Jasper stared hard at her. “Do you really want to know this? It’s essential that you keep it to yourself. You can’t discuss it with anyone—not even your sister.”
“I do. If it’s important to you, I want to know. And you can count on me. I’m not a gossip.”
“I know.” His smile was warm. And then he exhaled. “I don’t want to hide anything from you.”
Nia squeezed his hand. And waited.
“The old duke, Reg and Malum’s father, dabbled in importing and exporting. At least, that’s what he told his sons. It was what the world knew of him. And after we all graduated, he put his younger son to work on the shipping side of his business. The responsibility had Reg traveling back and forth from India. And at first, he seemed to enjoy the challenges that came with it. But after a time, that changed. And then about five years ago, he disappeared.”
“Did his ship go down?”
“No. He just… never returned. Malum, of course, went in search of his brother. He discovered that his father’s business was not importing and exporting legal goods. It was a front for a tea and opium operation.”
“Did your friend know?”
“He had to have, didn’t he? I cannot imagine that he was happy about it. But he would have already been too involved to walk away.”
Nia was all too aware of what could happen when a person became involved in the dark world surrounding the vice. It had led to Lord Rupert’s demise.
“Did Malum find out what happened to his brother?”
Jasper was shaking his head. “He didn’t. But when I heard about the search, I made myself available to help. And since then, we’ve formed a loosely tied group that… endeavors to slow the trade.”
Nia nodded. “Is that why Malum withdrew from proper society?”
“Partly, but that’s not my story to tell.” Jasper threaded one hand with hers.
“But that is why he helped you and me escape London, is it not? My father is involved in this trade,” she guessed.
“We believe so, yes. The opportunity is a tempting one and can be highly profitable. And our government tends to look the other way. But it hurts people. In the east, but also here in England.” Jasper stared down at their hands. “But Malum would have helped us anyway. We’ve become a… brotherhood, of sorts.”
It all began to make sense. But, if Jasper was working with Malum, and they were working together to fight criminals…
“It’s dangerous, then, isn’t it? What you do?”
Jasper winced a little, but then leaned forward and lifted his hands to cradle her face. “Not really. I only pass information along—mostly. And now that I have you, I have even more reason to be careful.”
Nia raised a hand to cover one of his. If anything ever happened to Jasper, she would die. At the same time, she was so very, very proud of him. He did not spend his time entertaining himself or… simply playing. He worked for a greater good.
It was inspiring, really.
“Thank you. For telling me. For trusting me,” she said.
Because her father never would have shared something like this with her. And he had not. Not even when he’d been marrying her off to one of his accomplices.
And, of course, that must be why her father had so urgently wanted her to marry Dewberry.
“We’re a team, are we not?”
“We are,” Nia agreed.
And then Jasper leaned forward, claiming her mouth and tugging her around so that she straddled his lap.
Just as she’d been thinking, the two of them become distracted far too easily.
But she leaned back, and this time, it was she who cradled his face.
“So long as you know that I am usually right,” she said, laughing as his hand crept beneath her skirts.
“Always,” Jasper answered. “Except for when I know better...”
* * *
—The End—
