Daniel stared at him flatly. “You know I’m only helping because you’re Robert’s brother, right?”
Frederick grinned as he put on his coat as well, but before he could reply, Robert and Miss Winter— or rather, Antonia— entered the foyer. “We’re ready,” Robert said.
“So are we.” Frederick turned and gave Daniel a nod. “Once we’re on our horses, you go left, I’ll go right.” He and Daniel would provide a diversion so Robert and Antonia could sneak away from the Russians and convince a judge to hear her case immediately.
Frederick scooped up the decoy package— a paper-wrapped box approximately the same size and shape as the church register.
Daniel gave a tense nod. “Meet you back here in thirty minutes?”
“Or however long it takes to shake the Russians,” Frederick corrected. “Certainly no longer than an hour.” He hoped. He didn’t want to miss Josephine’s visit. “Ready?”
Daniel grinned. “Always.”
Frederick flung open the door. The two of them burst through it and bolted down the steps toward their waiting horses. As Frederick reached the pavement, he moved the small box from one hand to the other and intentionally dropped it as he tried to slip it inside his coat pocket. He scrambled to pick it up and surreptitiously watched as the five men shifted forward, becoming intensely interested in his performance.
Daniel seemed to vault into his saddle, but with Frederick’s burned hand, he needed assistance from the groom.
Daniel paused, waiting for him. They needed to feign urgency, and Frederick realized Daniel’s hesitation might look suspicious.
“Go!” he shouted. “Don’t wait for me.”
Daniel spun his horse around and sped down the street to the left. His sudden departure caught the watchers by surprise, but one immediately gave chase, tearing down the road after Daniel.
A couple of seconds later, Frederick grabbed the reins in his left hand and raced in the opposite direction, but that brief delay cost him. The remaining four men gave chase, and every one of them followed him.
At least no one remained behind to watch the house. They’d managed to draw away all five watchers, which meant Robert and Antonia would be able to slip away unseen.
Frederick’s main goal was to draw his pursuers far away from Woolsy House, so he made sure he was an easy target to follow. He didn’t want any of them to double back and catch Robert and Antonia.
He took a direct route toward Buckingham Palace. If the Russians believed he was delivering the church register to the Queen, it would keep them on his trail, if only to look for a way to steal it from him.
Carriages filled the streets, and Frederick maneuvered his horse between them while keeping his pursuers at a safe distance. After about ten minutes, he veered onto a side street and then turned down a row of mews.
The stables along the lane bustled with more activity than he’d expected. A carriage propped up on three wheels partially blocked his path. The coachman rolled a replacement wheel across the road, and Frederick sped past him.
“Careful there. Slow down,” the coachman called out.
Frederick glanced back and spotted two of his pursuers entering the narrow road, but he couldn’t find the other two. Had they lost his trail and split up, or were they trying to box him in?
Perhaps he was finally having a bit of luck and he’d lost them. He could do with having luck work in his favor for a change. He was past due. That left only these two to deal with.
Frederick knew the neighborhood. As he passed Lord Saxon’s home, he veered between two outbuildings and headed toward the main house, following a narrow path leading back to the main street.
When Frederick glanced back and didn’t see any of his pursuers, he allowed himself to relax, just a little. At the next road he turned again. He swore aloud when he immediately spotted the first two men he’d thought he’d lost.
He tugged the reins, and his horse veered down a side street, hoping to avoid their notice, but it didn’t work. He glanced back as the pair rounded the corner after him.
He’d made the blunder of heading in the direction of Westminster Palace again. Since that was where he’d initially been leading them, they’d been able to pick up his trail. He’d need to strike off in a completely different direction if he wanted to lose them.
Frederick dashed down another narrow road lined with well-kept stables. This particular road was quieter, and he was able to duck inside an open stable door.
A horse nickered a greeting, and Frederick’s mount huffed in response. His horse was breathing hard, and Frederick let him move closer to a water trough and take a drink.
