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She pointed to the shorter man. “I found him.”
She sighed, leaning back and retaking her daughter’s hand. “It was pure luck, you know? The name Perrin was bandied about in circles I had been in and I happened to hear your footman,” she pointed to Jenson, “speaking of them.”
Jenson looked up and smiled proudly. Bertram nodded to him before turning back to Rosamund. “What luck that ‘Perrin’ lived next door to you, Your Grace. I simply kept watch, and waited and sure enough, this man emerged from the Perrin manor, complete with cloak and dagger companions.”
Rosamund pointed to the other two men. “I needed to follow them but I had no transportation. I had to ask for help. I impressed upon your footman that you might be in danger and he very promptly obtained horses for both me and himself as well as his companion.”
“Thankfully, they both knew where you were, for we had long lost the trail of the three men. We were quite relieved to arrive and find their carriage was still here. It meant we had time.”
“And so you rescued us.” Letty finished for her.
“That we did.”
Bertram still wasn’t satisfied. “But how did you know that he was the man to follow?”
Rosamund sighed. “Lady Perrin’s lover is said to be a man of mean stature who travels with a tall companion. This man is known to be wed to a Frenchwoman who went mad. It is said that he and Lady Perrin met at an asylum during visiting hours.”
Letty gaped at her mother in some surprise. “How many lovers does she have?” she flicked a slightly accusatory glance at Bertram. He had to bite his lip to hide his amusement.
“Well, sheisa widow,” he pointed out.
Letty narrowed her eyes at him and it was all Bertram could do not to laugh out loud. Instead, he changed the subject slightly. “So, at least we know now how the Perrins are involved in this mess. Now, who is the third man with them?”
To his surprise, it was Letty who answered. “It’s thechevalier.”
* * *
Letty had recognized her commander’s cold blue eyes at once. She did not know if he knew that shedidrecognize him but what she did know was that he would do whatever it took to get the information.
She had been sure that he would kill her.
Not only would it have been strategically sound but that way, he would be getting rid of someone he most certainly viewed as a traitor.
In the corner, she heard one of the prisoners groan. “They’re waking up.”
“Ah, good. I have questions.” Bertram’s face was hard and cold.
“Should we not turn them over to your commander and let him ask them?”
“Certainly, we will do that. But these men came for me and mine. They will answer to me for that.”
Letty shivered, never having heard Bertram sound this cold—not even when he found out about her being a spy. She turned, jerking with surpriseonce againwhen she laid eyes on her mother. She did not think she would stop being startled at her presence for a long time. The kernel of disbelief that she carried within her did not diminish no matter how much she stared at Rosamund or squeezed her hand. She had never thought to imagine that one day she and her mother might sit side by side, both happy to see the other. At best she’d imagined glimpsing her mother from afar, watching her going about a new life—happy and fulfilled without Letty.
Never had she thought that her mother would long to have her in her life as much as Letty longed for Rosamund.
Somewhere beneath the wonder and disbelief, anger was brewing at the men who lied to her. At her father, and thechevalier, who made her think that she would be alone and unloved, forever.
Her eyes turned to her commander who was stirring weakly as his forehead still bled quite profusely. Letty was surprised that he was still alive.
“I only grazed him,” Rosamund said as if she’d read her mind, “Iamquite a good shot.”
“Should we try to stop the bleeding then?” Letty asked.
Rosamund shrugged indifferently. “If you wish.”
Letty hesitated but ultimately, she could not just stand by while a man bled in front of her. She got to her feet, and knelt down next to him. Jenson had trussed him up quite effectively and now he stood looming over the three prisoners impassively.
“Help me to move him to the settee?” she asked Jenson.
