“Very reasonable, sir. I will need to have a servant’s wardrobe again. I gave a maid in Lady Anne’s household my old one. The modiste that I used still has my measurements from before. She is used by other women in our organization, so she is trustworthy.”
“As you say, my lady. I will contact the modiste as soon as I am able. I will be back in a couple of days,” Ioan said as he glanced at Bethany. He bowed and exited the room.
* * *
Ioan eased himself into his carriage for the short ride to Whitehall. He had agents waiting and he needed to have them debriefed before he could contact other agents for the upcoming mission to the Grange. This mission was not looking good. The organization they were up against was widespread. Some of his men had betrayed their country for a mere pittance of what they would have made by legal means.
He had a personal investment in this case, which was bad enough. Ioan had been trained by the best to attack any threat. Now, the risk was higher. He had to win this battle of wits. The cost, if he didn’t, was more than he could afford to lose. Bethany, even though she had been married to his best friend, meant more to him than any other living person. It wasn’t just because he had promised Gerry he would watch over her. Bethany did not need someone to be there constantly for her. It was because he was completely in love with her. He had been for many years, even before she had married Gerry.
His thoughts rambled on until the lurch of the coach stopping forced him to think about, he needed to do in the now. Bethany and Minerva were in danger, and so were his other Rakes. He needed to send help as soon as he could.
He scrambled out of his carriage and into his office building. There stood the two men that he had been questioning before Bethany came waltzing into his office.
“Gentlemen, follow me,” he said as he opened his office door. He was not ready for what he saw as he stepped into the room. The room had been ransacked. Every drawer had been gone through. Every single piece of paper was haphazardly strewn across the room.
“Goddamn it! Who was in here? Did you two see?”
“No, sir. We were called upstairs to visit with the War Secretary. We did not see a thing.”
Ioan could tell the one who spoke was lying to him, but there was nothing he could do about that now.
“I need someone to send a message to the Abbey and get one of the gentlemen down here as soon as you bloody can. I would prefer to have Jacob Spencer here.” Several minutes later, a knock on the door broke his train of thought.
“What is it, Trembley?”
“We just sent a messenger to retrieve Jacob Spencer, sir. Is there anything else we can do?”
“No, Trembley. I think I can clean this mess up. Can you have Robinson and MacLean come to me straightaway? I need them for a mission. Time is of the essence. Oh, and Trembley?”
“Yes, sir?”
“Send for MacKenzie and O’Brien, as well. I have need of them.”
“Very well, sir,” Trembley said as he bowed and left the room.
Ioan stared at the mess. Where did he begin? He started to sift through the paperwork that had found its way onto the floor and worked his way to those that had wound up on the assorted chairs and chaises in his office. He was interrupted yet again by a knock on the door.
“What is it, Trembley?”
“As you wished, sir, I have the men you needed with me.”
“Very well. Show them in.”
He watched as the four men were ushered into his office. They were dependable agents. Each had his own pedigree from which he was chosen.
“I have a mission. You can choose between yourselves who gets to go to what location. Two of you will go to the Grange. The other two will be going to the Dowager Duchess of Dunsbury’s townhouse. I need you to be strict as to who enters and leaves. Also, I want you to trust only our agents and their wives. If at any time you feel you need to contact me, use the normal outlets. Any questions?”
“No, sir.”
“Very well. I need to have briefs on my desk once a week, if not every couple of days. Is that clear, gentlemen?”
“Very clear, sir.”
“Well, then, off you go,” Ioan said as he ushered the men out of his office.
* * *
Back at the Abbey
In town, Marcus had received a note from his mother. The Leader was watching over her. It felt good to know his mother was no longer in immediate danger. She told him about the new maid that had been brought into the household. He noted that his mother left out descriptions of the maid, which meant she was hiding something. But that was meant to keep him guessing until a time when he could question her face to face.
He also noted she had left out some of her normal revelries that he enjoyed from her letters. He thought that maybe she was a bit preoccupied—which could be the case, with the recent upheaval in Town. He had read in the current edition of the Times that rumors were flying about him and Juliana. None of them were true, but they were alarming, nonetheless.
Marcus looked at Juliana, who was seated across from him at the large breakfast table. She had finally started to gain some weight back. The pallor of her skin was fading, and she was now vibrant. She glowed. Marcus loved to glance at her even when she was doing her daily routine.
“What is wrong, love?” Juliana asked from her place at the table.
“Mother is in trouble and the Leader is looking out for her himself. I can’t help but wonder if she knew who he really was. I don’t know, love. There seems to be something that she isn’t telling me. Maybe you can shuffle through this letter and find the missing clue,” Marcus said as he handed the letter to Juliana.
“I can understand why you are so worried, Marcus. She seems to not be herself in the letter. It might be in cipher. I can try to decode it, but it will take some time. I believe it when she says there will be agents coming to the Abbey shortly. This thing about a maid…why would she tell you unless it is significant to us?”
