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Reginald turned serious. “Greed. Her improvements have come at a personal cost. One the other factory owners will never willingly make.” He let out a breath. “It could all be nothing, of course. Idle threats from men railing against a swiftly changing world. But I’d sleep a hell of a lot better if I knew. And I’ve heard from a few other fellows that you are discreet,” he added with a sheepish look.
“She doesn’t know you’re here, then,” Henry supplied.
Reginald shook his head. “Georgie thinks I’m overreacting. Ever since her husband died, she’s changed. I’m glad she’s found something to do of course, but…well, she’s become a bit reckless.”
Henry ignored the voice in his head loudly demanding to know the details and instead maintained his impassive expression. “It will be difficult for me to uncover all the necessary information without Lady Arlington’s cooperation.”
“But not impossible,” Reginald pointed out. “I’ll pay you twice your usual daily rate. And a ten-pound bonus if you uncover any actual threats.”
“You’re joking.”
“Hardly.” Reginald grinned. “My sister isn’t the only one in the family that inherited our father’s business acumen, God rest him. The past few years have been very good to me.”
Henry pursed his lips as his gaze drifted to Deborah’s letter. That would certainly help solve his financial issues…
Absolutely not.
He was not nearly in so desperate a state to consider taking on this case. “Why me?” he asked after a long moment. “Surely I don’t need to explain to you why this might be rather awkward, for both myself and your sister.”
Reginald hadn’t beenthatyoung during their chess games. He must have known Henry had called on Georgiana, along with scores of others. And that she had chosen someone else.
The young man gave him a considering look. “I anticipated that, and I won’t bother you for any of the particulars. Whatever occurred between the two of you is none of my business, but…” Reginald, the bastard, hesitated. “You should know that she always spoke highly of you.” Henry realized he had been holding his breath. “And you have a reputation as a man of honor,” he continued before the moment could turn awkward. “Why, you’re a nationalhero.”
Henry waved a hand. “That was nothing. And completely irrelevant here.”
Reginald raised an eyebrow. “I’d hardly call coming to the aid of two innocent countrymen and then escaping from a Turkish prison nothing.”
Only because you don’t know the truth.
But Henry kept that thought to himself. It was part of his agreement with the Crown: He would dutifully play the role of the noble hero in public in return for being released from naval intelligence service. Forever.
It was times like these that he questioned whether he got the raw end of the deal.
“You don’t need to give me an answer right now,” Reginald went on. “In fact, I’d rather you didn’t. Take some time to think it over and let me know by tomorrow evening.”
Henry had already made up his mind, but he nodded anyway. If he said no now, Reginald would only try his damnedest to convince him otherwise. The two men then rose and shook hands before Reginald left.
Once he was alone again, Henry sank back in his chair and looked out the window.
She always spoke highly of you.
That had to be a misunderstanding on Reginald’s part. Or perhaps a lie to further cajole him into taking the case. Well, it wouldn’t work. There was absolutely no reason why she would haveeverdiscussed him with her brother. With anyone.
But what if…
“No.” The sharp, single word echoed in the silence of his office.
And that was to be the end of it.
***
The next morning Henry arrived at his office slightly later than usual. He had wasted long hours alone in his bed staring at the ceiling and recalling that fateful night he had met Georgiana Fox at Lady Harrington’s ball.
Henry had been hiding out on the terrace, nervous as hell and second-guessing his decision to come to London for the season. A lieutenant in the Royal Navy didn’t earn much, especially since he supported both his mother and his sister. His mother had come down in the world when she married Henry’s father, and it irked Henry to no end that they were considered someone else’s poor relations. Now he hoped to do something about it. Namely, marry the wealthiest woman he could find and elevate his family’s social status permanently. It made him no better than a scoundrel, but it meant his sister would be saved from the dull horrors of spinsterhood and Henry would never have to worry again about his mother spending the rent money on ribbons. He also hoped to get the increasingly persistent and wildly intimidating Commodore Perry from Naval Intelligence off his back, as he didn’t like recruiting family men. But that meant Henry needed to go back into that ballroom and be charming. And Henry had never been very good at that.
It was in the midst of these thoughts that Georgiana Fox burst onto the terrace, golden-haired and swathed in fine silk, like one of his sister’s fancy dolls brought to life—aside from her distressed expression, though she had quickly recovered once she noticed his presence. And that was all it took for Henry to begin to fall. And deeper still once she actually spoke. For unlike him, Georgiana Fox was quite good at being charming. Enough for Henry to mistake her interest as genuine when it hadn’t been more than a silly flirtation that had gotten out of hand until she put a stop to it. Permanently.
Delia was already at her desk, of course, busily tapping away when he entered. She looked up and arched a dark eyebrow.
