“What about May?” Marianne asked as she scooped up Sasha to go upstairs.
“We will need someone who knows how to boil water and make a bed. She must come too but do not tell her why we are going. It is better the servants know nothing.”
“I can make a bed,” Lucinda said in a far-off tone as his mother and sister led Lucinda out of the room.
“What a bloody mess,” the duke said once the women were out of the room.
“I am sorry, Edward. I had no idea all this would blow up.”
“But you did know about her father having been murdered, and the fact that he stole something.”
“I did not know the particulars until tonight. He was killed over a decade ago. I did not think they would come looking for Lucinda after all this time.”
His brother took a seat near the fire. “Some grudges are worth holding on to, for some. Tell me what you know.”
Tony paced the rug. “I hardly know where to start.”
“Start with how much Stafford knows,” Edward said in a banal tone.
Tony whirled to face him. “Why would he know anything?”
“Because he is your spy master, is he not? You really must think me a simpleton, Anthony.”
Tony was sure his mouth was open. He knew? “How long have you known?”
“As long as you have known him.”
“And all this time you said nothing.”
He waved a dismissive hand in the air. “You were so enjoying your secret life, who was I to spoil it for you?”
“That did not stop you before.” He referred to Edward cashing in Tony’s commission in the army. Tony stared hard at his brother, who simply raised a brow.
“When you were nearly killed, you mean? That was different.”
“How so?”
“I know you are itching to hit something right now. I can see you are wound tight but now is not the time to discuss old regrets. We have to protect Lucinda, Marianne, and our mother. Let us focus on that.”
Tony did want to hit something, and Edward looked like a good target right now, but he was right. Old grievances aside, he needed to make sure that his brother was armed with the information he needed. Oh, but it galled him to know all this time he knew what he had been doing and did nothing but give him grief as if he had no idea. He proceeded to tell him everything he knew. At the end Tony slumped in a chair, exhausted. His brother rose with the grace that was inbred in him and started to walk towards the door.
“So what now?” Tony asked.
His brother turned back to face him. “Now you do the job you were given and protect those you love. Leave the rest to me. Go and see Stafford then come home and pack, Anthony. You have a long journey ahead.”
Tony sat for a few moments, digesting all that he had to do, arranging it in his mind.Those you love. Lucinda had captured his heart and mind, and despite his efforts to resist, he knew he had lost. He loved her.
Stafford’s frown waslike a thunder cloud, but he ushered Tony into his office.
“I assume Beckett has told you?” Tony began.
The old man nodded and took his seat behind his desk. “You need to take them to the safe house on Bridge Street.” He wrote the address on a piece of paper. “Tell the landlady I sent you. The house is fully equipped, but it is small and not what I think your mother will be used to,” he said. “Prepare her.”
“I will. They are packing right now, and we have told the servants they are attending a house party.”
“Excellent. The duke remains?”
“Yes. Why did you not tell me you knew him, that he knew about my position here?”
