“So soon? No, you must stay,” Penny said, looking crestfallen. “We have so much to catch up on—”
“I’m needed back at the Abbey, dear,” Agatha said gently but firmly. “I came because your note concerned me. I’m relieved to see that I had nothing to worry about.”
“Out of curiosity, what did Penny’s note say?” Marcus asked.
Crinkles of humor deepened around Agatha’s eyes. “As I recall, her exact words were,I love my husband too well to let some trollop have him. So I shall have to resort to kidnapping him and bringing him back to our cottage in the Cotswolds where our marriage first began and where I hope we can begin again.” The lady smiled at Penny, who was blushing furiously. “The wordkidnappingcaught my attention, so I thought it best to come take a look. But clearly I needn’t have worried.”
“I appreciate your concern for Penny.” Sliding a wicked glance at his spouse, he said, “For future reference, you should know that I have given her permission to kidnap me any time the urge comes over her.”
“Marcus,” Penny hissed, her cheeks afire.
Chuckling, he caught her hand and kissed it, saying, “I believe that’s my cue to leave you two ladies to your reminiscing.” Rising, he bowed to Agatha. “Good evening, ma’am. It was the greatest pleasure to meet you at last.”
“The pleasure was mine, my lord.”
~~~
After Marcus left, Penny said eagerly, “Well, what do you think of him?”
“It hardly matters what I think, my dear. But from what I witnessed this evening,”—Agatha smiled her gentle smile—“he is perfect for you. Everything you said he was.”
“Isn’t he the best of husbands? I’m the luckiest woman in the world,” Penny said happily.
“Yes.” Agatha’s expression grew contemplative. “And you trust him, my dear?”
“Of course I do. He’s forgiven me for being a spy, for my past. And even for lying… um, on our wedding night.” Penny’s cheeks heated.
“You’ll recall that I didn’t approve of that particular ploy,” Agatha said dryly.
“I know you didn’t. At the time, I felt as if I didn’t have a choice.”
“Dearest, I said it before, and I’ll say it again: you underrate your own worth. You always have.” Lines deepened on Agatha’s brow. “And although I don’t wish to speak ill of the dead, I still blame Octavian for the role he played in that.”
At the mention of the spymaster, Penny’s midsection clenched, but she said, “That’s all water under the bridge. Marcus knows the truth now, and I shan’t ever lie to him again.”
“Does your husband know the entire truth?”
Agatha’s soft words and keen glance made Penny’s pulse skip. The other didn’t say any more—and she didn’t have to. They both knew what she was referring to.
“Everything he needs to know,” Penny said in a low, firm voice.
Leaning forward, her friend took her hands, which had turned cold despite the warmth of the fire. “You have nothing to be ashamed of. What happened to you—”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” Penny pulled away.
“Fear is a cage,” Agatha persisted. “Truth is the key to setting you free.”
“I am free. I have a husband who loves me, a family I adore.” She swallowed. “I have everything I need.”
“I once told myself that, too.” One of Agatha’s hands reached upward, her fingers brushing against the silver locket that hung against her grey bodice. “When Harry was taken from me and in such a senseless way, it took me a long time to accept that God has a plan for all of us. Losing Harry destroyed my life as I knew it, yet his death forced me to find another path, one that has since led me to my true calling. I loved Harry with all my heart, and because espionage was his passion, I took it on too, even though I never liked it. I wanted only to help those in need—and that is what I’m doing now. In a fashion that finally allows me peace.”
“I’m glad you found that, Agatha,” Penny said tremulously. “No one deserves it more.”
“My point is that even terrible things—losses and tragedies—might bring a lesson in their wake,” the other replied. “Have you considered that perhaps the Spectre’s reemergence was no coincidence? That there might have been a reason for him to rear his ugly head when he did? That mayhap it was a sign that the time was ripe for the truth—Your Truth—to emerge?”
Darkness welled, a rising tide that filled Penny with panic. With the fear that this time she wouldn’t be able to keep it at bay. That the degradation she’d worked so hard to put behind her would destroy the beauty of her present.
“Please, speak of it no more,” she pleaded. “Let’s not ruin our first reunion in twelve years.”
