Page 66 of The Agent and the Outlaw
“Simply this: let me talk to him. Let me do what I’m best at and draw out his purpose.”
“As charming as you are, he’ll see right through you. He already knows you’re a spy,” I argued.
“An agent,” she corrected. “Perhaps. But will you at least trust me to try? I want to protect you, Antoine, but I can’t do that if I don’t understand his aims,” she stood in front of me, imploring. “Please. This is what I’m good at. This is why I became an agent. Stay here and wait for me.”
I saw her now without any artifice, as bold and genuine as I’d ever seen. I had no choice but to agree. “But if he threatens you…”
“Yes, yes. If he threatens me, you may cut off his head, though I’d fancy doing it myself.” She smiled and reached up to kiss me.
Before I could rethink my decision, another knock sounded at the door and her lady’s maid entered to help her dress. Charles followed, handed me a robe, and escorted me to the next chamber down the hall, where a roaring fire and full, steaming bathtub awaited me.
Charles seemed to sense my distress. When the other servants had left, he leaned in close. “When you’re finished, sir, you may wish to entertain yourself with a book. If you take the back stairs and turn left, you’ll find the library at the end of the hallway. It’s just next to the yellow drawing room. It may be a bit chilly in the winter, though. Such regrettably thin walls,” he said.
Startled by his candor, I couldn’t help but ask. “Does your mistress know you listen at keyholes?”
He smiled. “Lady Charlotte is a spy, sir. She pays us to listen at keyholes.”
Well, then.
He laid out a jacket, waistcoat, breeches, hose, and shirt—fine enough to see me to court—and left me to my bath.
As I sank into the warm, perfumed water, my muscles clamored for the chance to relax and unknit their knots, but my mind raced with the knowledge that my father was downstairs and was here for Charlotte. I hurried to wash, shave, and dress, hoping Charlotte would take her time in going down to see him.
As Charles suggested, I crept down the back stairs and found the library just where he’d said it would be. My heart pounded. My father was in the next room. Did he know I was here? Was he here to threaten Charlotte? I’d kill him if he did.
Perhaps I should go next door and confront him.
It did feel as if Charlotte was going off to fight my battles—again.Dieu, how many times had she done that? It seemed that was all she’d been doing since we first met. I couldn’t keep letting her fight for me just because I was too depleted to fight for myself.
I should be the one protecting her—even if I’ve done a poor job of it thus far.
Just as I was resolved to go next door and end things the way they should have ended ages ago, I heard the soft rustle of fabric down the hallway and the door to the drawing room opened. I scooted a chair close to the wall, but found it was unnecessary to press my ear directly against it—Charles had been right about the thinness of the walls. I could hear every word.
23
CHARLOTTE
“Général de Vaux! What an unexpected visit,”I said, whirling into the room. Light filtered in through the front windows and illuminated thegénéral’smorose visage—quite different from my impression of him in the dark tunnels of the previous evening.
Mon dieu, but he looks so much like Antoine!He was shorter and slimmer than Antoine, and was of course without the visible scars and marks, but they shared the same aquiline nose, full lips, and piercing green eyes. Antoine’s had warmth to them, like a lovely green field on a hot summer’s day. Thegénéral’swere hard and cold, putting me in mind of oily seaweed washed up on a winter’s shore.
He bowed smartly, dressed in his military uniform with his formal powdered wig. I inclined my head and gestured for him to sit.
“You’ve been kept waiting,” I said.Not an apology.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I called unannounced. I don’t wish to take up much of your time. I simply had some questions for you following your testimony last night that may have been…inappropriatefor the ears of the Order.” He smiled like a predator.
“Well,Général, you know of my allegiance, so it seems like a fruitless journey considering the ears of the Order are right alongside my head. Thatmustbe disappointing. Would you care for some refreshment? Some tea, perhaps? You do look a bit bilious, and tea iswonderfulfor the digestion. Those English may yet have something right,non?” I tittered, waving for a footman.
He narrowed his eyes and frowned but carried on. “No tea, thank you.Comtesse de Brionne, I’m certain you don’t share everything with your masters.”
“My masters? My goodness,Général, who can you mean? My father and my husband are no longer with us, so I wouldn’t—”
He cut me off, jawline flexing in that similar air of annoyance that he shared with Antoine. “Are you being purposely coy, my lady? It’s just that it rings of obtuseness, and I cannot abide stupidity in any form.”
“I certainly wouldn’t take credit for beingaccidentallycoy, Monsieur, but it is unfortunate that your patience seems so tested. Are you sure you wouldn’t like some tea?” I smiled politely, pouring my own cup.
“I don’t want any damn tea!” he spit out, then exhaled and composed himself. “I just need some answers.”
