A rapid knock echoed loudly through the room. Archie drew his gun and waited, motioning for the ladies to head to the farthest corner of the room. Edging closer to the door, he stood and listened. Another rapid knock sounded again, this time accompanied by a low clicking that sounded like nails on the wood.
Portia watched Archie’s face relax into a smile, and he yanked the door open before standing back to allow three tall gentlemen to saunter casually into the room as they were visiting on a Sunday afternoon.
Cecily gasped as she saw Lord Calverton, and she threw a startled look at Portia, who was carefully studying the new arrivals with more suspicion than relief.
“It took you long enough to get here,” Archie grumbled to the first man who entered. “Did you take the scenic route again?”
“Have you got yourself into a bit of a pickle again, Archie, my boy?” The tall man cuffed Archie on the shoulder and shook his hand. “Looks like you have more company than you can handle,” he murmured, glancing toward the ladies behind him. Although his demeanour was amiable, the knowing look he gave Archie assured him that he had seen the watch patrolling outside.
Archie glanced at Pie and shook his head. “If only you knew,” he muttered, shaking Jamie’s hand as he moved to stand just inside the door, and in doing so allowed Jonathan to move deeper into the room to bow officiously at the ladies.
“Ignore his bad manners, he gets grumpy when he doesn’t get much sleep,” Jonathan warned, kissing the back of their hands in turn as though they were in the midst of a social ball, not dressed as men.
“Do you want to erm -” Jamie waved a hand in the direction of the ladies indicating their strange attire.
“We can walk them directly under the noses of the patrols without them warranting a second glance,” Archie replied, rolling his eyes when Pie snorted and shook his head.
“Cecily, do you want to show him?” Archie leaned a nonchalant shoulder against the wall and watched with pride as Cecily adopted the guise of an elderly man and shuffled toward the window.
She stood upright and grinned when Pie’s jaw dropped, and he turned toward Portia who copied Cecily’s movements.
“With their hair streaked with whitewash, their faces grubbed, and the caps we have purloined for them, there is a fair chance they won’t be noticed.”
“Except for their creamy complexions and unlined faces,” Jamie warned, trying not to stare at Cecily. She was downright gorgeous, and looked even more beautiful dressed in baggy trousers and an old, fusty jacket. He had to clamp down on the urge to sweep her into his arms, and drag her back to Melvedere Manor, his home.
“We can work on that,” Archie replied, unperturbed. He was a class master at disguises and knew what to do with the aid of coal from the fire to line their faces artificially. He just didn’t see the need to waste time explaining it to Jamie.
“So, what was your plan?” Pie asked, turning away from the window.
Archie explained what he had planned to do, but knew that the others would have different ideas. Waving the ladies to a seat, he carefully explained what had happened back in Tissington.
Portia was aware of the curious looks the men gave her, but couldn’t detect anything but calm acceptance in their gazes. Pie even winked reassuringly at her.
“Well, I’m sorry you got dragged into this mess, and that’s a fact. Now though, we need to keep you moving.”
“I think they need to go to a place of safety,” Archie argued, not liking the prospect of not knowing where Portia was, and if she was in any danger.
“Of course they will, but we need to get there in a roundabout sort of way. Are you heading back to Tissington?”
Portia’s stomach dropped to her knees, and it was all she could do to keep her gaze riveted to the floor. She could feel Archie’s eyes on her, but daren’t lift her eyes for fear that he would read the dread in them. It was inevitable that at some point they would have to go their separate ways, she just hadn’t expected it to be so soon.
“You can’t,” Jamie warned, taking a seat before the fireplace closest to Cecily. He watched Portia lift startled, and relieved eyes to his, and their gazes met and held for several moments. Portia knew he suspected she had feelings for his friend, but she could detect nothing in his face but thoughtful acceptance. “The Guards know who you are, and what you look like by now. If you go anywhere near Tissington, disguise or not, you will barely get within five yards of the village before you a picked off.”
“Why are they protecting the village so determinedly?” Cecily asked, frowning at Archie. “I mean, Tissington isn’t anything significant. We don’t have any locals who are interesting in any way.”
“That’s why the spies chose it,” Jamie replied carefully. “They tend to choose run-of-the-mill places where one wouldn’t suspect anything untoward would ever go on without gossips knowing about it. We do know that they have a very valuable financier in the village somewhere and, without that financier, this part of their operation would draw to a halt.”
“This part of the operation?”
Silence settled around the room. Clearly the men were unprepared to furnish them with too many details. “There are different stages to the spy smuggling operation. This is just one part of it. The money to furnish the spies with transport, accommodation, new papers and the like has to come from somewhere.”
“Can’t they finance themselves?” Portia asked, wondering why they would need to rely on English traitors to provide for them if they were operated by the French government.
“They don’t carry large enough sums of money to furnish them with everything they need, in the numbers they are smuggling. They need English to finance them in English money. In return, they smuggle goods along with the spies.”
“Smugglers,” Cecily sighed, wondering just what they had managed to get themselves into.
“Spy smugglers,” Jamie corrected. “They smuggle goods in quantities that would compensate the financier, who then shifts the merchandise on at a profit. The financier is secure in the knowledge that he is getting far more for his money than he would otherwise be able to purchase.”
