Chapter 30-- To Catch a Thief

“You mean to tell me he was sitting cross-legged on top of the bed when you crawled out?!”
Robyn nodded. “It was quite amusing.”
Ben snorted. “You found it amusing that he was waiting for you?”
“No, I meant the cross-legged bit.”
Her brother sighed. “And you told him you two had met before?”
Robyn spread her arms. “What was I to do? He had me trapped. Besides, I don’t see what harm it could do.”
“You don’t see what harm it could do?” Ben’s voice steadily rose in pitch. “That knocks out about half of Boston! He’ll start going over in his mind all the people he has come across. And soon, he will realize that you are the Shadow Fox. He’s not stupid, Robyn. On the contrary, he’s extremely intelligent.”
“I don’t think so.” To everyone’s surprise, that had come from Sovay. They both stared at her, so she clarified. “I mean to say that I do believe he is highly intelligent, but I do not believe he will pin-point Robyn as the Shadow Fox. You see, he is very intelligent, but his mind is blocked by one thing.”
The conversation paused as an officer road into the barn and handed his horse off to Ben to care for. Once he was gone, Sovay resumed her explanation.
“Unlike you, his mind is not totally open to all the possibilities. He does not believe women to be capable fighters in this war. He will not look to Robyn as a possibility.”
Ben nodded agreement. “I concede the point. However, something else could give it away in such a manner that he would be without doubt and would have to face the fact that he has been outsmarted by a girl.” He looked at the two of them. “That is what concerns me.”
~~~~~
Alice took a deep breath and pushed open the barn door, shivering slightly from the cold. To her surprise, the only human occupant of the barn was Robyn. She had paused in mid-stroke down the black mare’s nose. Feeling cheated, Midnight bumped her hand as if telling her to continue. Alice looked around, trying to hide her surprise at seeing the girl stroking the Shadow Fox’s horse. True, Robyn had always liked animals, but only the Shadow Fox could ride her, or even get near her.
“Is Ben here?”
“No.” Robyn fed the horse oats from the palm of her hand. Alice noticed that the silly expression that had been on her face in recent months was gone.
“Oh.” She paused, thinking. “Is Sovay here?”
“No.”
Alice chewed her lip. “Robyn, I’m going to ask you to do something very important.” The other girl didn’t turn to look at her, but she continued. “I need you to give Ben a message to deliver to the Shadow Fox.”
This received a response. Robyn turned to look at her with one eyebrow raised in question. All silliness had disappeared from her face. This was the Robyn Alice remembered. And suddenly, she understood.
“The change of attitude, it’s all an act, isn’t it? All this time, you’ve been collecting information for the Shadow Fox! Chaplen would never suspect, of course, because you’re so dense!”
Robyn rubbed Midnight’s nose. “What ever gave you that idea?”
Alice smiled. “Tell the Shadow Fox there is a new player in the game.”
All pretences gone, the other turned her head to look at her. “Who?”
“General Howe has sent my beau to capture the Shadow Fox.”
~~~~~
“Corporal Reid Remington at your service, sir.”
Agent Chaplen eyed the smiling brown-haired boy. He was not really a boy, he supposed—more of a man, though he couldn’t be older than seventeen. He was somewhat short and had grey eyes. He would remind the agent of Long, were it not that his face was narrower.
“And what is your business here, Corporal?”
“General Howe has sent me to capture the Shadow Fox, sir.”
Chaplen choked on his tea. “To do what?!”
“To capture—“
“Yes, yes, I heard you. It was merely an expression of disbelief.”
“He says that you have failed time and time again, so he’s sending a fresh man in.”
Chaplen peered over his tea cup at Reid. He had an open face. There was no smirk of triumph or seniority. However, Howe meant it as a direct blow to Chaplen’s dignity and pride.
“I’m afraid it’s far too dangerous. You are only a boy.”
Reid smiled. “Precisely. To catch a thief, send a thief; to catch a spy, send a spy; to catch a boy, send a boy.”
“I always thought girls worked better, myself.”
Both men started in surprise. Robyn stood behind Reid, a blank expression on her face.
“Are you finished with your tea, Agent Chaplen?”
Chaplen stared at her in surprise. She had used his proper title. Come to think of it, she had been in a peculiar mood all day. She had brought his tea to him again, but had not even mentioned the weather, sun, birds, or any other trivial topic. And now, she was looking Corporal Remington up and down with a raised eyebrow.
He took her hand with a charming smile. “Corporal Reid Remington at your service, my lady. And you are?”
She removed her hand from his grasp before he could kiss it. “Not interested. Besides, are you not Alice’s beau?”
He blinked non-compressively. “Alice?”
“Alice Sumpter. You live in her house.”
He smiled. “Oh, that Alice.”
“Uh-huh.” She gave him a look of total distain. Gathering Chaplen’s trays, she gave him a pitying look and exited the room.
Both men stared after her. Once again, they were both surprised as a new head poked around the door. Chaplen remained confused, but Reid smiled charmingly.
“This home contains so many lovely ladies. And you are?”
“Trying to find out what caused my cousin to be in such a tizzy.” Sovay frowned at Agent Chaplen. “What did you do?”
“Nothing!”
“What is your cousin’s and your name?”
Sovay frowned. “Oh. Let me guess. You flirted with her. She hates that. Who are you?”
“Corporal Reid Remington—“
“Oh, Alice’s beau. Poor Alice.”
Just then, Ben joined her. “What’s got Robyn so peeved?”
“Corporal Reid Remington flirted with her.”
“Oh, so this is him?”
“Alice’s beau?”
“They’re about the same height.”
“No, I think Alice is taller.”
“Not Alice. The Shadow Fox.”
“Oh. Not a clue. Never actually seen him, you know.”
“Right. Well, we have informants saying he’s here to capture the Shadow Fox.”
Sovay snorted. “Right. Good luck. You’ll need it.”
And suddenly, they were both gone.
“She was pretty.” He turned to Chaplen. “Word goes around fast here.”
“That was Ben Rivers. He cares for the Shadow Fox’s horse, and is one of the boy’s main information gatherers. Watch out for him.”

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Ahem. And a new player is in the game. Well, several, it would seem. Hmmm, what to do with this strange Reid character? He seems rather annoying. I think my favorite part is Ben and Sovay's peek-around-the-doorway-exchange. It makes me laugh.
Well, I think I've got my plot figured out now, so I should begin updating regularly again. Keyword there is should . Heh heh.