“I Just Need Food and a Place to Sleep,” He Said—Then He Saved Her Restaurant’s Busiest Night
Chapter 9
They returned to Ashford under cover of darkness.
The Bell & Hearth was still standing.
But Margaret immediately noticed something wrong.
The front door had been forced open.
Tables were overturned.
The kitchen had been searched.
Thomas drew his pistol.
“Stay behind me.”
They entered carefully.
No one was inside.
Margaret rushed upstairs.
Her father’s old chest was open.
Nothing was missing.
Thomas examined the room.
“They weren’t looking for money.”
“What then?”
He pointed to the wall.
A portrait of Margaret’s father had been removed.
Behind it was a small compartment.
Empty.
Margaret stared.
“My father had something hidden.”
Thomas nodded.
“Something they believed you possessed.”
She remembered her mother’s words.
Your father never trusted bankers.
Margaret searched the room.
Then remembered an old recipe book.
Her father had always written notes inside it.
She found it in the kitchen.
One page had a strange mark.
A small circle beside a recipe for apple pie.
Thomas examined it.
“This isn’t a recipe.”
He pressed the page.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a folded letter.
Margaret unfolded it.
Her father’s handwriting.
Margaret, if you ever find this, trust no merchant who asks about the cellar. The passage was used before I owned the building. I discovered too late what it carried. I refused to participate. If anything happens to me, take this letter to Justice Harper.
Margaret began crying.
“He knew.”
Thomas put a hand on her shoulder.
“He tried to protect you.”
The letter continued.
The man behind it is not Bell. He is only a servant. The real power sits higher.
Thomas read the final line.
His expression hardened.
“Who’s higher?”
Margaret looked at him.
“I don’t know.”
A sound came from downstairs.
They froze.
Footsteps.
Thomas extinguished the candle.
Someone entered the restaurant.
Then another.
Margaret heard Richard Bell’s voice.
“Search everything.”
Thomas whispered,
“They came back.”
He pointed toward the hidden passage.
They descended silently.
Below, Richard’s men searched the cellar.
Thomas led Margaret through the tunnel.
But instead of escaping, he stopped.
“We can trap them.”
“How?”
He pointed to the old support beams.
The tunnel beneath the restaurant had been damaged years ago.
Thomas knew exactly which beam would collapse.
They waited.
When Richard’s men reached the chamber, Thomas kicked the support.
Part of the ceiling collapsed.
The men screamed.
Richard escaped through the opposite passage.
Thomas chased him.
Margaret followed.
They emerged behind the restaurant.
Richard mounted a horse.
Thomas raised his pistol.
“Richard!”
Richard stopped.
“You should have left.”
Thomas said,
“You’ve lost.”
Richard laughed.
“No.”
He pointed toward the town.
“Look.”
Torches appeared in the distance.
Dozens.
Men were riding toward Ashford.
Margaret’s heart sank.
“Who are they?”
Richard smiled.
“Wentworth’s men.”
Thomas looked at Margaret.
“We have minutes.”
“What do we do?”
He stared at the Bell & Hearth.
Then at the town.
Then he smiled.
“We defend it.”
