Phantoms In Philadelphia (Phantom Knights Book 1)

Jack

  The last two weeks had been harder than I could have ever imagined. Not only had I lost Guinevere, but Bess lost Andrew. What a pair we were. If I ever saw Andrew again, I would have been tempted to do some permanent damage. Bess deserved so much more, but I did not entirely blame Andrew. I was as much to blame, and if Bess ever discovered the part I played; I would be as unforgiven as Andrew.

  Seated in Hannah’s small salon, I was waiting for her to return from a party. I had let myself in. The only light in the excessively hot room was from the fire burning in the fireplace.

  Earlier in the day, Levi had come back with the rest of his report. He and Jericho had been trading off watching Hannah’s house and a few days ago, I had Levi trail Andrew. In his report, I discovered whom I had to thank for Andrew rejecting Bess. General Harvey. Andrew had met with him and drove to his hotel and immediately packed his bags. He called at our house on his way out of the city. I would learn the truth if I had to blow my cover and choke it out of the old man, a family friend, or no.

  My reasons for being at Hannah’s house had nothing to do with Andrew, but with Richard. Hannah’s voice speaking to her butler carried through the wall, and then, as expected, the door to the parlor opened and Hannah walked in. She shut the door behind her, leaning against it for a moment.

  When she pushed away from the door, moving to her writing desk, I spoke. “Good evening, Mrs. Lamont.”

  Hannah spun around, her hand flying to her chest. After a moment of gawking at me, she lowered her hand. “How did you get in my house?”

  “Do have a seat, Mrs. Lamont. You and I have much to say to one another.”

  Hannah eyed me warily but moved to a chair beside her writing desk across the room from me. By the way her eyes shifted to her desk, I would say she had a weapon in there.

  Seated in the shadows and using my deep Loutaire voice, there was no flash of recognition in her eyes.

  “What would you like to know,” she asked, “or have my charms drawn you here?” Even though her words were meant to entice, her eyes told another story. She was bone weary. From the circles under her eyes and the slight sag to her shoulders, I would hazard a guess that she had not had a good night’s rest in some time.

  “As lovely as your charms are, it is not for that I have come.”

  Hannah sighed. “I thought not. Well, you are in luck. I am an open book tonight, ask what you will.”

  “What is your involvement with Levitas and more specifically, Richard Hamilton and Nicholas Mansfield?”

  She winced at their names and looked away to stare at the fire. “I could play the fool, but it would serve no purpose. I have been tracking Levitas for months.”

  Her story spilled from her as if she were relieved to have someone to take the burden from her. Her half sister had been one of the first to people to disappear. Her mother’s husband owed Richard money, and when he could not pay, their daughter was taken. They had not known it was Richard, but when more people disappeared, Hannah started putting the pieces together. She had hired a group of men of little morals to watch for any more disappearances, and then follow the carriage to where it went. Her sister had been taken in March, but it was May before she learned of Levitas’s existence. She stumbled upon Richard and Nicholas by pure luck, and she had been ingratiating herself with them for the last two months until she could discover the location of where they were keeping her sister.

  “What things did they have you do for them?”

  “It was simple in the beginning, passing along a note to certain men in society, to allow them to use my house for meetings in the guise of them attending one of my parties, but then Richard started sending me tasks.”

  “Such as?”

  “Richard wanted me to find a house in the country for his affianced bride, then he sent me out to all the best warehouses to choose furnishings. He plans to move her there within the week.”

  So she was not Richard’s pet of fancy. I was disappointed. I could have used that against Richard. “What of Ma belle?”

  Hannah stared across at me, her brow puckering. “I do not understand?”

  “He called you Ma belle. Do not feign ignorance, it does not become you.” I said harshly.

  Hannah’s spine stiffened, and she sat poker straight in her chair. “Richard called me Ma belle as an annoying term of endearment.”

  “What do you know of the woman who works for Levitas?”

  “The one who dresses in white? Only that she is Richard’s ward, but I expect you know that as well.” A moment passed then her eyes widened. “Wait, you did not think—”

  She broke off as I rose. “Thank you for your cooperation. I shall leave you.”

  She shot out of her chair, across the room, grabbing my arm. “Please, promise you will find my sister.” I was facing the door and did not turn to look at her.

  “I shall do my utmost, of that you may be sure.” I disengaged my arm from her, and my hand reached out for the doorknob.

  “I suppose this means you will no longer be watching my house. Pity, that. I had come to enjoy looking out and seeing you keeping watch over me.”

  I said nothing, but opened the door and went out. At times, my similarities to Levi were a blessing. She thought I was he, and that suited me fine. I went out of her house and down the front steps. When I rounded the corner, I ran directly into Levi.

  He stepped back and smiled. “Evening, Loutaire.”

  “Hades,” I replied with a nod. “I have a new assignment for you. There is no longer a need to shadow Mrs. Lamont.”

  “Pity, that,” he said, and I smiled at the words that were the same as Hannah’s. “She was a real gem.”

  “You will be pleased to know she thought the same about you.”

  Levi’s face lit up like a lantern.

  “May the knowledge alone keep you warm at night.”

  “Understood,” Levi replied with a laugh.

  After giving Levi his new post, I returned home. Leo was in my bedchamber putting my clothes away. After closing the door, I blurted out who the real white phantom was and waited to hear what, if anything, Leo would say.

  “She will need to be watched by someone she will not recognize.”

  It was not what I expected. He showed no signs of surprise. “I have Levi on it. He is as slippery as she so she will not escape him.”

  Leo watched me a moment, then spoke. “What do you mean to do?” He knew about my feelings for Guinevere; after Bess he was my closest confidante.

  Sighing and toying with the strings of my mask, I replied, “I have yet to decide. My heart wants me to discover how she came to work for Levitas, but my head says that it does not matter, that she is the white phantom.”

  “You will do what you know is right, of that I am certain.”

  His words were a balm. To know that he had faith in me was enough for the moment. Leo helped me out of my coat and boots, and presently I sent him away, feeling better than I had in the last two weeks.