A Rogue for Emily

by Catherine Hemmerling

  “Perhaps I should have left,” he replied, “but I didn’t. Now will you let me continue?”

  “If you must.”

  It was all Alex could do to not bang his head repeatedly against the wall. It was sure to be less painful than this conversation.

  “While I was hiding, I heard something faint coming from the hallway. I thought it might have been you and Rose finally leaving, but when I opened the door a crack to take a peek I saw a figure all cloaked in black listening at the door of the apartment you and Rose were visiting.”

  “What?” Emily exclaimed. “What do you think he was doing there?”

  “Nothing good, I assure you. He fled just seconds before you and Rose emerged.”

  “Could you see what he looked like?”

  Alex ran his hand roughly through his hair. “No, his face was covered.”

  Emily tapped her lip. “Well, this is certainly interesting.”

  “Interesting?” Alex said, throwing up his arms. “No one dressed like that man is simply interesting. He is obviously dangerous.”

  “Very, I’d say,” Emily agreed, forehead wrinkled in thought.

  How can she be so calm? Alex wondered. It must be that Garden Society. None of those ladies seemed thrown by anything these days. To think, in his younger days all he thought girls were good for was looking pretty while he tried to steal a kiss. This year had taught him even more than he thought. He now knew that women were very shrewd and capable allies. His respect for women in general, and the Society gals in particular, had grown by leaps and bounds.

  Not that Emily would ever notice. It was as if their relationship had been decided in that cemetery so long ago, and nothing he did would change that.

  Of course he hadn’t been trying very hard to do so. It was so much more fun to rile her up.

  “You silly women are going to get yourselves hurt if you are not careful.”

  Alex was rewarded by a flush of anger rising to her perfect face.

  “We are careful, you nitwit. That is why I am going to bring this information to Lady Lancaster. It must have to do with the papers Rose and I found at the Youngs.”

  “Papers?”

  Ignoring this, Emily moved around him to open the door to the sitting room. She walked over to the coatrack and began putting her pelisse on again. She stopped a passing servant and asked him to fetch her maid.

  “I guess I will need to accompany you, as you are unwilling to answer me.”

  “That is your prerogative, sir,” Emily tossed over her shoulder as she grabbed her reticule from a nearby chair. She didn’t pause a moment before opening the front door. Alex wondered if she would leave without her maid just to get away from him, but no, she simply stood there not looking at him until the other girl arrived. Again without a backward glance, she tucked her arm in the crook of her maid’s and together the pair headed in the direction of Grosvenor Square. Alex had no choice but to fall in step behind them.

  He almost decided to ride his horse. There would be no amount of satisfaction arriving before them at Lady Lancaster’s, but there was no guarantee that the cloaked man hadn’t followed them all here to Mayfair. He could be anywhere, and for some reason, Alex felt compelled to watch over Emily…

  Since he was there and all.

  He would alert Simon about the situation as soon as he could, as Rose could also be in danger, but for now he would stick to Emily like glue.

  Chapter Seven

  You can’t change the direction of the wind, but you can decide whether or not you give in to it.

  ~The Duke of Lancaster

  “Is he still there?” Emily said to her lady’s maid, Harriet, knowing full well that Alex was still behind them and in full earshot of their conversation.

  Her maid glanced backward quite unnecessarily before saying, “Yes, milady.”

  Emily huffed out an exasperated breath. Why didn’t he just go away? His mere presence annoyed her to her very core. How he could still see women as soft, inconsequential beings was beyond her. Hadn’t he been rescued by a group of ladies? William, notwithstanding, it was because of the Garden Society that Alexander was even here to be annoying.

  “We should have let him hang,” Emily muttered.

  “I’m sorry, milady. Did you say something?”

  “No,” Emily sighed. “Nothing important, in any case.”

  “Perhaps she was speaking to me,” Alex said from a few paces behind them. “Were you speaking to me, Emily dear?”

