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“What would you have me do instead?”
“Just what I have said.Nothing.”
Letty’s thoughts were racing furiously. “You did not come all this way to tell me this. Another reason has brought you here.”
“And that is none of your concern, Miss Strange.”
Letty sighed, lips moving as she tried to think of a way to find out what was going on. Her heart pounded with fear and anxiety and her eyes sought out her betrothed, if only to check that he was still breathing.
“Forgive me, but I must ask, what is so important about this man that it warrants the murder of a Duke?”
“His mission can win or lose a war.”
“Can you just not stop him?”
“Not when we do not know where he is.”
“Well then, if it’s too late, what good would killing the Duke do?”
“Do not argue with me.”
“I am not,chevalier. I am simply pointing out that—”
“You have your ordersMademoiselleStrange. Now obey.”
Letty shut her mouth with a snap, looking away. If she could not get a straight answer from her commander, she would have to find out another way.
* * *
The ball took some time to wind down and Bertram did not have the opportunity to speak with Letty in private before then. He watched the last guests leave with relief and then set out to find her. He had just put a foot on the stairs when he was hailed.
“Thybaut! A word?”
He sighed, removing his foot from the stair in order to walk down to his own study, which Wellington was now using for his office.
“We have some information on Johnson and Bentley. The latter has some association with the French aristocracy on his wife’s side.”
“So he is a traitor?”
“We cannot tell for sure.”
“How so?”
“We do not have enough information.”
“I presume additional inquiries are being made?”
“Of course.”
Bertram nodded. “Well, it has been a long evening. I trust we can continue this discussion in the morning?”
Wellington nodded jerkily. “Very well.” He turned his stiff back on Bertram, affront in every line. Clearly, he felt that Bertram should be ready to discuss the matter all night and into the next day.
While Bertram considered himself quite patriotic, he was tired and needed sleep. He also wanted to find out what, if anything, Letty had found out from her commanding officer. He was aware that heshouldtell Wellington that the Frenchman had been around but he wanted all the information first.
With a nod, he walked out of the room. He hurried to the stairs and took them two at a time, not hesitating for a moment to go and knock on Letty’s door. She opened it at once, still dressed in her scarlet gown.
“May I come in?”