After a moment, Frederick guided his mount away from the trough. “You can have more soon,” he murmured, “and an extra measure of oats too.”
He waited a few minutes and then ventured back outside and peered down the mews. The stables still seemed quiet, and he saw no sign of his pursuers. He’d lost them.
§
Landon, Frederick’s butler, opened the door and ushered Josephine inside the house.
Josephine came to an abrupt halt when she saw Robert and an attractive young woman were already standing in the foyer. They buttoned their coats as they prepared to leave.
“What a pleasant surprise,” Robert said, looking genuinely delighted to see her. “I’m sorry I can’t stay, but Miss Winter and I have an engagement.”
“Well, fiddlesticks. I’d hoped to visit with you, too.” She tamped down her disappointment. It would seem she’d be seeing Frederick alone after all. She hesitated as she looked at Robert’s companion a bit more carefully. The young woman looked strikingly familiar.
“Lady Harrington, I’d like to introduce you to Antonia Winter.”
As the young woman made a graceful curtsy, Josephine realized why she’d thought she looked familiar. Miss Winter was an actress. A smile spread across Josephine’s face. “You’re performing the lead role in Anne Blake, aren’t you? I haven’t seen it yet, but everyone says you’re quite talented.” But Josephine had the sense there was something more. She’d seen Miss Winter somewhere else recently.
“Thank you, my lady. You’re very kind to say so.”
She glanced from Robert to Miss Winter. Something here seemed odd. She could tell she was interrupting them. She turned her attention back to Robert. “How is Frederick today— or more specifically, how is his hand?”
“He’s doing his best to ignore the pain. I believe he’s out of supplies for the poultice.”
“That’s why I’m here.” She lifted the small basket she carried. “I brought more leaves.”
“He’ll be relieved.” He pulled out a pocket watch and glanced at it. “He left to run a quick errand, but he should return shortly. I hope you’ll forgive us, but we have a pressing matter to deal with.”
“By all means.”
Robert turned to Landon. “Can you please show Lady Harrington to the drawing room and ask Frederick to join her there as soon as he returns?”
As Josephine followed Landon, she glanced back to see Robert usher Miss Winter through the door and noticed he placed his hand low on her back in a proprietary way. Josephine smiled in satisfaction. She’d been right. It would appear there was something between the pair. She’d suspected as much, although Robert had never been one to chase after performers.
It was an interesting development, but not surprising. Miss Winter’s combination of beauty and talent must draw men to her. But something about the young woman— some memory— seemed to niggle at her. Had she seen her somewhere recently?
Josephine settled onto the sofa in the drawing room. About ten minutes later, she heard someone arrive. Frederick? No. That wasn’t his voice. It was someone else. A moment later, the door flew open and the Marquess of Huntley strode into the room as if he owned it.
“Josephine!” he said, his voice booming in the quiet room. “Landon told me you’d stopped by. What a pleasant surprise. Frederick is out, but I expect him to
be back shortly. He must have been delayed.”
She tensed. The marquess always seemed a bit larger than life. If his reputation was to be believed, Daniel had a Midas touch when it came to matters of business. Of course, members of the loftier class publicly criticized him for sullying himself with such endeavors, but privately they were rather jealous of the man. It placed him in an odd position in society. For the most part, the overall opinion of Lord Huntley was that although he deigned to involve himself in business, he was somewhat redeemed by having the good taste to be ridiculously successful at it.
“Good afternoon, Daniel.” She nodded toward her basket, feeling she needed to offer an excuse for her presence. “I brought more supplies for Frederick’s poultice.”
“Ah! He’ll be pleased, even if he doesn’t tell you so. He was looking a bit ragged.” Daniel crossed the room, tossing his hat and cloak carelessly on one of the chairs as he approached. “It’s obvious he’s pushing himself despite the pain. I’ve known Frederick since he was a boy. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more hardworking and dedicated man.”
