Page 27 of Waiting for Love

“Oh, I am not here to see little Arthur.”

“We are not naming our child after Wellington,” Reg said gruffly, but his eyes were laughing.

“We will see,” Crispin said, moving toward their corner. “Although I am glad to note you are in health, Georgiana, I came for a different reason entirely.” He pulled a piece of paper from inside his jacket, unfolded it, and held it out. “One of the men I was to see in London, who was not there, was supposed to have a look at this. Rather than chase him down God-knows-where, I thought I might better show it to you.”

“What is it?” Reg asked, leaning in as Georgiana took it.

“A page full of numbers.” She raised her eyes to Crispin in a question. Olivia and everyone else held silent, waiting for the odd scene to make sense.

“Wellington took it off a captured frog. It is a cipher. We all have taken a crack at it, but no one made any headway.”

Reg scowled so darkly, Olivia thought for a moment he might rise and take a swing at their brother, but Georgiana bent her head over the page almost eagerly.

Jasper said, “What are you playing at, Crispin?”

“Georgiana is good at puzzles,” he said mildly.

“But not war games,” Reg erupted. “On Christmas Eve, no less. To pressure her with spying, in her condition—”

Crispin waved a dismissive hand. “I’m not pressuring her. The scrap is more than a month old. If it were urgent, it is not anymore. But it is a new cipher. Or possibly a resurrected old cipher, now equally opaque.” A weary, frustrated note crept into his voice. “And Wellington has tasked me with deciphering before we run up against it again.”

“An old cipher?” Georgiana asked.

“Numbers substituting for letters. We are generally more sophisticated now. Code books. Grills. Fences.”

Georgiana looked bewildered. “Fences?”

“You run your letters up and down the rails. Then write out the letters along the top, middle, bottom…like this.” He took the scrap back and flipped it over. “Pencil?” Reg fished one from his jacket and put it in his hand. Crispin bent over the table and scribbled something.

“Yes, I see,” Georgiana said, a bit impatiently. “But these are numbers, not letters.”

“Which is why I brought it to you.” He straightened. “Our best fellow in the field was injured and is now stupid with laudanum. Our man in London is not in London.” He shook his head. “I just thought…”

“Well, then, hush,” Georgiana said, peering at the page again. “And don’t watch me. I will be flustered.”

Almost as one, they all jerked their heads away.

“Come, Livvy,” Crispin said, crossing the room again. “Make a fourth with us. We’ll play whist.” As she stood, he added, “You must be thrilled. London, finally, in February?”

She shook her head. “I’m having some dresses made here. I don’t have to go until April.”

His gaze sharpened, and she felt herself redden. “Have to” was the wrong choice of words.

“Ah.” He gave a short nod. “A grand entrance. Heightening the ton’s anticipation. Excellent plan of attack.” His eyes went to Vanessa. “Fearless and unapologetic.”

Vanessa started. Her face went slack. Vague. Olivia felt a bit vague as well. It wasn’t a plan. They didn’t have a plan. But Crispin evidently believed that they needed one.

She beckoned to Vanessa with a tilt of her head. “You must join us too. We can play loo instead of whist.”

Vanessa bit her lip. “I have no head for cards tonight, but thank you.”

Another “no.” This was becoming…uncomfortable. It wasn’t as if Vanessa avoided everyone. She had gone with Mama and Georgiana into the village to visit the shops when Olivia was otherwise occupied. She swallowed a sharp lump in her throat.

Well, fine. She had no experience of the world. Vanessa probably found her uninteresting and unbearably young. But the gossips would eat that up when they got to London. The Countess cutting Iversley’s sister? It should be the other way around.

Crispin caught her arm and led her to the card table where she was obliged to sit next to Benjamin, who nodded to acknowledge her but didn’t smile. If anything, he looked wary. Everyone was avoiding her!

Jasper dealt out their hands. They didn’t bother bidding since they were not paying much attention to the game. Rather they all kept stealing looks at Georgiana. She whispered to Reg, who fetched her more paper; then she made marks, frowned ferociously, and occasionally tsked her tongue.