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“Josie and I will be off as soon as we are finished eating,” Elijah said. He looked as if he was sitting on the edge of his seat, ready to jump up and run. If he did not have Josie with him, Nathan thought he probably would have left the moment the funeral was over.
No word had come from his cousin or his father yet, which could mean nothing, or it could mean everything.
“I expected as much,” Nathan said, nodding his understanding.
“I am sorry I cannot stay longer, but…”
“No, you need to go to your father and continue the investigation into Mitchell there. I will stay here and work with Rex and Warwick to discover what we can about Mitchell’s activities along the coast.”
Warwick was still too weak to join them at the table, and Nathan had a feeling the man would be his guest for a few more days. It was not a far ride to his estate, but he could hardly sit a horse at the moment, and a carriage ride would be horribly uncomfortable.
“Do not forget your wife.” Elijah smiled. “I do not think she will thank you for leaving her out.”
“Is that your experience?” Nathan had to ask.
Elijah answered with a snort.
“If I leave Josie out, I am liable to find her in my boot the moment I step out the door. It is better to keep her close, so I can protect her rather than finding her following a street behind me with no protector.” Elijah slanted a glance his way. “Although you are not currently in London, you would do well to remember that.”
Yes, he would. Nathan glanced at his wife, who was whispering with her friends at the other end of the table. They had already shown themselves to be remarkably adept at inserting themselves into situations where they did not belong. In the center of the table, Rex was chatting amiably with Lily’s parents and Robert, who had also announced he and Letitia would leave shortly after the morning meal. Though, as before, Letitia had not left her room to break her fast.
“They were right about Mitchell. Do you think they are right about the Russians?”
“It would align with what Lucas has told us about the lack of enmity from France,” Elijah said grimly. “On the other hand, Mitchell was initially working with the French during the war if he was smuggling spies.”
“Do we know if the spies he was smuggling were French spies?” Nathan asked, and Elijah’s expression grew even grimmer.
“I suppose not. Something else to investigate.” He and Nathan exchanged a look.
It would be up to Nathan, with Warwick, to look into Mitchell’s activities along the coast when they began questioning the smuggling gang operating on the coast where Warwick’s lands lay. He was sure it would be a job keeping Lily out of that, but there would be plenty of other avenues for her to look into.
A smile curved his lips as his wife looked up, and their gazes caught. Held.
Beside him, Elijah chuckled.
“And you think you are not in love.”
“Oh, no,” Nathan replied softly, still holding Lily’s gaze. Her dark eyes softened, the air between them thickening with emotion. “I have come to realize I most certainly am.”
* * *
Lily
“So, Mary and I will find out everything we can about Mitchell and his activities on the coast. You will have to continue the London investigation,” Lily said. In Evie’s absence, for the first time, they had to make their own plans.
“Trust me, Elijah has learned his lesson about keeping me both informed and involved.” Josie grinned, making both Mary and Lily giggle. As impetuous as Josie was, Lily did not doubt she had made Elijah pay every time.
“You are going to get yourself spanked until you cannot sit,” Mary murmured, shaking her head, though the smile did not leave her face.
“Then I shall be in good company,” Josie retorted. She elbowed Lily. “This one can hardly sit still this morning, and I have a good idea why, though I do not know what you could have done to deserve it.”
“It is not what you think.” Lily’s cheeks blushed hotly. “I decided to… well…” She lowered her voice and whispered what she had let Nathan do the prior night. Josie and Mary burst into giggles again.
“I cannot believe youaskedhim to!” Josie fanned herself, looking scandalized. She arched her eyebrow at Lily. “Are you still claiming you do not love him?”
“No.” Lily shook her head. She was still blushing hotly, but it did not bother her. It was a happy blush.
Something prodded at her senses, and she looked at her husband, who was staring at her from across the table. Their gazes caught. Held. A surge of happy warmth filled her breast. The moment between them was not broken until Robert, finished with his meal, got to his feet.
