Page 60 of The Bachelor Spy
He nodded once.
“Indeed,” he said quietly. “We do.”
Chapter 9
Grace hadn’t heard everything Pennington had said. And what shehadheard came in pieces, but it was clear from the amount of time Blake stood outside the room that the two men were saying something important.
She led Blake out toward the garden, sunset hues bringing on the cooler breeze of evening. Taking him into the morning room meant they’d likely sit, and she needed to be in motion.
Her agitation called for nothing less.
And perhaps if she wasn’t sitting across from him in some quiet space, she could confront him sensibly. Looking at someone peripherally seemed to help a little with confrontations at first. Then, once she found her courage, she could go full-on face-to-face.
She turned away from the main garden used by the patients and into a smaller, walled private garden just off the family rooms of the east wing of the house. As they stepped into the space, her carefully crafted opening line fled her mind entirely.
“I needed the air,” she said and grimaced.
Her train of thought was likely derailed even more by the way Blake watched her. More intensely than before. Warily, even.
If he was a good spy—and she wagered he likely was—then he may very well know that she suspected something already. In fact, his mind-reading abilities may supersede even Frederick’s, depending on his level of experience in espionage.
That almost brought out a smile.
The wordespionagetruly was an exhilarating word.
“I would think you may prefer resting.” He offered his arm as they walked deeper into the garden. “I’ve seen how much you’ve been assisting with the patients today.”
She smiled, continuing their walk farther from the house, her gaze traveling over the garden to ensure they were alone. “You must know how horrible I am at resting when there are so many things to do.”
His grin crooked, the familiar charm rising to the front. “A trait I recognized quite early in our acquaintance, my lady. Your activity matches that of your mind.”
“For good or ill, I’m afraid.” She sighed, her nervousness softening beneath his camaraderie, so she decided to get on with it. “And speaking of activity, I have several things to tell you that Brandon and I have discovered, but I want to know what you heard from Pennington first.” She glanced at him. “I only caught small bits of the conversation at the end.”
“Hmm …” He narrowed his eyes. “Why won’t you be forthright and tell me first?”
She looked away, increasing her pace the slightest. “Because if I tell you first, you’re less inclined to tell me what you know, probably to protect me or temper my imagination.” She stopped and turned fully toward him. “But, Blake, as I’ve told Frederick, my imagination is much wilder when I know fewer things. The more I know, the better I am at keeping my head.”
His smile spread wide, and he nodded, tucking her arm back in his. “Why does that sound confusing but make perfect sense?” He resumed their walk, keeping a slow pace. “But, Grace, do keep in mind, this isn’t a game. Not some novel. It’s a very serious business.”
Serious? She rolled her eyes—which she rarely did because it felt so rude—and pinned him with a look. “Mr. Blake, lest you forget, I have been on quite a few serious mysteries in my young marriage, most of which were life-threatening, and the last, in which you were involved, had me swinging from the window of a burning castle.”
“I beg your pardon, my lady.” His lips tipped again. “You are right. I’m afraid it is quite easy to forget your experience when paired with your youth and overall cheerful disposition, so I will attempt to readjust my expectations accordingly.”
She tugged him into a brisker walk but smiled over at him. “You say that like you want to tease, but I do believe you mean it.”
“Almost sincerely,” he shot back, and a little more of her nervousness abated.
Blakedidcare for her. And Frederick.
If he was a spy, he had to be a good-hearted one.
Certainly.
“Would you happen to know of any former servant by the name of Crawford?”
Grace’s brow creased at the unexpected question. “No, but I am still fairly new to the workings of Havensbrooke. If Crawford came on over two years ago, I wouldn’t know him.”
And then, after a moment’s hesitation, he shared what he’d heard between Pennington and Edwards a few days before with the addition of their recent conversation.
