The Spy Who Loved Her: Once Upon an Accident, Book 3 (13 page)

She looked down at her dress then back up at him. “Just what are you talking about?”

“You leave your wares for all to see. It looks like you agree with your mother.”

All the warmth from his earlier comment seeped away. “I am tired of hearing you attack my choice in dresses. I picked it because I liked it. I did not buy it for anyone but myself. I never think of how I will look to men.”

He snorted and shot her a look of askance. “Tell me another tale. Women always buy things to gain men’s attention.”

She threw her hands up in the air. “This is ridiculous.”

“I agree.”

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Then why are we arguing?”

“I have no idea.”

She humphed. “Please take me back inside. I did not even want to come tonight and now you have made it completely unpleasant.”

He shot her a look. “I didn’t want to come tonight either.”

“Then why are you here?”

He looked at her, his gaze direct. He opened his mouth. But nothing came out. It was odd to find Daniel with nothing to say. With his quick wit he was usually ready with a rejoinder.

“My mother begged me. I cannot say no.”

That was the truth from what she could discern, but Anna had an idea there was something else there, something that had brought him out. She wished it was her. She wished that their kiss last night had driven him to distraction as it had her.

“We should return.” She nodded and allowed him to return her to the stuffy ballroom. As she watched him walk away, she thought not for the first time that it was a pity she could not have the one man she knew would truly make her happy.

Daniel stood as his supervisor at the War Department strode into his study. It was bad enough he showed up without an appointment, but there was a scowl on Sir Alexander’s face.

The doors shut almost silently behind him.

“Do you want to explain why you did not tell me that you have been injured?”

It had been over a week since the attack. “I’ve yet to file my report.”

Which was even worse than not sending him information right away about it.

The older gentleman bristled. “You are as bad as your damned father.” Since they had been close friends, it was said with some affection. “If your mother had not talked to me about it, I would have never known.”

“You talked to my mother. About me? Am I in leading strings?”

“Daniel! I will not allow you to go off running around after this Viper person again if you do not keep me apprised.”

Which brought Daniel up short. Sir Alexander was definitely his supervisor, but he tended to allow Daniel to run his group of spies the way he wanted to. Not once in the last five years had he stepped in.

“Understood.”

“Now I understand Jo is on this. Your mother mentioned you think it is the same person who killed your father. Why?”

Daniel motioned to the seats in front of his desk as he went to the sideboard for some brandy. He picked up the bottle and waited for Sir Alexander’s nod.

As he poured, he talked. “I would think that it would have to be the same man. He knew my father had been targeted, only the Viper knew that. Oh, and you and Mother.”

“He was not the only man who had been targeted. There was your uncle too.”

“But he is family. This almost seems to be personal.”

“You think the man isn’t even a spy?”

“I would not say that. The setup the night I was stabbed spoke of a man who was accustomed with elaborate schemes. Definitely had the mark of a spy.”

“But for some reason this turned personal?”

“Yes. And for that, I need my father’s records. I need to look over anything that happened during his time as a spy.”

Sir Alexander nodded as he sipped his brandy. “There is a worse situation if it isn’t the same man.”

Daniel nodded. “Yes. If it isn’t the same man, that means he has knowledge of the former spy. And that means he is either within our circle, or very close to someone in our circle. There is also a possibility that he is a protégé, someone our last Viper trained.”

“Damned man.”

“I tend to agree with you. And I hope to send the bastard to hell.”

Anna arrived on time to the orphanage when a man caught her eye. She slowed her movements of opening the door so she could study him out of the corner of her eye. His hunched appearance, his cap…he looked like a hundred other day laborers in the area. But it took another moment of study before she placed him. She hurried down the steps and was gratified to see his eyes widen.

“You’re Daniel’s man Jack.” She could not keep the accusation out of her voice.

“Yes. Sometimes.”

“What does that mean? And just what in heavens are you doing skulking around here? You aren’t looking for another loan shark are you?”

“No, miss. I mean, my lady. I heard that you had some trouble. I wanted to make sure that nothing was going on?”

“Trouble.”

“Someone trying to break in the other night.”

“Oh.” That had some of her temper dissolving. “You promise that Lord Bridgerton didn’t send you here to spy on me.”

His face reddened and she thought she had him. He pulled off his hat and then said, “No, my lady. I just wanted to make sure that no one was bothering you.”

She sighed and crossed her arms. “Well, come on.”

His eyes widened. “What?”

“I cannot leave you out here in this rain. Come in. I am sure there are a few hot buns still left.”

She turned and started back up the steps again. When she didn’t hear him follow her, she looked back over her shoulder. He was standing in the same place he had been before, a strange look on his face.

“Well, come on…Jack? Right?”

He nodded and moved to walk behind her. She unlocked the door and stepped inside. Instantly, the warmth of the hall filled her. She had not realized just how cold she was. Jack closed the door behind him.

“I do not think this is proper.”

She glanced at him. “First, I did not ask. Second, you cannot think that I would leave you out there.”

Before he could respond, Mrs. Markham came bustling up. “Oh, you do look cold. Who is this?”

“He is apparently my guard. He is a friend of Lord Bridgerton and heard of the attempted break in. The two beefy guards—yes, I did see them outside—are not enough apparently.”

“Oh, no worries on that account. That is what I was hurrying down to tell you. We discovered the person trying to break in was just that Carlotta woman.”

“The…uh…working woman I talked to?”

“Yes. She wanted to see you, wanted to take you up on your offer.”

Relief filled her. Not only because the break-in had been nothing, but also because it seemed she had reached another of those poor women. “That is stupendous.”

She smiled at her new friend. “So you can see that I do not need anyone here to watch me.”

He frowned, but said nothing.

“I promised Jack some hot buns. I am sure a spot of tea will warm him right up.”

