Page 33 of Gone With the Rogue
“Do you know of anyone who can?”
“Never had a reason to even think about it. ButI would assume that people who can do this kind of work wouldn’t go around talking about it.”
Garrett pondered that. “You’re right. And they would probably serve in the military where their expertise would be needed.”
“I can ask around if you would like?”
“No,” Garrett said. The last thing he needed was word somehow getting back to the duke someone wanted to decipher a ledger. He couldn’t take that chance.
“I can work on it and see what I can do.”
“That’s all I’m asking. Everything else you are currently working on can wait. I need to know what is written in here. I need you to keep this safe and private.”
“I’ll make sure it’s in the iron chest when I’m not working on it.”
Garrett nodded.
“And while you are here, I do need to mention something you might consider important.” He opened a drawer on his desk and removed a letter. “I had a note from the Prince’s emissary, Mr. Brownley saying he heard you’re in London. He wants me to set up an appointment for you to see him.”
Lady Kitson came immediately to Garrett’s mind. She’d left him no doubt she didn’t approve of the King’s son and his mindless penchant for indulging his every whim. Garrett had to admit he’d never given much thought to the Prince’s lavish spending on his homes until she’d mentioned it. Most everyone in Society indulged in whatever luxury they desired and could afford. The Prince wasn’t the only one who had extravagant and unnecessary purchases. What someone else did wasn’t Garrett’s business unless they were doing what the duke was doing—shielding hiscompanies so he had no responsibilities when accidents happened.
Nonetheless, Garrett had to see what the Regent wanted him to do this time. He’d taken a chance on Garrett and given him much-needed exposure and credibility in the shipping industry when he was young, impetuous, and trying to find a way to build his empire. Being able to say he’d sailed for the Prince gave him leverage other small companies didn’t have. Garrett had used that connection to secure business from around the world, and it had paid off in spades. He had no idea what Mr. Brownley wanted now. Probably to ferry more unearthed priceless treasures from Egypt, Turkey, or other countries for far less than their true value to history.
Garrett had never pried into the Prince’s dealings and he wasn’t going to start. The only problem was that right now Garrett had no desire to set sail and oversee the project. He wanted to be exactly where he was and helping Julia. Doing that would also help him discover the true owner of Poppinbrook.
“Set up an appointment for me to see him here.”
“I’ll send over Mr. Brownley’s answer to you as soon as I receive it. And you may want to know theEnchanted Sirenhas arrived from Singapore.”
“Remind me what the ship is carrying, Mr. Urswick.”
“The bulk of the cargo is rice and tea. There was also mention of an unknown quantity of fabrics, threads, beads, buttons, and feathers. The origins of the feathers weren’t specified.”
Good, Garrett thought. “I have one other thing I want you to do.”
Chapter 11
Julia waited restlessly in the garden of the house that stood in front of The Seafarer’s School for Girls. She would often visit the school when she was in London. She’d explained to the housekeeper that she’d be receiving a visitor in the garden, and knew she could count on the woman to be discreet and not mention it to anyone. The minutes passed and Julia looked at every flower and shrub from the back gate to the front lawn and back again. No exact time had been set for Garrett to come, but she’d been eager not to miss him, so she’d already waited more than an hour.
Garrett.She smiled just thinking about him.
She didn’t know exactly why she’d started calling him by his first name. Perhaps because that’s how she thought of him now. Surely, especially afterlast night, Mr. Stockton was far too formal between them. Except, of course, when they were around other people. She liked the idea of him calling her Julia. Lady Kitson was the title she’d received by marrying the duke’s youngest son. She would never forget Kitson because of their son, but it was time she moved on with her life. Being with Garrett last night made her realize all the more how restricted her life had become and how desperately she wanted to be free to make her own decisions.
There was a moist chill in the air but Julia’s long-sleeved, lightweight wool dress kept her comfortable. The grass in the garden was still damp from a long morning shower. She knew the cooler temperatures would do away with the lush greenery of summer and give way to the more somber colors of autumn. Julia lifted her face up to the slice of sun that had appeared from behind a gray wispy cloud and closed her eyes. Thinking about Garrett was far too easy for her to do.
Her time in his arms had been glorious but far too short. If they could have had more time together, if she could have lingered in his arms, maybe she wouldn’t be so eager to repeat their coming together. Being with Kitson hadn’t prepared her for the all-consuming desire that had seeped into her soul, satisfying her so intimately she ached for the breathtaking feelings to never end. If not for Mr. Stockton, how could she have ever known that such stirring sensations existed inside the body, waiting to be brought so vividly to life? And even now that hunger to be with him and feel them again was relentless.
All day she’d kept thinking,I want to touch his bare skin again and feel his lips on mine. I want to hear him whisper my name in passion again. I want his bodyjoined with mine and that soul-shattering pinnacle of desire to wash through me and leave me breathless and wanting more.
A bird chirped and Julia opened her eyes and looked around the garden. No sign of Garrett yet. She was eager to hear what he had found about decoding the ledger, but there was so much more to what she was feeling inside. Which was highly dangerous. At the time she hadn’t thought about the possibility of getting in the family way. She hadn’t thought of anything past her desire for him. Now she had to consider that and realize nothing could be worse for her at this time than a secret affair with the rogue. No matter that was exactly what she wanted.
Even meeting Garrett so near the school was a great risk. Mrs. Feversham across the street wouldn’t blink an eye at seeing Julia at the house. She was one of the owners and had been there many times. But the nosy neighbor would question seeing a handsome young man, and that would give her reason to talk. Which was why Julia had to be very careful.
Julia walked over to the trellised archway that served as an entry to the school grounds and led straight to the main door of the building that housed The Seafarer’s School for Girls. It was situated at the rear of the property. At one time, the plain white three-story building was a residence for the servants of the main house. Julia, Brina, and Adeline had purchased the property almost a year after their husbands had been killed in the sinking of theSalty Dove.
It was daunting for the three widows to even attempt to start such an establishment and then to place it in the middle of a valuable street of houses, but all agreed it was the ideal place. Their solicitor had managedeverything for them and had been invaluable in all aspects of starting the school—since Society deemed ladies should never concern themselves with anything that might have to do with conducting any type of business or having a responsibility that involved money. No matter how capable the lady might be.
At the time, the three friends had agreed Adeline would live in the main house, since Julia was more or less forced to live permanently with the duke because of her son, and Brina, having been married only three months when her husband died, had returned to her parents’ home to live. What the young widows couldn’t have known when they acquired the property was Adeline falling in love with the earl next door and marrying him. That had left the beautiful main house unoccupied except for the housekeeper and her occasional helpers.
