Chapter 36

Nick left, leaving Saffron reeling once again. She looked around her office, desperate for a comfort or distraction, but there was only a cold chair by a cold window and stacks of books that had already accumulated dust.

She closed the door gently behind her, locked it, and walked down the hall. At the door of Alexander's office, she knocked softly and went inside at his word.

"Saffron." He smiled at her from his desk.

"Aster called me in to ask me about the Path Lab." She crossed the office, and without invitation, simply sat in his lap.

His chair squeaked in protest as Alexander's arms came around her. She closed her eyes, willing the stiffness in his embrace to melt away so she could take comfort from his presence and warmth. After a moment, he loosened up, and his cheek came to rest on her collarbone.

She poured out the whole ridiculous story of the previous evening, ending with recounting the conversation that had just transpired between her and Nick. By the time she'd finished, she'd gotten to her feet and was pacing the small room. The more she explained, the deeper the depths of her own stupidity appeared.

"I cannot believe I thought I'd convinced him that I should work in the lab. It was clearly a ploy to get me to want to do it. I've tangled myself up with two other investigations, and he knew I'd leap at the chance to do it again." She sank onto the chair opposite Alexander, feeling idiotic. "I'm so wretchedly transparent, aren't I?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile. "You'd not be the first to be taken in by Nick Hale. It is his job, after all."

Surprisingly, that made her feel better. She propped an elbow on the arm of her chair and let her chin rest in her palm. "Will you tell me what happened between the two of you in Greece? Why do you dislike him so?"

He pondered it for a moment before saying, "I will tell you part of it. The part that wouldn't get me accused of treason."

She waited impatiently for him to collect his thoughts, idly aware that she ought to be heading to Harpenden but unwilling to leave all the same.

"I was recruited by a friend of a friend who knew I'm fluent in Greek. I'd been home for a few weeks after my release from the convalescent hospital, and I wasn't doing well." He paused, shaking his head. "It was a hard time. When the opportunity came up, my father all but pushed me out the door."

Surprised, she asked, "He was quick to send you out again after you were hurt?"

"He was eager for me to do something other than stare out of the window," Alexander said dryly. "My mother didn't speak to him for weeks after I left, apparently. She wanted me to stay home. She still would prefer I be at home." He wore a fond smile, which faded as he continued. "I joined the party and went to Greece. I'd been there to visit family a few times before, but the war had changed so many things. I did what I was asked to do, and I'm afraid I can't give you many more details than that." He shot her a rueful but humorous look.

She stifled a groan of frustration. She wanted to know more, but she understood why he shouldn't tell her. "And Nick?"

"He was working there too. As fellow Englishmen, we socialized. There was a hotel where many of us stayed, and I saw Nick most evenings. I didn't know what he was doing there, but he wore a uniform and I … I was generally not sober enough to care who anyone was or their business." Saffron bit her lip at the self-disgust she heard in his voice. "At that point, I'd quietly drink myself into a stupor in a corner each night, and so I saw the comings and goings of the others. I noticed Nick paid a good deal of attention to one of the English businessmen living in Salonika who hung around with the English officers."

Alexander cleared his throat, an uneasiness coming over him. "One evening as I dragged myself up to my room, I saw Nick inviting the businessman into his room. They looked … intimate."

Saffron blinked. Nick, intimate with a man?

Alexander pressed on. "That, alone, was not anything that surprised me. I'd seen a good many men act differently at war than they might at home, and I've seen enough of the natural world now to know that it isn't the unnatural inclination most believe it to be. I hope we can agree on that." Saffron nodded. "The businessman was found dead three days later. Not in Nick's room," he added hurriedly. "But in his own house. It was a gruesome sight, according to those who'd stopped by for a look. I heard it looked like an execution." At her shocked inhalation, he shook his head. "The representatives in charge of our party made a point of involving themselves, as the fellow had been English. The investigation into his death concluded it was a business rival, but no one was ever arrested."

"But you suspected Nick?"

