Jarvis raised a brow. “Why?”
“Potentially uncovering a secret criminal society? That could put me in favor with the king.”
“What makes you think they are criminals?”
Mr. Gunning tilted his head, and a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. It disappeared as soon as it manifested. “Running around at night doing God knows what, acting without authority. Sounds like criminals to me,” he said soberly.
Jarvis just shrugged. “All I can wish you is good luck. Unfortunately, I cannot help more.”
Mr. Gunning nodded and stood. “You know what I find curious?” he asked as he turned to leave.
“I am certain I have no idea,” Jarvis answered drily.
“It is curious how out of the three of us who set out to liberate Lady Payne that night—me, the professional thief-taker, Payne, a man who endured much hardship and learned to fight the hard way, you are the only one who got out of that fight unscathed.”
“I did not come away unscathed,” Jarvis replied instantly. “My left shoulder still aches in dull weather. Which is always.”
Gunning eyed Jarvis’s bad shoulder. “Healed fast, have you?”
“Not especially. But I mask it well.” He grinned.
“Hm.” Gunning sniffed, turned on his heel, and slowly ambled away.
Jarvis frowned and closed the drawer. Why in the world did the thief-taker even come to his place? To flaunt his suspicions? Either way, Jarvis needed to be even more careful than he was.
Jarvis stood with a groan and walked to the servants’ bell. He called for his valet and asked for a warm bath to be drawn. His muscles still protested after the short exercise the other day. Today, he felt the aches. Tomorrow, he was certain he would have trouble getting out of bed.
Getting old was not a pleasant feeling. Being injured while getting old was even worse. But trying to exercise after a long break was the worst of all three. And perhaps at seven and twenty, he wasn’t exactly ancient, but he wasn’t young either.
He walked toward the stairs, his joints cracking as he moved.
His butler stopped him as he just reached the staircase. “A note for you, my lord,” the butler intoned. “And a pouch.”
Jarvis raised a brow. A pouch? That was new.
He took both the note and the small brown pouch and slowly ascended the steps. He entered his room to see the bath being filled with hot water. Good.
Jarvis flipped the envelope to see the name on the back.Olivia.
He smiled and placed both items on the bed. He undressed and slowly took the pouch and the note and climbed into the bath.
He opened the envelope and read.
So that you smell like roses.
Jarvis chuckled and opened the pouch. Inside lay a beautiful glass bottle. He opened the lid and took a whiff of a pleasant-smelling liquid. The scent was fresh and unimposing.
Jarvis smiled, thinking of Olivia making the scent especially for him. Well, he’d make sure to wear it every day.