Page 84 of Once Upon a Reckless Rogue

“I know, but it is obviously important. I would not go unless I thought so.”

“Is it safe for us to stay here?” his mother asked.

“I am sure it is otherwise Ashton would have said so.” He turned to Elena, who had said nothing.

Tilting her chin upwards, she said in French, “If I am invited then I must go, though how I can be of any help confuses me.”

“I am baffled by it too. I am sorry to drag you away again when we have only just got here.”

“Do you know who the three Frenchmen are?” his sister asked her eyes wide with curiosity.

Thomas shook his head. “No. I assume they were part of the same spy network as Dushard.”

“Dushard?” June asked.

“Yes, he was the one who tortured me and later attacked Elena.” He had not told them every detail of their journey from the fort to Cadiz. His mother looked on the verge of fainting again; her face had gone so pale.

“I knew they took your finger, but you did not say what else they did to you.”

“I wanted to spare you the gruesome details, Mother. My wounds have healed in no small part due to Elena’s diligence and knowledge.”

“Oh, my dear, we have not thanked you for keeping our Thomas alive.”

Elena looked at him with such admiration. “I did what I knew to be right at the time. However, it is your son’s fighting spirit that ensured his survival. I merely aided him.”

“I did not make it easy for her but she would not give up on me, so I had to do my best to get well too.”

They had tea, and Elena told them about Vauxhall Gardens and how enchanted she had been while there.

“While we are in London we need to procure a replacement housekeeper, a land steward, and a maid for Elena.”

“I do not need a maid,” she said, putting down her teacup.

“We all need a maid,” June said. “Perhaps we can share one between us. It is only to do our hair and help with dressing.”

“A fair compromise,” Thomas replied. “You will need one in London. Pack your good dresses. We do not know where we may be invited.”

“I thought you had important things to discuss. Why would we be going anywhere?”

The three of them laughed and his mother said, “Elena, my dear, business is always mixed with pleasure in London.”

Later, as Elena and Thomas ascended the stairs on their way to bed, she tapped her lip in thought. “Wasn’t Lord Ashton supposed to be going on his honeymoon?”

“This must have waylaid his plans as well. It must be important for him to send a messenger all this way and disappoint his bride.”

“I have to admit I am not looking forward to the carriage ride, and this time we do not have the duke’s armed driver.”

“I will make sure that Johnson, our new driver, has a firearm, just in case. I do not expect to have any trouble on the way to London. I think the ducal insignia on the carriage made us ripe for the picking. This time the carriage is unmarked and, unfortunately, not as well sprung as the duke’s.” He ushered her into their room and shut the door. “I am hoping to find a contractor to build the orangery while we are there. I’d like it to be built before winter comes.”

“Oh, that would be perfect,” she said, slipping into his arms. “It will be expensive, all that glass.”

“It will be an investment, plus it will mean we can have a good supply of all the things you will need to keep us healthy.” He kissed her gently and then shrugged out of his jacket. “Oh, and I will need to employ a valet as well, unless you want me to regrow my beard?”

“I liked your beard, but I don’t think your mother or sister will.”

“Pity. Maybe one day I will grow it and see what they say.”

“I think,” she said, pulling his cravat loose, “that if you want to grow a beard, then you should. It’s your face after all.” She undid the buttons of his waistcoat.