“What is going on?” Christy asked, trying to be calm as a line of men entered the house and began snooping everywhere. Robert, Simon and another man who looked familiar followed at the back.

Robert stopped at her side and kissed her cheek when she held it up. She tried to keep her eyes off of Simon but couldn’t. When she looked at him, she found him staring at her. The jolt that went through her when their gazes met was like lightning.

“It is for our protection, my dear,” Robert said gently. “Don’t be afraid, please. The case we are working on has simply gotten a bit out of hand, and Sir Barnabas and I thought it best if he had some men come by and secure our home.”

There was a great deal of information in there, and Christy sorted through it while the maid took the gentleman’s hats.

“You remember Mr. Gantry?” Robert said, his voice even.

Simon stepped forward and took her hand, holding the tips of her fingers politely and bowing over it. She almost laughed aloud at how proper his greeting was. At one time he had stripped her naked and taken her roughly on a sofa in Daniel’s drawing room. Now they were strangers.

Her eyes pricked with tears and she blinked. “Of course,” she said firmly. “How do you do, Mr. Gantry?” She forced herself to look away, at the other man who was watching them closely.

“And this is Mr. Hastings,” Robert said. “He works for Sir Barnabas James.”

“Ma’am,” Mr. Hastings said, his greeting identical to Simon’s.

“Please, gentlemen, join me for tea,” Christy said, indicating the drawing room, where one man was checking the windows. He pulled out a hammer and nails. “What on earth?” Christy exclaimed as he began to nail them shut. “My windows!”

“They’ll be fixed when it’s all over,” Mr. Hastings told her.

She turned to Robert and narrowed her eyes. “Sit.” She pointed at a chair. “Now, explain to me what is going on. And none of that business you just gave me at the door.”

She crossed her arms, blocking his escape. He looked uneasily at the other men at her outburst. So be it. She’d made the decision not to dissemble with him any longer. They were married, and it was about time he found out who she really was. She glanced at Simon, who was trying to hide a grin.

“I told you, don’t worry—”

“Robert Manderley,” she scolded. “I am a full-grown woman. When a man comes in and starts nailing my windows shut for my protection, I think I deserve a full explanation.”

“I agree with her, Manderley,” Hastings said. “Shall I do the honors?”

“No,” Simon said quickly. He indicated the door. “We’ll just go and find our rooms.”

“Your rooms?” Christy could feel herself grow pale. “You’re staying here?”

“Yes,” Robert said. “I hope you don’t mind, Christy. You see, we all need to be cautious. And it’s just easier to protect us all in one place. Not to mention we’ve a bit of a time constraint on this and it will make it easier to consult with one another on the case.”

“No, of course, that’s fine,” Christy said hastily, recovering from her shock. Simon, in her house. Sleeping. Bathing. Naked. Breathing. In her house. “I’ll have Nell show you to your rooms.” She waved the maid in. “Show Mr. Hastings to the green bedroom and Mr. Gantry to the red bedroom,” she told the maid.

She bit her lip. She knew it wasn’t wise to put Simon next to her and Robert, but she so desperately wanted him to be close.

“Excellent,” Robert said stiffly. “Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse us. I need to explain to Mrs. Manderley exactly what’s going on.”

“Of course,” Simon said. He bowed and left the room, and to Christy it felt as if some of the air had left with him. She sat down, slightly lightheaded.

“I am sorry about showing up like this without warning you,” Robert said, sitting down next to her and taking her hand in his. “The fact of the matter is—” He paused and waited for the man to finish nailing the windows shut.

“Sorry, sir,” the man mumbled as he left the room, tipping his hat at Christy as he went. He shut the door behind him.

Christy looked at Robert, waiting. “The case has turned dangerous, Christy.”

Her heart sped up and she clutched his hand. “What has Sir Barnabas James to do with it?” she asked fearfully. “You know I don’t trust him, Robert.”

“I know, but in this instance we must.” Robert sighed and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. “I’ll be working for him until this mission is over.”

“But why?” she asked, her fear escalating. “What has he to do with these murders?” She didn’t know very much about the case. Robert didn’t like to discuss his work when he got home, but she had gotten him to talk about this case a little because it had troubled him so.

“The victims were caught up in a spy ring, it seems,” Robert told her. “We’re not sure for whom or what they were up to, but it isn’t good. And we’ve got to find out. We believe they are planning something dastardly, and that it’s going to happen soon. And so Sir Barnabas took over and commandeered my services for the duration of the mission because of my familiarity with it.”

“And Simon? I guess you were right; he was working for Sir Barnabas.” The idea distressed her. He’d fallen back into his old ways, it seemed. She’d known he’d been drinking heavily before he was kidnapped; apparently he’d been spying again as well.

