Page 111 of A Bluestocking’s Secret Courtship

Jonathan turned on his heel, stalking toward the bedchamber. “Wedmore, Vistoire. Take the women to the library and bolt the door. Do you have weapons?”

Uncle Charles lifted his shirttails to reveal a dagger strapped to his waist.

Jonathan entered the bedchamber and exited a moment later with a pistol. “Do you know how to shoot, Vistoire?”

Xavier nodded sharply and took the pistol.

“Margrave, you’re coming with me.”

Evangeline hurried after Jonathan. “Shouldn’t you summon the Janissaries? This could be dangerous.”

“We must act quickly.” He rummaged through a trunk in the corner and pulled out a short dagger and another pistol. “Farrin won’t hesitate to kill his hostages if the authorities arrive at the door.”

She grabbed her chemise from the carpet, chose an apron-front gown from the wardrobe, and dressed quickly.

Jonathan was dressed in all black when he came to kiss her on the forehead. “Stay in the library, please. As long as you are safe, I won’t be distracted.”

“Yes, of course.” He had discarded the letter on the writing desk, and she retrieved it and broke the seal. “It’s written in cipher.”

He smiled. “Perdita.”

Of course, that would be the key. The King’s first love had performed the role in Shakespeare’s play.

Her uncle was waiting in the corridor with Crispin. “Your sisters and aunt are in the library. Shall we join them?”

Her sisters rushed the door as soon as she and Uncle Charles entered.

“Are they gone?” Sophia asked.

“Just now,” Evangeline said. “But Crispin is in good hands with Jonathan.”

Sophia waved her hand. “Crispin can handle himself. Is that the letter?”

“We need paper and a quill.”

Regina rifled through the library table’s shallow drawers until she found writing materials. “Do we decipher it like Uncle Charles’s journal?”

“It’s a different key word, but yes.” Evangeline spread the letter on the table with Sophia and Regina flanking her and wrote the alphabet across the page.

“Well, since you girls have everything in hand…” Uncle Charles pulled out a chair and sat facing the door, keeping guard.

Aunt Beatrice had taken a seat on a blue brocade bench beside Leda and was chattering away. Leda nodded and answered.

“Did you know Aunt Beatrice spoke Greek?” Evangeline asked her sisters.

They shook their heads.

Xavier paced the carpet, stopping occasionally to peer over Regina’s shoulder. When the last letter of the message was deciphered, Sophia took the quill and slashed lines between the jumbled letters to form words.

“The mission must be completed,” Sophia read aloud. “Meet us in Kifisia promptly. Farrin.”

Evangeline met her uncle’s gaze. “We passed through there on the way back. Are they trying to reach the Semkari?”

“I knew Lord Dominic couldn’t be trusted,” Regina said.

Typically, Evangeline would have pointed out Regina found everyone suspicious, but this time, she was right.

“With any luck,” Uncle Charles said, “Margrave and Hackberry have Farrin and Wolfe in custody already.”