had…was…that through all the years of my knowing him escaped me, and not you in a few short days.”
“A readiness to be tested, to break barriers, cross boundaries, to face danger with relish. Oh, a healthy fear is necessary, too, make no mistake, but to do this work one must have the courage to overcome fear.”
Aurelia leaned back in her chair, letting her head fall back, her eyes closing for a moment. Frederick had been a reckless huntsman, always first over the fences. He’d played every sport at school and university with a fierce competitiveness that usually brought him out on top. He’d joined the navy without hesitation at the start of the war and had fretted about the lack of action. And yet she hadn’t thought him any different from any of his peers. Greville Falconer had seen something different, and with Frederick’s own words playing in her head she had to acknowledge that he had seen what was there,even if she and his friends and family had not fully understood it.
“Any further questions?”
The quiet voice broke into her reverie and she sat up abruptly. Her body was reacting strangely again, hot and cold, heart beating fast. But this time she knew the cause. A confused knowledge certainly, but it had everything to do with the man sitting opposite her and the almost palpable currents of danger, mystery, intrigue, that seemed to swirl around him.
“What are you going to be doing in London?” Her voice had the tiniest quaver, but she didn’t think he would notice. Then she knew that he had of course noticed it. This man was trained to notice everything.
“A little work,” he said casually, careful not to appear to be watching her too closely. She reminded him again of a bird, one that sensed the approach of a possible hunter but was still unsure. Ready to flee at a moment’s notice, yet hovering. Something in what he’d said had caught her attention.
“Perhaps you could help me,” he said, watching her start of shock and surprise.
“Help you? How?” Aurelia was fully upright now. She looked straight at him.
“I need lodgings,” he said with a deprecating smile. “I am staying with my aunt on Brook Street at present, but if I’m to make an extended stay in town, as I intend, then I must set up my own establishment. Perhaps you know of somewhere suitable.”
The request was a welcome cold shower. “I am not in the landlord business, Sir Greville.” Her voice was cool and dispassionate.
“I didn’t imagine you were, ma’am. I merely thought that since you’ve been in town for some time, you might have heard of something…a tenant giving up some rooms, perhaps. It’s not a wildly unreasonable assumption.” He rose to his feet. “But I won’t keep you any longer.”
Aurelia stood up. “No, not an unreasonable assumption, I suppose. If I hear of anything, I’ll let you know if you’ll give me an address where I can reach you.” She extended her hand in farewell.
“I am staying with my aunt, Lady Broughton, on Brook Street,” he said, taking the hand with a meticulous bow. “But I trust I may call upon you again soon, ma’am.”
Was there more to that than the surface platitude? Why did she have the absolute sense that this man never did or said anything without a specific purpose? And how should he have any purpose that concerned her? Once he’d reclaimed the package for the ministry, she should be of no further interest to him.
“Please do,” she heard herself respond politely. “I’ll see you out.”
Chapter Four
A URELIA CLOSED THE DOOR on her departed guest and went up to her bedchamber. She took Frederick’s letter from the jewel casket and sat down to read it again, but this time with dispassionate knowledge of its contents. Now she could tease out meanings, read between the lines, try to understand properly what had driven her husband to abandon everything that she believed he had held dear. And she did believe that he had loved her and their
“A readiness to be tested, to break barriers, cross boundaries, to face danger with relish. Oh, a healthy fear is necessary, too, make no mistake, but to do this work one must have the courage to overcome fear.”
Aurelia leaned back in her chair, letting her head fall back, her eyes closing for a moment. Frederick had been a reckless huntsman, always first over the fences. He’d played every sport at school and university with a fierce competitiveness that usually brought him out on top. He’d joined the navy without hesitation at the start of the war and had fretted about the lack of action. And yet she hadn’t thought him any different from any of his peers. Greville Falconer had seen something different, and with Frederick’s own words playing in her head she had to acknowledge that he had seen what was there,even if she and his friends and family had not fully understood it.
“Any further questions?”
The quiet voice broke into her reverie and she sat up abruptly. Her body was reacting strangely again, hot and cold, heart beating fast. But this time she knew the cause. A confused knowledge certainly, but it had everything to do with the man sitting opposite her and the almost palpable currents of danger, mystery, intrigue, that seemed to swirl around him.
“What are you going to be doing in London?” Her voice had the tiniest quaver, but she didn’t think he would notice. Then she knew that he had of course noticed it. This man was trained to notice everything.
“A little work,” he said casually, careful not to appear to be watching her too closely. She reminded him again of a bird, one that sensed the approach of a possible hunter but was still unsure. Ready to flee at a moment’s notice, yet hovering. Something in what he’d said had caught her attention.
“Perhaps you could help me,” he said, watching her start of shock and surprise.
“Help you? How?” Aurelia was fully upright now. She looked straight at him.
“I need lodgings,” he said with a deprecating smile. “I am staying with my aunt on Brook Street at present, but if I’m to make an extended stay in town, as I intend, then I must set up my own establishment. Perhaps you know of somewhere suitable.”
The request was a welcome cold shower. “I am not in the landlord business, Sir Greville.” Her voice was cool and dispassionate.
“I didn’t imagine you were, ma’am. I merely thought that since you’ve been in town for some time, you might have heard of something…a tenant giving up some rooms, perhaps. It’s not a wildly unreasonable assumption.” He rose to his feet. “But I won’t keep you any longer.”
Aurelia stood up. “No, not an unreasonable assumption, I suppose. If I hear of anything, I’ll let you know if you’ll give me an address where I can reach you.” She extended her hand in farewell.
“I am staying with my aunt, Lady Broughton, on Brook Street,” he said, taking the hand with a meticulous bow. “But I trust I may call upon you again soon, ma’am.”
Was there more to that than the surface platitude? Why did she have the absolute sense that this man never did or said anything without a specific purpose? And how should he have any purpose that concerned her? Once he’d reclaimed the package for the ministry, she should be of no further interest to him.
“Please do,” she heard herself respond politely. “I’ll see you out.”
Chapter Four
A URELIA CLOSED THE DOOR on her departed guest and went up to her bedchamber. She took Frederick’s letter from the jewel casket and sat down to read it again, but this time with dispassionate knowledge of its contents. Now she could tease out meanings, read between the lines, try to understand properly what had driven her husband to abandon everything that she believed he had held dear. And she did believe that he had loved her and their
Similar Books
