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“Where do you find your architectural pieces?” asked Raven.
“I have my contacts, just as you have yours.”
Which was another way of saying that Charles hadn’t acquired his antiquities in an honest way. “Aren’t you worried about the French mounting a protest if you take too much of their country home with you?” asked Raven.
“Not a bit.” He puffed out his chest. “I do what I please. I control things around here.”
Raven addeddelusionalto his list of Sir Charles’s rapidly growing list of suspicious traits.
“I think I’ll retire for the evening,” said Raven. “Where have you placed me?”
“Your usual chamber on the first floor. Lady India is in the one next door.” Another suggestive wink.
“Uh... isn’t this a large house?”
“Thought you’d want to be close to her. Besides, Lady Sterling is refurbishing the guest quarters and those are the only two rooms available. Are you sure you want to retire so early? Why not come with me to La Sirène?”
Le Triton’s gaming house in the Palais Royal was a notorious hub for criminal activity. Raven didn’t want to engage Le Triton until he’d done more investigating
Sir Charles was hiding something. Raven would spend his evening searching the man’s warehouses and going through his other records.
“A quiet evening’s what the doctor ordered,” Raven said.
“Not going soft on me, are you?” asked Sir Charles. “Does your charming fiancée have you on a short leash?”
Raven smiled. “Not a bit. I’ll accompany you to the gaming house later this week.” He rose and took his leave.
On his way upstairs, he heard the sound of female voices. He stopped outside the music salon. Indy must still be inside. He heard her low voice, and then the soft, high giggles of her companions.
Curious. He thought she would have retired by now.
The door stood ajar. He moved closer to hear what they were saying. He heard his name and paused, listening intently.
“When I was your age I wanted a very simple wedding,” he heard Indy say. “Only Ravenwood and our closest family. I was going to wear a white gown, very similar to the one you showed me, Miss Lydia. For our honeymoon we would have journeyed to Athens to view the Parthenon.”
The wistfulness in her words jabbed at his heart like a doctor searching for bullet fragments.
He’d wanted the same thing. And everything had gone so very wrong.
Learning that his father had been a spy... that his dying wish was for Raven to become one as well.
Learning to detach from his emotions. Losing the desire for personal fulfillment and existing only for the mission.
“Why did you not marry the duke when you were our age?” one of the girls asked. “Why did you wait so long?”
“Life is a long and winding road, if we’re lucky,” said Indy. “Sometimes paths diverge, and then they align again. So it is for the duke and I. We weren’t ready for marriage then. He was too wild and restless, and I... I didn’t know it at the time, but I needed to strike out on my own. Find my own way in the world.”
“How thrillingly unconventional,” was the reply.
“Now I really must leave you, ladies. I’m very tired. Thank you for the refreshments.”
Raven rapped on the door so Indy wouldn’t catch him lingering outside, eavesdropping on her. He entered the room.
Indy was surrounded by a bevy of young girls, like a queen with her attendants. “Your Grace.” She nodded regally.
The girls giggled softly.
“We’ve kept you too long,” said Lucy. “The duke is restless.”
