Edward Waverley, Duke of Townsend, dismounted from his carriage at the rear entrance of Buckingham Palace. It had been years since he’d received a command appearance from Her Majesty. Years since he’d had any association with the Crown. But when Her Majesty issued a summons, one didn’t refuse.

A guard dressed in royal colors stood at the ready to escort Edward inside.

The soft clicking of the guard’s boots as well as Edward’s shoes echoed a hollow sound in the empty hallway. Several torches lit the way, although there weren’t as many as were needed to light the high-ceilinged back passageways at this time of night. Even the mullioned windows along the corridor didn’t allow anything but darkness to enter.

Edward followed the guard, then slowed when they reached the familiar room where Her Highness had waited for him all those years ago when he was one of her special envoys.

The guard rapped on the door, then turned the knob and allowed Edward entrance.

She sat on a chair on a dais, her regal appearance striking awe as always.

Edward waited until Her Highness bid him come closer, then lowered his head and approached her. When he was as close as propriety allowed him to come, he bowed respectfully.

“Rise, Edward,” she said. “We have gone through too much together to stand on such formality.”

“That we have, Your Majesty.”

“Please, sit,” the queen said, pointing to a chair positioned to the side of the dais.

Edward sat, then waited for Her Majesty to speak.

“I know I promised I would never call upon your services again, Your Grace, but something has arisen, and you are the only person I can trust with this matter.”

Edward nodded respectfully. “I’m honored, Your Highness, but—”

“Please allow me to finish,” she said. “I know you would like to remain in the shadows if at all possible. I also know why.”

Edward’s brows rose.

Her Majesty smiled. “You should know how difficult it is to keep secrets from the Crown.” The queen rested her hands in her lap. “I know how important it is for you to introduce your son to Society. Gideon, isn’t it? Marquess of Sheffield? And his lovely wife, Eve, the Lady Sheffield.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“And do I need to tell you what your late wife is rumored to have done, Your Grace? Or will you simply take my word that I have been informed of her deviousness?”

Edward struggled to remain calm. He should have known Her Majesty would know everything that went on in England. At one time he’d operated with a few highly skilled informants she delighted in referring to as Her Majesty’s Scoundrels. He’d provided her with information to which no one else was privy.

“No, Your Majesty. I will take your word that you are familiar with all my secrets. Especially my darkest ones.”

The queen sat back in her chair and Edward noticed the worry lines around her eyes. An unnatural concern seemed to dominate her features.

“I am in need of your assistance.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Do you remember Jacob Winslow? He was a member of my personal guard.”

“Of course. I was sorry to hear of his passing. Everyone was. He was admired by all of us in your service.”

“Do you remember he had a son?”

Edward smiled. “Yes, young Joshua. Oh, he was an active rapscallion. What happened to him? Did he take his father’s place in the guard?”

“Actually he became more than a guard. He is one of my top advisors as well as an informant for special projects.”

“I see.” Edward was impressed and allowed his voice to show it, although he wasn’t sure why he should be surprised with the ranks to which Joshua had risen. His father was one of the queen’s favorite counsellors, and Joshua had a great teacher to pass down all the skills he’d perfected.

“Joshua has been kidnapped.”

“Kidnapped?”

“Actually, my advisors would like me to believe Joshua is dead, but I have my doubts. Those doubts were confirmed today when I received this.”

The queen held out her hand and dropped a heavy object into Edward’s outstretched palm. “What is it?”

“It’s Joshua’s ring. Actually, it’s a ring I gave his father on a special occasion. The ring was passed on to Joshua upon his father’s death.”

“Did anything come with it? A note? A ransom demand?”

“No, only the ring.”

“What can you tell me about the person who delivered it?”

“Nothing. It was found among my correspondence and no one knows how it got there.”

Edward turned the ring over in his hand. “Obviously someone does.”

“Yes,” Her Majesty agreed.

“You said Joshua was an advisor as well as an informant. What was he involved with when you received word that he’d died?”

The queen sat forward in her chair. “Joshua was looking into the death of the Earl of Lindleigh.”

“I remember the incident. It happened about a year ago.”

“Yes. Everyone believes Lady Lindleigh had something to do with her husband’s death. They’d been seen arguing earlier in the evening, then after they returned home, Lindleigh suffered an unfortunate fall from the balcony and broke his neck. Everyone believes his wife pushed him, but there’s no evidence to support that rumor.”

“Then perhaps the better question would be what was Lord Lindleigh investigating?”

“Lindleigh was looking into a matter of treason. He was gathering information to discover the identity of the man or men responsible for smuggling French brandy into England.”

“I know Your Majesty takes offense when French liquor is smuggled into England without providing the taxes due the government, but smuggling is hardly a treasonous offense.”

“But the smugglers’ method of payment is.”

Edward waited, intrigued. “Please continue, Your Highness.”

“Payment for the brandy smuggled into England is jewels. Jewels stolen from some of our most prominent members of Society. That I could overlook,” Her Majesty said with a sly grin on her round face. “But jewels have been missing from the vaults at Buckingham Palace.”

“What do you believe, Your Majesty? Do you believe Lady Lindleigh is involved in the thefts?”

Her Majesty sat rigidly straight. “What I know is that Lord Lindleigh was one of my top advisors. If his wife was responsible for her husband’s death, I don’t want her to get away with his murder. If she is innocent, I want her name cleared and those responsible brought to justice.”

“And you think I might be of assistance with this?”

“You and Lord Lindleigh were of an age. This suggests you are also of an age with Lady Lindleigh.”

Edward thought for a moment. “How did Joshua Winslow die?”

“Actually, I received word that he’d fallen into the Thames and drowned. His body was never recovered.”

“I see.”

“You will look into the matter for me?” Her Majesty asked.

“How could I refuse, Your Majesty?”

Her Majesty nodded, then waved her hand in dismissal.

Edward bowed regally, then backed away from the queen. A guard opened the door, and he turned to leave. Before he exited the room, he heard the queen.

“You couldn’t have, Townsend. I wouldn’t have allowed it.”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” he answered.