by Robyn DeHart
Johnston had been good at his job, and Harrison had done his best to keep him out of too much of the action so that he would be safe. But nothing he’d done had protected Johnston, nor had it prevented someone within the Seven from working with Napoleon and his followers.
And now the very men and women he’d recruited and trained believed that Harrison was the enemy. It baffled the mind. Someone in his own group had done this, and he would do whatever it took to bring that person to justice.
But first he had to figure out a way to get rid of Prudence and her brood whilst keeping them safe.
“Would that you had simply stayed in Staffordshire.”
“I apologize if our grief is intruding upon your life.”
“Prudence, you don’t understand. You have stumbled into the middle of a delicate and dangerous situation.” He wiped a hand down his face. He decided that trying to avoid her was clearly not working, so he simply sat on the settee. “And you’ve brought a passel of children into the mix. How the devil am I to keep all of you safe?”
She sat adjacent to him. “What were those men after?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think they were after anything, but rather intent on leaving something behind.”
“I don’t follow,” she said, her eyes narrowing.
He leaned forward, braced his elbows on his knees, and met her gaze. Ordinarily he wouldn’t share this type of delicate information with just anyone, but his options were limited at the moment, and it always helped him figure things out when he spoke of them. “Someone has decided to blame me for a series of treasonous activities. I suspect they need some proof to pass along.”
“You believe they were leaving incriminating materials behind?”
“I suppose. It is certainly what I would do if the boot were on the other foot, so to speak.”
“But why? Why you?”
He released a low breath. “We’ve been investigating this group of traitors for a while. It’s what Johnston was working on when he was killed. I suspect we’ve gotten too close to the truth. So in an effort to divert attention, he, whoever he is, is tossing it out on me.”
“Do you have any suspects?”
“Perhaps.” He shrugged. “I don’t know. These are the people I’ve worked with for years. I hand selected most of them.”
“Prudence?” One of her sisters padded into the room. “Matilda wants you.”
“Go,” he told her. “I have work I need to do.” And he knew he’d be able to concentrate better with her out of his physical space. How the devil was he supposed to investigate any of this hiding out here? He had to clear his own name and expose the traitors, all the while keeping Prudence and her brood safe. What had happened to his orderly life?
Chapter Two
The house was dark and Harrison suspected it was nearing three or four in the morning. He’d paced, made notes, and then paced some more. Still the evening’s events made little sense. Whoever was behind the traitorous activities to release Napoleon had worked hard to pin Harrison for the crimes. He felt certain he could mark Remy off the list of suspects. The man had been by his side from the beginning of the Seven, and Harrison trusted him implicitly.
That left about fifteen additional people. Harrison glanced at the list and marked off two more names: Emma, the first female they’d recruited to the group and now married to Remy; and Alistair Devlin, the Marquess of Coventry. Alistair was brilliant but did not have the skills required for this task—the man did not care for society and would not have the patience for manipulating people into working for Napoleon. Everyone else on the list was a question mark.
He looked at the list a final time, then decided he would work much better if he got some rest. So he doused the candles and did his best to find comfort on the lumpy sofa in the sitting room. The sounds on this side of London were a far cry from his comfortable Mayfair neighborhood.
A rattle came from the corridor, at the front door. Excellent. His evening got better and better with each passing hour. Someone was forcing their way into his safe home. Harrison rolled off the sofa and picked up the fire poker. He then grabbed his pistol from the top of the mantel and padded barefooted into the darkened corridor. He kept his body flush against the wall as someone did their best to bypass his sophisticated locking mechanism. A heavy click sounded and the door crept open. Harrison primed himself to bring the assailant to the ground. Not one but two bodies entered, tall and athletic if the shadows indicated anything. Harrison stepped out and brought the poker down on the first man’s head.
He howled in pain, grabbed his head. “Damnation, Harrison. We came to help.”
“Remy?” Harrison asked.
“Who else?” Remy said. The man swore again. “You nearly killed me.”
“Who is with you?” Harrison asked, ignoring Remy’s complaint. He still gripped his weapons.
“It is I, Alistair,” said the second man.
“I’m here too,” Emma said, appearing in the doorway.
This tiny house was not big enough for all of these people to crowd the doorway without attracting attention. With relief, Harrison locked the door behind them. “Come this way.” He led them back into the sitting room and closed the door so as to not cause any further disturbances to Prudence or her siblings. He lit several lanterns and was finally able to see Remy and his injury. A stream of blood trickled from the head wound down his forehead onto his cheek. He glared at Harrison.
“Apologies,” Harrison said.
“Oh good heavens, what did you do to him?” Emma asked, going to her husband’s side.
Harrison fetched a handkerchief, which he dipped into the washbasin to dampen it. “Here, this should staunch the bleeding.”
He held it out to Emma. She snatched it out of his hand.
“What do you expect?” he said. “You can’t sneak up on a man in such a way.”
“Obviously,” Remy said. “We were not intending to sneak up on you, but rather come at a time that was safest. I figured this was where you’d go.”
