Chapter 13
Jack wasn’t certain what to expect the following morning when the call of breakfast forced him and Désirée to face each other in the light of day.
Everything was unsettlingly normal.
Frederick was in raptures over new iron hoops the le Duc brothers had made for him.
Annie insisted on calling her teale théand her toastle pain beurré.
Désirée smiled at him from behind her teacup and motioned to a small ceramic tureen on the table next to the honey.
“Fresh blackberryconfiture. Take your portion before it’s gone.”
She was acting exactly the same.
He had tossed her onto a sofa in his cellar, helped himself to her virginity, fallen asleep drooling on her shoulder… and she acted like nothing had changed.
Maybe nothinghadchanged. Wasn’t that the agreement they’d struck? No expectations, no demands. No promises for the future, just like they both wanted.
At least, he was pretty sure that’s what he wanted.
Kind of.
“Someone’s here!” Annie pointed out the window.
They all turned in time to see a large black carriage teeter up. A grizzled man in a gold-spangled waistcoat leapt to the ground.
“Redmire.” Here to solve their smuggling woes. Jack jumped to his feet just as his business associate stomped through the door. “If you’ll excuse us.”
“Got to get a new wheel,” Redmire growled as he surrendered his hat and greatcoat to a footman. “Something’s wrong with that carriage.”
“Not your wheel,” Désirée said politely as she smeared blackberry jam onto pound cake. “Rear axle, clear as day. I can have it mended for you within the hour.”
Redmire looked at Désirée, swung his startled gaze to Jack, then swung his gaze back to Désirée. “Er… feel free to do that.”
“But not until after breakfast,” Annie called out. “We have blackberry jam.”
Jack dragged Redmire into his study before the visit deteriorated further.
“What’s the latest news?”
“Have to change harbors.” Redmire spread a map out on Jack’s desk. “This one. We haven’t used it before. Be best if you came with me to scout it with your own eyes before we end up in the same scrape as before. You see things no one else can.”
Jack hesitated. “I don’t know if now is the right time.”
“Of course it’s the right time. If we don’t go now, there’s no more champagne.” Redmire leaned back. “What’s wrong with you? You’ve never acted namby-pamby about reconnaissance before.”
Jack sighed. Redmire was right. Unless they found a safe, reliable route, their champagne dreams were over. “Let me just ask Désirée first.”
Redmire stared at him. “Who the bloody hell is Désirée?”
“My… er…” Jack coughed into his hand. “That is, the twins’ governess.”
“You need to request smuggling permission from your brats’governess?” Redmire’s splutter turned into sudden understanding. “Not the chit outside fixing my carriage?”
“She probably sent a note to her brothers,” Jack muttered. “But, yes. That’s the one.”
“ThatisThe One!” Redmire clapped Jack too hard on the back and roared with laughter. “I told you to find a good woman and you wasted no time at all. That’s my Jack, king of efficiency. But why the devil is she still your governess if you really want her as your wife?”