“Actually, no, he wasn’t,” Robert said. “You were right. He offered to help with my murder case at Daniel’s suggestion. Frankly, I think Daniel was giving him something to do to take his mind off his recent travails.” He sat back, his shoulders slumped. “He isn’t doing well. Not sleeping. And he sustained a terrible injury to his back there.”

“He was branded,” she whispered, as if Simon could hear them. “Daniel and Harry told me.”

“Of course they did,” he said wryly. “Why did I think they hadn’t? Those two tell you far too much.”

She scoffed. “If not for them, I wouldn’t know anything. You fear offending my delicate sensibilities far too much.”

“I’m beginning to see the error of my ways,” he told her. “Never fear. But yes, back to Simon. His back troubles him, more than he admits. You can clearly see he isn’t himself yet. I thought perhaps if he came to stay with us you could nurse him back to health. Or am I asking too much?” The look he gave her was searching. “We haven’t discussed it, but I know his failure to ask for your hand hurt you.”

She was startled that Robert would speak so plainly after all these months. She took a deep breath, wanting to be honest, but not wanting to ruin the fragile new feelings and trust she felt growing between them. “It did. And I do still have feelings for him. Particularly in his present circumstances. How could I not? Naturally I will gladly tend to him. But you must know that he will resist admitting any weakness.”

“You know him so well?” Robert asked.

“I know enough of men,” she said, standing up. “I don’t know very much about him at all. He was very kind to me when I was at my lowest.” She reached for his hand again and smiled at him. “But you were my white knight, my darling, not Simon. You are my husband, not him. I am worried about you.”

“Me?” Robert asked. “I am fine.”

“Just make sure you stay that way,” she warned him.

Christy knocked at Simon’s bedroom door. She figured she might as well get this over with. Avoiding him wasn’t an option, not in her own home. So she had better learn to deal with him and figure out how to conceal her feelings while somehow nurturing him back to good health.

Easy as a camel through a needle’s eye, she thought, rolling her eyes. Never had Nanny’s favorite Bible verse seemed so appropriate.

“Come in,” Simon called out. He looked startled to see her at his door.

“I wanted to bring you some fresh linens,” she said. “Things are a little different here than at Daniel’s or Ashton Park, I’ll wager.” She smiled to take the sting out of her words. “We’ve only one maid, one cook, and Nanny. Cook will have something warm for your breakfast, and we’ll have supper at eight, if you’re here, that is. I understand the case is a difficult one.”

“Yes,” he said. “Thank you.” He walked over and took the linens from her. She hadn’t been able to go more than two steps into the room, not trusting herself. He looked so tired and wan. Thin. There were dark circles under his eyes. His walk was stiff. “I really don’t know what our schedule will be.”

“That’s fine,” she said.

An awkward silence descended.

“Christy—” he began with a sigh, but she cut him off.

“Don’t bother.” She smiled. “Robert and I are very happy. And we have Christian now. I’m sure you made the right decision for all of us.” She reached out to put her hand on his arm, but changed her mind. “Can I get you anything else?”

“No. No, thank you,” he said, the awkwardness only getting worse. “Is Robert ready to go?”

She nodded. “I think so. He’s in his study. It’s at the bottom of the stairs, on the left. The door is open. You should see him.”

Simon turned and put the linens down on the corner of his bed, and then smiled politely at her and bowed slightly. Then he walked past her and out of the room. She’d been holding her breath, keeping her composure tightly controlled until his exit. Then she allowed herself to slump down onto the bed next to the linens. She put her face in her hands.

“Oh, Lord,” she whispered. “This is going to be awful.”

* * *

Later that afternoon Christy was heading into the butcher shop when she was hailed by a strange man dressed all in black who called out her name. One of Sir Barnabas’s men had accompanied her, but he was several steps behind, carrying some packages for her from the other shops she’d visited. More people in the house had meant more food.

The stranger that approached her was small and thin with a high voice. She stopped and waited.

“Run!” A small blonde woman in front of the shop began waving wildly at her and shouting. Christy frowned in confusion. She didn’t recognize the woman.

There was a commotion behind Christy, and she turned back to see the agent who had accompanied her toss the packages aside and push several people out of the way as he struggled to get to her. At the same time the small stranger lunged, and Christy recoiled.

Suddenly another man—a tall, thin one—dressed exactly like the first emerged from the crowd around her and grabbed the small man, yanking him away. Christy glanced up, and her gaze met the tall man’s for a brief second. Her heart was racing with fear. Who were these people? Then she noticed the small man go limp right before he was dragged back into the crowd and they both disappeared.

When she turned back, the blonde woman had disappeared as well. It all happened so fast Christy had no idea what was going on.

“Mrs. Manderley,” the agent said, out of breath as he grabbed her arm and shoved her behind him. “Are you all right?”

“I…I’m fine,” she said, her voice—indeed her whole body—shaking with fright. “Who were those people? What’s going on?”

“Let’s get you home,” the agent said gruffly. “Then I’ll send for Mr. Manderley and report what’s happened.”