The Spy Who Loved Her: Once Upon an Accident, Book 3 (4 page)

“I do believe you will have a bang up time,” Viscount Addison said.

It took her a moment to realize he was talking to her. “Excuse me?”

“The house party my father is having. Your mother said you would be happy to attend.”

It took every bit of her control not to scream, but anger swept through her. Her mother knew she particularly was not interested in Viscount Addison. He was but three and twenty, one year older than she.

But as she turned to cut her mother a look, she saw Daniel in a heated discussion with Lady Joanna. Odd, since the lady in question was still in mourning. But the woman had never worried about society dictates.

“Seems that Bridgerton is having problems with his new lady love,” Lord Greenwood said.

She looked at him, showing him her displeasure. But before she could tell him just how much he’d irritated her, Addison said, “Greenwood, really. There is a lady present.”

Greenwood flushed. “I beg your pardon.”

She nodded.

“I say, Lady Anna, would you care to take in some fresh air?” Addison asked.

Thankful for what he had done, and not the least bit worried about him, she accepted.

But as they walked toward the French doors, she watched Daniel slip out the ballroom doors with Lady Joanna.

Chapter Three

“Are you positive of the name?” Daniel asked, his mind turning over the news Jo had dropped in his lap.

She nodded and settled back against the seat of the carriage. “Jack ferreted it out. Duchovny, from two sources. And you know his leads are always right.”

As he mulled over the information she had just given him, he studied his aunt by marriage. The tell-tale flush of excitement brightened her face. These last few months she had been more than a little preoccupied with finding her husband’s killer. Now that she apparently had a name, she would become impossible to deal with.

“I don’t want you going after this man. Not until we know for sure.”

“I do not work for you.”

Her tone was sharp, her eyes narrowed. Daniel knew she felt she failed her husband. But truthfully, if he hadn’t seen it coming, no one could have. He was one of the best in the business.

“I understand your frustration, but do not go overboard. We cannot have you exposed.”

She said nothing as she turned to look out the window.

“Jo.”

She snuck a look at him. “I agree. And the man isn’t here.”

“Where is he?”

“The Americas from what we gather. There is talk he is due back here later this year.”

“You cannot kill him when we find him.”

One sculpted eyebrow rose. “Indeed?”

“Not until we know who hired him.”

She cast her eyes heavenward. “You act as if I have never run an operation. Your uncle trained me well.”

“Then once we know, we decide what to do with him.”

She crossed her arms and said nothing.

“Joanna, it is my right as his nephew.”

“Great-nephew. And I think that I have more of a right as his widow.”

He heard the pain, knew she still mourned her husband. Society had painted her as a cold woman, one who took her nephew as a lover within days of her husband’s death. Nothing could be further from the truth.

True, forty years had separated his uncle and aunt, but they’d had an admiration for one another. He had seen them together, had witnessed their glances, their ability to finish each other’s sentences. The day of his uncle’s death was a blur, all for one defining memory. The stoic Lady Joanna, a woman who rarely showed much emotion, had collapsed into heart-wrenching sobs. It was the only time he had seen her so vulnerable. For that alone, he would happily hunt down his murderer and make him cry before he killed the bastard.

“Let’s decide that when we find him.”

She hesitated, then nodded.

With nothing else to discuss, he settled his head against the back of his seat. He was tired and sore. That Russian had beat the living hell out of him. He hated to admit it, but the ball had given him a reason to retire early, thanks to Joanna arriving with her news.

“She’s very beautiful.”

He didn’t open his eyes. “Who?”

“Lady Anna.”

The amusement in her voice forced him to crack his eyes open. He could see her smirk even in the dim carriage.

“I think most people would agree with you.”

She chuckled. “But I think you in particular.”

Uncomfortable with the subject at hand, he feigned indifference and looked out the window. It was dark, she could not really see him, but Jo had an intuition about these types of things. One that he was in no mood to discuss.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, Daniel, it is obvious.”

