“And we have Bobby or Robert, whoever that is.”
Beau peered at his friend. “You have some ideas.”
“I might. I also got some information I thought I would double check with you. Do you know Lady Smith-Smythe’s dresser? Someone named Gerta who calls Lady Smith-Smythe by her first name.”
That definitely got Beau’s attention. “That gray nonentity? What about her?”
Drake smiled. “Evidently, she isn’t so gray behind the scenes. Pip noticed a bit of odd interplay while eavesdropping from beneath the bed. As if the woman might be a co-conspirator rather than an employee? Pip says she addresses Lady Pamela by her first name in a way that denotes equality rather than subservience.”
Beau took a moment to consider his various exchanges with Pamela’s cipher of a maid. Always in the background, never quite defined by her actions. A lot of bobbing and nodding, which looked a bit off-balanced on a woman of her size.
In the end, all he could do was shake his head. “I would be surprised. Perhaps Pip misinterpreted it.” The minute he spoke, he shook his head. “Although, who would be a more effective aide? I certainly make use of my man Sullins to check behind the scenes.”
Drake nodded. “We’ve long since known how well staff is able to gather information we cannot. It is why Diccan’s Household Army is so effective.”
The myriad maids, housekeepers, butlers, grooms, bootboys, maids, footmen and cooks across Europe their cohort Diccan Hilliard employed to great effect.
“It sounds less like Diccan’s people than a major player assuming a role,” Drake mused. “Do you know how we can find out? Oh, and she’s evidently German.”
“No, she isn’t,” Beau automatically disagreed. “She’s…Dutch.”
Honestly, he thought. Perhaps not. She would not be the only one to play about with accents.
“In that case,” he said. “If you cannot insert anyone into that household, I hope you enjoy spending time with Perfect Pamela. Otherwise, Pip will think she should pose as a scullery maid and turn the cook.”
“Maybe she should,” Drake scowled. “She learned more in twenty minutes than we did the entire week.”
“I don’t care.”
“I do. I need all the resourceful people I can get. Our Pip is just that.”
“NotourPip,” Beau disagreed as he finished his brandy and stood. “MyPip, for my sins. Please do me a kindness and never reveal to her how vital all of this is. I would never hear the end of it.”
“That’s if you stay married.”
“If wewhat?”
They both whipped around to find Pip standing in the doorway, looking thunderous.
8
Hands on hips, feet braced, she was still in her breeches and boots, tapping her crop against her hip. From the condition of her hair, she hadn’t even stopped long enough to apply a brush. It made her look like a sprite. An angry sprite. The kind that flung curses and caused flowers to wither.
“How long have you been standing there?” Beau demanded, rising along with Drake.
Waving them back down, she stepped in and closed the door. Only Drake sat. At least Beau knew better than to cede ground.
“As in, what did you hear we didn’t want you to know?” she asked, voice dangerously silky. “I imagine ‘if you are still married’ would be quite enough, but I also heard the part about my learning more in twenty minutes than you all did in a week. And yes, Lord Drake, thank you. Iamresourceful.” Turning, she leveled that glare on Beau. “But let us focus on the first part right now. Not remain married? Is there yet another plan afoot no one apprised me of?”
For the first time Beau felt a flush of guilt. “Why did you come so soon? I thought you meant to give me time alone with Drake.”
She didn’t budge. “I remembered something else from my foray into Pamela’s room, which we can address after you answer my question.”
Beau sincerely yearned for another good swallow of brandy. Or whiskey. Or hemlock. “It is something we can discuss later, Pip.”
“If Drake already knows about it, I think we can discuss it whenever we want.”
He straightened to his full height, as if that had ever intimidated Pip. “We will discuss it later. Alone. As befits a subject pertinent only to the two of us. Now, what did you have to tell Drake? He needs to get to London. As you well know, he has vital information to deliver.”