  Oh, the audacity of that man was going to drive her to murder. She knew of many ways to do it now, thanks to her work with the Society.

  I bet I wouldn’t even get caught, Emily thought wickedly.

  “Emily? Did you hear me?”

  “Yes, Alexander,” Emily ground out, “to my everlasting dismay, I heard you perfectly. No, I was not speaking to you. Not then and, if God is truly good, no more today. Go home!”

  Alex just laughed at the command. It was clear that he wasn’t going to leave of his own accord, so Emily was relieved when she saw the Lancaster house just ahead. Perhaps the dowager could make him go away.

  Her wish was denied a quarter of an hour later when she was seated in the Blue Salon with the grand lady and the aggravating Alexander Bredon.

  …

  Lady Lancaster had just allowed herself to be seated by the young Bredon boy, when the gentleman spoke.

  “My lady,” Alexander said, “thank you for agreeing to see us. I hope we are not interrupting anything of vital importance.”

  The duchess raised an eyebrow. “If you were, young man, we would not all be seated here.”

  Emily stifled a giggle, but not before receiving a stern look from the dowager.

  Lady Lancaster was well aware of the feud that had been raging between these two for years, which was why she was surprised to witness them arriving together on such a fine autumn day. Honestly, despite a rather serious streak of impudence, the duchess had always seen Alexander as a kind of kindred spirit for Emily. Both had experienced heartbreak as children, and as adults they were both familiar with an unwanted oppressive authority—whether imagined or real—but most importantly, they shared an unfailing compassion for others.

  They would be a good match, the duchess thought, if they would only stop fighting long enough to see it.

  Still thinking about how to lead Emily and Alex to each other, Lady Lancaster asked, “Why have you come?”

  “Rose and I discovered something when we were visiting Mrs. Young and the children.”

  “Something to do with the landlord?” Lady Lancaster surmised. Perhaps they had implemented her plan too late.

  “No, no. I believe that situation has been handled.”

  “Hmph, good,” the dowager said with satisfaction. “What else was there to learn, then?”

  Emily looked pointedly in Alexander’s direction. “Perhaps it is better I tell you privately.”

  It must be Society business, Lady Lancaster thought. Perfect. This might be just what Emily and Alex needed. A mystery to solve. Perhaps they would begin to see each other as they were rather than what they imagined each other to be.

  “Mr. Bredon must know something of this discovery or he would not be here. Please continue.”

  The look of triumph on Alexander’s face was as clear as the defeat in Emily’s. The girl sighed deeply as she pulled some papers from her bag.

  Handing them to Lady Lancaster, she said, “These were found hidden behind Mrs. Young’s desk. Rose and I believe Mr. Young entered into some sort of illegal arrangement with someone prior to his death.”

  Looking at the drawings and letter, the duchess had to agree.

  “Were you able to get any more information about these from Mrs. Young?”

  Emily filled in Lady Lancaster and Alex on everything Mrs. Young had told them. It definitely seemed that Mr. Young had gotten in well above his head with something, and it was serious enough for him to hide these documents and lie to h
is wife.

  “You think this is why there was someone spying on Mrs. Young’s apartment,” Alex said, his face lighting up with understanding.

  Someone was watching the Young home? This news was very concerning.

  “To what is Mr. Bredon referring, Emily?”

  “Oh, yes, Alexander decided to follow us, though I have no earthly reason why. While he was there, he saw a man all dressed in black listening at the Youngs’ door. He was gone by the time Rose and I left—”

  “Or so you think,” Alex interjected. “He could have followed us all back here. He could be watching us right now.”

  Lady Lancaster glanced out of the large picture window to her right. She didn’t see anything, but if the spy were a professional, no one would be able to see him, even if he were only ten feet away. Concealment and camouflage training was paramount in the spy business. It was no different in the War Office.

