AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Letty is what possessed you.
He almost jerked at the thought, reminded that he was facing a crisis of sorts. He paused by the stairs and nodded to the Earl.
“Excuse me while I speak with my footman. I shall be with you presently.”
Radnor bowed briefly and headed off towards the drawing room while Bertram beckoned to the footman.
“I need you to find Miss Strange and have her detained until I am done with my dinner party.”
The footman nodded unquestioningly. “Yes, Your Grace. Right away.”
Bertram watched him hurry off towards the kitchens and then turned to make his way to the drawing room. He not only had guests to entertain but a mission to complete as well. Once he was done with that, he could deal with Jacqueline Letty Strange.
* * *
Letty knew that it was a matter of moments before her secrets were discovered. If the Duke had not yet seen the state of his desk, he would soon. She calculated that at most, she had until the end of the dinner party before she would be arrested at the very least.
Thankfully, her days at the estate had not been wasted. She knew every entrance and exit and had mapped various escape routes in case she had to leave in a hurry. So she knew there was a small gate at the bottom of the gardens that led to the neighboring property. From there, she could make her way on foot to the downs and make contact with the smuggler who was meant to take her across the Channel.
Although she could not decipher the Duke’s words in the letters, she had them memorized. Perhaps her superior officers would have better luck. They might even know to whom the phrase “the Third Man” referred. In any case, she was burned at the Duke’s home and could not return there.
Without packing a single thing, only helping herself to a dark cloak and sturdy walking shoes, her purse already secreted on her person, she crept down the darkened garden to the side gate and slipped into the garden next door. She had no idea whose property it was but knew that there was a greenhouse at the bottom of the garden that had fallen into disuse.
I can hunker down in there until tomorrow night. They will have stopped searching for me by then.At least close by.
She nodded to herself, pleased with her plan as she squeezed between two vases filled with dying vines. She was glad of the woolen cloak because the floor was cold but it was far from the worst place she’d ever stayed. She had shelter from the wind, and a warm cloak. It would be enough.
She made herself as comfortable as she could and closed her eyes, paying attention to her breathing, slowing it down until it was deep and even. She very deliberately did not think about her encounter with the Duke. She still felt as if her heart was yet to return to normal and the sting of rejection was something she continually pushed away so as not to think about how much it hurt.
Honestly, what was I expecting?
She gave a deep sigh, and buried her head in the cloak. It smelled of horse and sweat but she ignored that and resolved to get some sleep.
The voices woke her up. For a moment, she was disoriented, not knowing where she was. Once she remembered, she burrowed deeper between the large vases, seeking to conceal herself further. Luckily it was pitch dark in the greenhouse and in her cloak, she was practically invisible.
“Did you see him? He was present at dinner.”
“Aye, I saw him. But are you sure about—”
“Wellington’s batman was quite clear.”
“And you’re sure his information was accurate?”
The first man sniggered, low and evil. “Trust me, he had sufficient motivation. A knife at his wife’s throat was enough to have him singing like a canary.”
“Mm, so what is to be done with Thybaut?”
The other man sniggered again. “What do you think? We kill him.”
Letty suppressed a gasp, missing the next part of the conversation in her shock.
“—nage it?”
“Poison. The kitchen is quite busy. It would be too easy to add something to his food.”
There was a loud silence.
“The man has a young son. Shall we risk killing him, too?”
