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Tonight. I shall do what I came here for and find those letters.
She nodded her resolve, putting more strength into her kneading and trying to put the Duke—and his adorable little son—out of her mind.
* * *
Despite the need for all hands on deck, Mrs. Gendry did not want Letty serving food at dinner. Clearly she did not yet trust that she knew what she was doing and Letty could not exactly blame her. Once she was done arranging the desserts, however, she took the opportunity to slip out of the kitchen, taking off her white apron as well as her white cap and stuffed them between the sacks of flour.
With the apron off, she was able to sink into the shadows wearing just her black servant’s uniform, brown hair flowing down her back. She grabbed a black cloak belonging to the grooms before slinking away from shadow to shadow until she was at the side door. She could see a guard not too far away, leaning against a tree trunk as he smoked tobacco.
As carefully as possible, she inched the door open and slid inside, before easing the door closed behind her. She stood still, listening intently, but heard no sound of approaching footsteps. The dining room was towards the front of the house, together with the drawing room, the sun room, and the portrait gallery. In fact, the portrait gallery connected the front rooms with those at the back, which were the Duke’s study, a library, a second drawing room, and at the far end of the corridor, a guest chamber for anyone unable to climb the stairs.
The back corridor was dissected in the middle by the back stairs that led directly to the bedchambers above. Letty knew that the front area was gaily lit but here in the back, the darkness was all pervading. The Duke’s study took up the entire north corner of the house and had its own alcove curving into the doorway, guarded on both sides by huge pots planted with geraniums. Their lemony scent filled the corridor as Letty slipped between them and took out her hat pins from her pocket.
With a last glance down the corridor, she bent over the knob and began to work, slipping the first hat pin into the lock and pushing it as far as it could go. Once she turned the pin, she took the second, bent pin, and pushed it atop the first one, searching for the levers she needed to push up. Sweat poured down her face as she kept an anxious ear out for approaching footsteps even as she got the first lever out of the way and heard that reassuring click. She paused, listening hard, her hands almost cramping with tension before she moved on to the next lever.
It took her two of the longest minutes of her life to get the door open. A burst of loud laughter from the dinner party startled her and she almost jumped—which would undo all her hard work. Somehow, she managed to keep working and was finally successful with the lock. She held her breath as she eased the door open slowly, alert for any movement.
Slipping into the room, she closed the door behind her and breathed out in relief. She walked over to the large mahogany desk, lit a candle, and extracted her hat pin again. It took less time to pick the drawer lock and soon she had it open. With a sigh of relief, she saw a sheaf of papers wrapped in a leather satchel and pulled it out, carefully untying the binding.
“Please, please,” she murmured to herself as she picked up the first letter and brought it close to her eyes. It was most definitely a missive, the letter signed with a capital C and nothing else.
She went back to the beginning of the letter and began to read.
B.
Further to our discussion on 30thMarch, I have asked for requisition of the required men, highly trained and specialized in the skills we require. We should be able to proceed as soon as they are on site.
I advise you to clear your affairs as this is a dangerous undertaking. Before that however, you must make contact with the Third Man and persuade him to carry out the assignment that we have laid out. Without him, there is no mission.
We must act decisively or we will fail.
I trust to your discretion.
Sincerely.
C.
Letty cursed under her breath at the cryptic language. “Who is this Third Man and what must he do? What is the mission?”
She put the letter down and picked up a new piece of paper and began to read, a frown marring her brow.
B.
Even with command of the sea, it is essential that we have the Third Man’s support. We cannot afford to lose him. Do whatever you need to, in order to ensure his cooperation.
C.
She put down the note, trying to think how she could find out who this Third Man was and what he was supposed to do. Clearly “C” was being cryptic on purpose to stop just such interception as she was trying to do. She couldn’t let that stop her.
“What are you doing in here?”
She jumped at the voice, shocked beyond measure that someone had snuck up on her. “I-I… I’m cleaning.”
He stepped closer, into the light. She had not even heard the door open. “Is that so? Where are your cleaning tools?”
Letty knew he only had to look down to see the letters spread haphazardly on the desk and he would draw the right conclusion. She hurried around the desk, shielding it with her body. “I…was dusting with a rag. Just in case you decided to have your brandy and cigars here.” She shimmied closer to him. “What are you doing away from your guests?” She touched the collar of his shirt lightly, biting her bottom lip, eyes heavy-lidded.
“That is none of your business.”
