“A twin? Wouldn’t this be a well-known fact?”
“Not necessarily. She said that she worked for the War Office in the same capacity as we do, but, before the accident, she went into hiding when she was ordered to do so by her father. Something about the story doesn’t add up. Who wants to deal with this?”
“Couldn’t we just find out from Whitehall who this girl is?” asked Jacob.
“We could, but you know as well as I that we would not be getting the full story…just the part that is convenient for them to give us,” replied Marcus.
“In addition, we need to check out her alibi,” stated Aaron. “If she is who she says she is, she will have witnesses lined up.”
“Aaron, it seems as though you want to take charge of this part of the investigation. Which leaves Jacob. I want a full, detailed report on the accident. Also, I want Juliana’s cousin and uncle investigated. I don’t believe they would hurt her but it’s a gut feeling.”
“I will speak for myself and say that I will do as much as I can without involving anyone else. In our line of work, even the walls have ears. So, yes, I’m in,” said Jacob.
“As am I,” said Aaron.
“Very well. From my end, I will see what I can get out of Mother and Juliana. Hopefully, I will be able to get an accurate representation of the truth. The Season will be ending with mother’s ball in three weeks. I would like a meeting, then,” Marcus said and saw the other Rakes nod in agreement.
After the meeting, Marcus went in search of his mother. The breakfast room was empty, but the smells of the meal still floated in the air.
He found Jenkins in his pantry, doing his lists. “Jenkins, would you know where my mother is hiding?”
“She was in with Lady Juliana, Your Grace.”
“Thank you, Jenkins. I might need to give you a raise.”
“You said that the last time, Your Grace, but I’m doing well with what I’m being paid at the moment.”
“So be it. Let me know if that changes and I will see what I can do.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Marcus started toward the staircase when he saw his mother making her way toward him. “Mother,” he said as he bowed and bussed her cheek.
“What do you want, dear?”
“Does a son have to want something to be polite to his mother?”
“My son doesn’t do that unless he wants something. Marcus, what is it?”
“I have a couple of questions for you. But, first, shall we adjourn to the library and have tea brought in?”
“I don’t know what this is about, but you should probably ring for tea now and I will answer what I can.”
Marcus rang for tea, then led his mother into the library where a large fire was lit for the comfort of the two occupants. He guided his mother to a chair, and he took an adjoining one.
“I had a meeting at Green Park this morning with a girl claiming to be Juliana’s twin sister. Would you happen to know anything about that?”
“I was wondering when this subject would arise and the girl would come out of hiding,” his mother responded.
“You knew all this time and didn’t tell me or Juliana? My investigation is riding on this information, Mother!”
“I’m sorry, dear, but I made a promise to a certain person at Whitehall that I would not divulge that information unless the girl volunteered it herself.”
“Why would you agree to such a thing?”
“Your father and their father made me and girls’ mother, promise, in case something went wrong and the men were killed. Now that I think back on it, it was abysmal to promise such a thing.”
“Have you told Juliana she has a twin sister that looks just like her?”
“No. I’m bound by that promise. It’s up to Minerva to make the first move. Marcus, you must be patient. The two girls need time. Minerva sought you out as a last resort. She has been hiding for years. Something must be wrong. She will need protection and we cannot give her that here at Dunsbury House.”
“I’m wondering if I can’t talk with the Leader to see if we can get protection for her in the form of Runners.”
“If that happened, she might be found out. Is there a friend or maybe a loyal servant you can send her to?”
“I already have Aaron investigating her. I will see him at the club later tonight to speak with him about that. We will also find out where she has been hiding these last few years.”
“I’m worried that she will be found, son. You need to keep this between you and the rest of the Rakes. For the sake of both sisters, we need to exercise prudence in how we extract information.”
“Mother, what do you know of extracting information?”
“Absolutely nothing, dear.”
“You’re a terrible liar, madam. We will have to talk about that later. Right now, I have better things to worry about. I truly think that Minerva would be safer here.”
“If you think that is wise, then make it happen. Place a message in the poplar tree where you saw her. She will get back in touch with you.”
“How do you know?”
“I was there for the original meeting, my dear son. Do you think the fathers would know what was best for a slip of a girl?”
“I suppose not, Mother, but the secrets need to stop if I’m going to be able to keep you, me, and both sisters safe.”
“I’ve divulged enough. I’m going to go make my morning calls. This conversation is over. Please let me know what Minerva tells you at your next meeting.”
Marcus watched as his mother turned and walked away, and asked Jenkins for her overcoat. He knew that she would visit with Anne about this new development.
* * *
Bethany decided to walk, seeing how the two houses were less than a block apart. She opened the door before Percy, the Spencer family butler, was able to open the door for her.
“Your Grace, would you like me to introduce you?”
“No, I know my way to the sitting room. Thank you, Percy. Oh! Do you happen to know if Lady Minerva is home?”
“She is, Your Grace. Would you like me to have her sent for?”
