“I’d prefer not to. The girls—Rose and Lily at least—know the estate well. They can show Georgiana around. Make sure they take a groom with them.”
His indifference irritated her. “That’s not the point. Do you realize those girls think you’ve brought them here to keep them out of trouble?”
He blinked. “I have.”
“Yes, but they think you plan to dump them in the country.”
“I do. Until it’s time for them to go to London. I thought you understood—”
“They thought the carriage was going to take them to London. You did say they would go to London.”
“Yes, but not yet.”
“They weren’t to know that. They thought you lied to them, tricked them into coming here.”
His brows snapped together. “Lied?”
She shrugged. “From all I can gather, none of the girls has had much reason to rely on the men in their lives.”
His frown deepened.
“They think you don’tcareabout them.” She softened her voice. “Iknow you care, of course, but how do you think it will look to them if, on their very first day here, you abandon them?”
He shook his head, as if that made no sense. “I’m not abandoning them. You’re here.”
She threw a pillow at him in frustration. “Yes, but I’m not theirbrother. Or theiruncle! Rose and Lily have not been home foryears. They were sent away to school and practically forgotten. In all the time they attended Miss Mallard’s, theonlyperson who showed the slightest interest in them was dear Lady Dorothea. Your father never wrote or visited, your brother never wrote or visited and you—yes, I know you were abroad, but you still never wrote.” She was pleased to see him flinch.
“As for George, from all I can gather the poor child has beenraisedas a stranger in her own family! Neither acknowledged nor cared for. I know you were ignorant of her existence and cannot be blamed for that, but it’s no wonder the poor girl is stiff and wary, hauled away—practically kidnapped!—from all she knew and expected to fit in as part of a family!”
He’d caught the pillow. He put it aside and eyed her cautiously. “I’m doing my best. It’s difficult.”
She made a scornful sound.
He scowled. “Why are you so cross with me?”
“Because you’reobliviousof those girls’ needs. Don’t you want to be part of a family? No—don’t bother answering—it’s patently obvious you don’t have the first idea. Go on, then, go off on your wretched estate business. I’ll do what I can to make the girls feel welcome. It’s what you hired me for, after all.”
“I didn’t hire you, Imarriedyou,” he growled.
She snorted.
Her attitude annoyed him. “And it’s not estate business, it’s... government business.”
She rolled her eyes. “Of course, the same mysterious but important ‘government business’ that conveniently arises whenever you want to avoid other family duties.”
He stiffened. “Itisimportant and it’s not in theleastconvenient. And the reason I won’t take the girls with me is because there is a possibility of danger.”
“Danger?” She raised her brows, not caring that her expression was entirely skeptical.
Cal compressed his lips. It was obvious she didn’t believe him. He hesitated, about to leave, then changed his mind.He was married now; she had a right to know. He returned and sat down on the end of the bed, forcing his mind off the awareness that beneath the bundle of bedclothes, she was all warm and soft and naked. And delicious.
“I’m in pursuit of an assassin.”
“An assassin?” She sat up straighter, hugging the blankets around her. “Tell me more.”
He told her about his job, how it had changed since Waterloo, and the Army of Occupation, how it had become more... subtle.
“You mean you’re a spy?”