"No," Alexander said. "Not at first, anyway. I watched him work his way through a number of men and women during our stay at the hotel. Some were rumored to be involved in political dealings, others in business deals directly related to the war effort. Some were just people, from what I could tell, and no one else ended up dead. But several were arrested for crimes like treason, a few were ruined financially or socially, and at least one turned out to be a spy for Germany. I've no proof Nick had any part of those consequences, but I find it suspicious."

She couldn't help but gape at him. "And you didn't say anything when you realized Elizabeth was his sister? How could you never even hint—"

"You made it seem like they were estranged when you showed me the photograph in your parlor. Elizabeth doesn't speak about her family. I never thought it would come up."

She sighed. "I suppose you're right. I just can't believe it. And I can't believe I fell for it. I'm no better than all those people he seduced into revealing their secrets."

Alexander gave her that sympathetic look again. "People in Nick's line of work don't look at people and see individuals with lives and families. People are either tools or obstacles. They either can be manipulated to suit their purposes, or they are removed. And you won't know which you are until it's too late."

A heavy silence fell between them. She didn't know what that meant for her. If Nick believed her to be an obstacle rather than an asset, what would he do? Would her rejecting an offer of employment impact her career in the long run? The one thing she kept coming back to was why he'd offered her a job in such a roundabout way to begin with. Why go through the trouble of enticing her with solving the mystery at the Path Lab?

The question ate at her. "I just don't understand why Nick wanted me, specifically. He could have had his pick of botanists. He could have taken someone from a science park, or walked into any university in town, or even gone to Kew and requisitioned someone from there. Why me?"

"Why not you?" Alexander asked, his head tilted slightly to the side as if he was considering the question himself. "You're trained by a university known for its botany program. You've worked in greenhouses and labs. You're intelligent and tenacious, and willing to do things differently. And, as you mentioned, you've caught murderers before." His eyes warmed, and his lips formed a little smile. "You'd be at the top of my list. You were at the top of my list."

And with that, Saffron felt something had changed between them, something more than the shift from uneasy friendship to rekindled romance. Though she wouldn't have thought it possible even minutes before, she found herself feeling grateful to Nick.

It was close to noon when Saffron finally managed to telephone the Path Lab and tell them that she was not able to come in that day. Her surprise could have knocked her off the stool in the cramped telephone room when Joseph's gruff voice was the one to answer the telephone.

"Joseph!" she exclaimed. "You're back in the lab. The police concluded you were innocent of everything, I suppose."

"Aye," he mumbled. "What did you need, miss?"

"I'm unable to come to the lab today. I'm afraid I'm under the weather. Please apologize on my behalf for calling so late."

"Right."

In the background, she heard Joseph relaying that Saffron was unwell. The other side crackled, then Dr. Calderbrook's anxious voice spoke into her ear. "Is it serious, Miss Everleigh? Only with the recent issues, I'm afraid news of yet another staff member ill might be cause for alarm."

"Oh, er—" She wanted not to raise an alarm. Screwing up her face, she said, "Female troubles, I'm afraid, sir."

Dr. Calderbrook made a choked sound. "I see, I see. Never you mind, then. I do hope you, er, recover quickly."

Still wincing, Saffron rang off. Well, that was one problem solved. Now to face a greater one.

Lord Tremaine's rooms were on the third floor of a grand old building in Westminster. Saffron had been there twice since Elizabeth began working there five years ago, and she remembered the way up the palatial stone steps that wound around the middle of the building. Thick carpets muffled her steps, adding to the overall hush of the building.

But, Saffron reflected as a familiar voice drew her down a hall, things never stayed quiet for long when Elizabeth Hale was around.

"… not at all what I meant," Elizabeth's strident tones said. "There is no need for accusations."

"It is not an accusation if the man all but said it to the entire party," Colin Smith replied.

Saffron approached the open door from which the voices emanated and peered inside. Elizabeth stood in the middle of a long room full of filing cabinets. She and Colin wore matching frowns. Colin stood with his arms crossed over his chest, a blotchy flush reddening his face and neck.

