Walter entered with Felicity at his side. After greetings, Nicholas invited them to make themselves comfortable.
Walter glanced at Chase, then addressed Nicholas. “I was hoping to do this with you alone. The matter is very delicate.”
“Chase is here at my request. If you intend to tell me that the Countess von Kirchen is not the widow she claims, I already know that.”
Walter colored. “I have no interest in your mistresses. This, as I wrote, is a matter ofutmost importance.” He leaned in, very sober-faced. “It has to do with Uncle’s death.”
“Then Chase most certainly should be here. Perhaps you will share what you have come to tell me.”
“My wife was in town a few days before Uncle died. She had some shopping to do. She was on Bond Street and—”
“Perhaps you will allow her to tell it, since it is her story,” Chase said.
Walter frowned at him. He turned to Felicity. “Are you up to it?”
“I am sure she is, aren’t you, Felicity?” Nicholas said.
She nodded. “I was in town, shopping. I saw Kevin while I was on Bond Street. Riding down, as plain as could be. Later, when everyone said he was in France, I didn’t know what to do. On that day, at least, he was not.”
Chase glanced at Nicholas just as Nicholas glanced at him.Hell and damnation.
“You are very sure?” Chase asked.
“I would recognize one of my husband’s cousins, wouldn’t I?”
“Not if it were foggy, or you did not see him head-on.”
“I am sure it was Kevin.”
“It is rather late to be remembering this,” Nicholas said.
She colored. Walter looked ready to huff on her behalf. “I remembered at once. I did not say anything, even to Walter, because I did not want to cause trouble for Kevin.”
“And now you do?”
Chase had never seen Felicity show anger, or even much emotion other than wifely adoration. Now her expression sharpened. “I thought, since the matter remains unresolved, that I should tell my husband. He thought you should know.”
“How good of you both,” Nicholas said. He stood. “I will speak with Kevin about this, and if necessary, when necessary, inform the Home Office.”
Walter looked up in dismay, then rose to his feet too. “Come, dear. It appears the duke has a busy day planned and we should not impose on his time.”
Nicholas did not say one word to disagree with that.
“It may be time to tell Kevin to hop that packet,” Nicholas said after they were gone.
Chase had already decided last night to do just that. “You could have been more gracious. You all but threw them out.”
“I can’t abide Walter. Heenjoyedtelling me this. He is probably doing the calculations to see how much more he might get if Kevin is hanged.”
“He left feeling insulted. By tomorrow he will be a hot air balloon of self-righteousness.”
Nicholas slammed his fist on the back of a divan, cursed again, then calmed. “I will apologize. Now, what wasyournews of utmost importance?”
It would be better to give Nicholas some time to recover from Walter and his wife. “Call for your horse. Let us ride along the river.”
Nicholas went to the door. “I’m not going to like your news any more than I liked Walter’s, am I?”
* * *
