“Elaborate.”
“I followed the watermark, Your Grace. It belongs to a stationer near Bond Street. Very fine establishment. Expensive. The clientele is quite narrow.”
Rowan rose slowly. “Give me names.”
Pierce hesitated.
Rowan’s voice dropped. “Do not make me ask twice.”
The man swallowed. “A handful of families. Two countesses, Lord Pembroke, the Duchess of Ashbury’s secretary, and…” He paused, discomfort tightening his jaw. “The Marquess of Calham.”
For a moment, Rowan heard nothing. His mind simply stopped around the name.
Frederick.
He blinked once. Twice.
Then everything began moving at once, too quickly and with vicious clarity.
Frederick riding out on the wedding day, returning with Juliet’s note.
Frederick’s frequent disappearances.
The supposed dancer.
The flushed face tonight. The restlessness.
Rowan’s blood went cold. “Damn him,” he said under his breath.
Pierce stood rigidly.
Rowan reached into the desk drawer, took out a purse, and tossed it to him. “You have done well.”
The man caught it. “Thank you, Your Grace.”
“You will say nothing of this to anyone. Not a soul.”
Pierce bowed quickly. “Of course, Your Grace.”
“Go.”
When the door closed behind him, Rowan stood in the study for one more second, both hands braced against the desk.
His oldest friend had looked him in the face for weeks and lied.
He moved.
He took the stairs two at a time, crossed the corridor toward Emmeline’s chamber, and did not allow himself to think until he rounded the corner.
Then he stopped.
She was already there.
Emmeline stood just outside her chamber door, one hand still resting on the latch before she turned. Her hair was partly unpinned, loose sandy strands falling against her cheek, and she wore a soft gown tied at the waist. She looked tired, yes, but there was something alert in her face too, something strained and sleepless.
For one brief, ruinous second, the sight of her nearly stopped him.
“Rowan?” she asked, her eyes widening as she took in his face. Then she stepped toward him, her fingers tightening at the edgeof her dressing gown. “I was coming to find you. I need to speak with you about?—”
