Free Candace Camp by A Dangerous Man

voice so gentle and reassuring that Eleanor looked at him, surprised.
    The Indian woman nodded. “Yes. It does not sound like much, but it scared me. It was as though he did not have a face at all.”
    “I can imagine,” Eleanor commented. “It’s not at all surprising that he frightened you.”
    “I screamed when he turned around. And he ran toward me. I could not get out of his way fast enough, and he shoved me hard. I stumbled and fell down. Then everyone came. But he had run down the stairs and out of the house.”
    “Did no one else see him?” Anthony asked.
    Zachary, after a questioning glance at Anthony, said, “No. I wish I had. I was in the office when I heard her scream, and I came up the back stairs, as they were closer. He went down the front.”
    “I did,” one of the footmen admitted, lifting his hand somewhat shamefacedly. “I heard Miss Kerani scream, and I went running to the stairs. But that bloke was barreling down the stairs, and he ran straight into me. Knocked me halfway across the room, and by the time I got to me feet, he was out the front door. I went after him, but…” He shrugged. “I couldn’t see him.”
    “No one else was about, Miss Eleanor,” Bartwell put in. “Everyone was back in the kitchens or already gone up to bed.”
    “Well, at least no one was hurt,” Eleanor said. “Did he take anything?”
    “I don’t know, miss. He made a mess in your room, but it was hard to tell if anything was gone.”
    “Why don’t we go up and look?” Anthony suggested.
    Eleanor thought about pointing out that this whole matter was none of his concern. But, frankly, it was strangely comforting to have his large, calm presence beside her, so she made no comment as he took her arm and went up the stairs beside her. The others followed them.
    On the way up the stairs, they met the two children, who popped up to greet them. “Eleanor! Was it a thief? Did he take anything? Who do you think it was? The same as before?”
    “The same as before?” Anthony turned to look at her. “This is a common occurrence?”
    “No. I am sure it has nothing to do with this. It was when we were still in Naples. Someone broke into the house, but nothing was taken. That is all.”
    “I see. You are doubtless right. It was not connected.”
    Eleanor turned back to the children. “You two should be in bed. It is long past your bedtime.”
    “How could we sleep?” the girl, Claire, asked reasonably.
    “It’s far too exciting,” Nathan agreed. “We want to see if he took anything.”
    “Very well. But then you will let Kerani take you straight back to bed.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    Eleanor continued up the stairs and to the doorway of her bedroom. “Oh, my.” She stopped and looked in some dismay at her room.
    The drawers of her vanity and dresser stood open, as did the doors of her wardrobe, and clothes were scattered about, spilling out of the drawers, as though someone had rifled through them hastily. A chair had been turned upside down, and the pillows of the bed had been tossed aside, the mattress shoved halfway off. A music box stood on its side and open on the dresser, as well as a small chest, its lid up, necklaces spilling down the side of it. Earrings, brooches and such lay tumbled across the top of her dresser.
    Eleanor walked over to the dresser, and Anthony followed her, glancing around the room. Eleanor turned the small music box upright and closed it, then looked through her jewelry box, picking up all the pieces and putting them back where they belonged.
    “Is anything missing?”
    “I—I’m not sure. Offhand, I don’t think so. No, wait, there is a brooch gone. A silver one. Oh, and a cloisonné locket.” She frowned. “It’s very odd. They were not even the most valuable pieces in this box. My garnets are still here, and they are worth more. And this is just my everyday jewelry. All the really valuable pieces are downstairs in the safe.”
    She turned to Bartwell, who was