  “Mr. Bredon is correct. You and Rose are in danger. And it is very likely whoever the man is, he now knows about your connection with this house and your Alexander here.”

  “He is not mine,” Emily bristled.

  “Regardless, we should be on our guard. In the meantime, you and Mr. Bredon need to find out as much as you are able about whatever Mr. Young was up to.”

  “Alex and…I?” Emily gaped.

  “With all due respect, my lady,” Alex quickly said, “do you really think that is a good idea? Emily and I, ah, don’t always see eye to eye.”

  “That is precisely why you are the perfect team,” the duchess announced, certain that this turn of events was positively providential. “You will keep each other on your toes. And perhaps you will see things the other doesn’t. No, this is exactly as it should be. I suggest you start by speaking with your contacts in the city, Emily. One of them may know where Mr. Young was working nights.”

  Emily and Alexander continued to grumble, but Lady Lancaster would hear none of it. She shooed them out of the room and sent them on their way.

  This new case was fraught with danger, but the dowager was sure Emily and Mr. Bredon were the best ones for the job. But just in case, Lady Lancaster thought she might reach out to some of her old friends from the War Office and see what she could learn about any new types of technology being developed.

  …

  When Rose and Alex found themselves unceremoniously pushed out onto Lady Lancaster’s front porch, they looked at each other in bewilderment.

  “I suppose this means we are working a case together,” Alex said slowly, still not sure what had just happened.

  “I suppose it does,” Emily replied with a look of utter revulsion.

  Alex sighed and raised his eyes to the heavens.

  Lord, give me strength.

  “I know this isn’t what either of us wanted, but can we try to make the best of it?” he asked wearily, “or do you want to go back in there and tell the dowager you won’t work with me?”

  That changed Emily’s demeanor immediately.

  “No, no, it will be fine, I will do this with you, but don’t think for one second I am happy about it.”

  “I would have to be an idiot to think that, dear.”

  Emily looked at him pointedly.

  “I am not an idiot, Emily,” Alex replied. “And deep down I think you know that.”

  “No, I do not. But I challenge you to prove it to me. That would make for a nice change of pace.”

  “Argh! You make me crazy, woman.”

  Apparently having nothing to say to that point, Emily turned to the maid, Harriet, and indicated that they should leave.

  Alex started after them as he had before, and the threesome continued in silence for some way before Emily came to an abrupt halt.

  “Why are you still following us, sir?”

  “Because we are going in the same direction, dear.”

  “But you live over there,” Emily retorted, pointing toward the houses to the right.

  “I do, indeed, but my horse is still at your house. I need to retrieve him.”

  It was on the tip of his tongue to remind her that she was still in danger from the man in black, but he rather thought she deserved whatever the villain might do to her.

  Finally turning to look him in the eye, Emily said, “I will have the horse brought to you upon arriving home. I am quite sure you have better things to do than follow me around.”

  Well, that was an understatement if ever he heard one, but they still had things to discuss.

  “What of our missi—ah, appointment that Lady Lancaster, er, scheduled?”

  “Oh, yes, that,” Emily sighed. “Come to my house tomorrow morning, in appropriate attire, and we will go.”

  Alex supposed that meant he would need to find a costume of some kind to blend in with the less than affluent parts of London. Well, that shouldn’t be too difficult. Any one of his friends or his brother would likely have something appropriate.

  “Fine, tomorrow morning. Nine o’clock?”

  “Or thereabouts,” Emily tossed back, as if it were of no import. She started walking away without waiting for a reply.

  “That chit better be ready when I get there or there will be hell to pay. This isn’t some courting visit where it would be expected for a man to wait,” Alex grumbled to himself as he headed toward home. He had half a notion to stop by the cemetery and check for a new note, but the day with Emily Moss had drained him completely.

  This did not bode well for their plans the next day. Perhaps it would be a good idea to just go to bed early tonight. A good night’s sleep would hopefully provide him enough fortitude to face the bane of his existence again in the morning.