Mortification filled him as he sat straighter. The only way to fight this was to ignore her comment. “Do you have any idea where this poisoner is?”

“America. I told you that.”

“Where in America?”

She shrugged. “We are not really sure where, although Jack thinks he might be on the eastern coast.”

She smiled, one that filled her face and reminded him just why his uncle had married her. She was an incomparable beauty. Not that she was much prettier than most other women, but there was something so striking about her. Dark raven hair, brown eyes and a skin tone that made you think of foreign lands. She turned heads wherever she went. She stunned a man with her beauty while gaining his secrets. It was her specialty.

“I see Lady Anna a lot down in the White Chapel area.”

That had his complete attention. “What do you mean?”

“She comes to that foundling home to work. I am sure you have heard her talk about it.”

“But no decent woman would be seen down there.” The moment he said it, he realized his faux pas. Joanna had grown up in the area and frequently visited family and friends down there. His face heated.

“Oh, stop looking so embarrassed. I know what you mean. But Lady Anna is…different.”

“By going into one of the worst slums of London? I cannot think what Sebastian is thinking letting her wander around there.” In fact, he was surprised Sebastian did not order her away from the area. Anna had been right. Sebastian had gotten a bit overprotective in the last few years.

“Oh, stop being so pompous. You sound like Simon.”

Normally, being compared to his arrogant younger cousin would upset him, but he paid no attention to her comment. “No wonder her mother is beside herself. What can the chit be thinking?”

“She is no longer a young girl. I think she is old enough to make her own decisions. She is definitely more mature than she was just a few years ago. Besides, I actually find it admirable.”

That caught his attention. “What do you mean?”

“Most women of her class would show up at the holidays, hand out some gifts or give money. Lady Anna is committed to those children. She is known throughout the neighborhood. She even helps working girls find a better way of life.”

The image of Anna surrounded by a horde of pox-ridden whores sent a shiver of ice through his blood. Good God! Her mother had every right to worry about what she was doing.

“Oh, I can see it on your face you disapprove. But it is my understanding that she has come into her fortune and there is not much any man can do to stop her.”

“That is utterly ridiculous.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“What?”

“Allowing women of her class to go running around in control of their money.”

Jo sniffed. “I do just fine.”

“Yes, well, you have a background to help you, and Harold taught you how to handle money. Anna is not the type of woman that would be able to handle such things.”

The carriage came to a stop in front of her townhouse. For a moment she said nothing. “I think that you have some misconceptions about Lady Anna. She is truly not the girl you knew, and she is definitely not the woman you knew three years ago.”

“I have known the chit since she was in the schoolroom. There isn’t much I don’t know about her.”

Including that she still held a
tendre
for the man who had attempted to seduce her and plotted to kill her cousin. He had not known for sure before he had looked in her eyes tonight. He heard it in her voice, knew that she thought it impossible to love again. She had still not let go of the man she had thought the scoundrel to be. It was no wonder she was not looking for a husband for she was still holding onto a memory.

Jo patted him on the knee much as his mother would. It was odd because she was two years his junior, but she seemed wise beyond her years. Her life before and after her marriage to his uncle had given her that. He still did not know if she would ever be able to move on until they found his killer.

“I will let you know what else Jack finds out about our Russian.”

He studied her for a moment. Even in the dim light he saw the dark circles beneath her eyes, the weariness in her expression. “He was lucky to have you for a wife, Jo.”

She smiled, but this time it was tinged with sadness. “Not lucky enough.”

Before he could say another word, she was stepping down from the carriage and was swept into the townhouse. In the past six months, he had yet to convince her that she had not been at fault for her husband’s death. Everything in her life was now centered on one thing, finding the man who killed Harold. His real worry now was that it was clouding her judgment. It could make her sloppy. Sloppy spies ended up dead.

