Julian stopped mid-step, alarmed to see that it was Aunt Agatha, Viscountess Hartfell, widow and his father’s sister. She had rarely raised her voice to him but now stood at the door with fists planted on her hips. Julian could not recall the last time she had addressed him by all his names, ignoring any title. Perhaps when he was ten, which was twenty years ago.
Why was she so upset? Certainly, the fact that he had arrived this morning instead of late last evening was not such an inconvenience. “Good morning, Aunt Agatha. You look lovely as ever.”
She snorted and turned. “Do not dawdle. We are awaiting you in the library.”
He looked to Alfred for guidance. The butler simply shrugged.
“Very well, then,” Julian muttered and followed his aunt. What had her in such a dander?
As soon as he entered the domain that had once belonged to his uncle, Julian was immediately on alert.
Was there an urgent matter that required all of them? Not only were five of the remaining Devils of Dalston seated comfortably in the library, so were the Tilson sisters, which he found the most disturbing.
The three older women were brazen and brave and worked for the Home Office. The three went where they wanted and were always together. Nobody ever gave a care to the aging, wealthy spinsters, and they were very good at coming off as befuddled and harmless when it suited them, and they had much success in gathering information.
Their family thought them eccentric and let them do as they pleased since they were spinsters of a certain age, not that Julian dared ask how old they were.
If the Devils were here and the Tilson sisters, then this was not going to be an ordinary visit.
Further, why were they all gathered in his aunt’s home?
“Do you honestly think that your uncle was able to keep secrets from me our entire marriage?” Aunt Agatha laughed.
It was Julian’s uncle who had encouraged him to join the Home Office and then introduced him to Marquess Hopkins and Mr. Oscar Goodling who had established the Devils of Dalston. They also reported directly to Hopkins from whom they received their missions.
“I know nearly everything, so do not appear shocked,” his aunt insisted.
Julian walked into the library and nodded to his friends then bowed to the Tilson sisters.
“We shall have your meeting, but this afternoon the festivities will begin.”
Julian frowned. “Festivities?”
“Yes, dear, a house party.”
“You asked me to visit, you said nothing of a house party.”
“If I would have, you would not have come.” His aunt glanced about the room. “None of you gentlemen would have. But now you are here, and the Home Office requires that you remain for at least a fortnight, as stated in your invitations. Only the Tilson sisters will determine when you can be dismissed.” His aunt smiled sweetly and then closed the door.
“Have a seat, Lord Shorewood. There is much to discuss,” Lady Priscilla Tilson instructed.
Shorewood! It had been six months since his father had died and the title still did not fit.
Julian wished that he could have mourned him, but his father never approved of him, and they fought bitterly after Imogene delivered a daughter and Julian refused to bed his wife for the coveted son.
If he was being sent to France, he would welcome it. It was preferable to remaining home where he had to acknowledge how lonely he was, having been denied the one bit of happiness he had wanted for himself—Cait.
Julian had stopped asking after her a long time ago because it was too painful and he became resigned to the fact that he would never know love and therefore would not marry again, nor would there ever be an heir. Had his father not intruded in his life, perhaps he and Cait could have given him at least one grandson.
“When you first came to work for the Home Office, you were younger sons and unlikely to inherit, thus you needed a career. All of you are now thirty years of age, or soon will be, and your circumstances have changed. Some are now heirs and others have assumed a title they never expected. Further, you are no longer an asset to the Home Office,” Lady Joanna Tilson announced.
The words were rather harsh, even if they were true.
“We are being sacked?” fellow Devil, Declan Keegan asked.
“In a manner of speaking, yes,” Lady Priscilla Tilson answered.
Stunned silence followed.
