  “No, of course not! He’s just amusing himself at my expense.” She reached over and stroked Xavier’s forehead. “It’s just one of his many annoying habits.” Even to her ears, her words sounded like proclamations of love.

  Xavier opened his eyes and returned her smile. “Connors, can you give us a minute.”

  “Aren’t you in pain?” the doctor asked.

  “In more ways than one, and I will discuss the matter with you in a moment. I just need to speak to Victor first. Then you and I can have a private conversation.” Xavier’s clipped tones moved Connors from the room with no further argument.

  Vic sighed. “I wish I could develop your tone. I’ve had a devil of a time getting people to do what I want. Even clients are more difficult without you in the room.”

  He smiled and tugged her closer to him. “I am sorry I yelled at you before. I’m sure you have a very good reason why we are living in squalor, and I look forward to the explanation. As long as you are safe and near my side, I don’t care where we live.”

  She laughed. “Well, I do. So as soon as you are well enough to move, we will return home. And I’m certain the Queen will be glad to have her sixty men, who guard our private tenement building, returned.” Vic frowned. “But no more than the people who live here normally, I imagine.”

  His head tilted as he considered her comments and then smiled. “He finally took me to a doctor. I remember now.”

  “Who did?”

  Xavier shook his head. “You’ll not go after my captor. I promised him an end to his torment if he’d released me alive.”

  Vic scowled. “Well, he sent you to a very bad doctor and you were barely alive when I found you. Thus, in my opinion, he did not negotiate in good faith.”

  “Perhaps not, but I am a man of my word. So you will remain muzzled in this matter.” He reached up and stroked her face. “I want your word that you will not go after this man if someone else reveals his identity.”

  Her brow furrowed, not liking his request at all. “His name isn’t Mr. Carson, is it?”

  “No.”

  “Then you have my word, but only because you are sick and I don’t want you to die while yelling at me.”

  His hand curled around her neck and he pulled her closer. He covered her face with light kisses but refused her lips.

  Seeing her pout, he explained. “Vic, I have not seen a tooth brush since I left you last. I very well might poison you if we kissed just now.”

  Vic nodded. “Same here. I had the foulest tasting rag in my mouth for hours.”

  His expression darkened. “Why?”

  She regretted her complaint. “I’ll tell you later, but res
t assured nothing bad happened, other than that vile rag…and on the bright side, I have hired us a highly skilled and helpful new employee. Davy and he are great friends, already.”

  “You placed someone on my staff without approval from me?”

  “You were right there in the room when I made him an offer. If you objected you should have said something.”

  His narrowing eyes warned her he was gathering the strength to yell. She laid her head on the good side of his chest. “We can discuss this later, when you are better. I find no pleasure fighting with you when you are this ill. I fear you will end the argument with death.”

  Xavier sighed and stroked her hair. Then he sniffed several times. “When was the last time you bathed?” His voice sounded angry.

  Sitting up in outrage, she glared at him. “I don’t exactly recall. I’ve been too damn busy saving people from insane asylums and white slavers, not to mention finding missing employers.”

  “Did you by chance save a boat load of people?”

  “Well they weren’t in a boat yet, but we rescued over a hundred.”

  He stroked her cheek. “Then you not only found me, but you saved me. He wanted to sell his slaves before he released me. Once you removed them from the field of play, he caved at once.”

  “He may have caved, but he sent you to such a bad doctor, you nearly died all the same.”

  “Except my pup found me.”

  Honor required her to spread the credit of his rescue. “A little boy named Pete saw the direction they took you. Then Jacko sold me a map marking all the doctors on the west side of Dragon’s Cloud.”

  Xavier blinked slowly. “He made you buy that map?”

  “Yes, but he did accompany me, which was a good thing, because you weren’t in the doctor’s office. The sorry-excuse-for-a-doctor had you stashed across the hall in a locked room. He was packed and ready to leave town when we arrived. If Jacko hadn’t coerced him to show us where you were, you might have died before I found you.”