Felicity put her hand up, stilling her words. “I have known you for many years, and I can tell when you are keeping something from me. It was rather obvious to know what it was.”
Simone started fidgeting with her hands. “It is rather foolish that I have fallen for him, is it not?”
“I think it is a good thing that you have genuine affectionfor your fiancé,” Felicity replied. “You can work as a spy and be happily married.”
“But what if Caleb doesn’t return the depths of my affection?” Simone asked.
Felicity looked amused. “Then threaten him with a dagger until he does so.”
Simone made a face. “Do be serious.”
Her lady’s maid laughed. “It is much more fun to tease you, considering everyone with eyes can tell that he is enamored with you.” She paused. “Well, except for you.”
“I do not wish to presume,” Simone said.
The wall clock chimed, alerting them of the time. Felicity jumped up from her seat and announced, “I have something for you.” She walked over to the bed and reached under the mattress. “It is the key to Victor’s room.”
“How did you get this?” Simone asked.
“Would you believe me if I told you that I asked Mrs. Stanley nicely?” Felicity asked.
Simone shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t, because the housekeeper is not one to hand out her keys freely.”
“Regardless, Victor left this morning and he has yet to return,” Felicity said. “It would be a good time for you to search his room.”
Simone accepted the key and acknowledged, “Thank you.”
Felicity waved off her praise. “Just go before you get caught.”
With quick steps, Simone exited her bedchamber and walked down the corridor to Victor’s room. She glanced over her shoulder, ensuring no one was privy to what she was about to do.
Finding herself alone, she slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her. Her eyes roamed over the room and they stopped at the blackish powder on the desk.
Gunpowder.
Simone approached the desk and ran her finger along the powder. What was he using gunpowder for, she wondered.
Other than the powder on the desk, nothing seemed out of place or suspicious. She started opening drawers but found them all empty; not even his clothes hung in the wardrobe. Approaching the bed, she slipped her hand under the mattress but found nothing.
There was still one place she hadn’t looked. She crouched down and looked under the bed, finding a cast iron sphere with a fuse intact.
Her heart dropped.
It was a grenade. What was Victor doing with a grenade in his bedchamber? More importantly, were there more that were unaccounted for?
Simone rose and hurried out of Victor’s bedchamber. She needed to send word to Caleb. He must know about what she discovered.
As she entered her bedchamber, Felicity glanced down at her hand and asked, “What is that?”
“It is a grenade,” she revealed.
With confusion written on her face, Felicity asked, “Why would Victor be making grenades in his bedchamber?”
“I have a fairly good idea since the ball is tonight and General Merrell will be present,” Simone said. “Each grenade is equivalent to a four-pound cannonball. If Victor releases more than one of these grenades into the ballroom, it could cause a tremendous amount of damage and could kill hundreds of people, including a vast majority of the members of the House of Lords. It would be a devastating blow to England if Victor succeeded.”
Felicity took a step back as she looked warily at the grenade. “I hadn’t realized that it was so dangerous.”
“That is why only a specific type of soldier is tasked with throwing grenades during combat. They were known asgrenadiers,” Simone explained. “They stand in the forefront of the fight to light the fuse and know when the precise moment is to throw them. Furthermore, they have to be skilled enough to throw the grenades far enough away so as not to harm themselves or their comrades.”
