“Very well, but I will need to sneak back to my rooms before the servants start milling around,” he said as he started to undress.
* * *
Marcus slid into the bed and pulled Juliana into his arms. He felt her snuggle into him and waited for the moment that she went back to sleep.
Marcus was not as lucky. His body was fully alert to the woman who was sleeping next to him. His cock let him know that he had gone without sex for too long. His thoughts drifted to how much he wanted Juliana. He fantasized about how it would feel to touch her soft flesh. How would it feel to be deep within her as they both climaxed? The thoughts sent the blood flowing to his ever-thickening manhood. He should turn his thoughts somewhere else, but the source lay beside him. His new sense of being a gentleman kept him in check, but barely. Her soft snores, a constant rhythm, filled his world. She was his. He squeezed her in a gentle hug before he let sleep take him away.
* * *
Marcus woke just before the break of dawn. He leaned over and bussed Juliana’s cheek before he dressed and made his way to his rooms. He had thought of going back to sleep, but there was no sleeping without dreaming of Juliana. She was a distraction that he couldn’t afford, but he loved the woman. Yes, he was finally saying it to himself.
Once he gave up on the idea of sleep, he strolled down to his study. He had been expecting correspondence from Aaron and Jacob. They had a killer to identify and eradicate. He was getting wearier and wearier. His mother knew something, and he would ask her later.
He looked through his correspondence from the day before and found nothing from his friends. He did find a letter from an unknown person asking to meet at the entrance to Green Park, a small, lesser-known park in London. Either it was the Leader at White Hall or there was someone else out there who was after him. It didn’t matter. He still needed to find out. The person said to meet at ten in the morning when the traffic would be minimal. He looked at his watch fob. That was still several hours away. He looked at the mounting stack of estate papers and accounts that he had neglected. Might as well focus on them.
* * *
Marcus thought back to his surprise introduction to Minerva.
In the park where they’d met, next to a small poplar tree, stood a woman. She was the same height as Juliana, had the same hair color, and carried herself much the same way.
“Your Grace, I am glad you decided to meet with me. I am taking a chance with this. I have been in hiding for a couple of years now. I’ve been reading the papers and have seen your name matched with my sister’s. I want to know what is going on between you two.”
“Wait…! Sister? Juliana was an only child.”
“That’s what my parents said when I first started working for the War Office. Papa had been training both of us to join him. We were both quite intelligent. We were, collectively, a force to be reckoned with. Papa introduced us to your father, but only you met Jules. Jules does not know that I survived.”
“Now I remember. You were in the carriage with your parents, supposedly.”
“Yes, I was there when they died. Papa was sure that someone was after us, but neither of us took stock of our intuition.”
“Now I know how you are related to her. By the looks of you, you aren’t that much older than she is.”
“Your assumption is correct. Jules is exactly five minutes older. We are identical twins. We gave our parents the vapors when we were younger. Even our Uncle Basil couldn’t tell us apart. I knew that I didn’t fool you when you were making your way here.”
“I could tell you apart right away. It’s all in the mannerisms.”
“Tell me how she is doing. I have felt her, but I’ve been in the shadows. Why are you looking at me like that? Twins have a connection that normal people do not have,” she said to Marcus.
“She isn’t doing well. She was in an accident a few years ago that left her with no memory of who she was. A couple of weeks ago, she had a rush of memories hit her, and it caused her to become seriously ill. She is physically doing better, but her emotional state isn’t well. She remembers bits and pieces.”
“I should go to her…”
“Let her be for a bit longer. She needs the time to recuperate.”
“Very well, Your Grace. I will do as you suggest…for now.”
“I forgot to ask your name.”
“It’s Minerva.”
Marcus, still reminiscing about his first meeting with Minerva, walked toward Green Park. Unlike that time, no one was there, waiting for him. Disappointed, Marcus walked back home to Dunsbury House to have a chat with Jacob and Aaron before the day got into full swing.
Marcus stood in front of his friends and Minerva, still reeling from the kisses that he shared with Juliana. His trousers were still a bit tight and his cock strained to the point that, if not for his long coat, the evidence of his arousal would be apparent to all in attendance.
Jacob was too occupied with Minerva to acknowledge anything that should have been said. Aaron was sitting with his elbows on his knees in complete shock.
“Lady Minerva, you resided in my house for the last three years? Who all knew that you were still alive?” Jacob said in astonishment.
“His Grace knows. So does his mother and yours. Papa told me to go straight to Lady Anne. Papa gave me some correspondences to take to the Leader. I did not have the time to decipher the code, but it seemed important. Papa never told me what he was working on. The duchess took me from my home to London.”
“Why was Lady Juliana not included?”
“She was to stay at home. She wasn’t feeling well. If she had been, she would have been in the carriage with Mama, Papa, and me. She would have died. Another part of me would have died.”
“So, you risked your life to further the English advance against Napoleon? Somehow, I don’t believe that,” stated Aaron.
