Lamplight and cigar odor filled the room. They’d probably sat in here plotting, waiting for her return. Her legs in danger of giving out, she plopped down in the straight-back chair before they closed the door.
Nick ambled over and leaned his backside against the desk. His dark eyes bored into her. “I’ve had word back from my agent. You know what he said?”
“I have no idea, but I’m sure you’re about to tell me and show me how wrong I’ve been about Reynolds.”
“Reynolds is a Unionist.” His lip curled.
Best play dumb. “A what?”
“See, I told you she doesn’t have the brains to be a traitor.” Her uncle stomped over to the side of the desk.
Nick held up his hand. A man who could shush her uncle? “A Yankee sympathizer. A worm who’d turn on his own people.”
She blinked at him. “As I said before, I don’t know much about the war and don’t care one way or the other, but if your agent told you this, are you sure you can trust him?” Sheglanced in her uncle’s direction. “I assume you told him what I overheard Reynolds say?”
“I did.” A slick smile spread across Nick’s lips. “I’ve been thinking about what you said. And it occurred to me that if my agent was working for Reynolds and Confederate headquarters, why would he want to discredit Reynolds? It doesn’t make any sense. If he was working with the man, he’d bring back word that the lieutenant was an angel and a flag-waving Confederate.”
She shrugged. “I have no idea why your agent would or wouldn’t say anything. All I know is what I heard Reynolds say when I snuck up on him and Frieda. But it occurred to me that maybe he knew I was there all along.”
Nick smashed the end of his cigar in the ashtray. “If that were the case, why would he make up such a story?”
“Where is he?” LeBeau’s handlebar mustache twitched like a rat tail. “You tell us before we send the dogs out.”
She flinched. Could the animals discern a fresh scent? Devon had been all over the yard and stables in the last few days. She smoothed her voice. “I don’t know where he is.”
“Don’t know or won’t say?” LeBeau grabbed the back of her chair and jutted his face within inches of hers. His unsettled dinner hung on his breath. “We know you were with him tonight. We checked all of the rooms and the stables looking for the three of you.”
Nick tapped his fingers on the desk.
She pressed her hands on her lap. “We…he was with us at the meeting. Lieutenant Reynolds heard I was going with Lucy and wanted to follow along. Not that he cared about the singing and all. I think it was more of a chance to get me alone in the dark, sneak another kiss.”
“I bet that wasn’t all he snuck.” LeBeau grabbed her chin. His fingers bit into her flesh.
She glared deep into his ice-blue eyes. “I never let any man have more than a kiss.”
LeBeau flung her head to the side.
Her nose collided with the chair’s wooden trim, pushing her teeth in her lip. A metallic taste lingered on her tongue. “I don’t care what you believe. It’s the truth. And Reynolds didn’t walk us back. Said he had a friend to visit back home”—they’d never believe he’d visit family—“and planned to use the days you gave him off for Christmas.”
Both men sat back against the desk, studying her.
Nick smoothed his fingers over his bearded chin. “We need to look for Reynolds. Question the slave and see how her story lines up with Beth’s.”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll have Owens bring a handful of them in one by one. If there was a meeting, Lucy and my niece wouldn’t have been the only ones at it.”
“We’ll need men to search?—”
“What do you need a bunch of men for? I told you where he went, or at least where he said he was going.” Morning Fawn sat straight.
Nick smirked. “I know what you said. I also know you’re the smartest and quickest little darling I ever met. In need of a man to tame you. More woman than a scrawny fellow like Reynolds can handle.”
She narrowed her eyes at the man.He’s more man than you could ever dream of being. “Personally, I’d rather turn into a withered spinster and never own an inch of land than to have anything to do with either of you.”
“You brat.” LeBeau shoved off the desk, ready to strike again.
She ducked.
Nick grabbed his arm, then released it. “Let her sauce off. I can take it. Maybe we’ll get some truth out of her, sooner or later.”
