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“Initially, we saw the smugglers come ashore, but it was confirmed when Lord Taylor confessed it to us.”
“He just confessed it to you?” Baldwin asked in disbelief.
“He thought he had the upper hand because he was pointing a pistol at us, but I had the situation under control,” Oliver said nonchalantly before taking a sip from his glass.
Baldwin chuckled. “I’m sure you did.”
“The vicar was in on it, as well,” Oliver shared. “Although, he posed little threat to us since he couldn’t even hold his pistol steady.”
Corbyn lifted his brow. “The vicar?”
Oliver nodded. “He confessed to the constable that he was tired of living on a paltry salary, and Lord Taylor offered him a great sum of money for his assistance.”
Leaning forward, Baldwin placed his empty glass on the table in front of him. “Is that what took you so long to return to Town?”
“Not exactly,” Oliver replied. “Emmeline and I decided to change the terms of our agreement, and we are going to have a true marriage.”
Baldwin smiled. “That is no surprise, Brother.”
“It isn’t?”
With a shake of his head, Baldwin said, “It was evident that you were enamored with your wife from the very beginning. It was only a matter of time until you came to the same conclusion.”
“It took me nearly losing Emmeline before I came to my senses,” Oliver admitted.
Corbyn interjected, “Does this mean you are passing on the assignment to the peninsula?”
Oliver pressed his lips together, delaying his response. Finally, he spoke. “It does,” he replied. “I don’t think I could leave Emmeline for an extended period of time.”
“I assumed as much.”
“But I would still like to continue working as an agent,” Oliver said.
Corbyn rose and tugged down on his ivory waistcoat. “I am pleased to hear that. There is an abundance of civil unrest right now amongst the people.”
“You should know that I told Emmeline the truth about who I am,” Oliver revealed.
“Do you think that was wise?”
Oliver nodded. “I do,” he replied. “I knew I couldn’t have a true marriage without revealing my whole self to her.”
“Then I shall respect your decision,” Corbyn said.
“Thank you.”
Corbyn started walking over to the door as he remarked, “It is time I get back to work.”
“You could always stay for dinner,” Baldwin suggested.
“Thank you for the offer, but I need to meet with my informant.” Corbyn stopped at the door and met his gaze. “I will send over a new assignment for you shortly.”
“I appreciate that,” Oliver replied.
Corbyn tipped his head as he opened the door.
After Corbyn departed from the room, Baldwin offered Oliver a smug smile. “I never thought I would see the day that you would turn down a dangerous assignment to the peninsula. An assignment that you have been pleading for.”
“My priorities have shifted,” he admitted.