“Yes please, Percy, because this talk revolves around her and her future. Not only here at Spencer House but also at Dunsbury House.”
“Very well, Your Grace. She will be right with you,” said Percy as he took Bethany’s coat.
Bethany walked down the main hallway to the very feminine sitting room. The roses, Anne’s favorite flower, were the inspiration for the room. She saw her friend basking in the sun streaming into the room.
“Bethany!” Anne said in surprise as she rushed to give her lifelong friend an embrace.
“How have you been, Anne? It has been an age since I’ve seen you.”
“I have been well. Jacob has kept me on my toes. Trying to hide the girl is starting to become impossible. She looks so much like Juliana. Minerva is worried about that, too. Did you ask Percy to have her brought down to sit in on our little conversation?”
“Of course, I did, you goose! I do hope that you don’t think me an idiot.”
“No, dear, but we shouldn’t talk much more until the girl comes down,” said Anne.
She heard the door open and Minerva walked in.
“Minerva, it is good to see you, my dear. It isn’t exactly under the circumstances that I would have liked, but a decision must be made about what will happen to you. My son is having a messenger leave a letter for you in the poplar tree that you stood by this morning.”
“Your Grace, I know I have a decision, but what about my sister? Won’t she relapse if I made an unexpected appearance? I don’t want to hurt her. She has been through enough. Don’t you think?
“I agree with you, my dear. This subject is difficult because we need to keep you safe, as well as your sister. Marcus believes that moving you to Dunsbury House is the solution to that. He is worried about your sister and hasn’t thought logically on the matter.”
Anne, who was listen
ing in on the conversation, stopped the two by saying, “I agree with Marcus.”
“Anne, you were supposed to be on my side and agreeing with me to keep her here. Having both girls at the same location could be a mistake I’m not willing to make.”
“Bethany, we both know she can’t stay here indefinitely. Jacob is starting to suspect things. I’m not willing to risk her safety, either, but that’s what we would be doing if she stayed here.”
“I think I am old enough and wise enough to make my own decisions, ladies. I agree with His Grace on this matter. I’m safer where I can be protected. Not that I’m not protected here, but we can’t allow your son to know I am here, Lady Anne. How am I supposed to remain safe?”
“That’s the point that I was trying to make, but that is beyond me today,” said Bethany with a hint of sarcasm.
“When I receive the message from His Grace, I will accept his proposal. I would like to see my sister again. Hopefully, she feels better by that time. I also hope the mole isn’t still out to get me or my sister. Does His Grace know that the person after us is working within our own organization?”
“He has no clue that anyone is after you, your sister, or himself, for that matter. Well, we will get you ready for your excursion to the park to retrieve that letter from Marcus. Set up a meeting for later this afternoon and get yourself to Dunsbury House as soon as you can.”
“Yes, Your Grace. I will do so.”
* * *
Minerva left through the secret staircase hidden by a painting of Ridgewood Hall, the country seat for the Earl of Blackridge. She made her way up to the corner room that she had been occupying for the years she had been in hiding. She had very little of her possessions with her. The one thing she always kept with her was the miniature of Juliana and herself. A London artist that their father had frequented painted it. She never could remember the name of the artist. She did, however, recall the hours that they sat waiting for the painter to finish.
She looked out the tiny window at the world going on without her. She saw the broad-shouldered Jacob Spencer walking up to the house from God knows where. Minerva knew he was an informant like herself. She remembered meeting him once as a girl. He didn’t know she even existed, just as the Duke of Dunsbury didn’t. An eerie feeling, as if someone was watching her, caused her to quake inside. She was safe. Or, was she?
This was a feeling and a question she constantly had. Would she live a normal life? Would she live long enough to have a family of her own? And, would that family be safe? Her life was in a constant flux of not knowing what the future held. Her sister would understand. She would know this feeling, as they both had the same target on their backs. She had a feeling she knew who the mole was, but she couldn’t verify her suspicions or speak to her sister about her thoughts on the matter. Until she could get a meeting with the Duke of Dunsbury, she had to wait out her time in the tiny room that was practically her jail cell.
She wanted to make her presence known to Lord Blackridge. The man was the most glorious looking man she had ever laid eyes on. She had seen quite a few, even if she was too young to be at any social events.
Her sister was never as lucky—or maybe she had been. She landed the duke, didn’t she? Talking to herself was her only solace. Visiting with Lady Anne was a luxury she seldom acted upon. Lady Bethany was another story. She rarely saw the duchess. Why the two ladies were protecting her was a question better left unanswered until later.
* * *
Several hours later, Marcus strolled to the park to meet once again with Minerva. He was looking forward to her response. For both sisters’ sake, he hoped she would agree with his proposal. She would need to allow his friends in on the “secret.” He could not protect the two sisters sufficiently without them.
He saw her standing up against the poplar tree. His heart raced in anticipation of what she would say.