The carriage rumbled down the street, taking him back to his townhouse. One thing he knew, Jo had good information. She had some of the best informants. If they said a man named Duchovny killed Harold, it was a safe bet to say the information was right. It had taken six months to get the name of the poisoner, which told him that the man had a well-placed benefactor. It was something that both he and Jo had thought from the beginning. He would have to contact some of his friends in the War Department to see what they had heard, who might be in need of money.

But as soon as he finished making his plans for the next day, Jo’s comments about Anna came back to mind. What did Sebastian think he was doing allowing her to run amuck through White Chapel? He understood she wanted to help, but why did she think she needed to be down there? People didn’t expect it. Of course, knowing Anna, she would go the unusual route. She always did.

He made a mental note to call on Sebastian the next day. He knew Sebastian understood some of what went on down in those areas, but Daniel had spent much of the last few years down there. He understood the horrible fate many women suffered.

There was one thing for sure. He would do everything in his power to make sure that Sebastian kept her safely tucked away in Mayfair.

With that thought, he settled back on the seat to have a bit of a nap before returning home.

“Do you understand what you must do?”

The ruffian nodded as he downed another tankard of ale. “You want me to knife the man. No problem.”

“You know where to find him. Be fast about it and get out of the area.”

Without another word, the lord stood and walked toward the door of the pub. No one would recognize him, although it was dangerous. There was always some member of the ton down in this part of White Chapel to enjoy the seamier joys of town life. He stepped outside, ignored the men arguing while a whore called out to him. He stepped up into the handsome cab and found Atterly, his man of business, waiting for him.

“I trust all went well, my lord.”

“Yes. I hired a man, all will be well in less than a week.”

“Do you think it wise, my lord? Someone might have recognized you.”

He studied the man he had trusted for the last five years to hold some of his secrets. Atterly was a bastard, in deed and name. He did not have a care who was hurt, as long as he got paid. They shared that common trait. Lord knew he had creditors foaming at the mouth to get a piece of him. Atterly though, never seemed to want for money. He didn’t seem to care about material things. He just cared about amassing a fortune.

“No. If anyone saw me, they would be loath to admit they had been in such a place. And truly, who would believe one of those people over me? I am not known for coming to White Chapel. Don’t worry.”

He settled back against his seat. His mind turned to the plans. Daniel would have no idea what awaited him. It would be sweet to watch the son of his enemy die.

Chapter Four

“Mum, do you think it be warm enough to go outside soon?”

Anna smiled down at the cherub sitting next to her as she sat down to read a story. Brody was one of their newest children found living on the streets just three months ago. She was happy to see his cheeks had filled out. He had been a skeleton when he had arrived, and afraid of his own shadow.

“You call her, my lady,” Jason whispered with enough condemnation to make Brody blush.

“Either is fine with me. And as for the weather, I am not quite sure, but it cannot be soon enough. I look forward to walks in the park.”

“We aren’t allowed in the park,” Brody said.

Once again, she was struck by how little fun these children had before arriving at St Mark’s. Everything she had experienced in her childhood that she had taken for granted was mostly unknown to these boys. The adventures in the country were some of her favorite memories. To think that many of them had never walked through a field in spring, or felt the air rush toward their face as they flew down a snowy hill.

“That is just silly. Of course you can go to the park.”

She had done just that the last few years. She could not understand the need to hide these children away, then thrust them out into the world. Besides, who could resist a warm spring day at the park?

“One of my favorite things to do when I was your age was go to the park. I was too accustomed to running wild through the village to sit in a London townhouse. I even would get in trouble for going out without my shoes on.”

Their eyes widened. “Gor, my lady, I cannot see you doing that.”

She laughed. “I did things like that a lot, in fact I still do at times.”

“Do you think we can go to the park?”

She looked down at the hope in Brody’s bright green eyes. “I will have to see what I can arrange. We do every year.” She opened the book. “Why don’t we find out just what Mr. Crusoe is up to today, shall we?”