He returned to his bedroom by way of the sitting room. He needed to wash, shave, dress, and work on his willpower. Not in that order.
* * *
The Foxtons’ house was modest but welcoming, the furnishings a mix of comfortable English with exotic Indian accents. It had changed little since Simon’s last visit several years before.
The Foxtons had also changed little, though they were a little grayer and more wrinkled. William, Lord Foxton, was tall and lean, his face permanently weathered by years of harsh Indian sun. Anna, his wife, was petite and welcoming, with a sweep of striking white hair. She greeted Simon with a hug. “My dear boy! How is my favorite young rogue?”
“No longer so young and now retiring from the rogue business.” He shook Lord Foxton’s hand. “It’s good to see you again, sir.” He drew Suzanne forward. “I wanted you both to meet my wife, Suzanne Duval. We were distant cousins by marriage who hadn’t seen each other for years. It was a great blessing to meet again here in London.”
“This sounds very romantic!” Lady Foxton clasped both Suzanne’s hands. “Welcome to our home, my dear. I’m so happy for you both.”
“Thank you,” Suzanne said, her smile warm. “I am a fortunate woman.”
“Come in and sit by the fire,” Lady Foxton said. “I’ll ring for refreshments while we catch up on the news.”
The two couples chatted easily over tea and cakes before the Foxtons exchanged a sober glance. Her ladyship said, “There is one piece of news. Not news, really, more of a rumor.” She crumbled a cake into small pieces with nervous fingers. “But an intriguing one.”
When she fell silent, her husband picked up the story. “An old friend thought he saw Lucas in Brussels last year after the emperor abdicated. He was dressed as a monk.”
“A monk?” Simon said incredulously. “That does not sound like Lucas. Surely it was a chance resemblance.”
“That seems likely,” Foxton agreed. “But Carter had met Lucas several times and swore the man looked just like him. The resemblance was that strong.”
“Did Carter talk to this monk?”
Foxton shook his head. “No, he said that the monk turned away when he saw he was being watched. Carter tried to intercept him, but the streets were crowded and he lost sight of the man.”
Simon felt as if he couldn’t breathe until Suzanne took his hand in silent comfort. He swallowed hard. “It’s the sort of thing one wants so much to believe, but it seems impossible. You’ve never received a letter from him, have you?”
“No, nor has his bank ever received a request for money. And yet . . .” Lord Foxton shook his head.
“It is impossible not to hope,” Suzanne said softly. “But I’ve heard it said that we all have someone who looks like a twin somewhere. When I first saw Simon here in London, for a moment I thought he was my late husband, who was his second cousin. Sometimes a simple movement by a stranger conjures someone you know well. That can be very disturbing when it happens.”
“What a very down to earth young lady you are,” Lady Foxton said. “I’m sure you’re right, that it was a chance resemblance. But I wish Mr. Carter had caught up with that monk so he could be sure.” Her mouth twisted in self-mockery. “I read too many Gothic novels. I’ve wondered if Lucas received a head injury and has amnesia so he doesn’t know how to come home. Or maybe he was dressed as a monk because he’s been working as a spy and dares not reveal his true identity.”
“That was my job,” Simon pointed out with a touch of amusement. “With the wars over, there is less need for spies, but Mr. Carter’s story is interesting. Perhaps I should look into it more deeply.”
Lord Foxton’s expression eased. “Thank you. I felt the incident should be investigated, but I wasn’t sure where to begin. You will have a much better idea how to go about such inquiries.”
“Yes, but I’ll need as many details as possible,” Simon replied. “Exactly when and where Mr. Carter saw this person. What color was the monk’s robe? What was going on around him in the streets? Anything else that might help narrow down the possibilities. Where can I find Mr. Carter?”
“He’s returned to his estate in Durham, but I asked him the same questions you’ve asked,” Lord Foxton said. “I’ll give you my notes.”
“That will be very helpful. But you know that it was almost certainly a chance resemblance,” Simon said soberly.
“We know,” Lady Foxton said. “But we’ll feel better if the incident is investigated to the extent possible.”
“I’ll get on this right away.” Simon rose. “It’s been wonderful to see you again. Now that I’m back in England, I hope to see you more often.”
“So do we.” Lady Foxton stood and smiled warmly at Suzanne. “And by all means, bring your lovely wife with you when you call!”
Suzanne blushed a little and the two couples parted with goodwill. But Simon was already thinking about where to start his search for a monk who was almost certainly not Lucas.
As she settled into the curricle, Suzanne said, “Is it possible that Lucas might actually have become a monk?”
Simon said slowly, “Anything is possible, but that seems very unlikely. He was never religious. He barely managed to be an Anglican, much less a Catholic. Perhaps he was disguising himself as a monk for some reason, but it still seems unlikely. If he was spying, why didn’t he come home after the emperor abdicated?”
“As you say, anything is possible.” She gave a sidelong glance. “You’re going to talk to Kirkland about this?”