“Your Grace, you asked to see me?”
“Yes, I would like to know what your thoughts are on my proposal.”
“I would like to take you up on your plans. I would like to be in on the investigation, for I know things that you do not. I would like my sister to know them, as well. Especially since our parents died protecting us from this evil that we are fighting.”
“Very well. Pack your things and I will have Smith retrieve your possessions. It might be better for you to come straight to Dunsbury House rather than wait until the trunks are stowed. You know the way, don’t you?”
“Do you think it’s wise for me to be seen out in public, Your Grace?”
“I don’t see why it would be dangerous. Whoever has been after Juliana hasn’t been around in a couple of years. Or hasn’t shown his or her face in the time she has been in town.”
“In that case, Your Grace, I will walk over as soon as I can.”
“I will see you soon, my lady.”
Two weeks later, Bethany was still treating Juliana as an invalid. No matter how many times the doctor came to the house to examine her progress, Bethany would not let up. Marcus would carry her down the stairs so she could get fresh air. She would sit on a bench in the rose garden, her favorite place. Marcus would then go back into the house. He had kept his distance since the night they kissed. Juliana felt confused. She had not spoken to Bethany or Anne about Marcus in several months. The last time didn’t go well.
She waited for Marcus to come back and carry her back to her room and was disappointed when a footman came instead.
“I am sorry, milady, but His Grace was called away on urgent business. He ordered me to take you up to your rooms.”
The servant was strong and lifted her as if she weighed nothing at all. He strode through the house with her in his arms.
“Philip, will you please ring for someone to have Her Grace come to my rooms. I would like to speak to her.”
“I will, milady, as soon as we get to your rooms.”
The footman brought Juliana to her door and opened it. “I will get Her Grace myself. Do not worry yourself. She will be here in just a moment.”
Juliana walked to the small chaise lounge that stood in front of the massive fireplace in her bedroom. It wasn’t long until she heard the knock, the door opening, and the telltale swish of skirts letting her know that Bethany had arrived.
“How are you, Bethany?”
“I am well, my dear. What is on your mind?”
“I want to talk about Marcus. I am sure he told you about the accident. But, I remember him from before that. I need to know about my parents’ deaths and how your husband’s deaths are connected.”
“Darling, you ask a lot from me. Most of it I cannot tell you. You see, I made a promise not to divulge the work that your father and my husband were doing—and, later, the work my son did on the continent.”
“I only remember bits and pieces. I remember my father teaching me a special code. He called it a game.”
“I am not surprised your father taught you the code. It was used in the personal correspondence between the two men and their superior. I still don’t know who he was or is. Marcus and the rest of the Rakes know since they worked directly with him.”
“How did you know about Marcus?”
“He told me one Christmas when he had to leave abruptly after the pageant.”
“Did I know him before the accident that nearly killed me?”
“Yes. You and your parents would come to Dunsbury Abbey for holidays and weekends. Our houses were no more than twenty miles from each other.”
“How did they meet?” Nostalgia threatened and she wanted to glean as much as possible.
“The duke and your father grew up together—played, fought, and went to school with each other. When the Corsican called up an Army, they joined up to beat him. The War Office had been impressed by their acumen. Since they were both fluent in French, they were trained to gather intelligence in France. My husband, the duke, was found out and killed. Your father’s death was made to look like an accident.”
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“There is so much that I want to know. It’s like I didn’t know my father or myself. It was as if I was being trained to be a spy. Deciphering code, learning French, and always being near my father. Could these assassins be after me, as well?” Juliana’s eyes shown with tears as the fear ran rampant through her. She was torn between learning the answer and not wanting to know.
“My dear, you’ve been a target since you were born. Your mother was a target due to her association with your father. As were Marcus and I.”
Juliana looked at her hands, which were shaking in fear. She felt as if someone had walked over her grave. A chill swept through her and Bethany saw the visible spasm.
“Oh, dear. I’ve done it this time. Marcus is going to have my head for this. I think it’s time for us to get you in bed and ring for a maid to see about the fire. We do not want you to catch another fever.”
Juliana nodded in agreement as she tried to comprehend what she’d just been told. It was true. Every word the duchess said was true. She knew it in her heart.
With help from her friend, she walked to the bed, where she was firmly tucked in. Even under the heavy bedspread, she was shivering. She wanted to know the truth. Every time she asked for more, she felt more lost. She wanted Marcus to comfort her. To put his strong arms around her and make this nightmare go away.
She was in shock. She knew that much. She had felt this way before.
She didn’t hear the door open and the maid start the fire. She didn’t know that someone else had come in until she smelled the clean scent of sandalwood.
Shivering under the blanket, she sensed Marcus’s presence before she saw it.
“Love, are you well?”
“No, just in shock. I was told some unpleasant things and I am not taking it well,” she said, her teeth chattering.
“What would you like me to do?”
“Stay with me,” she replied.
A Rake for Juliana Page 6
