Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE

“But Julian, you promised me a favor.” Daphne paced back and forth in front of the windows in her brother’s large study that overlooked the square. After what Rafe had just told her moments ago, she’d hurried from the drawing room, telling him she’d return shortly and refusing to listen to his entreaties that she hear the rest of it.

“Yes,” Julian replied. “And I delivered on that favor when I resisted the urge to thrash you or throttle you when you told me a few weeks ago that you’re secretly married to Cavendish. Your favor is all used up.”

“But you must help me,” she pleaded, wringing her hands.

“No, I mustn’t. I’m still incensed over the fact that you did something so reckless without consulting me and that you—”

Daphne reached out her hands to him in supplication. “But everything is about to be ruined. Lord Fitzwell is coming and I’m to be engaged and Captain Cavendish is here and I can barely breathe and—”

“Good heavens, dear. Calm down. I’m quite worried for you.” Cassandra, Julian’s new wife, came floating into the study just then with the tea tray she’d gone to fetch so that Pengree wouldn’t overhear their private conversation. A bit of news like a lady of the house already being married during her supposed engagement party was bound to be a popular bit of gossip even among the most steadfast servants. “Julian, darling, hear her out.”

Julian let out a deep breath, but smiled at his wife as she laid the tray on the desktop and poured a cup of tea, adding two lumps of sugar before handing it to Daphne.

“Yes, see, Cass knows. She wants you to help,” Daphne said.

“I didn’t say that, dear,” Cass replied. “I merely think it best for Julian to hear all of the facts before he makes a decision. Not to mention I’m quite curious to learn exactly what happened between you and Captain Cavendish that resulted in a wedding and your desire to get an annulment as soon as possible.”

“Very well,” Julian said, pouring his own drink. Brandy, not tea. “I’ll hear you out, Daphne, but you’d best make it quick. I’ve little patience for this.”

Cass finished pouring her own cup of tea and hurried over to the settee where she curled up and sipped while she listened.

Setting her teacup aside, Daphne resumed pacing in front of her brother’s desk, her hands folded in front of her. “You remember last year when Donald and Mama wrote to you and told you that I’d run off for a fortnight?”

Julian’s eyes nearly bugged from his skull. “Lower your voice.”

“I remember!” Cass piped up.

“I do, too. You never did explain what that escapade was about,” Julian said.

“Donald knew, part of it. But I never told Mama. I didn’t want to worry her. I’d convinced Rafe that he needed me for help on a mission. For the War Office.”

If Julian’s eyes had seemed to bug from his skull a moment ago, now they were in imminent danger of actually popping out and rolling about on the fine rug. He lunged from his seat and braced his hands on the desktop in front of him, looming over Daphne. “You accompanied Cavendish on a mission for the War Office? Are you mad? Is Cavendish mad? I’m going to murder him!”

“Now, Julian, you promised to hear Daphne out,” Cass quietly interjected.

Julian growled but slowly resumed his seat. “Go on,” he said through clenched teeth.

Daphne swallowed once but her voice was steady when she continued her pacing. “Yes, well. I sort of convinced him to, ahem, agree to allow me to come.”

Julian’s dark gray eyes narrowed on her. “How did you—” He groaned again. “Perhaps I don’t want to know.”

Daphne plunked her hands on her hips. “It was nothing indecent, I’ll have you know.”

“Thank God for that,” Julian retorted.

“I merely threatened him,” Daphne continued.

“Merely? Threatened?” Julian’s voice dripped with sarcasm.

Daphne bit her lip. “I told him that I’d tell Donald he’d compromised me if he didn’t agree to take me with him.”

Julian cursed under his breath and lurched out of his seat again. “Cavendish compromised you! By God, I’ll—”

“No! No. No. No.” Daphne waved her hands in the air frantically. “No. He did not.” She cleared her throat and lowered her voice. “I only threatened to tell Donald that he’d compromised me if he didn’t do as I asked.”

Julian breathed deeply, both nostrils flaring. He glanced at his wife, who merely took another sip of tea and shrugged. “I suggest you allow her to finish before you go flying off into any more rages,” Cass said.

Julian dropped back into his seat. “Very well. Go on, Daphne.”

“He still said no.” Daphne tapped a finger against her cheek.

“I don’t see how you ended up going with him then,” Julian replied.

“I was able to convince him.”

Julian eyed her warily. “How?”

“Because I knew the secret of why Donald went to France.”

Julian’s intelligent gray eyes snapped to her face. “What did you know?”

Daphne straightened her shoulders and kept her gaze locked on her brother’s face. “I know that the official reason Donald went to France was because he was an earl and he appeared to be on a diplomatic mission.”

“And?” Julian drew out the word.

“And I know the real reason Donald went was because the men who worked for the French were Russians and Donald spoke Russian.”

Julian braced a hand on the desk in front of him. “How did you know that?”

“I know that because I speak Russian, too.”

Julian’s eyes rounded bigger than she’d ever seen them. “Pardon?”

“Pardon?” Cass echoed, her teacup frozen halfway to her mouth.

“That’s right. Donald learned when he was a youth, after the ambassador paid Papa a visit. Papa told Donald it would serve him well to know more than English and French. The ambassador arranged for a private tutor.”