“But it is treason,” Portia argued, horrified that someone would be prepared to risk the security of the country for such monetary gain.
“Which is why we are involved,” Archie replied, understanding Portia’s outrage. Although they were being careful not to divulge too much to the ladies, they needed to understand just what they were up against.
“We have been given orders to split the ladies up,” Pie announced, staring matter-of-factly at Archie. “Together they are easy to spot.”
Archie understood that was probably why Hugo had sent three reinforcements. There would be two men to protect each woman. The fact that he had sought to send more than one indicated just how important they were, and Archie had to wonder why.
“Was Manton dead?” Pie asked, watching Archie nod. Pie knew from the gravity on his face that Manton had met a sticky end.
“I shot him,” Portia announced, her voice laced with guilt.
“You did what you had to do,” Jamie replied sternly. Although he had no idea what had happened to put her into a position where she felt she had to kill a man, the fact that it was Manton, and the fact that they were alive now to talk about it, meant that what she had to do had kept them alive. Manton was about the most ruthless man ever to leave French shores, and he for one, was glad to know that the Frenchman had been removed from England for good.
“I cannot just leave everything at Tissington, I was making good headway.”
“Rupert is there now. We had some more information come through, and he is following new leads,” Jamie’s knowing look warned Archie that Rupert was undercover, and not to be discussed.
“I suggest that we get out of here. Jamie will go with Portia and Archie, you can take Cecily,” Jonathan suggested, glancing at Jamie and Archie in turn.
“Where to?”
“Applemore,�
� Jonathan replied briskly. The huge country estate was used as a base for the Star Elite. Hugo ran much of his operation from there, along with Simon, who had effectively retired from active undercover duties.
All of their messages were sent to Applemore and, if any of them were struck down during battle, they were removed to the exemplary surgeon in residence there. It was highly unusual that they would take anyone there who needed protection. Besides, although Portia had killed Manton, it wasn’t severe enough to warrant government secrets being revealed to them by taking them there, so what was going on?
Archie was bursting with questions, and bit back a sigh of impatience that they had to go unanswered for now.
“What about you and Pie?”
Jonathan stared at him knowingly. “We are going to assist Rupert. There is a bit of sweeping to do.”
Archie nodded sagely. Pie and Jonathan were going to clean up the mess Archie had left behind, and help round up any lingering Guards, but he couldn’t discuss that in front of the ladies.
“I am sure you and Jamie are more than capable,” Pie added with a grin.
Jamie could sense Archie’s impatience and gave him a telling look. He couldn’t discuss it in front of Portia and Cecily, they needed the ladies to keep their composure and go where they were told. If they knew the latest piece of news, they would probably insist on going home, and that was untenable.
In reality, Jamie had no intention of taking Cecily to Applemore, and had argued vociferously with Simon to be allowed to take her to Melvedere Manor. It was Jamie’s family estate, and the perfect place to hide away from prying eyes and spy smugglers. It would also give Jamie the perfect opportunity to court Cecily the way she ought to be courted. What had happened back in Tissington still left a bitter taste in his mouth, and he hated the subterfuge that had been necessary, even in the name of king and country. But, he had had little choice and had taken cold comfort in the knowledge that it had garnered them the valuable information they had been after.
Archie shifted in his seat, wondering how he could change things. He couldn’t think of any place better than Applemore for Portia to reside for the time being. At least until he was in a better position to find her somewhere more suitable, but it irked him that he wasn’t going to be the one to take her there.
Portia’s stomach churned nervously. Although she was glad that reinforcements had arrived to help, she was conscious of the telling looks that were passed between the men and knew that they were being cautious with the truth around her. When Pie lifted his brows knowingly at Archie, and Archie shook his head slowly, she snapped.
“You can talk in front of us, you know,” she snapped, drawing everyone’s gazes to her. “We are people, and we do understand the significance of our plight, even if we are helpless females.”
“We know you understand,” Pie soothed, glancing cautiously at Archie. He had spent so long in a man’s world that he wasn’t used to the rapid emotional changes of women. He studied Portia’s flashing green gaze warily, and glanced at Archie for reassurance.
“There are things about the operation, and the people involved; people you don’t know, that we need to discuss. It is important for your own sakes that you don’t hear too much of it. But we can catch up with the latest another time. Right now, we need to leave,” Archie declared pushing to his feet.
“Jamie, if you can secure horses, take Cecily and head out to the west. I will take Portia to the east. We will meet up at Applemore in three days hence. If either party doesn’t arrive by the fifth day, we will send out a search party to come and find you, so you must send messages in regularly.” He turned to Jonathan and held out his hand. “Hope it goes well,” he added, shaking Pie’s hand with a firm grip.
“You happy with the new arrangements?” Pie asked sharply, studying Archie and Jamie in turn.
“I think it is better this way,” Archie replied evasively, refusing to meet Pie’s gaze.
“Me too,” Jamie added, pushing to his feet. “This way, we keep moving in so many different directions that it will be impossible for the Guards to muster themselves effectively enough to follow all of us. The changes of one, if not all of us surviving, will undoubtedly increase.”