“Anyone follow you?”
Remy shook his head, then winced. “No, we made certain of it. Came separately, too.”
Alistair frowned and took a seat in the solid wood chair near the writing desk. “We came to offer our assistance.”
“You don’t believe it then,” Harrison said.
“Of course not,” Emma said. “We trust you implicitly.”
“We’re not daft. Obviously someone is working quite diligently to pin these crimes on you,” Alistair said.
“Indeed.”
“Found anything?” Remy asked.
Harrison shook his head. “Not yet. Though, before I left, ruffians broke into my house. I left before I could see who it was.”
“What would they be searching for?” Remy asked.
“No idea. Nothing. You know, as well as anyone else in the Seven, that I would never keep sensitive materials at my own townhome.”
“Sounds a bit like a fool’s errand,” Emma said as she held the handkerchief to her husband’s temple.
“Could be they were attempting to leave something behind to be found later,” Alistair said.
“Exactly,” Remy agreed.
“Now then, what are we going to do about it?” Harrison asked. He was quite relieved to know that his friends, the ones he trusted most, believed in his innocence. “What happened at the meeting after I left?”
“Not much. Bailey refuses to believe the accusations,” Remy said.
“Yes, he was the one who told me to run.” Harrison shook his head. “I wasn’t intending to, until the men showed up.” He had to tell them about Prudence and her family. These were the people who could help him get them all to safety. But these were also the people who knew him best. He hoped he’d be able to mask his personal concern with mere societal protection. “Well, and something else happened.”
Alistair frowned. “What?”
“Johnston’s sister, well, all of his sisters
and his brother showed up at my house, only just arrived from Staffordshire. They were there when the men arrived. So I—”
Remy started to laugh. “Tell me you don’t have a house full of children.”
“I wish I could,” Harrison said. “They’re sleeping. Five of them in all. Prudence takes care of them alone, I suppose, since Johnston’s murder.” He ignored the guilt gnawing at his gut. He’d have time for redemption later.
“She wants retribution?” Emma asked.
Harrison nodded. “She blames me.”
Remy blew out a breath. “No one could have kept Johnston from the Seven, he was bound and determined. Joining us at least kept him out of the fighting areas.”
“I know that, but you can’t explain that to a grieving sister.” Nor to a sister who had previously begged him to help keep her brother out of harm’s way. Or one who would go to such lengths as to seduce a lecher. “She’ll understand it soon enough,” Emma said.
“The first thing we need to do is find a secure place for the lot of them. I can’t very well uncover the biggest traitor England has ever known whilst babysitting four children and an angry sister,” Harrison said.
“I can bring them to Coventry Hall,” Alistair said.
Harrison and the other two turned in surprise to Alistair. “Are you actually volunteering to spend time with people?” Harrison asked.
“I am.”
“You are a changed man,” Harrison said.
“You’ll like her,” Remy said of Alistair’s bride.
“Coventry Hall is far enough away that no one will search for them there.” He grinned. “And if they do, we’ll see them coming.”
And Harrison realized he’d never before seen the man so much as smirk, let alone smile. “Marriage suits you well, Alistair.”
“Yes, I believe it does. Do you think you’ll require me for anything else on this assignment?”
“No. You deciphered that damn code,” Harrison said. “We couldn’t have decoded that journal without you.”
“I wish there had been more. I suspect that had Comfry lived longer, he would have named the traitor. Pity,” Alistair said with a shake of his head.
“We’ll send for you if there is anything else that you are needed for. Besides you haven’t had any time alone with your bride and son,” Remy said.
Alistair grinned again, a rarity for the reclusive marquess, but since marrying Winifred, he’d become slightly more friendly. “All the more reason to bring more children to the castle. Nothing says romance like a passel of children.”
“It is settled then,” Harrison said.
“What is settled?” Prudence asked from the door, her hair mussed and her dress wrinkled. She’d likely gotten some sleep, but it didn’t appear to have been restful.
“Prudence, come in,” Harrison said. “I don’t know if you remember meeting Lord Coventry and Lord and Lady Westbridge.”
She curtsied politely, then turned back to Harrison. “What is settled?”
“Tomorrow morning, you and your family will go with Coventry to his castle in Sussex. You’ll be safe there until I can find Johnston’s killer and clear my name.”
Her arms crossed over her chest. “I shall do no such thing!”
Harrison saw Remy grin broadly, but he ignored him. “Prudence, I cannot protect your family while investigating a killer.”
“All the more reason for them to go with Lord Coventry,” she said. “I will appreciate knowing they’re in safe hands. But I shall stay here in London and assist with the investigation. You owe me that much.”
“I really don’t think—”
“It is really not up for negotiation, Your Grace,” she said. “I will stay and help. I don’t believe I require your permission.”
“I like her,” Remy said.
“Shut up,” Harrison barked.
Prudence tilted her head up, giving her an air of superiority. “In any case, I looked through some of Johnston’s belongings, from the box that you gave me, and I believe I found something of importance.”
