to the warehouse and almost brought the law down on the place. He couldn’t be forgiven for that.”
“Even so, he didn’t deserve to die, especially not so violently.”
“No, he did not, and you may rest assured the men responsible will pay for their crime… eventually.”
“All right,” she replied, mollified because she observed the firm set to his features and believed him. “I accept you know what you are doing.”
“We don’t like it any more than you do,” Lord Isaac assured her. “But we have learned to exercise patience.”
“I do bow to your superior understanding, but surely foiling the plan by detaining those involved until after the exhibition would be the best way to proceed? You could use the beating to death of that man as your excuse.” She elevated a brow. “Presumably the Home Secretary possesses the power to imprison people for as long as he sees fit.”
“Absolutely.” Lord Torbay sent her a challenging smile. “But think for a moment. How did your husband become involved with such a plan in the first place?”
“Actually, that is a very good question.” She tilted her head as she thought about it. “And one which I really cannot answer. He does business with India, of course, so presumably that is how the connection was made.”
“Your husband imports Indian silk, tea, rugs and assorted trinkets. The merchants he deals with are a far cry from the influential people involved with this plot. To the best of our knowledge, Woodstock has never been to India himself and there is no reason to suppose his willingness to behave dishonestly would have reached the ears of the Maharajas behind this scheme.”
“Probably not, and so—” She bestowed a darkling glance upon Lord Torbay. “I believe you know the answer to your own question. Please don’t leave me in ignorance.”
“Someone high up in the government doesn’t want the exhibition to be a success,” he replied succinctly.
She gasped. “There is a traitor within government ranks?”
“Unfortunately yes, but the Home Secretary doesn’t know whom,” Lord Isaac replied. “And therein lies our problem.”
“The only way we can find out his name,” Lord Torbay added, “is to keep your husband under close surveillance and see where that leads us.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” She paused, frowning as she considered his words. “But I still don’t understand how you thought I could help.”
“Well, we—”
“You can’t,” Lord Isaac said abruptly, cutting across whatever Lord Torbay had been about to say. Lord Torbay regarded his friend steadily, quirked one brow, and remained silent. He appeared composed but, Eva thought, a little annoyed as well. It was most peculiar.
“Then why bring me here?”
“We had hoped that you might know whom he meets with. Perhaps you entertained government officials at your house, or you might have seen letters…something.” Lord Torbay shrugged. “However, it’s of no consequence.”
Eva mulled over what she had just heard. The room seemed unnaturally quiet as the two men watched her closely, saying nothing and leaving her to her cogitations. Tension vibrated through her. There were things they obviously weren’t telling her, and what they had said made precious little sense. Why would they go to so much trouble to find her, just on the off chance that she might know something of value to them? There had to be more to it than that. Besides, they already had their own man inside William’s house who could recount the names of those who came and went. He was also in a position to learn a lot more about William’s activities than she would ever be.
“Wait a minute.” She fixed Lord Torbay with a hollow stare. “Did you mean to—”
“Lady Eva,” he said at the same time.
She waved aside whatever he had been about to say and he had the goodness to fall silent. In a blinding flash of comprehension their true purpose had just become plain to her and the
“Even so, he didn’t deserve to die, especially not so violently.”
“No, he did not, and you may rest assured the men responsible will pay for their crime… eventually.”
“All right,” she replied, mollified because she observed the firm set to his features and believed him. “I accept you know what you are doing.”
“We don’t like it any more than you do,” Lord Isaac assured her. “But we have learned to exercise patience.”
“I do bow to your superior understanding, but surely foiling the plan by detaining those involved until after the exhibition would be the best way to proceed? You could use the beating to death of that man as your excuse.” She elevated a brow. “Presumably the Home Secretary possesses the power to imprison people for as long as he sees fit.”
“Absolutely.” Lord Torbay sent her a challenging smile. “But think for a moment. How did your husband become involved with such a plan in the first place?”
“Actually, that is a very good question.” She tilted her head as she thought about it. “And one which I really cannot answer. He does business with India, of course, so presumably that is how the connection was made.”
“Your husband imports Indian silk, tea, rugs and assorted trinkets. The merchants he deals with are a far cry from the influential people involved with this plot. To the best of our knowledge, Woodstock has never been to India himself and there is no reason to suppose his willingness to behave dishonestly would have reached the ears of the Maharajas behind this scheme.”
“Probably not, and so—” She bestowed a darkling glance upon Lord Torbay. “I believe you know the answer to your own question. Please don’t leave me in ignorance.”
“Someone high up in the government doesn’t want the exhibition to be a success,” he replied succinctly.
She gasped. “There is a traitor within government ranks?”
“Unfortunately yes, but the Home Secretary doesn’t know whom,” Lord Isaac replied. “And therein lies our problem.”
“The only way we can find out his name,” Lord Torbay added, “is to keep your husband under close surveillance and see where that leads us.”
“Yes, I suppose so.” She paused, frowning as she considered his words. “But I still don’t understand how you thought I could help.”
“Well, we—”
“You can’t,” Lord Isaac said abruptly, cutting across whatever Lord Torbay had been about to say. Lord Torbay regarded his friend steadily, quirked one brow, and remained silent. He appeared composed but, Eva thought, a little annoyed as well. It was most peculiar.
“Then why bring me here?”
“We had hoped that you might know whom he meets with. Perhaps you entertained government officials at your house, or you might have seen letters…something.” Lord Torbay shrugged. “However, it’s of no consequence.”
Eva mulled over what she had just heard. The room seemed unnaturally quiet as the two men watched her closely, saying nothing and leaving her to her cogitations. Tension vibrated through her. There were things they obviously weren’t telling her, and what they had said made precious little sense. Why would they go to so much trouble to find her, just on the off chance that she might know something of value to them? There had to be more to it than that. Besides, they already had their own man inside William’s house who could recount the names of those who came and went. He was also in a position to learn a lot more about William’s activities than she would ever be.
“Wait a minute.” She fixed Lord Torbay with a hollow stare. “Did you mean to—”
“Lady Eva,” he said at the same time.
She waved aside whatever he had been about to say and he had the goodness to fall silent. In a blinding flash of comprehension their true purpose had just become plain to her and the
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