Page 49 of A Courtship of Conspiracies
“Now it is my turn to ask. What are you doing?”
She continued writing while she searched for an answer. So much depended on his reaction.
“This ledger contains a substitution cipher.” She wrote as fast as she could, copying down both the original entries and the decoded names, though several appeared likely to be assumed.
“A substitution cipher.” James’s voice was tighter than usual. She paused long enough to take him in. His lips pressed into a tight line. He dragged one hand through his already disheveled hair, then locked his fingers behind his neck, utterly unsettled. Usually so composed and measured in everything he did, he now seemed unsure of himself.
But she had no more time to worry about his reaction now. She returned to the ledger, the scratching quill echoing in the small room. After a few lines, she abandoned the attempt to decipher each entry and wrote down the coded names to solve later.
The air shifted as he drew behind her, close enough that his breath brushed her ear. “It seems I am not the only one who has secrets to share.” His tone was light, but something beneath it was not. The relief of finally sharing part of her secret with someone was quickly swallowed up by fear of his reaction.Behind her, papers on the bookshelves shifted as he continued his search.
She would give anything to know what he was thinking, but she could not stop. The faint light of dawn crept through the crack beneath the door. They had been in here much longer than she realized.
She was skimming the ledger, memorizing the pages and layout as she went, when a loose sheet fell out. It was a letter, written in a different code from the ledger entries. She folded it, the two fractured halves of the wax seal coming together.
An oak leaf with a serpent entwined.
Her blood ran cold.
James’s shadow fell across the desk. “What is it? Another discovery besides the sinister ledger you are mysteriously able to decode?”
“Yes, I—” She stopped abruptly at a loud bang from the warehouse floor. That was not a rat.
They froze, listening. James crept to the door, opening it just wide enough to see into the warehouse.
While he watched the warehouse floor, she returned the ledger to its hidden compartment, the lock clicking into place. She scrambled to grab the papers she had filled, along with the letter. With luck, whoever occupied this office would not notice the letter’s absence. She could not leave it behind. Not when it might prove the clue that made sense of everything.
James carefully shut the door. “There are two men on the warehouse floor. One is the guard from before, the other is either another guard or a worker.” He blew out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry, Kate. I should have been more observant. There is no way to leave without them seeing us.”
“Maybe they don’t know we are here, and we can just wait until they leave.”
“They were examining the unlocked door. They suspect someone was here. There is only one thing we can do.”
Her chest tightened with fear. “What is that?”
“We need to separate.”
“No!” she said, much too loudly. She clamped a hand over her mouth before lowering it again. “No,” she whispered, “what if something happens?”
“I do not relish the thought of being separated from you either, but it is the only way. I will exit first and draw them away. While they are busy chasing me, you sneak out. We will meet back at the shop where we hid from the watchman.”
Every instinct in her rebelled against the plan. The thought of him facing danger without her made her feel ill. But if they stayed together, they would be trapped, and the papers would be lost with them. She secured the bundle in her cloak and prepared to move.
James rounded the desk, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I would not dare leave you alone if there were any other way. You asked for a partner. This is my attempt to be one.” His touch traveled down her arms before releasing her.
She let out a breath, her frame shaking. “Very well then. What did you say before?” She lifted her chin. “It’s time to be bold.”
He paused, gripping the doorknob. “You never cease to amaze me, Kate.”
Loud footsteps sounded on the stairs. He turned to go, but she stopped him, catching his arm. “Be careful. Please.”
He hesitated, his rigid control giving way to worry. His eyes traced her features with one last desperate look. Then he opened the door and slipped into the corridor beyond.
Chapter 17
James
James dodged around another barrel, almost knocking it over. Shouts echoed behind him. He raced along the water’s edge, scanning the dockyard for cover. If he could reach the crowd, he could lose himself in it. His clothes were plain, and he doubted the guards had caught a clear glimpse of his face.
