A Duchess a Day (Awakened by a Kiss #1) - Charis Michaels Page 0,36
not. The words popped into his head.
I want only to serve you.
“Certainly you’ve put me through my paces these last few days.” He cocked an eyebrow.
“Oh yes,” she mused. “That. I was playacting, of course. Trying to calm everyone’s nerves after the theatrics at Lady Canning’s. I’ve found it’s useful to be very, very good after I’ve caused a . . . a moment of high drama. To this lot, being ‘good’ means treating staff with undue wretchedness, sleeping ’til noon, and talking about the next item I hope to buy. So tedious.” She glanced at him. “But surely you did not believe—”
“I can take an order, my lady. Remember I was in the army.”
“But surely the tasks I set before you are not so demanding as the army’s?” she said, laughing a little.
“You are nothing like the army,” he said, glancing up and down her body with a heated look. “If you were, I would have never left. You may order me to do just about anything you like.”
“Oh,” she said, her eyes wide. Color shot to her cheeks.
“But don’t cut me out of the plan making. The service is for your wishes alone. The plans are a collaboration.”
Helena stared at him a moment longer, her green eyes barely blinking. If nothing else, he had her full attention. His pulse began to pound.
“You . . . you were correct to seize control of the plan,” she said finally, looking away. She sounded breathless. “I’ll manage the recruitment, you the logistics.”
She turned from the map and looked across the room. The armory walls were hung with a fortress of rifles, swords, and rapiers.
“Perhaps we should arm ourselves with some sort of weapon?” she said, her voice a little wavery. She was rambling. She cleared her throat. “These pieces are two hundred years old, but good enough for show, which is all we’d need. Why a London mansion requires an armory, I’ve no idea. If some valued item exists, Girdleston must have it. No one ever comes here. That’s why I chose this room to meet you.”
He turned, too, leaning his elbows on the case beside her. “Enterprising choice.”
She rambled on. “I hadn’t thought of our need for showy weapons, but—”
“We won’t need weapons,” he said. “Everything that we do should look and feel very close to the task at hand. We play along. Tomorrow you’ll be in New Bond Street to buy dresses—”
“Actually, tomorrow I’m meant to be fitted for my trousseau,” she said, turning to him.
“Right.” He swallowed. “Fine. Do whatever your mother expects on the errand. Stay as close to the truth as possible. We must be watchful and nimble, able to take advantage of unaccounted time or distractions.”
Helena nodded and turned back to her paperwork, fingering the edges of the map. Her expression was uncertain. “What you mean is, be subtle. I’m a failure at subtlety, I’m afraid.”
“You finessed these names from the women at the party,” he said. “I don’t doubt you for a second. I would not have risked my job if I did not believe you could manage your part.” And my freedom, he added in his head. And my future.
He tried not to examine why, exactly, he’d done it. He didn’t want to know.
He went on, “The wild cards are these girls. We’ve no way of knowing if they’ll be remotely appropriate, or willing, or discreet.”
She looked around the room again. “Another reason to arm ourselves. Perhaps just a small dagger? If they are uncooperative. To sort of . . . brandish?” She gave a tired smile.
“Remember,” he said, “we are not mounting an offensive against Girdleston; we are undermining his offensive. We are sabotaging. Sabotage means hiding in plain sight. It’s targeted disruption, although in secret. And trust no one else, unless they can be bribed. Money is the only thing you can trust.”
“Oh, actually, I thought of that. Even before I was a saboteur, I relied heavily on bribes. We’ll use this for bribes as needed.” She plunked a weighty velvet purse on the case.
“But, Shaw?” she asked.
It occurred to him that he loved to hear his name on her lips.
She continued, “You’ve said to trust no one, but I want you to know that we may trust each other. I trusted you from the first moment, I don’t know why.”
He turned his head, gazing at her. She was so certain of herself. So hopeful. And so lovely. It almost hurt to look at her.