7
Henrietta tried on three different dresses before settling on a walking dress of lavender with lace and darker plum trim. She grabbed her matching bonnet and made sure her pistol was loaded and in her reticule. Not that she’d need it with Charles, but he had been serious about the threat against her. He didn’t seem like a man who liked to terrify young women, but she wasn’t any normal lady.
She came to the bottom landing to find her brother there.
“You didn’t inform me you were going for a ride with Lord Percy.”
“I didn’t realize I was obligated to run my every acquaintance or outing through you.” Her nose rose a fraction.
Marcus shook his head. “It’s not that. Do you like him?”
“He’s entertaining. Even Peaches likes him.”
“Have you been out with him before?”
“We took a walk in the park a few days ago.”
“And?”
“It was…invigorating.” Marcus didn’t need to know that she’d shot off someone’s hat.
He assessed her. His mouth opened as if he would say more, but he shook his head and walked away. “Enjoy your ride. Lord Percy awaits you in the sitting room.”
Her brother entered his office and shut the door.
She loved him dearly and appreciated his concern. Interesting that he did not give his unequivocal stamp of approval on Lord Percy as he had on previous suitors. But then Lord Percy wasn’t really a suitor. But what was he? A friend? Perhaps. A cohort in respectable subversion? She chuckled at her own silliness.
Edwards opened the door.
Peaches was sitting on Lord Percy’s outstretched finger.
“Have I made you wait so long you’ve resorted to conversation with my bird?”
“Pish, posh!” Peaches declared.
Lord Percy set the bird back on the cage. “I find her entertaining in a way most humans never could be. She’s been telling me all your secrets.”
“Right, like how I sneak cake to her and extra sunflower seeds?”
Percy nodded. “Shhhhh. Your secret is safe with me.”
She gave a subtle nod. “So is yours.”
“Touché. Shall we depart? My groom is walking the horses. He will be our chaperone but act like as if you don’t recognize who he is or that he’s even there.”
Her eyebrows drew together, but as they walked down the stairs the groom pulled the curricle up and the young man winked at her. Audacious! She peered closer and her eyes grew wide. Heavens, it was Sir Tidley, but she’d hardly recognize him in that costume if she hadn’t been looking.
Lord Percy assisted her in getting in and followed.
Sir Michael put up the stair and leapt to the driver’s seat to head toward Hyde Park. This was the best time to see and be seen by the beau monde.
For once Henri didn’t feel ridiculous sitting with a man. She may not be searching for a title or wealth, or even love, but if companionship were to be had, Lord Percy suited her quite well.
“You seem pleased with yourself today, Miss Allendale.”
A snicker came from the front seat.
“I’m congratulating myself on getting past my brother without him extolling your virtues and proclaiming your worth as a suitable mate.”
“Is this something he normally does?”
“Oh, yes. In the past, anyway. I think he’s beginning to learn that the more he promotes a man the sooner I will dispatch his sorry soul into the street, crushed and forlorn.”
“Why?”
“Because usually Marcus has interviewed them as they sought my hand. If you had done that, he likely would have bragged about you. I am immensely grateful that did not happen, for I do enjoy our conversations and would loathe to lose our friendship over something as silly as talk of marriage.”
“Why are you so opposed to the married state? You’ve mentioned this before, but I’ve been as well, so this is no attempt to persuade you otherwise.”
“Which is why I am comfortable enough to share. My parents loved each other dearly, and I refuse to commit myself to someone I cannot love and respect with all my being. You must realize I’m not an easy woman to please, so it seems the better course to take is swearing off romantic attachments and focus on my work.”
“I entirely agree with you.”
She turned to him. “You do?”
“But of course. You’ve made a rational, well-reasoned choice. You understand best what makes you happiest, and a man who did not adore you, and whom you could not equally trust and adore, would be the height of folly for you to wed. Since that encompasses most of the fops on the marriage mart, you’ve made a good decision.”
“You’re bamming me.”
A hiss came from the front seat.
“Pish, posh, sir groom. I rarely use street cant and if it suits the situation I shall, especially if he’s talking fustian. Lies and foolishness.”
“As long as your brother doesn’t catch you. Or Lady Grey,” Sir Tidley hissed.
“Aren’t grooms to be seen but not heard?” she riposted.
Charles chuckled and clasped her hand, sending a stream of tingly warmth up her arm and through her body even with her gloves on.
“Did you want to tell me more about this threat on my life?”
Charles explained the Black Diamond and in vague terms the misuses he had for young virginal beauties.
“Abhorrent. Of course you cannot tell Marcus about this. Is Lord Hughes aware?”
“I’ve sent a missive.”
“Is this because I had the audacity to blow that man’s hat off his head and threaten to follow with his brains?”
“Possibly.” Charles frowned.
“You believe this to be serious.”
He nodded. “I urge you to be extremely careful. Take an extra footman with you when you leave the house. Continue to carry your pistol and stay on the alert. Do not go anywhere alone.”
“Anything else?” While she knew they were for her benefit he had no right to command her so.
“Step back from helping Lord Hughes until this threat is over.”
She shook her head. “You go too far. I will not cease my work for the War Office at Whitehall. I might be able to save lives. My brother is fighting. I can do so little here, but what I can do, I will continue, regardless of this silly Mr. Diamond.”
“I realize I have no right or authority to ask this of you. I want you to realize I would be heartbroken if anything happened to you. I would feel responsible.”
“Why?”
“Because I took you with me when I picked up that note.”
“And they would not have been the wiser if I hadn’t snatched it from you and been armed. It’s part of the price we pay for this. The cost of war.”
“Don’t the lies wear you down?” Charles asked.
“As a believer, they do, but to defeat evil must be paramount. Napoleon cannot succeed. Too many people have died, and I cannot allow their deaths to be in vain if there is something I can do to help.”
Charles looked away at the passing scenery.
The tightness of his jaw and the momentary squeeze of his hand were her only clues of his inward struggle.
“Charles? I may call you that, may I not? I thought we were becoming friends, and perhaps even something of partners.”
He shook his head and turned to her. “It delights me that you would call me friend. May I call you Henri when we are alone?”
She nodded.
“And you may call me Charles. Partner is a dangerous word in this line of work. Even as much of a hobby as it is that you and I engage in, partners can be a deadly encumbrance. I wouldn’t ever knowingly lead you into danger.”
“So danger is only for men?”
“No. We take calculated risks, and I’m impressed at the work you do. You are a master in many aspects of the craft, but to partner together could lead to rumors and scandal that you would most wish to avoid. Any hint of compromise would lead to losing what you desire most—your independence.”
“Marcus would never…”
“Hmph!” came from the front seat.
She frowned. “You’re right, of course. He would force a marriage if I were compromised. So we’ll make sure that never happens.”
“I would never intentionally compromise you, but circumstances…”
“I understand. So is this our last time where we are able to converse privately?”
His hand squeezed hers and released it as they came upon other carriages. He never did answer her question as they engaged in chatting with the other occupants of carriages they met, about the mundane topics that drove her mad—fashion, the weather, the latest ball, and listening to rumors. Those she paid the most attention to, as many times they contained hints of the truth even if distorted twenty times before reaching her ears. She listened and made mental notes to report later.
They couldn’t be partners, huh? Well, what were they right now?
It may be that she’d need to prove her worth to Lord Percy.
But why should his opinion even matter?
That was one question she wasn’t brave enough to ponder for long.