The Faerie Ring (28 page)

Rieker seemed unimpressed. “Do you think the boy was her brother?”

“Brother?” Leo cried. “No, I think it was
Elizabeth
. That’s why I dropped my wineglass the night of the ball. I
recognized
her.”

Rieker tilted his head back and laughed out loud. “That’s a good one, Leo. Did it take you long to think this up? Tell me, do you think Elizabeth was disguised as a beggar or the beggar was disguised as Elizabeth?” Tears of laughter glistened in the corners of his eyes as he waited for Leo’s response.

“Laugh all you want, but a ransom note was delivered for the ring. It was written in exactly the manner I had discussed with Elizabeth. We’ve talked of having her arrested. That’s how sure we are that she’s involved in this.”

“Arrested?” Rieker’s laughter dissolved into an angry frown. “You can’t be serious. Did you pay the reward?”

“Well, no. But—”

Rieker jerked away and walked down the path, his shoulders rigid with anger. Leo pulled Diablo’s head and hurried to catch up.

“I’m trying to warn you, Wills. At the ball, after I danced with Elizabeth, all she wanted to talk about was the ring. I don’t even know how she knew of its existence, let alone its disappearance.”

Rieker glanced over at him. “You think Elizabeth stole your mother’s ring? Is that it?”

“Yes,” Leo said grudgingly. “There’s something suspicious about her. I can
feel
it. And that mark…”

Rieker snorted in disgust. “I’d like to see Elizabeth dressed like a beggar boy. She looked enchantingly feminine to me at the ball.” He slid his hands into his pockets and kicked angrily at a pile of leaves. “Why didn’t you pay the reward?”

Leo hesitated.

“Well?”

“The thief’s note said that the ring was hidden in the palace.” Leo threw his hands in the air. “They wanted us to leave the money without even giving us the ring in return.”

Rieker jerked to a stop and turned to face the prince. Leo took a step back at the scowl on his friend’s face. “Let me get this straight. The ring is in the palace, yet you want to charge Elizabeth with stealing it? Are you completely mad?”

“Yes, well…” Leo forced a laugh. “You have a point. But I wanted you to be aware of our suspicions. I can’t tell you the hours I’ve spent pondering the whole situation. How could two people have an identical mark as unusual as that unless they are one and the same? And by the way…” He turned his scrutiny to Rieker again. “Was Elizabeth your guest? I didn’t see her name on the guest list.”

“Yes, she came with me.”

“Then why did you introduce yourself to her?”

Rieker gave Leo a stern look. “Now you’ll have to keep one of my secrets. It was, shall we say, a private joke?” He smiled. “She was nervous about not knowing anyone, and I told her I would introduce her to several handsome men. So I introduced myself to her.” Rieker cleared his throat. “Several times.”

“Ah…” Leo nodded. “You do care for her. I’d recommend caution, then, until you can verify the truth.”

Rieker let out a sigh of exasperation. “Leo, she is an enchanting young lady. I don’t need to ‘verify the truth.’ I believe she is everything she says she is.”

“Yes, well, be that as it may, you need to be careful, my friend.”

They walked along in silence for a bit before Leo spoke again. “How are you doing? I know this is a difficult time of year for you.”

Rieker exhaled. “I walk a lot and fight back the memories. Each year it’s a bit easier, I think.”

Leo rested his hand on the side of his black horse. “You know, I went and saw Mamie the other day. You remember her, the woman who has tended Mother all these years?”

“Of course I remember Mamie. The witch woman.”

Leo nodded. “Yes. That’s the one.” He looked up at Wills. “She often asks about you. Even after all these years.”

“Really? Why do you suppose that is? I’m surprised she even remembers me.”

“You spent a lot of time around us when we were younger. I think your family’s accident came as quite a shock to her, as it did to all of us.” He shook his head as though to shake the sad memories away. “She’s always been particularly concerned about your welfare. Anyway, I drew a picture of the mark on Elizabeth’s arm and asked her if she’d ever seen such a thing before.” Leo’s voice dropped to a whisper. “She recognized it immediately. Called it
fáinne
something. A Gaelic term.” He snapped his fingers. “
An fáinne sí.
She told me it was the mark of the faerie ring. Supposedly comes from a line of the fey who were said to have died out centuries ago. Quite rare, apparently.”

