“You have been a worthy adversary. There is honour amongst us, at least a little.”
Hugh stared at her for a couple beats of his frantically pounding heart. “As you said, I am a viscount. My only involvement in anything to do with Spain is as pertains to a trade agreement that was discussed in Parliament a few days ago.”
“For such an experienced spy, you do not lie very well,” she purred with a taunting smile. “I will bid you goodnight.”
Hugh could hardly stop her. It was the most uncomfortable interlude of his life. He stared after her and wondered what he ought to do first. He needed to warn everyone, but where to start? And then it struck him. They were counting on him to panic. Despite their claim of having watched him and knowing him well, they obviously didn’t know him at all. He would never have been so successful within the Home Office if he was one to give in to panic. A smile touched his lips. He had the perfect solution.
~~~~
Ellen had received him in the same room in which they had spoken when he had told her about his assignment. This time, she wasn’t bothering to sit still as she had tried to do the first time. “I beg your pardon.” Her tone didn’t sound the least bit like it was begging, but Hugh found her outrage delightful. Ellen was never boring. For now, though, he couldn’t allow himself to become distracted. It sounded to him as though he had offended her.
“I need you to become betrothed with me.” He repeated the words as succinctly as he could.
“For your mission,” she added in a stunned tone. “The one that you are reluctant to leave off,” she tacked on. “You do realize that marriage is a life-long assignment, do you not, Lord Richmond?”
She said the last bit so sweetly, if he didn’t know her so well, he might not have known she was dripping with sarcasm.
“We wouldn’t have to go through with it,” he assured her.
“Why would I agree to such a preposterous arrangement? You do realize I am in Town for the Marriage Mart, do you not? It will ruin my prospects if I were to become betrothed at this point. And then to terminate the betrothal very well could ruin me completely. And it’s not just me. If I become known as a jilt, what is to become of Amelia when she makes her debut?”
“In two years? Ellen, surely, Society will have forgotten all about this little episode.”
“It’s possible that they’ll forgetwhyI’m on the shelf, but the actual fact of mybeingon the shelf will make things more difficult for my sister.” She paced away from him, but he could still see the outrage on her face or at least quivering through her arms as they waved in agitation at her side.
“Ellen, you will not remain unwed. You are beautiful, intelligent, and well dowered. This will only disrupt your life for a few weeks, I promise you.”
She whirled back toward him with an arched eyebrow.
“I’m not beautiful,” she scoffed. “Not like that wonderful creature you were speaking to as you left the ball last night.”
Hugh’s eyebrows lifted toward his hairline. “Are you absolutely certain you don’t work for the Home Office? If you don’t, you ought to.”
She surprised him by laughing. “Perhaps Iwilltake up the service. Especially if I am to remain a maiden for the rest of my days.”
Every sensation within Hugh revolted at the thought of her remaining unwed. But he also rejected the thought of her wedding anyone else. He was being a dolt.
“It’s for your own safety, Ellen, and perhaps even that of your family,” he finally admitted.
She stared at him, and he suffered through the sensation that she was reading his every thought.
“In what way would our betrothal keep me and my family safe?” She was frowning and sounded suspicious, as though she thought he might use such an excuse to get her to agree. He might, if necessary, but in this case it was true.
“That woman you saw me with last night? She knew about my work. And she was following me. Or perhaps she had others following me. But she has noted our association and thinks you are to be the next spy.”
Ellen laughed in disbelief. “Me? But I’m the most boring creature in existence.”
“Hardly,” Hugh drawled. “And it really isn’t that farfetched. You would be brilliant at it, as I already pointed out. Except for being a noblewoman who has never had to do for herself,” he added with a grin. “But in any case, if we become betrothed, they will no longer suspect you of being my replacement. They will realize that our involvement with one another was courtship, not spy craft.”
Ellen stared at him for far longer than was necessary, making Hugh squirm a little.
“This will be very challenging for my mother. I cannot decide if it’s best to keep her uninformed or not.”
“We cannot tell her about the mission. Look what has come of me involving you. It is better for her and us that she not know the truth of the matter.”
Ellen’s nose wrinkled in a most attractive way. Hugh was almost distracted by the errant thought.How could a nose wrinkling be attractive?Surely he was losing his mind.
“She will be most disappointed in me when we end our association,” Ellen explained with a sigh. “And how awkward will it be for your friendship with Jeffrey?” She sighed again and gazed at him morosely. “Are you certain this is our only option?”
