AllFreeNovel
Share Us
But if they kill him, that would not necessarily stop any plans…would it? Is he the Third Man? No. The letter said make contact with the Third Man. It cannot be him.
Her brow furrowed as she thought, completely forgetting about the assassin. She almost jumped when he spoke.
“Psst, don’t you think you should let me out quickly?”
She held out her hand to him. “I have no keys.” She cast a surreptitious glance towards the stairs before stepping closer. “Could you tell me who I should contact to apprise them of your circumstances? Perhaps they have a plan for your rescue?”
He pursed his lips but shrugged. “I don’t know anyone by name.”
“Hmm,” she pretended to think hard. “What about descriptions? Can you give me any? I might know of whom you speak.”
His eyes lit up and he leaned forward eagerly. “Aye well, there’s a tall man, burly, with a full beard streaked with gray. He’s a dark-haired fellow. His companion was shorter by about a foot. Grumpy man. Always glaring.” He bent his head as if to ask if she knew who he was talking about.
Letty was relieved to find that she did not recognize either description. Perhaps they had not been sent by the French. Nevertheless, she nodded. “I shall send word. Meanwhile, do what you can to stay alive. Cooperate with the Duke as much as you can.”
He nodded. “Aye alrigh’. And you’ll get me out?”
She nodded jerkily. “I shall try.”
As soon as she could she fled from the dungeons, hands shaking with anxiety.
What is going on?What should I do now?
She was so deep in thought that it surprised her to realize that her feet had led her to the Duke’s door. She knocked tentatively, having absolutely no idea what she would say to him.
“Enter.”
She opened the door, and smiled uncertainly at him. “May I speak with you?”
He leaned back in his wingback leather chair, waving her in. “Of course. Come, sit.”
She walked in, closing the door behind her and lowered herself to a seat. She breathed in, opening her mouth but nothing came out. Clasping her hands together to stop them from shaking, she kept her eyes downcast.
* * *
Bertram watched Letty wringing her hands for a while and then stood up and crossed over to his drinks tray. He picked up the bottle of whisky and poured her a full glass before walking over to hand it to her.
“Drink.” He leaned against the edge of his table and watched her. She took the glass in her shaking hands and downed it in one go. He took her glass and filled it up again, but instead of handing it to her, he put it on the table. Leaning against it again, he bent forward, arms folded to look her in the eye. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
She drew in a shaky breath before finally lifting her long dark lashes to meet his gaze. “I don’t know for sure but your prisoner seems to think the French are complicit in your assassination attempt. He gave me a description of two men. I don’t know them.”
Bertram nodded, knowing full well what was at stake, it did not surprise him that the French would take this step. “I see.”
Her eyes widened at him. “Is that all you have to say?”
He shrugged, straightening up to round the table and sit in his chair. “I am an officer in the English Army, who are currently locked in a war with the French. Why should it surprise me that they wish to kill me?”
Her mouth fell open. “I…” she shook her head as if trying to dislodge something stuck in her ear. “I didn’t come here to kill you. You must believe me.”
“I do. Of course I do. Your mission was intelligence. When that didn’t work,” he gestured between them to illustrate themyriadof things they’d been through in this short time, “I suppose they must have decided to escalate.”
She blinked a few times, biting her lips. She looked pale and shocked and so very, very young. For all her worldliness, clearly she’d managed to steer clear of the murkier aspects of espionage. He wanted to reach for her and comfort her but didn’t think she would take it well.
“So what do I do now?”
He leaned back in his chair, watching her. “What do youwantto do now?”
She shook her head and swallowed hard. “I don’t know.” She whispered.