“I knew all of that, Daphne, but how did you learn it?” Julian asked.

Daphne tugged at the strand of pearls around her neck. “As you can guess, Papa didn’t know about it. He never would have agreed to tutor a seven-year-old girl in the language. And I needn’t tell you that Donald was the only one he ever thought worthy of anything special.”

Julian nodded solemnly. “Go on.”

“So I asked Donald. I told him how much I wanted to be of use one day, to help the country in any way I could.”

“And Donald said yes?” Julian breathed.

“He never said no to me,” Daphne replied with a sad smile. “He taught me himself and sometimes sneaked me into his lessons with the tutor, Mr. Baskov, when he could. Mr. Baskov said it was easier for me to learn than Donald because I was so much younger than he. He said I was a stellar student.”

Julian stood and turned toward the window. He braced a shoulder against it and looked out. “Why didn’t you ever tell me, Daphne?”

“I didn’t know if you’d share Papa’s feelings. Or if you’d tell him.”

“Of course I wouldn’t have.”

“By the time I knew for sure, you’d gone off to war, and—”

“And?” Julian prompted.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again,” Daphne finished.

Julian turned to her, his face solemn. “I’m proud of you, Daphne. You’re clever and quick and a credit to this family.”

Daphne’s eyes filled with tears. “Thank you, Julian.”

On the settee, Cass was dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief. “I just love this. Daphne’s secretly known Russian all this time. It’s absolutely famous. Go on, dear, tell us how you convinced Captain Cavendish.”

Daphne nodded. “Rafe, that is, Captain Cavendish, had wanted Donald to accompany him down to the docks. To pretend that he was one of the crew members on his ship. He was pretending to be a smuggler, captain of a ship called the True Love .”

“And?” Cass had abandoned her teacup and had moved to the edge of her seat.

“And I informed Captain Cavendish that I spoke Russian.”

“But Donald did, too.” Julian’s brow furrowed.

“That’s what Captain Cavendish said. But I pointed out that if I went, I could pretend to be his cabin boy. God knows I’m small enough. And I would have more reason to be around when the Russians came to the ship. It wouldn’t seem odd for me to be in the captain’s cabin, for instance. Or to accompany him about the docks.”

“Wait,” Cass interjected. “I don’t understand. Why are Russians involved with the French?”

“These particular Russians are mercenaries,” Daphne replied. “They sold their loyalty to the French for money.”

Cass nodded while Julian’s face turned white. “And Donald allowed you to pose as Cavendish’s cabin boy?”

“Yes. Donald agreed that I was the better one to go. He knew I wouldn’t be in any danger with Captain Cavendish. He knew it was just the sort of thing I’d been waiting for my whole life, to help the war cause. Donald was correct. I couldn’t have been more ready or more willing,” Daphne finished with a firm nod.

“So Cavendish agreed?” Julian said.

Daphne nodded slowly. “Eventually. Though Donald also insisted upon one condition.”

Julian rubbed his hand across his forehead. “Do I want to know what that condition was?”

“You must know,” Daphne replied.

Julian winced. “Fine.”

“Donald insisted that we marry before we embarked on the mission. He did not want my reputation in danger in the event that we were caught.”

“And that’s how you came to be married?” Cass asked, biting the tip of one fingernail.

“Yes,” Daphne replied. “Captain Cavendish had a friend in the War Office get a special license and—”

“It was Donald’ s idea?” Incredulity filled Julian’s words.

Daphne bit her lip again and winced.

“Yes. He refused to let me go without that condition being met. I begged him to allow me to do this for my country. He agreed as long as Rafe and I promised to get an annulment when we returned. He even spoke to the Prince Regent about it. The prince agreed to grant a special dispensation and…”

“And?” Julian asked.

Daphne glanced away, her face heating. “And Donald made Rafe promise not to—”

“Not to?” Julian prodded.

Daphne stared down at her slippers. She couldn’t face her brother while these words came out of her mouth. “Donald made Rafe promise not to… consummate the marriage.”

Julian gritted his teeth again. “Astute of him. And did Cavendish—” Julian tugged at his cravat and cleared his throat. “Keep his promise?”

Daphne could only nod. Yes, the blasted man had kept his promise, but not from any lack of trying to seduce him on her part.

“Good, or I’d be on my way to find him in the drawing room and beat him to a pulp right now,” Julian replied.

“So bloodthirsty,” Cass murmured from behind the teacup that she’d picked up again. She tsked at her husband.

Julian pressed a finger to his brow as if he had a headache and focused his attention back on Daphne. “I don’t see the problem then. If you’ve both kept your end of the bargain, an annulment shouldn’t be difficult. There are very few legal grounds for one, but if the Prince Regent is involved—”

“It shouldn’t be difficult,” Daphne replied, wringing her hands again.

“Is that why you’ve come for my help? I’ll ask some discreet friends in Parliament about it. Remind the prince. We can get it done quickly, quietly without anyone knowing.”

“It should be that simple,” Daphne said, “except…”

Julian’s forehead wrinkled into a frown. “Except what?”

Daphne sighed. “Except Captain Cavendish just told me that he refuses to grant me the annulment.”