"Nick has nothing to do with our relationship," Elizabeth ground out, her own color high.

"Yet you had no complaints until he came into town," Colin countered.

"It is a woman's prerogative to change her mind."

"Changeable. Yes, that is a good word for you," he said, his tone turning sneering. "I'd no idea you were so inconstant, for all your stubbornness."

"There's no need for insults," Elizabeth replied. "We don't suit, and that's that."

"More like you believe you can find a better prospect in this office," he shot back. "I've been warned a dozen times about your flirtations with everyone who walks in the door. Hoping to catch a minister or lord, are you? I doubt they'd deign to lift your family—"

Colin caught sight of Saffron and froze. His color went deeper, and he straightened up. "I must return to my duties," he said stiffly. He walked past Saffron with an indifferent nod.

Saffron ventured into the filing room. "Took it well, did he?"

"Obviously," muttered Elizabeth. She didn't seem affected by Colin's accusations, though Saffron knew she was seething inside. She eyed Saffron. "What brings you here?"

It was exceptionally poor timing, considering the scene she'd walked in on, but it couldn't be helped. "We need to talk about Nick."

Elizabeth's expression hardened. "What did he do now?"

When Saffron was finished with her report of the conversation, and Alexander's observations, Elizabeth looked ready to go to battle.

"We don't need a chat; we need a bloody war council." She took a few angry paces in one direction, then switched to another. "I am finished with Nick. He's a manipulative, lying, unfeeling bastard, and I want to be rid of him as soon as possible."

"He said I'm done with the case," Saffron said. "I hope that means he's off."

Elizabeth scoffed. "You think he'll let go of this notion of convincing you to work for him—with him?—so easily? I very much doubt that." She scowled at the nearest cabinet, on top of which sat a stack of files. "Colin didn't even take the wretched files. He likely did it on purpose, so I'd have to play delivery girl for him." She snatched the files off the cabinet and rounded on Saffron. "We need to figure out what's happening in that lab. That's the only way Nick will get a new assignment. Otherwise, he has an excuse to hang around and approach you again."

Saffron had to agree. "How do you suggest we do that?"

"I'm going to see Jarl and find a meeting where I can ask some subtle questions about Alfie Tennison's possible radical connections. If Wells owed him money, Alfie could have forced him to do something crooked at the laboratory. And you …" She swung around, still pacing. "You'll have to go back to Harpenden."

"I haven't had luck finding out what's going on there. It's too hard to look around where I'm not meant to without someone noticing."

"Then go when no one is around and look at everything you can get your hands on," Elizabeth said grimly. "We'll break in. Poke around. Tonight."

"You just said you need to see Jarl."

"Drat." Elizabeth propped her hands on her hips. "Take Lee. He seemed to enjoy our outing to Le Curieux Cabaret."

"I'll take Alexander," Saffron said as the idea came to her. "He's the one who identified the fungus, after all. He knows laboratories better than any of us." She pursed her lips, recalling how Lee's hand had lingered on the small of her back, how his eyes had dipped to her lips during their adventure at the cabaret. "You should take Lee with you instead. You're right, he did enjoy the outing, but I think it was for the wrong reasons. I don't want him to get ideas."

"I'd wondered if you'd noticed that." Elizabeth's lips pursed. "It's Alexander, isn't it?"

"Well, yes," Saffron said, surprised by her suddenly serious tone. "He and I are together now."

Elizabeth's expression softened. "No, darling. It's been Alexander, hasn't it?"

The truth of what Elizabeth suggested sank through her, sending her heart fluttering. She nodded, temporarily robbed of words.

With a comforting hand on her shoulder, Elizabeth gave her a bracing smile. "For all his flaws, Lee is a decent fellow. I doubt he'll hold it against you." She smiled rather viciously. "But if he does throw a fit, feel free to toss him right into the bin along with Colin. Poor fellow will need some company."