Rieker’s lips wavered at the corners. “And do you believe that the mark makes Elizabeth a faerie?”

Leo didn’t smile. “Well, there is quite a history to the ring that was stolen, and it’s said to be linked to the faeries. I’ll tell you, Wills, there is more than meets the eye to this thing. And I’m quite concerned about Mother’s health. Her fever continues unabated, yet she shivers as though chilled. Her bones seem to ache without cause, and her fatigue keeps her in bed constantly. She continues to deteriorate.”

“Well, I thank you for informing me of your suspicions,” Rieker said, clearly ending the conversation. “I’ll proceed with caution.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“I hope you do,” Leo replied. “I’m telling you this for your own good, Wills. I don’t wish any additional heartache to come your way. You’ve had more than your share.” He pulled a watch from inside his jacket and glanced at the time. “I need to get back. Let’s keep this conversation between ourselves for now.” Leo walked around Diablo and pulled himself into the saddle. “Come by tonight. Arthur and I and a few chums are playing cards. Can you join us?”

“I’ll do my best to be there. What time?”

“Come at eight.” Leo looked down from atop Diablo as the horse pawed at the dirt, ready to run again. “By the way, I found your cousin to be charming and exquisitely beautiful. Were she not married, I would ask your permission to call on her.”

“My cousin?” Rieker gave Leo a puzzled frown.

“Of course. When I went up to your town house this morning, she was there. Beautiful girl with those golden ringlets. Nice of you to invite her to care for her sick daughter there.”

Chapter Thirty-two

T
IKI
paced around the room again, her fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on her crossed arms. Where was Rieker? It had been hours since she’d left him in the park. She hadn’t had a chance to tell him that she needed the ring by twilight
tonight.
She was so anxious, she felt as though she were going to be sick.

The information he’d shared about his past and about why he was at Charing Cross churned inside her. She couldn’t escape the images of Rieker alone in the water, of his family drowning. Her chest ached at the thought of him coming home to an empty house with nothing but memories haunting the rooms like ghosts.

When her parents had died, she’d had no choice but to move, to go to her aunt and uncle’s. Then she’d been forced to run from there. Her day-to-day world had been filled with survival, which had blunted the pain of her loss over her family. But Rieker … he’d gone back to the same life, the same home—one that would never, could never, be the same again.

She stopped and closed her eyes, imagining Rieker’s lips on hers. The hunger she’d felt had been real, compelling, pulling her to him. She couldn’t deny the burning desire she’d had to wrap her arms around him and hold him close. A cry of despair escaped her lips. When had she fallen in love with him?

“Calm down,” Shamus said from his seat by the stove where he sat watching Tiki pace. “He’ll be back. The prince won’t do anything to Rieker.”

Tiki shot him an uneasy glance, then resumed her pacing. They were running out of time. Larkin could harm Clara the way she’d harmed Rieker’s family. She turned and paced the other direction. She needed the ring now. She would have to trust Rieker. Tiki hurried over to the peephole and peered out into the station for any sign of him. Where was he?

*   *   *

T
HE
snow continued to fall as the day dragged by. Tiki was afraid to head into the station for fear she’d miss Rieker. She worked with Toots on learning his letters for a while, but as the afternoon wore on, both Toots and Fiona begged her to leave.

“You’re a bit cranky,” Fiona complained from her corner where she had retreated and was curled up looking at the pictures in a book Tiki had brought her from Mr. Potts’s shop. “Go pick some pockets. That’ll give you somethin’ to do besides pace.”

Their conversation was interrupted when the back door slid open and Rieker stepped into the room. The wave of relief that flooded over Tiki was so palpable, she thought her knees would sag.

“Where have you been?” she asked. His dark eyes locked on hers, but he didn’t smile. His mood was very different from when they were in the park. His defenses were up again, the walls in place, and he was the Rieker of old.

“I got word of Larkin.” He was wet from the snow, his dark hair plastered to his scalp. He stepped near the warmth of the stove.

“And?” Tiki asked. She hurried toward him, wringing her hands anxiously.

Shamus sat up straighter. “What did you hear?”