  …

  Emily had never been so happy to leave someone behind as she was to leave Alex.

  “Finally,” she muttered.

  “You were awfully rude to Mr. Bredon, Emily.”

  Harriet had been Emily’s lady’s maid since before she had even come out in society. While never as close as a sister or Meg would have been, Harriet and she had become quite good friends. As a result, Harriet often talked to Emily about the people in her life. Usually her comments were very welcome and discerning.

  “No more than he was to me,” Emily replied.

  “I didn’t find him so. In fact, I think he is rather charming and of good spirits.”

  Charming? Good spirits? Is that how Harriet saw Alex? How women in general saw him? Simply ridiculous.

  Emily thought back on the day. True, he had not said anything entirely out of sorts during their walk to and from Lady Lancaster’s, but he had been beyond contemptible when they had been alone earlier. Calling her a “silly girl” for just doing her duty. And it wasn’t as if she had gone to the city alone. Hadn’t they all proven to him that they were more than capable, no matter the situation?

  No, Alex was not the debonair bachelor he seemed to be. Underneath, his low opinion of women bordered on dogmatic.

  “You don’t know Alexander Bredon as I do. Please believe me when I say, he is not worthy of your kind favor.”

  Harriet did not seem convinced, but Emily was too tired to defend her stance. The only thing that perked her up was the idea that there may be another letter for her at the graveyard. She had already turned in that direction when she remembered it was her turn to leave a note.

  Perhaps that was even better. She had paper and a quill in her reticule. She would go to the cemetery and write down her feelings. John was sure to be a sympathetic ear. Yes, pouring it all out in a letter was just what she needed.

  With a bounce in her step, Emily began composing in her head just what she would say to John. Perhaps she would even bring up the possibility of meeting in person. She really could no longer think of a reason why they shouldn’t.

  Chapter Eight

  Nothing in life and love surprises me anymore…

  ~The Duke of Lancaster

  Having gone to bed very early the night before, Alexander found himself awake well before he need
ed to meet with Emily. He had had the forethought to send a note ahead to his brother about a costume for the day, so he could arrive there anytime, and he was sure it would be there waiting for him. William had always been someone he could count on. However, Alex hadn’t always appreciated it as much as he did now.

  So with nowhere to be and essentially nothing to do, Alex did what he always did when he was out of sorts or had a free moment or two. He went to talk to his dad’s gravestone. He also hoped to find another note. It had been somewhat longer than usual since he had received a response. Usually it was every other day like clockwork. He hoped nothing had happened to his friend.

  Truth be told, his feelings for his secret correspondent were growing beyond just friendly affection. He was rather sure he would miss his anonymous friend dearly if there were indeed something wrong.

  He frowned slightly at the thought. He had no way of checking in on her, and he wondered just how worried he should be.

  It was another beautiful fall day in Mayfair. The sun was out, but there was a decided nip in the air. The leaves were turning the most wonderful shades of red, yellow, and orange. When the breeze would whip up, it rained fire-colored leaves all around him.

  It was impossible to harbor any negative thoughts on such a morning, and Alex found his spirits soaring by the time he reached his destination. Foregoing his father, he decided to go straight to the angel. To his delight, he saw a small white square poking out of the little stone hands. He took the note and sat down on a nearby bench.

  Eager to know what his friend had to say, Alex wasted no time as he quickly read the letter. When he reached the end he could hardly believe what he had just seen. Going back over the note slowly and purposefully, he confirmed what he would have previously thought impossible.

  Dear John,

  How nice it is to write an actual name down. You should also know how it feels, so please call me Grace. This letter is going to be quick and will likely make little sense, but I am writing it in the waning light of day sitting in the little alcove near our angel. Usually I like to take my time and make sure every word I write is perfect. That probably tells you a little more about me than I wanted to share so early in our friendship, but I don’t care. That is how much my day has thrown me.