Tension hit him like a wave as he neared his two agents.Something has happened. Something of a sexual nature, he would wager. It was about damned time.
“Welcome back,” he said jovially.
Gabe sketched a short bow and Mary curtsied prettily with mumbles of “sir” and “Hydra.”
With a smile, Gabe greeted the child. “I owe you two quid, Mary. And a place in a very special school.” He raised an eyebrow at Charles.
“Yes,” Charles agreed.
“I need to speak with my friend here,” Gabe continued. “Why do we not see about getting you that hot meal that I promised and then we will discuss it?”
Little Mary gave him a cherub smile as Gabe led her from the room, calling for a servant to assist.
Charles sat on the under-stuffed armchair, stretching his legs out before him and crossing them at the ankles. He was eager to return home to hisverypregnant wife and adopted son. Not only was their meeting important, however, but he was damned curious about what had happened on their assignment. He tossed his hat atop the occasional table at his elbow.
Gabe returned to the room and sat across from Charles on the settee next to Mary.
“Well?” Charles prompted. “Shall you start with whether or not you retrieved the documents and move on to what the devil happened to Gabe’s face?”
“We have the documents,” Gabe said, removing the sheets of parchment from an inner pocket and placing them on the table between them. “But there is much more that we need to discuss than just these documents.”
Charles examined the documents and placed them in his own pocket before he gestured them on. “Proceed.”
Gabe cringed as he pointed at the damage done to his face. “Lady Kerr is to blame for my present state, sir.”
“I apologize for interrupting.” Mary leaned forward eagerly. “Hydra, Gabriel is in danger of compromising his identity. Lady Kerr knows his face and suspects his true purpose of attending the house party. I managed to release him from capture in such a way that Lady Kerr would not implicate me, but as she and her men remain alive, Gabriel is in danger.”
“What do you propose, Mary?” Charles asked. “I require him for this assignment, and for several afterward. Shall we change his face?”
Mary shook her head, an auburn lock of hair falling out of her loosened, damp coiffure. “I propose an alternate plan. Mr. Spencer has a history in the Americas with his uncle. I propose that we send him back, then Gabe and I go into hiding until the ball at Lord Sheffield’s house in town on Thursday.”
“Perhaps you had better explain from the beginning.”
Charles listened as the two spoke of their assignment, of the known traitors involved in this scheme, the potential for others, of their overhearing a discussion and the time and place of the traitors’ rendezvous, of the exchange of the documents, Gabe’s capture, and their eventual escape.
At the mention of Lord Anthony Boxton, Charles felt a surge of anger rush through him. The scurrilous dog had taken part in the very near ruination of his sister, Anna’s, virtue and the near snuffing of her very life. The bastard was evil toward women and very much deserved to be removed to the Americas as his friend had been.
Charles ran his fingers through his short blond locks in agitation. “Well, Mary, you must attend that ball. Gabe, you will take her as the coachman and I will ensure Stevens attends in Lord Hale’s entourage.”
“It isnae safe for her to go alone, Hydra!” Gabe exclaimed.
“She will be safe enough. All my men are on assignments, recovering from their injuries, or damned well missing,” Charles growled. “I cannot contact anyone else, let alone send them on this assignment. If, however, someone comes to me with a report of a completed assignment, I will add them to your party.”
Charles’ gaze switched between Gabe and Mary’s uneasy miens, a grin on his lips. “You both did an excellent job recovering the documents. I am sorry for your injuries, Gabe. I have Dr. Claridge in town examining my wife presently, if you would like me to send him to examine you.”
Gabe shook his head. “Nae, sir.”
“Very well.” Charles leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, then clasped his hands together. “I gather from what you have said that Mary is the target of the other men’s attentions. As much gratification as I would find in simply putting Boxton and Reddington on a ship and sailing them off to the Americas, I must discover who else is involved in this ring of traitors. Marywillattend the ball—armed, naturally—and cozy up to them. Watch them. When they leave the ball, alert Stevens and Gabe and discretely follow them to the rendezvous location. Take care to be close enough to hear them, but far enough to not be caught.”
“Yes, sir,” they both said in unison.
“Because of your potentially compromised identity, Gabe, you will remain in hiding until the time of the ball. Mary, if you wish to avoid contact with the traitors, you are welcome to remain in hiding until Thursday, as well. I have my alternate town house set up for your needs should you wish to use it. Harris and Barrows are both still in recovery there.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“In the mean time, I will purchase passage for Mr. Anthony Spencer on a ship to the Americas scheduled to sailafterthe ball. If the traitors feel they have time for their rendezvous, they will not send any men away to chase after you; every traitor’s presence is pertinent.”
“We had best be wary, sir,” Mary warned. “Lady Kerr will be incensed and looking for us. She will have known to come to London.”
