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Chapter Fourteen
Dash paced inthe anteroom off the back entrance to Lord Rathbourne’s house. It was standard procedure that the intelligence head’s “guests” arrived through the alley and were sequestered in small rooms away from the staff and the activity of the household.
Dash was in no mood for sitting. He wanted to get back to Perdita and settle matters between them. He had delayed too long, and he didn’t want to wait another moment. It didn’t matter that Dr. Needham had given her a dose of laudanum to ease her pain, and she was sleeping. He just couldn’t shake the sensation that he needed to be close to her.
He pulled at his cravat. His distressed valet, under pressure to get Dash quickly out of his bloody formal wear, made the knot too tight.
“His lordship is able to see you now, my lord.” Brompton, the tall and thin stoic butler whom Rathbourne had acquired in an unusual arrangement as part of his recent marriage, was adept at handling the odd visitors at all hours.
Familiar with the library, Dash strode to the chairs in front of Rathbourne’s enormous desk strewn with papers and books.
“I assumed you’d come last night to report this business about Clifton.”
It had taken Dash a while to get used to Rathbourne’s blunt style. Sir Ramsey, Rathbourne’s predecessor, was a gentleman who liked to sip brandy and discuss the vagaries of the weather before proceeding to the business at hand. Six months after Dash had assumed his title, Ramsey had contacted Dash to offer to secure his father’s gambling debts in exchange for maintaining his nightly gambling at Haversham’s. Ramsey wanted Dash to observe the club’s criminal activities of bribing peers for classified information for the French. Dash had already been a regular and had been slowly winning back his fortune. He had to pace his wins versus his losses not to raise Haversham’s suspicion.
Ramsey’s proposition to become an undercover agent for His Majesty was an offer of redemption during dire blackness in Dash’s life. To be able to save the estate was an offer he couldn’t turn down. Many relied on him. He didn’t realize at the time, but it also offered him a chance not to traverse the destructive path of his father. Before he worked for Ramsey, Dash had become convinced that Haversham had cheated his father, so bringing the criminal to justice was invigorating. Dash was relieved he hadn’t found any evidence that his father had been a traitor. Only that the bastard had been cheated out of the entire estate, and Yardley was most likely part of the scam.
Dash sat, knowing Rathbourne didn’t stand on ceremony. The new head was the opposite of his predecessor. Rathbourne was frank and forceful when he had to be. And Dash felt much more comfortable with Rathbourne’s style. The rumors were that Rathbourne had been in France after the revolution and was a crack agent. Rathbourne didn’t suffer fools easily.
“Petersen sent a man to report an incident that upset Haversham. A lady disguised as a stable boy was searching for Clifton’s horse.”
Petersen was a card dealer at the club and was one of the men who assisted Dash. The young man reported to Dash anything he observed or heard during the play.
“Oh, hell.”
“Haversham was livid when hearing the news and was shouting that he wanted to know the lady’s identity.”
Foreboding raised the hairs on Dash’s neck. “We can’t allow Haversham to figure out it was Lady Perdita.”
Rathbourne raised one eyebrow. The man used his eyebrows more effectively than a torturer in the Inquisition.
“Damn it. You probably already know that I have a history with Clifton’s sister. I’m sure Ramsey shared the whole sordid story. I would have come earlier, but the incident in the stables delayed me. I plan to marry Lady Perdita once we sort out this mess with Roddy.” Dash didn’t have time to play mental games with his superior. His feelings were too raw. His best friend was missing, his sister sedated from her injuries, and now she’d gained the attention of one of the most dangerous men in London.
“I need to share my assignment with Perdita if I’m to ask her to marry me.” He didn’t need to explain to Rathbourne that Perdita didn’t trust him or consider him a good prospect with his reputation. A reputation that he had ruined for his country. The man was no dimwit. “I will not begin my marriage on a lie. Perdita is a very strong woman and can handle the need for secrecy.”
“I’m not surprised she took matters into her own hands with her brother missing. She is an extraordinary lady. She approached me recently with an unusual proposition. Before meeting my wife, I would not have considered the idea.”
“She what?” Dash stumbled on his words. He wasn’t any more willing than Rathbourne to expose himself or his feelings.
“I don’t think it is my role to share her proposition. It was spoken in the strictest confidence.” The earl leaned forward, his head resting in his hands with his elbows propped on his desk. “She is very resourceful. And as you know, Lady Perdita’s talents are in self-defense.”
“She told you of her skill in the martial arts? Why would she share something that is not considered respectable for a lady of her station?” Dash could no longer sit. He shoved out of the chair and paced in front of the desk. “She wants to work for you? She wants to be a lady spy fighting the French with her martial arts?”
Dash paced before the desk, his brain spinning with Perdita’s exploits—her disguise as a servant and then a stable boy and using her skills to defend herself. Of course, she would consider herself capable of handling undercover work. He stopped in front of Rathbourne’s desk. “Damn it. Tell me everything. She is in danger, and I can’t protect her unless I know what she has gotten herself into.”
“Up until tonight, Lady Perdita has not done anything to draw attention to herself.”
“What has she been doing?” Dash was at the end of his not-so-great patience with Rathbourne acting like a damn smug secretive bastard.
“With the help of her staff and her companion, she has discovered that Lord Yardley is involved in something nefarious. She believes he is involved with the French and communicates with them on the docks.”
“How did she find this out?” Images of Perdita down on the docks felt like a kick to the chest, making him freeze in the middle of the room. “She went to the docks?” The docks were teeming with criminals who would show her no mercy.
“No. The ladies use their social activities to gain information. Did you know her companion, a vicar’s daughter, can read lips? Miss Rothsby acquired the skill by working with her father’s deaf parishioners. She spends her time gathering information at the entertainments Lady Perdita attends. They believe Lord Vinson also plays a part, but they haven’t been able to get anything useful.”
“My God.” Dash’s head was about to explode. The woman was going to be the death of him. It was like their childhood with Perdita running amok and no idea of the ramifications. “Lady Perdita is endangering herself and her staff with this nonsense. Does she have any idea how dangerous these men are?” Of course, she did. She had just battled with two ex-boxers and might have won if he hadn’t interfered. And earlier she had defended herself from Frankland and Cole.
“I don’t consider their information nonsense. She shared their findings to demonstrate the women’s abilities to help in our work.”