As Mrs. Markham bustled Jack in the direction of the kitchen, Anna went in search of their newly acquired resident. They did not always house women in the orphanage, and they were very careful to keep them separate from the children. The truth of the matter was she could not trust them. Some devious women would come to the orphanage to gain the boys’ acceptance and then lure them away into thievery or worse, prostitution. While it was hard to imagine, she had known it to happen elsewhere and Anna refused to allow anyone to hurt her children.

She was a bit breathless as she gained the third floor. These nights out were going to be the death of her. She could not keep attending balls and musicales to the early morning, then work all day at the orphanage.

When she came into the room, a lone woman sat on the bed looking outside. Carlotta was a beautiful woman. Beautiful long black curls dripped over her shoulders, and Anna knew without seeing them that her hazel eyes were more green than brown. She was small in stature, like a porcelain doll. There had to be some Spanish in her background. She spoke it fluently, without a hint of English accent.

Anna moved into the room and Carlotta turned to look at her. The black eye she sported almost made Anna gasp. To think someone had felt the need to hit this slight woman disgusted her.

She turned and curtsied, making Anna think, not for the first time, that she came from impoverished gentry. “My lady.”

Carlotta grimaced when she rose. Anna rushed forward. “Are you all right?”

She nodded but she sat on the small cot. “Just a few bruises, my lady.”

Anna sat on the cot opposite of her. “Mrs. Markham told me that you were the one trying to get in the other night.”

She nodded and looked out the window.

“Did you get hurt then?”

Carlotta nodded again.

Anna moved to place her hand over hers, but the woman started. Fear had her eyes going wide. Stifling the regret that such a young woman would fear even the smallest of touches, Anna sat back.

“Doctor Timms will be here to see you later today.”

“What for?”

“To make sure you aren’t hurt worse than you appear.”

“Then?”

“Then you will rest. After you are healed, we will discuss what you will do with your future.”

She glanced at Anna and a look of pure need flashed in the woman’s eyes. It struck her as hard as any physical blow. These poor women went without love, without acceptance, without even the simple touch to assure them they were worthy of affection.

“I will leave you to rest. Mrs. Markham will bring the doctor up here later, but she will stay here if you want her to during the examination.”

“Yes, my lady. But…what shall I do to earn my keep?”

“We will figure that out all in time.” She stood. “I wish we had known you were trying to get in when you came to our door.”

Carlotta frowned. “I would have been back sooner, but there was a man skulking about.”

That caught Anna’s attention. “A man? One of the guards out front?”

“No, m’lady. He was hanging around across the street, in the alley. I thought it might be someone I was trying to avoid.”

Anna wanted to ask the young woman who, but the closed expression on her face told her she would not reveal the name. Probably the man who beat her.

Anna nodded. “Please, rest. I have work to do, but I will check back in later.”

Mutely, the woman nodded and looked back out the window again. Anna sighed and then started back down to the first floor. She ignored the clamor of feet, the raised voices, the laughter as thoughts about their newest resident and what she had revealed turned over in her head. Anna did not like the idea of someone watching the orphanage. The fact that neither of the guards had noticed was a bit disturbing. She would definitely mention it to Sebastian so he could talk to the guards.

That decided, her thoughts turned back to Carlotta and the women like her. As she reached her office, she decided to come up with some kind of outreach, some network where the girls could gain their attention. She did not want to think of another woman left out in the cold. They needed to know where to come if they needed help.

With her mind set, she strode into her office and decided to set things in motion.

Anna looked out over the lawn of the Greenwood household and thought not for the first time that this was a waste of time. She knew why her mother had wanted her to attend. She desperately wanted Anna to find a match, but it was not to be. It never would be. After her kiss a few nights before, she knew there would never be another man who would even be able to compare to Daniel. She had been kissed before. But not one of her suitors had been able to take her mind along with her. It had been the first time in her life she had lost complete control. Oh, she had lost her head over Dewhurst when he promised her romance and plotted to kill her cousin. But there had never been a time she had been so willing to allow a man to compromise her.

She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cool window pane. It had been a long few days readying for the trip. The one ball she had attended before their departure had been exquisite torture. That just would not do. She could not lose her composure around him again. It was bad enough that he knew she was attracted to him. No woman kissed a man the way she had if she was not. She had to learn to control herself around him. She had dreaded this trip, but maybe it was a good thing. Now she could definitely use the time away from her nemesis to regroup. Once she could keep herself controlled around him, she could ferret out what was going on with him. Inquiries to Sebastian had definitely gotten her nowhere. In fact, he had warned her away from Daniel. Decidedly odd.

She opened her eyes and looked down at the next carriage that rolled into view. She knew Lady Adelaide had planned to attend, but when the door opened, it was not the woman she saw, but rather her son.

Oh, Lord in heaven. What had she done to deserve this? She watched as he looked at the surroundings, taking in the hustle and bustle. Then, as if he knew exactly where she was, he looked up at her window. She stilled, her whole body going hot under his gaze. Her breasts ached, her body yearned. The smile that curled his lips was just a little too self-satisfied for her tastes. How could he see how he affected her?

With a jaunty salute, he turned to help his mother down from the carriage. Needing to regroup, she moved away. What had she been thinking to stand there and stare at him as if she were some mooncalf in love? And just what the devil was he doing at this party? It was definitely not his type of thing. Tame by his standards. Did it have to do with the mysterious stabbing? What if he owed someone money…could he be forced to hide in the country?

She rolled the idea over in her mind but got nowhere. She would just have to ask around to discover his motives for being at the country party. Because she could not allow him into her heart. Years ago, she had done that. Her girlhood fascination with the man had almost killed her when she’d arrived in town to find their relationship changed. Anna knew if she allowed him to capture her this time, she would never recover.