Josephine felt pride begin to swell at his words, but she squelched it. The response had been an automatic one— and one she needed to eradicate. She managed a tight smile. “Surely he doesn’t work any harder than you do.”
Daniel gave a disparaging shrug. “It would seem marriage has tempered my drive.” Then he held up his hand. “Don’t misunderstand me. That’s a good thing. It’s better to have balance. Too much of anything is bad for a man.”
“And for a woman too?” She raised a single eyebrow.
“Of course.”
“It must be difficult for Frederick to find balance— given the sort of work he does.”
Daniel narrowed his eyes, but said nothing.
“Don’t worry. I already know he does work of a more— shall we say— sensitive nature?”
Some of Daniel’s tension eased. “Sensitive. Yes, that would describe it well.”
“Do you think he needs to find balance as well?” Hope fluttered in her heart, and she couldn’t bear to swat it away.
“Perhaps, perhaps not. Frederick is different. I’ve never seen him give up on anything. Take the other night when he was burned at the ball. He convinced Robert to help him complete his mission. And even afterwards when he left to tend to his hand, he still stayed up half the night following a suspect through London.”
She gave a gasp. “He did?” Blast the man. He’d pushed her out the door with the promise he’d go to sleep, but he hadn’t.
He’d lied to her.
She hated being deceived, yes, but this particular lie— it pierced her much deeper than his others had. She’d revealed to him that she knew he was a spy, she’d proven to him that she could be relied upon, and yet he’d still lied to her.
When she’d first arrived, she’d doubted her ability to sever her relationship with Frederick. Now, resolve stiffened her spine.
She was done with him.
Daniel grinned, oblivious to her pain. “He’s a determined one.”
“Determined to get his own way, no matter what the cost.” She didn’t manage to keep the tartness from her voice.
Daniel’s dark eyebrows drew together as he furrowed his brow. “Did I say something wrong?”
“No, not at all.” She glanced at the clock on the mantel. “I just realized the time. Please pass on my regrets to Frederick and let him know I”— she cleared her throat as it suddenly became difficult to talk— “let him know I can’t wait for him any longer.”
Daniel peered at her closely. He seemed to know her words held a deeper import. “I’ll let him know you delivered his supplies for the poultice,” Daniel said as she swept toward the door.
“Do that. And tell him I said goodbye.” Her stomach clenched as she turned and fled the room.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Frederick arrived home a half hour after he left Lord Cary. Landon, grim-faced as usual, met him at the front door and took his hat and cloak.
Landon cleared his throat. “Lord Wentworth and Miss Winter are in the study. They asked that you join them the moment you arrived.”
A knot of trepidation curled within Frederick. “They’re here? Robert’s meeting with Queen Victoria must have been brief. How long ago did they arrive?”
“Nearly an hour ago.”
Frederick’s knot of trepidation shifted and became a band of panic that tightened around his chest. Something had gone terribly wrong.
He rushed down the hallway and into the study. The moment he stepped through the door, he sensed the tension in the room. He tamped down his fears and presented them with a calm demeanor. “You’re back early. Did everything go well with Queen Victoria?”
“We never saw her.” Robert’s voice seemed filled with sharp edges. “We never even reached Buckingham Palace. The Russians waylaid us right on the streets of London. The book is gone. Stolen. It’s probably in the Russian embassy by now. Out of our reach.”
“No!” This couldn’t be happening. He stared at his brother blankly. He could hardly believe their carefully made plans had come tumbling down like a house of cards.
“We can recover the church register. I’m certain of it,” Antonia insisted. “I know how we can sneak inside the embassy.” She shot Robert a quelling glare. Apparently, they’d been arguing this point for a while. “If we go in tonight, we’ll steal it from them before they arrange for a courier to take it out of the country.”
“Your plan won’t work,” Robert said, obviously not for the first time. “It’s ridiculous for us to climb up the side of the embassy on a rope and slip in through a window.”