Harrison shook his head. “I looked through everything we pulled from his boarding room and gave you only his personal belongings.”
“Yes, well, it would seem that I knew my brother a little better than you.” She withdrew a folded piece of parchment and held it out to him. “He had this tucked into one of his books. Didn’t you say he was working to expose a man named Lord Comfry?”
Emma stood. “Yes, we were.”
Emma had worked undercover as a governess in Lord Comfry’s home until he’d been murdered.
Harrison unfolded the parchment and scanned the contents: a hand-written note and an invitation. “It would seem as though Lord Comfry was to meet a contact at the Regent’s annual masked ball.”
“That’s tomorrow night,” Remy said.
“Johnston was intending to intercept the meeting to uncover Comfry’s contact,” Harrison said.
“What are the odds that the meeting would still occur with Comfry’s death? Certainly his contacts would know,” Alistair said.
“But what if they don’t?” Prudence asked. “What if there is a chance that the meeting still takes place and we can discover Johnston’s killer?”
“I think Miss Hixsby staying is a good idea,” Remy said. He winked at Prudence. “I have a notion of where we can start the investigation and she’ll be useful in that scenario.”
“What?” Harrison asked.
“We’ll discuss more tomorrow. Right now, we need to leave before the sun rises. When we return, we’ll bring supplies for you and Prudence.”
“And I’ll bring a coach to take your siblings to my castle. They will be safe there,” Alistair said.
“Thank you,” Prudence said. She opened her mouth to say more, but swallowed her words as tears formed in her eyes.
The three of them crept out the back door, leaving Prudence and Harrison alone. She stood directly behind him, and he could feel her there, smell the cloves and lemon from her hair rinse. He steeled himself, then turned to her. “I’m not happy about you staying.”
She grinned, then tried quite unsuccessfully to suppress it. “I see that.”
“Contrarily, you are obviously quite pleased at the turn of events.” He released a deep breath. “Prudence, do you not understand that I can’t guarantee your safety here?” He didn’t even want to entertain thoughts of what could possibly happen to her, all the manners in which she could be harmed.
She gripped his forearm, and her wide green eyes bored into him. “And do you not understand how I must do this?” Her voice steeled with determination.
He nodded. He understood that, even respected it, while at the same time it utterly terrified him. This was why he’d remained a bachelor. He didn’t want to worry about a wife or children while he was chasing criminals and traitors. Prudence was not his wife, though. And he would do his best to consider her nothing more than a witness he was tasked with protecting.
“We should get some rest. It appears as if we’re going to be quite busy tomorrow.”
…
Getting Prudence’s siblings safely into a carriage with Alistair had been delicate, but they’d managed to do it. They’d had to ensure no one was following them, so Alistair had devised an elaborate route to get them out of the city and into Sussex County.
Remy and Emma had also left to gather supplies, since Harrison had no notion of how long they’d be staying at the townhome. Of course, he had most of what he needed, but Prudence didn’t have any of her belongings. All of their clothing had been on a separate coach that had already been delivered to the townhome she’d leased. Emma had volunteered to pull together a collection of gowns for Prudence.
Prudence had stood at the window for at least fifteen minutes after everyone left, peeking through a small gap in the dark draperies.
“Are you all right?” Harrison asked.
“Yes.” She started at the sound of his voice. “I’ve just not been away f
rom them. Ever.” She took a shuddering breath.
“They will be safe,” he assured her. It was the only promise he could make. Her siblings would be protected at Alistair’s castle, but Prudence was still here in London with him.
“Yes, I believe that. I do.” She turned and gave him a wistful smile. “I shall miss them terribly, though. Despite the fact that they drive me to near madness on a daily basis.”
“I thought you’d relish some time apart.” He’d been near the children for a very short period of time, and their constant chatter had been extraordinarily distracting.
She scanned the room as if trying to settle into the thought of being free of her familial duties, at least for the time being. “I am their sister, that’s who I am. But I am Johnston’s sister, too, and he deserves my attention for the time being.”
He was quiet a moment, knowing he should say something, but uncertain of how to word it. “You know I fully accept blame for his death,” he finally said. “I put him on the assignment. But I want you to know that I put him in a position I thought would be the least dangerous of them all. He was supposed to be only the contact for Emma, to gather her information and report it back to me.”
She exhaled slowly. “I’m angry with you, I truly am. But mostly I blame myself.” She tore away her gaze. “I thought I had done everything I could to keep him safe.”
His heart thundered. He certainly knew how far she’d gone to protect Johnston. It was on his tongue to tell her, to absolve her of some of that. He took a step closer to her. Certainly she must wonder whose bed she’d crawled into that night, since she knew it hadn’t been Fenton’s.
She released a humorless laugh and faced him again. “It’s ironic, is it not? I was so desperate to keep him out of the actual battles and he got himself killed here in London.” Then she frowned. “Why did you recruit him? He was all set to ship off and then I received notice from him that he’d taken a different position. That you’d given him a better opportunity.”
