Page 27 of Scandalous: Family Ties and Spies

“I’m curious. Exactly why are you going into the devil’s lair without me as your backup?” Jamie’s question pulled Valeran out of his thoughts.

“It’s personal.”

“That’s what C said. Have you stumbled onto something connected to Chattfield that you’re keeping to yourself until you’ve solid evidence?”

“No.”

Valeran’s short, taciturn answer made his best friend’s shadow stiffen, and he bit down on the inside of his cheek at having been so abrupt. Bowing his head, Valeran debated telling his friend why he ventured into Spitalfields and the East End every night he was free to do so.

Shortly after Featherstone’s death, he and Jamie had been at St. Katherine’s docks tracking a suspect believed to be one of the Kaiser’s spies. That was the night he’d heard one of the two voices he’d never forgotten. Voices that belonged to the men who’d murdered his family. Since then, Valeran had been tracking his prey. It had taken more than two weeks to hear Ellerbie’s name, while he waited patiently to hear the second voice.

With methodical patience, Valeran had tracked Ellerbie for the past four months through Spitalfields and the East End. He’d carefully detailed Ellerbie’s movements, routines, and every pub the man frequented. Every time he dogged the man’s heels, he listened, waiting to hear the second voice he remembered.

Then Ellerbie’s behavior had abruptly changed three weeks before the house party at Callendar Abbey. Almost overnight, the man was flush with pound notes. To date, Valeran hadn’t been able to trace where the man’s new influx of money had originated from. The sound of Jamie clearing his throat made Valeran tense and suppress an oath.

“So, if you’ve not found a connection to Chattfield, what have you found?” Jamie asked.

Why hadn’t he simply tossed the younger man a bone of vague information. All his clipped reply had done was arouse Jamie’s inquisitive nature. If there was one thing about his friend that occasionally frustrated and annoyed Valeran, it was Jamie’s tenacious curiosity. It worked well for them for Crown business, but his friend’s doggedness could easily interfere with Valeran’s tracking of Ellerbie.

“I told you. It’s personal,” he bit out through clenched teeth at failing to come up with something to ease Jamie’s curiosity.

“I see.”

The speculation in his friend’s voice made Valeran rub a hand over his face. With a dismissive grunt of exasperation, he turned back to study the flickering shadows of the fire. Why in the hell was he having trouble coming up with some obscure reason for his nightly expeditions? Ever since the Crianlarich had charged into his rooms, his brain hadn’t been functioning properly. No, that had happened the moment he’d pulled Amalie into his arms.

“Why do I think you’ve found something related to Featherstone’s killer,” Jamie mused quietly.

Muscles tightening at the other man’s contemplative remark, he didn’t turn around. His friend was probing for answers like he always did when his curiosity was piqued, but Valeran wasn’t ready to say anything yet. Once his informant reported in tomorrow night, he’d know more. They all wanted the bastard who’d killed Featherstone, but Valeran didn’t even know if Ellerbie was actually working for the Prussians.

Suspicions weren’t facts, and they needed facts if they were going to catch Featherstone’s killer. The second son of an earl, the junior agent had been brilliant with his disguises. Fluent in German, French, and Italian, Featherstone’s ability to mimic anyone or any accent had been extraordinary. It had allowed the man to go from a soirée in royal circles to the humblest of origins in the East End in a matter of minutes, with no one being the wiser.

That Featherstone’s killer had seen through the agent’s clever disguises was revealing. Not only was their adversary a skilled assassin, he was ruthless and highly intelligent. It underscored how dangerous their work had become. For Jamie, the risk had increased exponentially.

His friend had recruited his cousins into the Crown’s service. As the foreign section’s surgeon, Wills wasn’t directly in harm’s way, but the danger was still present. But Peter, Rufus, and Harry were on the front lines. When he and Jamie had become friends, his partner had told Valeran about the tragic fire that had taken the lives of his two uncles, one of whom was Amalie’s birth father, while Lady Patience had suffered terrible burns down one side of her body.

The horror of that event had left its mark. It was why the Rockwoods spent so much time together as a family. Valeran was certain Jamie was all too aware of the devastating impact it would have on the entire Rockwood clan if one of his cousins died in the line of duty. While Jamie hadn’t openly expressed guilt or regret about recruiting family members into serving the Crown, Valeran understood some of what his best friend had to be dealing with.

It was why he’d not told his friend about Ellerbie. The younger man would have insisted on helping, and Valeran couldn’t allow that. Venturing alone into Spitalfields and the East End was dangerous, but he’d refused to put Jamie in harm’s way for a job unrelated to Crown business.

Until he had evidence otherwise, Valeran wasn’t going to explain his actions. Almost as if Jamie knew he wasn’t about to give up any secrets, the younger man sighed quietly.

“Do you have even the smallest inkling as to how you’ll tell C you’re to be married and how to handle his reaction?”

“I doubt he’ll be pleased, and I imagine his first reaction will be to tell me to walk away. We both know I can’t and won’t do that. I intend to make Amalie my countess, and she’ll want for nothing.” Valeran closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose before he shook his head hard. “I told you last summer I was considering leaving the service and marrying. Things have simply progressed differently than I’d imagined.”

Jamie remained silent, and Valeran arched an eyebrow as he saw his friend bow his head as if he were studying the floor.

“She deserves to be happy, Valeran. Remember that.”

“As I said, she’ll want for nothing.”

“Even love?” Jamie lifted his head as he spoke. The man’s quiet question made Valeran turn away and return to stand in front of the fire as another chill rolled over him. When he didn’t answer, Jamie muttered something under his breath.

“That was unfair of me, Val. But you have to learn to trust people. What happened to you as a child doesn’t mean those you care about will abandon you.”

“Love isn’t necessary to a successful marriage. As my wife, Amalie will have the best I can offer, including my protection and friendship if she accepts it,” Valeran said icily. “But love will never be a part of our relationship.”

“And if she falls in love with you?”