One day ago...
Richard sat on the edge of his bed in the dark watching the rain as it hit the window of his room at Buckingham Palace. He had been there for hours he thought, though he had been so caught up in the whirlwind that was going on in his mind, that he didn't even notice the time. He should be sleeping though. He would be so tired tomorrow. But he had to think of something, he couldn't give in to Arthurs demands. But he was running out of time, he would have to go to Mr Wilson in the morning and tell him that he was leaving otherwise. Without giving him any notice too, so he doubted that he would get any reference at all. He put his head in his hands, then realised they were still covered in dried mud from the path he fell down onto earlier that evening. He wished there was someone who could put an idea into his head, something that would save both his job and his relationship with Thomas. Thomas would come up with something to get back at Arthur. He was sure that Thomas, during his younger days had done his own fair share of scheming and blackmailing. Probably not something to be proud of, but sometimes a necessary skill. He would blackmail him back, Richard thought. Richard jumped, as a sudden thought came into his mind. That was it! He had an idea, it was a little dangerous and risky, but it could work and if it did, he thought, it could work very well indeed.
...
A few hours later, or the next morning, Richard was in the king's private rooms after arranging his clothes and accessories for the coming day. He was almost done, when he put on a pair of white gloves that were meant for stopping any marks from getting on the jewelry when it was being moved for cleaning. He picked up a pair of cufflinks and a red stone signet ring- both very important and something that would be missed. Yes, he thought, these would do perfectly.
An hour or so later, Richard was searching the servants quarters for Arthur, and was pleased to find that he was nowhere to be seen, meaning he must still be upstairs serving breakfast. With that in mind, and when no one was about to see him, which took sometime as the morning was alive with activity, he quickly made his way up to the servants quarters and the men's rooms. Arthur's was a couple of rooms down from his own, which was probably why it was so easy for him to slip those notes under his door, Richard thought. Thankfully, the doors to the rooms had no locks, and so Richard was easily able to slip into Arthur's room. This was the most risky part, if Arthur or anyone else found him in this room or saw him coming out of it, then he would be done for. Afterall, technically he was the one who was really stealing the king's jewelry. This was a very underhand method of fixing this situation, but he had no time to come up with anything else. Richard wasted no more time, and hid the cufflinks and ring in the draw next to the bed. He couldn't hide them too well, as he intended for them to be found a short while later.
Later on, an hour or so after lunch and Richard was busy fixing a button that had come loose on a shirt. Despite all the panic and worry that still possessed him, he was trying very hard to appear as if nothing was amiss at all. He was still waiting on the cufflinks and ring to be reported missing. He was a little concerned that maybe they won't be missed for several days, which would do him no good. Arthur was giving him looks, that were meant to indicate how his time to stop him from reporting him was running out fast. Luckily, before too long a very unhappy and stressed Mr Wilson came down the stairs and into the servants hall. "A number of very valuable and important pieces of jewelry, belonging to his majesty, have gone missing. I can only think they must have been taken."
"I wouldn't jump to any conclusions, Mr Wilson. Items have gone missing before, and turned up," Richard said, whilst maintaining the calmest look he could muster.
"Did you take them to be cleaned at any point?" Mr Wilson asked.
"What exactly items exactly are you referring too?" Richard asked, calmly.
"A pair of silver cufflinks and his majesty's red signet ring."
Richard pretended to think hard for a moment, hoping he wasn't exaggerating his concern too much, "No, I can't say I have. You could ask Mr Miller if he has though."
"He hasn't, I asked earlier."
"Hmm, well this is strange."
"Indeed it is," Mr Wilson said in an exasperated manner. "I have no choice but to search everyone's rooms, your's too Mr Ellis."
"Of course, I understand," Richard agreed. He had already thought of that, and had made extra care as to hide any traces of his and Thomas' relationship very well indeed, counting on Mr Wilson not being willing to pull up the floorboards.
...
Richard was still maintaining a cool exterior whilst inside he was like a caged bird. He knew this was the moment when his plan would either be a success or a total failure. So when the anxious pleas of innocence came down the stairs, along with Mr Wilson's angry bellowing voice, Richard had a hard time trying not to sigh with relief. "But sir, I never took any of those things!" Arthur cried as they neared the bottom of the stairs.
