“I’m not leaving with you,” Marianne said. She’d braced her feet apart on the solid packed earth.
Beau turned back to face her. “What?”
“I’m going back to Calais, but I’ll ride in one of the carriages with David.”
Beau frowned. “What? Why?”
Marianne turned to the side. She crossed her arms over her chest. “This is it. This is what we’ve been working toward. We found the traitor and I found my brother. I intend to return to England, but…” Her voice trailed off.
Beau’s jaw was clenched. “But what?”
“But David and I can return on a different ship. As for you and I…I think it’s best if we go our separate ways…as soon as possible.”
Beau bit the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood. “Is that what you truly want?”
Marianne had turned toward the curtains. “Yes.” She didn’t turn around. “Good-bye, Lord Bellingham.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
The Earl of Kendall’s Town House,
London, Early November 1814
Beau stared at the brandy bottle that sat not an arm’s length from him on the desk in Kendall’s study. Kendall sat in the chair behind the desk, while Worth sat next to Beau in the other large, leather chair facing their friend. It had been more than a fortnight since Beau had returned from France, but this was the first time the three friends had been together.
“You keep glancing at the brandy, Bell. Don’t tell me you want a drink.” Kendall eyed him with suspicion.
Beau shook his head and returned his gaze to Kendall. “No, of course not. What was I saying?”
“We told you how the Employment Bill was voted down, even without your vote, and you were finishing the story of how you and a lady’s maid named Marianne Notley took down Baron Winfield, the dirty traitor,” Worth replied, settling back in his chair.
It seemed like an age ago. In the time since, Beau had come back to England, seen to it that both Winfield and Albina were charged with their crimes, and met extensively with General Grimaldi to debrief the mission, including where they’d failed and how they’d finally succeeded. They never would have broken the case if it hadn’t been for Marianne, and Beau made certain the general knew it.
In all of their talks, however, Beau had refrained from asking Grimaldi where Marianne was. He desperately wanted to know, but he didn’t feel it was his right. And Grimaldi, that bastard, hadn’t bothered to tell him.
“That was it,” Beau continued. “The morning after the raid on the French camp, Marianne and I sailed back to England with Winfield and Albina as prisoners.”
Everyone already knew that Winfield was the culprit, of course. The London papers had spread the word far and wide the moment they’d got wind of the scandalous news.
“I must admit, I never suspected Winfield, of all people,” Worth said shaking his head.
“Neither did I,” Kendall agreed. “I knew he was a bastard, but I had no idea how big of one. The fact that he’d intended to sneak off with his mistress thinking theFrenchwould reward him is nearly beyond belief. Greedy blackguard.”
Beau nodded. “How is Frances taking it, Kendall?”
Kendall leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of his chest. “Better than expected. She wasn’t particularly surprised. She’s known for some time now that her father isn’t who she thought he was.”
“How isLadyWinfield handling the news?” Worth asked Kendall, an eyebrow arched.
“That is a different story altogether,” Kendall replied with a sigh. “Lady Winfield isn’t taking the news well, I’m afraid. According to Frances, she’s taken to her bed, inconsolable.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve done all I can to keep the story of the baron leaving with Albina out of the mouths of gossips, but I’m afraid his being a traitor will be his legacy,” Beau replied.
Kendall nodded. “Frances was worried aboutme, actually. She wanted to know if I still wished to marry her after her family’s shame.”
“Of course you wouldn’t reject her,” Worth replied. “You’re far too loyal.”
“A fact of which I assured her immediately,” Kendall replied with a smile. “I don’t give a toss about Frances’s family’s reputation. I’d marry her tomorrow by special license if she would agree to it.”