Applemore was at the southern boundary of Gloucestershire and, as long as they made the most of the daylight hours, they could get there in a few days. Archie glanced over at Portia, wondering if she would be up to the journey. It was going to be difficult and arduous, especially for somebody who had not been in the saddle before, but there was little he could do. They couldn’t stick to the roads, it was far too dangerous. He could only hope she would be speaking to him and the end of the journey. He had learned more than enough about the fortitude of the sisters to know that they weren’t whiners, but so far they had been together.
Would Portia be as agreeable without her sister beside her? He couldn’t be sure, but there was little he could do about it now.
Within minutes, the ladies’ few meagre possessions were split up and packaged. Tension rose as they erased all sign of having been there with an efficiency that would have put the maids to shame.
Portia bid her sister a quick goodbye, for her own sake as well as her sister’s. Although neither of them would admit it aloud, their futures had never been as uncertain as they were now, and they both knew it. If something went wrong for either party, this was the last either sister would see of her sibling. Words remained unspoken as the sisters shared a brief hug.
Pie and Jonathan paused by the door. “You’re in safe hands, you know. Trust us,” Jonathan urged, smiling reassuringly at Portia.
“I don’t seem to have any choice,” Portia replied ruefully. “Are you going right now?”
“We’ll see you off, and then we will go our own way.” He didn’t add that he and Pie would act as a diversion if the Guards tried to follow them.
“Stay safe,” Portia whispered, smiling gently at both Pie and Jonathan.
Archie rolled his eyes, studying the boyish grins of his colleagues and knew they were sunk. The woman was relentless, seemingly not at rest until she had every man she came into contact with lolling at her heels. He knew that besotted look on Pie’s face, and wondered if he should drag his friend outside.
Coughing loudly, Archie nodded toward the door. “Bye, then.”
Silence settled over them once the door closed. “We will wait a few minutes and then go,” Jamie offered, picking up the pouch that contained Cecily’s dress. He was aghast that she had so few possessions, but understood the need for Archie to remove her from the scene of the horrors as quickly as he had. He made a mental note to allow her to do some shopping the first chance they got. If only she would relent and smile at him. He hadn’t missed the wary looks she kept throwing him and knew she had her suspicions about the real reason why he had offered for her hand.
In all conscience he couldn’t tell her that he had been pushed into finding an excuse just to cross the thresh-hold of their home. He had needed to meet with their father and make a note of a few things, and in doing so had learnt a lot. He could only hope that when the time did come for him to tell them everything, they would be forgiving and Cecily in particular, would understand the need for him to do what he had.
“Let’s go.” He motioned a clearly reluctant Cecily to the door, and stood back as the sisters took their leave of one another.
“She’ll be fine,” Jamie offered gently, moving to stand beside Portia as Cecily left the room. He studied his future sister-in-law, and wished he was able to give her the full reassurance she deserved, but now was not the time or the place. Although he had been forced to offer for Cecily’s hand, he hadn’t been altogether unsure whether he had meant the proposal or not. If her father had accepted his offer, he probably wouldn’t have disappeared, and instead found himself standing beside her at the altar. There was something about Cecily that captured his interest in a way that had refused to be ignored.
Over the last few weeks, he had
wondered where she was, how she was and, although she hadn’t know it, had kept a careful watch on her for the duration of the time he had been in Tissington after the day her father had thrown him out of the house. It had been far more of a physical wrench than he was prepared to admit to actually ride out of the village days later, and had been plagued with the need to know of her whereabouts ever since. It had been more circumstance that had brought him to a meeting with Simon when Archie’s call for assistance had arrived. The brief outline in the missive had told Jamie all he needed to know, and it had taken a lot of persuasive effort to convince Simon that he was the one to go, rather than Rupert.
“We’ll give them a few minutes to clear the area, and then we’ll leave. Meantime, let’s move to a different room.” Archie didn’t add that as the day wore on with little or no sign of movement, the Guards might decide to search the building. He couldn’t risk being trapped on the top floor with Portia. They had to move to the lower floors where they could at least escape out of the windows.
Portia collected her pouch from the bed and glanced back at the room that had been her veritable prison for the last day or so. In some ways she was sorry to leave. The memories of the teasing laughter they had shared while practicing walking like old men still lingered, and she quietly bid a fond farewell.
“We can come back someday,” Archie offered, sensing her sadness.
“I don’t think so. This is a part of my life that I never want to revisit, ever again,” Portia replied, turning her back on the room and heading out into the corridor.
Archie heard the low whistle and understood its meaning.
“We don’t need to wait. Let’s go,” he cupped Portia’s elbow and helped her down the stairs. “Adopt your disguise,” he whispered, watching as she immediately hunched her shoulders and bent the upper part of her body over.
With her feet slightly turned out, it was difficult to walk down the stairs and she knew she would have fallen if it wasn’t for the careful hand Archie had on her elbow. Still, his palm practically burnt through the thin material of her jacket. She longed to take a look at him, but daren’t. He seemed to be able to sense what she was thinking, and it was a little unnerving.
His Lady Spy (The Star Elite Series) Page 13