“You can ask the Leader if you don’t believe me. He has all of the correspondence, including the ones that you are looking for from your father, Your Grace.”
“How did you know we were searching for my father’s papers?”
“It is only logical that you would search for the papers. Just as I am sure my uncle and cousin are searching for Papa’s papers. They, like you, won’t find them. They are in safe hands in the War Department.”
“Who is your contact?”
“Like you, I don’t know his name. Papa and the old duke called him the Leader. That’s what I call him. You might have a different code name for him, but that’s what we called him. I never actually met the man.”
“My lady, we are trying to ascertain how credible the information is you are giving us. We will go to Whitehall if we need to,” Jacob explained.
“Then, my Lord Blackridge, may I suggest doing so. You might even ask them for the papers. They will give them to you, but you will need my sister and me to decode the cipher,” replied Minerva matter-of-factly.
“Why would we need the two of you to decipher the code?” asked Lord Elderstone.
“Every other page is a different code. The old duke and our papa made sure, for security reasons, to use two different codes. Juliana knows one of them. I know the other. His Grace knows the one that Juliana knows, as well. You should remember because she studied with you some years back when we were still in braids and short skirts.”
Marcus had completely forgotten about the long-ago lessons with the girl who now resided with him.
“If my studies were with Juliana, who were you studying with and where?” asked Marcus.
“I was in a different wing of the house, studying with another of our father’s compatriots and his son.”
“I don’t understand,” Marcus said.
“I think I do,” Jacob said. “She studied with me. I remember now. It was so long ago that I do not believe that I remember the code. It is a great coincidence that Lady Minerva is here,” he said as he glanced over at her wickedly.
Minerva swallowed the lump in her thro
at. It had lodged there due to Blackridge’s heated gaze. She didn’t know quite what to do about this Rake. She had a soft spot for the man—always had—but he was a distraction that neither of them could handle.
“My lords, we have a mystery to solve, and you are worried that the information I am currently giving you is false. Get your heads out of your arses and take my story as it is meant to be—the truth. I know nothing about my sister’s accident, except for the pain I felt when the initial accident happened. Hence, the communication with His Grace. If not for the safety of myself and my sister, I would still be in hiding. Hiding from a traitor to the Crown.” Minerva rolled her eyes.
It was obvious to Minerva that the three Rakes had no idea what she was talking about and had no knowledge about a mole. She chuckled to herself. She would brief them on that bit of information before they went to see the Leader—later that day.
“Gentlemen, we have a traitor within our ranks. I have no idea who it is, but only a select few knew about the work that we-my sister and I—did for the Crown. Even fewer knew about the codes. I guarantee that it is not my uncle or my cousin. Yes, I noticed the looks on your face. I also know from sources that my sister’s fever was not just an illness. She was poisoned, which seemed to escape the notice of you three esteemed gentlemen.”
“Wait just a moment, young lady. Ioan told me there was nothing to worry about. He is the best doctor I know.”
“I believe you, Your Grace. He is also one of my contacts. He knew that I would feel the pain my sister was experiencing due to us being identical twins. We can feel each other’s pain. We know when one is in trouble. It’s a feeling we get. I asked him, plain as day, what was wrong, because I knew that he was holding something back. He caved and told me everything.”
She watched as shock stole across the men’s faces. Maybe they thought that since she was just a slip of a girl that she couldn’t outsmart the best spies the Crown had to offer? It held no bearing since she was also a spy for the Crown in the same spy network.
“My lady, I think there are quite a few things that we need to think upon before going to the War Office. Luncheon will be served in an hour’s time. I will have one of the maids take up a repast for you and your sister. You two seem to need some time alone and to get rest. Be careful with your sister. If the migraines are back, then she could be in for a relapse.” Marcus, as he bowed, sent a “come with me” gaze to his friends.
* * *
Minerva made her way up the stairs to her room. She had yet to see the grandeur that the room seemed to offer. It was called the Blue Room for a reason. There was a four-poster bed with sky blue velvet hangings. The walls were painted a dark, almost midnight, blue, with periwinkle trim.
She climbed up onto the bed. She had never slept in a bed as comfortable. It seemed to gobble her up. She was no spoiled society woman, having lived the last three years in a small room with a very small bed—much smaller than the one she’d used growing up. Yet, that one was smaller than the one she now occupied. She didn’t want to get up from such luxury. She covered herself in the cotton sheets and let the darkness sweep her into a fitful sleep.
* * *
After the shocking information they had gotten from Minerva, Marcus led his friends to the library for a drink. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that Juliana would be in danger—and was currently in danger still. He would need help from the Runners to keep the twins out of trouble and protected. His servants were no longer enough.
“What do you think about all this, Jacob?” asked Aaron as he strode through the long room.
“Now that Lady Minerva brought it up, I do remember studying with someone who looked like Juliana. I just don’t remember much else from that time. I do know that Mother and the duchess are uncommonly close. I heard that they had their debuts at the same time. How did they know each other before that? I have no clue.”