She stepped closer to Robert. “If we can gain access to the roof some other way, we won’t need to climb up the side of the embassy. We could jump from roof to roof. The buildings are pressed close together in that area.”
“Close, as in four to five feet?” Robert glowered at her. “That’s hardly a simple jump.”
Hope fluttered in Frederick’s chest. Antonia might have the beginnings of a good plan. “I’m acquainted with the man who owns the house next door to the embassy. I’m certain he’ll let us have access to his roof. Once we’re up there, we’d only need to cross from his building to the embassy.”
Robert shook his head and glared at Frederick. “We’d still need to lower ourselves to the upper windows of the embassy. That means you can’t be one of the people on the roof.” He glanced at Frederick’s bandaged hand and then turned his glower on Antonia.
Frederick suddenly realized why his brother was so angry. “Antonia wants to be one of the people to break in?” He looked at her in stunned surprise.
“I’ve climbed many ropes before this in performances on stage. I’m quite good at it. I’d originally planned to steal the church register using this same plan, but then I decided to slip in during the Koliada Ball. It was much simpler.”
Robert turned to face her. “Just because you’ve climbed ropes in a theater doesn’t mean you’ll be able to do so four stories above the street. In the winter. With your hands in heavy gloves.”
“Actually, heavy leather gloves should make things easier,” Frederick said.
“You’re not allowed to offer your opinion here,” Robert snapped. “She’s not going.”
Frederick pushed between the pair and glared at his brother. “When you asked, I gave you leeway with Miss Winter. I didn’t turn her in for treason, and I relied upon you both to deliver the book to the Queen. That should count for something. If you can come up with a better plan, then by all means, do so, but I don’t see one. It will be dark in an hour. You and Antonia can break into the building under cover of night. Accept it, Robert. This is our best alternative. We can’t risk letting that book leave the country in some diplomatic courier’s bag.”
§
Frederick, Robert, and Antonia took the carriage to the house adjacent to the Russian embassy. Turner joined them on horseback so he could guard the roof en
trance of the neighbor’s house. That footman was becoming more and more indispensable with each passing day.
Their plans were precise. Turner would secure the escape route and provide them with an alternative route if needed. Frederick would remain with the carriage and gather the supplies Robert would drop from the roof once he was finished with them, and Robert and Antonia would sneak into the embassy and steal the book.
It wasn’t a foolproof plan, but Frederick couldn’t think of a better one. He loathed having to impose on his brother again, but he had no other choice. It galled him that he couldn’t steal the book himself, but if he became spymaster, this would be the first of many similar experiences he’d have. He’d need to become comfortable with orchestrating missions rather than conducting them.
“Good luck,” Frederick said as the other two exited the carriage and joined him on the street.
With Turner’s help, Robert lowered a long board from the roof of the carriage. Turner gathered some lengths of rope. He looped his arm through the center of each coil and placed them on his shoulder.
Frederick turned and caught sight of Antonia for the first time in her disguise as a young man. She’d already been in the carriage when he’d entered it, so he hadn’t appreciated her full effect when dressed in men’s garb. The transformation was startling.
She grinned at his bemused expression, tugged at her hat, and said in a cockney accent, “Thanks, gov’nor!”
Frederick shook his head at his own surprise. “You look completely convincing. I apologize for staring.”
She just gave him a saucy grin and strutted toward the door of the house.
As the butler ushered Robert and Antonia through the entrance, Frederick climbed back into the carriage. The driver pulled around the corner to wait.
This was the worst part, but if he wanted to be spymaster, he’d need to grow used to waiting. His tension grew as the minutes ticked away with an agonizing sluggishness.
After an excruciating half hour, when the board Robert and Antonia had used to cross between the two buildings came clattering down to the street, along with a coiled rope, the noise made Frederick jump. He hit his head against the interior of the carriage, but he grinned broadly. He scrambled out, and in an instant, he and his coachman gathered the objects and stowed them on the roof of the carriage.
My Lady, My Spy (Secrets and Seduction Book 4) Page 18
