Scoundrel With A Noble Heart (sequel of Disgraceful)

Chapter 20

The next morning

Almost colliding with a maid bringing a pile of fresh towels in her haste, Arabella rushed down the grand spiral staircase and crossed the hall to the breakfast room. Last night she'd got a brilliant idea to make amends to Matthew for the trouble she caused him yesterday, and to investigate him about the letter.

Who could possibly send him the letter?
The question had been taking up most of her waking thoughts since yesterday. Even worse, the possible answer to that question had kept her awake all night. She guessed it must be one of the young maids. In fact she wouldn't be surprised if Matthew had more than one admirer. The mere thought of him dallying with another girl was enough to make her blood boil. Once she found who dared to flirt with him, she would make sure the girl got fired.

In the meantime, she planned to steal Matthew away for a day and spend time with him to her heart's content. She was going to take him to the remote part of the village, where they could have the place all to themselves for hours to come. To make sure Matthew would have no reason to refuse her this time, she would ask for permission to go sightseeing around the village, and coaxed Aunt Ginny to let Matthew escort her. Surely Aunt Ginny would comply with her request. She wouldn't disappoint her for such a small matter.

As she entered the room, she greeted her aunt cheerfully and took a seat across her. A maid began to serve them with toast and eggs, another one pouring tea into their cup.

"How's your sleep, darling?"
Aunt Ginny asked as she began tearing her toast.

"I slept well, thanks."
Arabella sipped her tea, taking time to consider her words.

"So, do you have any plan for the day?"

"I think I'm going to do a little sightseeing."

"Good. I'll have a footman to escort you."

Sneaking a glance at her aunt, Arabella chose her words carefully.
"Aunt Ginny, may I ask you something?"

"Of course darling,"

Before she could utter a word, the butler suddenly appeared in the doorway, performing a quick bow before striding into the room. The grave expression in the old man's face suggested something unpleasant had happened. Aunt Ginny set her cutlery and turned toward the man.
"What is it?"

"I apologize for the intrusion, Milady, but I think this is something you have to hear promptly. The boy Matthew has disappeared into thin air. I found his room empty this morning."

"There must be a mistake,"
Arabella responded instantaneously, but before she could finish her sentence, a panicked maid burst into the room.

"Milady! The antique spoons in the study are gone! Somebody has stolen them!"

Arabella's fork slipped off her fingers and hit the floor with a soft clang.

The antique spoons. Gone. Stolen.

An instant recollection of the night in the study cast a sudden chill over her.

"Good Lord! It's worth a small fortune! How come nobody heard when somebody broke the cabinet?"
Aunt Ginny pushed herself off the table, almost knocking her chair off to the floor. The maid's voice trembled with fear as she spoke,
"The cabinet is intact, milady. It seemed like the thief had unlocked it with a wire or something like that."

Arabella sucked in a breath, her mind going into a chaos. Still she refused to believe the worst. As the maid stuttered incoherent words in panic, the butler suddenly broke in,
"Pardon me, milady. I suppose it's not a mere coincidence the boy disappeared at the exact same time the spoons were gone."