Tempting Taffy (House of Devon #8) - Meara Platt Page 0,15

the kitchen, both of them grateful when the Hartland cook brought over the tea and freshly baked scones.

“I’m not certain yet. What about you?”

“I had a chat with the marquis this morning. It was most enlightening,” she said in a whisper. “I was just going into town to inform you.”

He placed his cold hands around the warm cup. “Glad I could save you the trip. Mick noticed someone in a woody outcropping not far from here. The man had a spyglass and it was trained on this house. He didn’t see Mick. But neither could Mick get a good look at him. Best he could tell me was that he appeared to be a man of average height. Average weight. Couldn’t be sure of the color of his hair, but he thought it might be brown.”

Taffy grew excited. “I have a name for you. Bruce Gordon. He is a cousin of the powerful Earl of Moray and was a beau of the marquis’s wife before they were married.”

She quickly told him everything the marquis had told her. “He asks that we keep this information in confidence. Your runners only need to know who to be on the lookout for. They don’t need to be told the intimate details. I promised we would not discuss this beyond the two of us.”

“I’ll have Mick ask around at the local inns. He’ll know how to do it discreetly. A man like that will take fancy lodgings. Can’t be more than two or three inns that would be fine enough for him. We’ll find out right quick which inn and what name he has signed under. That’s good work, Miss Ralston.”

She smiled. “I’m glad I could be of help.”

Since she had also discussed Rafe while giving her report, she wanted her employer to give her the authority to keep close to the boy, even if it meant that another runner would be assigned responsibility for the marquis.

In truth, she was worried about her attraction to the marquis and how it might affect her duties. Putting them in harm’s way was the last thing she ever wanted to do.

“I think I must keep primary responsibility for the boy,” she said, trying to sound as businesslike as possible. “Assign someone else to guard the father.”

Mr. Barrow regarded her with his keen, eagle stare. “You seem awfully eager to be removed from contact with Lord Falkirk.”

“No, it isn’t that at all. I do not mind him. He is quite pleasant and has not behaved in any untoward manner, if that is what you are thinking. He is a gentleman.” Still, the less she had to do with him, the better. “Perhaps it is a woman’s sentiment. The boy is small and helpless. He needs my protection and he trusts me. The marquis is no soft London dandy. He can take care of himself. He ought to be protected as well, I do not mean to imply he should be left on his own. It’s just that anyone can do it. Whereas with the boy, it must be me.”

“I’ll think about it, Miss Ralston. Now that you have given me a name to work with, I’d rather put my other runners to tracking the man down. I’m leaving you in charge of both the marquis and his son for now. They are together most of the time, are they not?”

She nodded. “But not always.”

“Well, try to keep them together as much as you can. If he must go somewhere within the house, have Watkins follow him. But you are to remain in charge and I will let Watkins know to follow your instructions without question.”

“Very well.” However, she was not pleased with the arrangement for many reasons. First, Watkins was an older and more experienced Bow Street man. He would not take kindly to being told what to do by a woman half his age and with only a few years of experience.

Second, she would be forced to remain in the constant company of the marquis and she truly did not know if her feelings might get in the way of her duties. Third, and most worrisome of all was what would she do if he tried to kiss her?

Not that he would.

Why did she even consider it a possibility? The man was noble in every way. It would never happen.

But in theory, if it did happen…would she insist on maintaining a professional distance?

Or would she kiss him back with all her heart and soul?

CHAPTER FIVE

GAVIN WAS SURPRISED