Wren nodded. “Of course. Let me see, where to begin. You two know that I have developed a bit of a reputation when it comes to investigating discreetly for the titled and rich.”
Emilia nodded. “Yes.”
“Sometimes I’m looking into a wayward spouse’s affair, sometimes the activities of an estate manager who is skimming funds from a gentleman. But sometimes I look into deeper crimes. Especially when the victim in question doesn’t want the public scrutiny of the guard’s involvement. Andthatis how I met the people we’re going to see today.”
“So, they were victims of a crime,” Aiden said softly.
“No.” Wren drew a long breath. “They were the…perpetrators. Well, two of them were.”
Emilia’s eyes went wide. “What? You are taking us to meet criminals?”
“You sound almost excited,” Wren said with a slight laugh at her bright-eyed shock.
“I admit, I don’t think I’ve ever met a criminal.”
“You lived with one,” Aiden muttered, resulting in Emilia taking his hand and squeezing. “Wren, do continue.”
Wren nodded. “They stole something from a very important person.” He flinched. “Well, he thinks he’s important, but he’s actually just very pompous. At any rate, I was hired to return the item and bring the perpetrators to justice. Only when I found them, they were with a man who was driven to protect them. I realized there was…much more going on there. And I didn’t fulfill my duty. Oh, I returned the item, but I had no intention of bringing the thieves to justice.”
“Why?” Aiden asked.
Wren closed his eyes, flashing back to all those months ago, when he’d stood on the parlor of Richard Fitzroy and realized that the man was in love with the two thieves. That they had formed a life together. And that Wren couldn’t break apart something he, himself, understood and longed for.
“They’re like us,” he said softly.
“You mean they’re…” Emilia swallowed. “These three people are in love?”
Wren nodded. “And I couldn’t trade that for a rich man’s ego. We already suffered that fate ourselves. So I let them go.”
“And you think that with their past as criminals they could help Emilia escape England without the viscount discovering her?” Aiden asked.
“Yes.” Wren shuddered. “At least I hope they will.”
The carriage pulled into the drive of a fine home and a footman from the estate hurried to open the door for them. Wren glanced at Aiden and Emilia, still close together, her hand trembling in his. He wasn’t sure what was going to happen when they announced themselves to the inhabitants of this home. He could only hope it would be something good.
He exited the carriage first and didn’t wait for them to follow as he strode up to where a butler was waiting. “Good afternoon, sir.”
“Good afternoon,” Wren replied as he withdrew a card from his jacket pocket. “Will you please advise Mr. Fitzroy that Mr. Wren is here to see him? And tell him it isn’t on official business.”
The butler’s eyebrows raised slightly, but he motioned Wren and his companions into the house and to a parlor just off the foyer to wait while he ascertained if Fitzroy would see them. Emilia sat and Aiden took a place beside her, but Wren could only pace the room.
He moved to the fire and found on the mantel a miniature of a woman with loosely bound blonde hair looking over her shoulder with a wicked little smile. Zara Cooper. So at least Wren knew there was a still a bond between Fitzroy and the lady. He had a suspicion that meant Peregrine Huxley was also still in play.
The door behind them opened and Wren watched as Richard Fitzroy entered the chamber. He was a very attractive man, with intense eyes and a full mouth. “Mr. Wren,” he said with caution heavy in his tone. Then he glanced at Aiden and Emilia as they stood to greet him. “And you’ve brought friends.”
“Yes,” Wren said, moving forward with a hand outstretched. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t send word first, it was poorly done of me. But I feared after our last encounter that you might not see me.”
Fitzroy was staring at him intently as he shook his hand. “At our last encounter you were nothing but a friend. I’m happy to receive you, assuming you didn’t lie to my butler and you aren’t here on official business when it comes to…to the people I care about.”
“No,” Wren hastened to say. “I come entirely of my own volition. In fact, I come seeking your aid and the aid of those very friends if they’ll allow it.” He cleared his throat. “But first let me introduce my friends. This is Mr. Edwards and Viscountess Wilburn. They are my dearest friends. My most…my mostbelovedfriends.”
Fitzroy’s nostrils flared slightly as he looked Aiden and Emilia up and down. Then he smiled slightly. “Good afternoon to you both. I am pleased to meet you, especially since Hux will owe me a pound.”
“I beg your pardon?” Wren asked.
“When you came into our lives last year, I told Zara and Hux that I thought you understood our arrangement far more intimately than the average person might have. And Hux especially denied that it could be true. He was willing to place a wager on that fact, and I assumed it would remain outstanding for the rest of our days, but now that you are here with yourbelovedfriends, it seems I will collect.”
Wren glanced at Aiden and Emilia, hoping his expression let them know he was there for them. “You shall, for you are correct that I did understand you then. And even better now.”