“I don’t know, Jules. Something seems wrong. She has never done this before,” Marcus said worriedly.
“I know, love. We will get answers soon. Especially now. I see a carriage pulling into the drive,” Juliana said as she peered out the dining room window.
I hope they bring some answers, Marcus thought to himself.
O’Brien and MacLean were tall men, broad of shoulder. Both had full heads of dark hair and freckles. Their almost identical green eyes made an observer believe they were brothers. This normal assumption was nearly correct, as they were half-siblings. MacLean was the heir of the Marquess of Rockton. O’Brien was the bastard child of the Marquess and an Irishwoman. His father never acknowledged him, hence the last name.
The two men walked up to the Abbey’s door. MacLean barely lifted his hand to knock when the door opened and they were ushered into the massive hall. The duke’s butler was suspicious of the two men, but MacLean thought that might be because of the problems currently happening at the house.
“Sir, can you escort us to see the Duke, please?” asked MacLean.
“Very well, I will do the introductions. May I ask who you are?”
“I am Lord Ethan MacLean, and the man next to me is Aidhan O’Brien. We are here to speak with the Duke about business matters.”
“Very well, follow me,” said the man.
MacLean and O’Brien followed the butler to the dining room where the family was dining. “Your Grace, Lord MacLean and Mr. Aidhan O’Brien are here to see you.”
“You are dismissed. Gentlemen, if you could take a seat, there have been preparations for your meal with us. We can talk while we have some dinner,” said Marcus with a grin.
The place settings for the two extra people had been laid out several minutes before.
“Thank you, Your Grace! I hope we can be of assistance,” said MacLean as he pulled out a chair and sat down, followed by his brother.
“What preparations have been made for my mother?” Marcus asked.
“We
know at least three agents are to be posted at or in your mother’s house. Bow Street had, last we learned, sent over a couple of their men, as well. The dowager has the support of the Leader, as well. The plan was for him to visit every couple of days.”
“Very well, MacLean. What do you have in store for us here at the Abbey?” asked Marcus.
“Well, Your Grace, we can only protect those who are inside the Abbey. We need to close the rooms not being used and keep the current occupants within a small area of the house if we are going to be able to patrol the house. It’s easier to do it in a smaller area. I will tell the housekeeper which rooms need to be closed.” MacLean started eating the large meal in front of him.
Marcus looked over at O’Brien. “Aidhan, I know your specialty and won’t say what that is in mixed company. Why are you here? We’ve worked together a couple of times. It doesn’t make sense—your being here.”
“Your Grace, I’m here in support of my brother. Nothing else. If there is a need for my special skill, then that is what needs to be done,” O’Brien said matter-of-factly.
* * *
Marcus had worked with Aidhan several years back while searching for the same group these current murderers were attached to. His special skill was tracking. He was a world-class tracker and sharpshooter. He received high marks in both fields, which made him extremely dangerous and invaluable to this mission.
“Your Grace, we had some intelligence that there were secret rooms and hallways. Is this true?”
“Aidhan, for the sake of my sanity, please call me Marcus. There is no groveling in this house, should it remain under my stewardship. Now, about the secret rooms and whatnot, I have no clue. The original drawings of the house have gone missing. Whoever was able to find their way into the house stole them so more traitorous bastards could get in, as well,” Marcus said, barely keeping his anger in check.
Aidhan glanced from the duke to his duchess. The woman was weak but there was a determination in her eyes that spoke to the inner strength that had likely won the duke over. He noticed the stress lines around her eyes and at her brow. Something was wrong.
* * *
Marcus chanced a look at his wife, as well. Aidhan had seen something that was worrying him, Marcus could tell. “Jules, what’s wrong?”
Juliana looked at Marcus with unfocused eyes. She then bowed her head and cried. “I remember…”
Marcus swore under his breath as he caught the questioning look from Aidhan. “My wife had no memory of what happened to her several years ago. Something pivotal to our investigation, I’m led to believe. I need to get her upstairs so she can rest. Please make yourselves at home, and I will see you both in my office in the morning. Let’s say about ten o’clock?”
He heard the two men say they would see them then as he scurried to carry his wife up to their rooms so he could help her in navigating her newfound memories.
* * *
It wasn’t until they were in their private rooms that Juliana finally broke down. She remembered everything. The accident, the man who’d rescued her, and the reason for the accident. Her fear was causing her to face her mortality. She looked into Marcus’s eyes.