“Our father and Lord Dumbrey were friends all the way through their education. They were the original Rakes,” said Marcus, thinking out loud.
“Then, what do our mothers have to do with it?” asked Jacob in dismay. “If my father got her into something, I want to know about it.”
“My mother said she was under oath not to divulge certain information pertaining to Juliana and Minerva. Who else knows about them other than the Leader?”
“I think one of us should go to Whitehall and check with the War Office about the papers. We might be able to find what we need to know in them. If not, we will have to chance a meeting with the Leader,” said Aaron as he took in the nods of the two other men.
First, he wanted to let Juliana know about her sister, but he figured in the end that seeing her was the better option. His mother wasn’t pleased with his decision, but she seemed less agreeable as of late anyway. He wasn’t surprised when he received a lecture once he got home. Minerva reminded him of his mother. The personalities of the two women were close—close enough for him to rethink his proposal.
Marcus stood and made his way to Lady Minerva, who stood just inside his study. He bowed and motioned her to follow him to a chair in front of the rather large desk.
“Your Grace, it is good to see you, but I would really like to visit my sister now, please,” Minerva spoke up.
“I will summon Jenkins to escort you up to your sister,” he said.
* * *
With a nod from Marcus, Jenkins escorted Minerva to see her sister. She could tell he was extremely protective of Juliana, maybe more so than the three other men in the house.
Jenkins came to a stop in front of a door. “This is Lady Juliana’s room. Yours, as you know, is right next door. Please make yourself at home.”
“I will, Jenkins. Thank you so much.”
Minerva opened the door to suffocating heat. Apparently, they were trying to suffocate the illness out of her sister. She saw someone standing by the window. She stood there just as Minerva had at Spencer House.
“Juliana, is that you?”
Her sister turned from the window and gasped. “Who are you? And, why do you look like me?”
“You don’t know who I am?”
“Should I?”
“Come. Stand beside me in the mirror,” Minerva motioned as Juliana made her way to the mirror.
Minerva watched in amusement as it dawned on Juliana who she was.
“Are you my sister?”
“Yes, I am your twin sister. Identical twin sister.”
“I didn’t know you existed. Why wasn’t I told about you?”
“My only guess is that the people who have been protecting us have decided that it was safer to keep us apart for the last few years. Since your accident and memory loss, it was easier for them to not acknowledge who I was to you.”
“But, where have you been?”
“I was hiding at Spencer House in a secret room.”
“So, you know Lord Blackridge?”
“No, dear, we never met. He never knew that I was hiding in his house. I suppose that’s all going to change now since the Rakes are overseeing our protection.”
“The Rakes? Oh, you mean Marcus, Aaron, and Jacob.”
“Lords Blackridge and Elderstone are off on assignment from your fiancée. They will be back shortly, I’m assuming. We will be asked to be part of all of the meetings between them. Just not the ones with their Leader.”
“I don’t understand,” Juliana said as she placed a hand on her head. The headache was coming back full force.
“Papa trained us to decipher code for the government. Papa and Mama suggested I come to town rather than go with them to Bath. The plan was that if something were to happen to Mama and Papa, I would go to town to bring his personal papers to the Leader at Whitehall. The narrative was that I died in the accident with them. I turned the information over to the Leader and then went to see Lady Anne for a place to hide. I remembered her from when Papa and Mama had them over with the Stafford’s. We were off studying most of the time when they were at th
e house.”
“I am so confused. There are two of me. I’m an informant for the government. I decipher code. Is there anything else that I can do?”
“You have the gist of it. We have a meeting with your fiancée in a couple of minutes. Do you think you are up to it?”
“Can you let him know that I am unable to make the meeting? My head is pounding. I think I will rest a bit before luncheon is served,” said Juliana as she closed her eyes to block out the sight of her sister. She didn’t know what to think. She was lost, completely.
“I will let him know. I am sure he will find his way up here to make sure you are not ill, but I have to make this meeting. I hope you understand.”
“I understand,” Juliana whispered into her comforter.
* * *
With that, Minerva left the room and made her way through Dunsbury House to the duke’s study. When she got to the room, Lords Blackridge and Elderstone were seated across from the Duke of Dunsbury. She couldn’t think about anything beyond seeing Blackridge’s broad shoulders and slim but muscular frame. She could stare at the man all day.
“Juliana, it’s good to see you up and about,” said Aaron.
“My Lord, I wish I could say I am Juliana, but I am not. I am Lady Minerva Hatfield, Juliana’s identical twin sister, as you can see.”
Jacob and Aaron’s jaws dropped. They blushed at their mistake. Marcus seemed to be watching his friends with amusement. Maybe the man wasn’t so bad, after all, if he could be so elated at the embarrassment of his friends. She took pride in the offhanded way she’d allowed his friends to think she was her sister.
“Apologies, my lady. However, how do we tell the difference between the two of you? You are identical, after all,” Jacob noted.
A Rake for Juliana Page 7