Fiona put her picture book down and stared hopefully across the room.

“She’s been keeping Clara in a house up in the West End. In the Mayfair area. The owner comes and goes for business. He’s gone for weeks at a time, and apparently she showed up and claimed to be kin.”

Tiki’s shoulders sagged for a moment at his confirmation that Larkin held the child. Even though she’d known there was no place else Clara could be, she’d held a shred of hope that Larkin was bluffing. “How’d you find that out?” she asked.

“I ran into someone who had visited the house,” Rieker said. “I knew it was Larkin from the description they gave. I’m going there straightaway. Larkin can’t keep Clara outside overnight. It’s too cold. That means she should be there tonight.”

“Did they see Clara?” Tiki bit the corner of her lip, her heart pounding uncomfortably. “Is she all right?”

“I don’t think they saw Clara. Just Larkin, but she said something to alert them that she was caring for a sick child.” He put an arm around Tiki’s shoulders and gave her a squeeze. “We’ll get her home.”

For a second, Tiki wanted to give in and lean against his strength. Instead, she clutched at his lapels. “I need the ring by twilight tonight.” Her words were rushed. “Larkin said she would trade.”

Rieker peeled her hands away from his jacket. “Sit down, Tiki. I have a way into Buckingham tonight, but we need to talk first.”

She sank into one of the rickety chairs, a nervous anticipation bubbling in her stomach. “How are you getting into the palace?” she asked.

“Leo’s having a card game. I’m invited.”

“You’ve been invited to Buckingham Palace?” Shamus asked in disbelief.

Tiki and Rieker both looked over at him as if they’d forgotten he was in the room.

“I’ll explain it later, Shamus,” Tiki said. She turned back to Rieker. “Go on.”

“Actually, I think it’s more accurate to say I’ve been commanded to be there.” He pulled the other chair close, facing her. Shamus and Fiona hunkered down near the stove, while Toots manned his post at the peephole. But every eye in the place was on Rieker.

“Tiki, you never told me what you and Larkin talked about last night.” His gaze didn’t waver. “I need you to tell me now before I go talk to her.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to Tiki. She took a deep breath and focused on speaking calmly. “Larkin said she wanted to trade Clara for the ring, just like you said she would.”

Rieker didn’t seem surprised. “But the ring is still hidden in Buckingham, isn’t it?” At Tiki’s nod, he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “What else did she say?”

“At first, she asked where you were and I told her you didn’t know I was coming. Then she asked me for the ring. When I told her I didn’t have it, she said to ask you.” Tiki rubbed her sweating palms along her thighs. “And that was it. She just said to bring the ring back to her in Hyde Park by twilight tonight and she would bring Clara.”

Rieker stood and Tiki jumped up, too. “Why does she think you can get the ring for her?” she asked.

“I’m not sure. Hopefully, I’ll find her and get some answers.”

*   *   *

T
IKI
watched silently as Rieker exited through the back door. She stared blankly at the wooden panel after he’d gone. How was she possibly going to sit and wait for him to come back with news? With a start, she realized she couldn’t wait. She needed to go with him. She could help Rieker negotiate with Larkin, and maybe there was a chance they could find Clara. The little girl might need her. She grabbed her coat and ran for the back door.

“I’ll be back,” she said over her shoulder.

“Tiki, wait…,” Shamus called, but she slipped through the maintenance tunnels without answering and out into the dim shadows of the alley, tucking her long braid into her coat.

She ran through the alley, dodging the garbage and debris piled up alongside the buildings. She reached the entrance to the alley and scanned the street.

There. Rieker’s broad shoulders were visible heading toward the intersection. Tiki cast a quick glance around, then set off after him. He moved quickly, and she had to run to keep up. He turned on the Strand and hailed a hansom cab. As she watched, Rieker climbed into the covered sitting area of the cab and pulled the door closed.

Tiki had to sprint to catch up to the carriage. Pure adrenaline fueled her leap onto the boot. She tucked herself tight against the back of the cab and prayed that she would remain unseen.

The cab went past Trafalgar Square and the four great black statues of Nelson’s lions and cut over to Haymarket. They wound around Piccadilly Circus and over to Bond Street. As they headed west, the houses and gardens became bigger and more lavish.