Hawley took a sip of his drink, still standing. “The British Secret Service should be able to confirm if Miss Calvert’s kidnapping is connected with the rumors.”
Anger coursed through Augustus. He was tired of Hawley’s evasiveness. Not thinking, he reached the scholar and grabbed him by the front of his shirt before slamming him against a wall. “Enough with the lies. I want the truth, all of it. We are past this being some silly rumor.”
The door of Hawley’s office swung open, and guards rushed in. He lifted a hand. “I’m fine. The duke is simply upset. Leave us.”
The guards appeared reluctant, and Hawley demanded, “Go.”
They retreated, shutting the door behind them. Augustus still had him pushed against the wall. He wouldn’t release him until he heard something that seemed like the truth.
“My involvement is more than I’ve led on. While we wait, I will explain how we’ve all landed in this situation. Please release me.”
Augustus needed answers and reluctantly did as he asked. Hawley pointed at a chair in the sitting area.
“Have a seat.”
Augustus settled into a wingback chair. Hawley sat across from him and twirled his glass. Eventually, he said, “From time to time, the British Secret Service asks the London Society of Antiquaries for assistance. Most often, it is to deliver a message during our travels. At other times, it is more complicated. They recently contacted me to see if I could explore using cuneiform to send sensitive messages. I didn’t think the idea was smart, but I agreed. It is for our country, after all.”
“So, they are using cuneiform?”
Hawley sighed and shook his head. “Not yet. We were in the middle of testing it when this all happened.”
“What do you mean?” Augustus asked, confused.
“Cuneiform is not simply translating text. It is a series of symbols that requires the reader to decipher them. I designeda key, and the British Secret Service sent it to one of their men. The man wrote a message and sent it back to England. Unfortunately, it was intercepted. I suspect that whoever has Rose wants her to decipher it.”
But it wasn’t possible without Hawley’s key, Augustus suspected. “Do you have the key?”
Hawley shook his head. “It was delivered to someone else in England. They insisted there be no additional copies.”
“You knew this all along.”
The scholar took another sip of his drink. “I did.”
Augustus rose to his feet, enraged. “You bastard. All along, you have been lying to us.”
Rising, Hawley said, “It was a matter of national security.”
“She could die,” he thundered back at him.
Hawley grimaced, but it was the truth. Desperation choked Augustus. They needed to do something. “Can you make another copy of the key from memory?”
Shaking his head, the scholar said, “No. My part was to make the key, and forget it.”
Augustus snapped and punched the man. His head flew back, but Hawley didn’t respond. He simply rubbed his jaw. “I deserved that.”
“You better hope we find her.”
Hawley nodded. The argument was interrupted by the door opening. Three men stepped inside. One shut the door firmly as they all observed him and Hawley.
The leader, Augustus guessed, glared at him. Without breaking his stare, he said, “Hawley, I thought we agreed not to involve anyone else. This has already caused problems for our test.”
Augustus charged at the man. A fucking test is why Rose’s life hung in the balance. The man’s eyes widened in alarm as Augustus jumped on him. They both toppled to the ground.They punched and pushed at each other. It was clear the man was used to fighting. Finally, Hawley and the two other men separated them.
“Enough!” Hawley snapped.
The man glared at him. “You don’t issue orders to me.”
The scholar’s face flashed with annoyance. “If you want this club ever to assist you again, I do.”
