“Of course.”
She swallowed hard. “To an officer.”
“Yes.”
“And I may have helped steal powder,” Anna said.
“Not steal, dear. Delayed. Or you could say diverted. We must not give ourselves too much credit without evidence.”
Anna let out a startled laugh.
“There,” Mrs. Pembroke said. “Better now?”
Before Anna could answer, Mrs.Pembroke kept talking. “Listen carefully. Lieutenant Rothborne suspects everyone because he dislikes people. Major Ellis suspects everyone because he is cleverer than most, and Captain Whitby suspects no one until suspicion inconveniences him. And then there is Mr. Sloane.”
She sat back in her chair. “He suspects people for sport. Mr. Reed, on the other hand…”
Anna gave her a wide-eyed stare.
Mrs. Pembroke watched her. “Mr. Reed is more complicated.”
Anna gripped the guest list. “Do you trust him?”
Her employer’s gaze moved to the closed door, and for once, she didn’t answer right away. Finally, she said, “Not entirely.”
That should have comforted Anna, but it didn’t.
Mrs. Pembroke left her chair and crossed to the door. “But he did protect you last night.”
Anna’s face warmed. “He drew attention away from me because Rothborne was making a scene.”
“Yes,” Mrs. Pembroke agreed. She left the desk and opened the door. “Come along. Let us return this list before Lieutenant Rothborne decides to search the sugar bowl for sedition.”
They stepped back into the hall. The men were still where they’d left them, though Nathaniel now stood near the window.Mrs. Pembroke handed the list to Captain Whitby. “Here. Every guest who attended your delightful little ball.”
Whitby took it. “Thank you.”
Rothborne reached for the paper, but Whitby held it back. “I will review it first, if you don’t mind.”
The lieutenant didn’t like that, but he inclined his head. “As you wish.”
Nathaniel stepped forward. “Captain, if there are inquiries to make in the village, I can begin at once.”
Rothborne shot him a look. “Eager, Reed?”
“Useful,” Nathaniel said.
Mrs. Pembroke’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Nathaniel glanced her way as he turned toward the door. It was only a glance, but Anna saw the warning in it.
Be careful.
She inclined her head the tiniest bit to let him know.I am.
Then he was gone, following Captain Whitby and Rothborne into the morning sunshine.
The door closed behind them. For several seconds, no one spoke. That is, until Mercy whispered from the dining room doorway, “Ma’am, should I still worry about the sugared almond in the candlestick?”
