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“Yes, well, he simply sent two others in my place. Lieutenants Winthrop and Cassius. Both young and hungry, like I used to be, I suppose, but woefully inexperienced. And Winthrop in particular was far more brash than I ever was, which isn’t a desirable trait in intelligence work. The commodore must have been desperate,” he added grimly. “By the time I found out the mission was still under way, they were already en route.”
Georgiana sat up, her eyes filled with concern. “What did you do?”
“I went after them. When I arrived they were already drawing too much attention, taking pictures and making notes, all while claiming to be a pair of tourists, like I used to do. And as I’m sure they were instructed.” He shook his head. “But the commodore failed to mention that if you’re going to play the clueless Englishman abroad, it’s better to act uninterested. Bored, even. As if everything and everyone is beneath you. Not stand around scribbling pages in a notebook.”
“But they had to do that because they didn’t have your memory.”
“No,” Henry replied softly. “They didn’t.”
He could still see Winthrop’s face screwed up in a childish sneer when Henry had appeared.
You had your chance, old fellow. The commodore said your nerves got the better of you. This isourmission now.
“It wasn’t long before a pair of guards happened upon us. While I was trying to smooth things over, Winthrop got nervous and bolted.”
“He was the man they shot in front of you,” she supplied.
Henry nodded. “They found all sorts of evidence on the lieutenants that proved they had been there to spy, so Cassius and I were arrested and became bargaining chips for the Empire.”
“But your escape…saving those other prisoners—”
Henry shook his head. “I failed. After Winthrop died, Cassius got sick with a fever, and nothing was done for him. I spent days memorizing the guards’ schedule, noting who was less observant, who fell asleep during their shift, and which keys they used. Then I waited. I waited for the perfect moment to distract them. But Cassius was much weaker than I realized, and we didn’t make it very far before we were discovered. I was injured in the struggle. A solid hit to the knee brought me down. We only left that jail because the Crown made it happen. But Cassius never recovered. He died on the journey back to England. The commodore then decided I could be used for propaganda, so they spun my imprisonment into something palatable to the masses, as getting caught spying on one of our supposed allies isn’t very noble.”
“That’s awful.”
He shrugged. “It’s the only reason I’m alive.”
“Don’t say that,” she whispered.
He cupped her jaw gently in his hand. “It’s true, Georgie. If I hadn’t been worth the trouble, then I wouldn’t be here.” She buried her head against his chest. “So when they promised I could be honorably discharged if I went along with their scheme, I agreed, even though I knew I did not deserve to be called a hero. I feel horrible about lying, but I could not live with myself if I continued to work for the Empire. We’re raised to think of Britain’s expansion as some noble enterprise designed to civilize the grateful masses, while ignoring the problems on our own shores. I hate that I contributed to that for so long. And yet…” He paused to release a breath and gather his courage to force the admission past his lips. “When I finally did decide to take a stand, two others paid the worst price. If I had just done my duty in the first place, those young men would still be alive, not manipulated into risking their one precious life by men like the commodore.”
“But thenyoumight not be here,” she said as she hugged him closer. “It wasn’t your fault, Henry. You certainly didn’t force those men to take that mission, and you risked your own life more than once trying to save them. Perhaps the details aren’t entirely correct, but you have no reason to doubt your bravery.” Henry pressed his cheek against the top of her head and let out a sigh. She raised her head, her gaze full of challenge. “It’s true. Never doubt that. Ever.”
He couldn’t help smiling at her demand. “Yes, my lady.”
“Were you recruited by the Crown too? Like Rafe was?”
Henry raised an eyebrow. “You know he was a spy?”
“I pieced it together in Scotland, and Sylvia confirmed everything.”
Then she went quiet for a moment, likely remembering when she had received the news of her husband’s death during that trip to Castle Blackwood. Henry had been there too, helping Rafe sort through the twists of his final mission. Then there had been a commotion and they had run out into the hall, where Georgiana, still as beautiful as the last time he saw her, was weeping against Sylvia’s shoulder with a crumpled telegram beside her. Seeing her in such anguish had been an unexpected punch to the gut. The realization that she had come to love her husband was even worse. “Naval Intelligence came for me. I had a regular card game with a few other officers, and somehow word of my skills spread. Apparently the ability to bluff and count cards is helpful when one is a spy,” he added dryly.
“Rafe mentioned your memory.”
He let out a sigh. “Yes. I have a knack for remembering even the most trivial of details. But it has proved valuable in certain situations. Like cards, for example.”
“What an extraordinary gift,” she marveled.
Henry’s shoulders tightened. He didn’t consider it a gift. And if given the choice, he certainly wouldn’t have accepted it. “It can be cruel to remember so much.” The admission slipped from his lips. “But yes,” he continued briskly. “The commodore certainly saw potential in my little parlor trick. He pressured me for years to work for Naval Intelligence, but I kept begging off. Until finally I…” He faltered in the face of her steady gaze.
I didn’t have the will to deny them anymore.
“It seemed like the best option at the time. And the increase in rank certainly had its benefits, especially after my mother took ill,” he amended, hoping she couldn’t see through him.
But Georgiana immediately frowned. “How long ago was this?”
Henry briefly considered lying to make the connection not quite so obvious. “Eight years.”