“I remember everything, Marcus. Ever since we met, you recognized who I was but not from where. Three years ago, I was in a carriage accident. I was far from home, but something spooked all four of the horses. I was alone in the carriage. I had gotten some information that I needed to get to Papa. When the horses spooked, my driver couldn’t rein them in and was thrown from his seat. There was no way for me to get out. It was when the carriage hit a rut in the road that the axle broke and sent the carriage rolling. Minutes later, another carriage stopped. A gentleman called for someone to get a doctor. It was you, Marcus. You saved me. But it is the information I now remember that is causing all of this carnage. The group known as the Order killed your father and my parents. I had gotten some information from an informant pertaining to the Order. I believe that Minerva, who has taken up as a maid in Jacob’s household without his knowledge, also has that same information. If I didn’t remember, I was safe. Minnie is in danger as much as any of us. That’s what she was trying to tell us when she disappeared, Marcus. I can’t help but feel that, wherever she is, she is in danger.”
Marcus held her in his arms as he mentally went through the information that she just gave him. He remembered the girl in the carriage, bloody and bruised beyond recognition. He always wondered what had become of her. Now he knew. She sat here in his arms, carrying his child, and had been beaten down by emotional pain. He tightened his arms around her and kissed her forehead.
“Darling, I’m sure your sister is in a safe place and being taken care of. I can’t very well send out agents to search for her during this ordeal. You do understand?”
* * *
Juliana didn’t reply. She didn’t understand what he was trying to say.
“Jules, if I send agents out, our enemies would find your sister. The chances that they would kill her before an interrogation are extremely high. We don’t want to risk her safety. I know you understand.” Marcus looked down into her eyes. She knew the dangers. She knew every little thing that could go wrong. She didn’t need him to tell her, but she allowed it since it seemed to give him some peace of mind.“Wherever she is, she is safer than all of us.”
Juliana buried her face in Marcus’s muscular chest and sobbed. “I can’t help but worry about her, Marcus. She is my other half, my twin. I know you don’t understand because you aren’t a twin, but I feel her stress, her pain, her everything. I am so worried.”
“Darling, why don’t you lie down for a bit and relax? I will ring for a bath. I will tell our guests what I’ve learned and then see what we can come up with as a plan.”
Juliana nodded as she watched her husband slowly make his way out of the room.
* * *
Marcus found his guests in the library. They were looking over some of the copied versions of the house drawings. Both men were grimacing and concentrating on whatever they were discussing. Neither noticed when the duke made his entrance.
“Gentlemen, we have a grave job ahead of us. What do you know about the Order?” Marcus asked.
“The Order? You mean the most elite group of French spies that we’ve ever encountered?” asked MacLean.
“Is that what they are? So, French spies are in my house? If only I knew which ones are the spies in my household. We cannot question all of the servants. It would cause speculation as to our own causes. My wife had information on the Order when she had an accident three years ago—the same year her parents perished in a carriage accident. She let me in on her knowledge about the Order and their assassination of my father, her parents, and countless others. Her twin, Minerva, knows this information, as well. Unfortunately, we do not know where Minerva is. She disappeared a couple of weeks back. She has not been spotted since. We need to figure out a plan to get whichever spy is in my house out in the open.”
MacLean looked at his brother. The Order was extremely dangerous. Those who went up against them never came back. Those who had been interrogated by them were never seen again unless you counted being face down in the River Thames. He knew, as well as his brother, what they were up against. Unfortunately, he was sure that Marcus knew nothing about what would truly come to pass.
“Your Grace, I mean, Marcus…I think we need to bring in Whitehall on this. The Order is beyond your talents and ours. We have a couple of names in the many files we have on the Order. Yet, those are locked away in the Leader’s office. We need to brief him on what is going on. I’m sure that Aidhan can do that while I stay here and help you come up with a plan.” MacLean nodded to Aidhan.
MacLean bowed his head in a wordless exchange, and then Aidhan strode off toward the stables.
London
Aidhan tipped his hat to an officer as he raced up the steps of Whitehall. The information he had to pass on to his boss was important. Innocent lives were at stake. He k
new from personal experience that the Order was a dangerous organization. The bloodthirsty bastards had killed his partner while he played a servant in Napoleon’s court. He hadn’t known what happened to Max until after the local magistrate found a body floating off the coast of Calais. He had his own agenda regarding the Order. He didn’t have much time. The Order was closing in on the Abbey and all of its inhabitants.
Aidhan slipped into the Leaders’ office and found the man sitting behind his desk, looking over a large pile of paper.
“Sir, I have news of a most distressing nature. The Duchess, Lady Juliana, has regained her memory. She says the Order is behind all of the murders of our agents, both past and present. She is also worried about her sister, who also knows about the Order. I did not feel it was my place to tell her that I knew where her sister was in case she was tortured into revealing her secrets. I hope I did not overstep your authority on this, but it was based on instinct. The lady is fragile and wears her heart on her sleeve.”
“You’ve done well, Aidhan. I cannot allow more agents to go to the Abbey. The Order may think we are trying to ferret them out—which we are—but we do not need them to think we are. The element of surprise must be ours. Minerva is safe with the dowager for now. I will debrief her when I next see her. Please do not allow her hiding place to be revealed until I give the word. Is that understood?”
A Rake for Juliana Page 14