"And what about the other things? The gold buttons and the emerald ring! These went missing months ago!" Mr Wilson shouted. Now that did get Richard's attention. He never planted those things in Arthur's room. He realised then that he accidentally had helped catch a real thief, which made his plan even better. It was never his intention though to get Arthur Bennett arrested and sent to prison. It may have fixed his problem for several years, but wouldn't stop Arthur from coming back for revenge years later. No, he had a better solution than that.
"I should call the police right this instant!" Mr Wilson shouted. Despite how much Richard despised Arthur, he couldn't help but feel a little sorry for him at this moment.
"Sir, if I may?" Richard began, as he stood up.
"What!" Mr Wilson said angrily.
"Well I think doing that may be a bad idea, and perhaps a little hasty," Richard said. "Could I have a word in your office please?"
Mr Wilson took a deep breath, and calmed for a moment. "Follow me," he said.
Richard shut the door and stood until Mr Wilson invited him to sit. "Well?" Mr Wilson asked.
"Whilst I understand your anger at having had a thief under this roof unknowingly for what appears to be a long time now, I don't believe calling the police to arrest him, to be the best solution," Richard said.
"He shouldn't go unpunished, Mr Ellis, surely you can see that?"
"I agree sir," Richard made sure to call him sir as much as possible during this conversation, he knew Mr Wilson liked being called that, it made him feel important. "However, if he is arrested and then convicted and sent to prison, despite any attempt at the palace to cover this up, word will be sure to get out eventually that Mr Bennett stole from the king for what possibly may have been months. The king's enemies would take full advantage of this, that is certain. It will become a global scandal, something that the king does not need." Mr Wilson seemed to be considering what Richard was saying very carefully. "Also sir, it wouldn't look very good for you if word got out that a man who you are responsible for could get away with such a crime for so long."
Mr Wilson nodded slowly, "Yes, perhaps you are right. He will leave in the morning, that will give me some time to think of what to write in his reference, to explain his rather sudden departure."
Richard smiled, "Very good sir. I'm sure you'll be able to think of something suitable to write."
...
Richard went to bed feeling rather proud of his achievements. Was it bad that he enjoyed that? In an ideal world he would have loved to have seen Mr Bennett marched off by several policemen, since it is what the other man had intended for him. However, he would still be rid of him and he and Thomas could see each other again. This whole incident had shaken him deeply though and it would have hurt Thomas too. He hoped that Thomas would still want him. Things weren't over yet though. There was still one part of the plan that he needed to execute.
...
The next morning after breakfast, Richard had seen a solum looking Arthur Bennett coming out of Mr Wilson's office. Richard left it a little while, but then went up to the men's corridor and knocked on the slightly open door or Arthur's room. This was the hardest part. "So you're getting out of here then?" Richard asked.
"What's it to you?" Arthur grumbled, whilst putting a shirt into his case.
"Well, maybe you are lucky. After all, we hear a lot these days about staff in great houses taking on a change in career." Richard said as he tried not to sound too pleased.
Arthur just looked back at him with a glare as he clicked his case shut and walked towards the door and Richard. "I must go," he said.
"Yes you should," Richard said, a little more coldly. Just as Arthur reached for the door handle, Richard put his hand on the door, stopping Arthur from opening it. "I think you should know, that if it wasn't for my kind words on your behalf to Mr Wilson, then you'd be in a prison cell right now." Richard lowered his tone, "So if you ever dare to mention what you know about me to another soul, mark my words Mr Bennett, I will be the first to go to the police and tell them exactly what you have done. I'd be willing to bet that people wouldn't take kindly to a man who stole from the king himself. Some may even consider it a form of treason." Richard was surprised at the tone of malice in his voice, he rarely spoke that way to anyone. Seeing the look in Arthur Bennett's eyes was enough to tell him that his threat had gotten through to the man. Satisfied, he removed his hand from the door, and the former footman of Buckingham Palace scuttled out.
Richard, peaked out of the room to make sure no one was around to see him leave, before going to his own room. Once he shut the door, he breathed out a shaky breath and sat down on the edge of his bed. He smiled, as he knew it was finally over. He also knew that the first thing he was going to do as soon as he could get free from work in the afternoon.
...
Later that day, Richard rushed down to the nearest post office, hoping he'd get there before it shut. He had a telegram to send.