in my life. Kate could have been killed.” He stopped and turned around toward Kate’s door. “Are we quite sure she wasn’t injured?”
“Not a scratch on her.” Aside from the healing cut on her shoulder. And he was certainly in a position to know. “As far as I could see.”
Whit stared at Kate’s door a moment longer before turning around again to resume their walk. “I’ve informed Miss Willory that she’ll go to the country, and stay there, or I’ll ruin her name and see her family in debtor’s prison.”
“I’ve always known you were a man of sense. You’ll speak with her family in London, I presume?”
“As soon as the mission is over.”
“I’ll come as well.”
Whit threw a glance over his shoulder as they reached his room. “Not your responsibility, Hunter.”
“I’ll come.”
Whit shrugged and opened his door. “Suit yourself. Drink?”
Hunter nodded, waited while Whit poured two glasses, and then took a seat in a chair by the fireplace. “I’ll own myself surprised you’ve not taken a swing at me as yet.”
“A swing?” Whit frowned at him and leaned against the mantel. “What the devil for?”
“It was my mission to keep Kate safe.”
“Saved her from a runaway horse, didn’t you?”
“Should’ve kept her off it to begin with.”
“True enough,” Whit agreed without heat. “But so should have I.” He shook his head. “Neither of us could have possibly known Miss Willory was capable of something like this. I’ve known the girl my whole life. Disliked her for ninety percent of it as well, but I’d never have guessed she was dangerous. Aside from that, your mission is to keep Kate safe from smugglers, not demented young ladies looking to thin out the competition in the marriage mart.”
Because it was in his best interest to be in the good graces of Kate’s brother, and because he didn’t want to dwell on how close Miss Willory had come to being successful in thinning out the competition, Hunter decided to change the subject. “Since you’ve brought up the topic of smugglers, I’ll ask if you learned anything from Lord Martin today.”
Whit shook his head. “Hadn’t time.”
“Well, as it happens, I did. The shipment arrives tonight.”
“Tonight?” Whit straightened from the wall. “You’re certain?”
“I am.”
“And you came by this information how, exactly?”
“Coincidence,” he lied. “I heard him make a comment to another guest.”
“Who?”
“I wasn’t in position to see. I walked along the outside of the house after we spoke this morning, and I overheard the comment through the parlor window, by the time I arrived in the actual room, Lord Martin had just maneuvered his way into a game of chess with your sister.” It amazed him, sometimes, how proficient he’d become at deceit over the years.
“I assume you put an end to that.”
“Immediately.”
Whit nodded once in approval before taking a sip of his drink. “Well, the information is useful, but we can’t act on it without a location.”
“Smuggler’s Beach would be my guess,” Hunter remarked, a little surprised it hadn’t been Whit’s guess as well.
“Bit obvious, don’t you think?”
“Not for the likes of Lord Martin.”
Whit swirled the brandy in his glass. “The more I speak with him, the more I’m convinced he’s not in charge of this operation.”
“I agree. But with nothing else to go on, Smuggler’s Beach remains our best hope.”
“We’ll not find anything.”
“Are you suggesting we not try?”
“I’m suggesting we think it through,” Whit corrected, just a little testily in Hunter’s opinion. “It might be wiser to trail Martin rather than wait on the beach.”
“Lord Martin isn’t going anywhere. He’s not the sort to help unload crates.”
“He might fancy himself useful in a supervisory role and be present for that. He’s vain enough for it.”
“True. He might also be expecting a shipment at the house.” In fact, given his offer to Kate to deliver an entire barrel of brandy, it was highly likely.
Whit nodded. “Right. I’ll stay here and keep watch for—”
“You expect me to go to the beach on my own?” Hunter asked, raising his brows. He could request Mr. Laury’s assistance, of course, but Whit wasn’t aware of that.
“You’ll not be capturing a whole boat of smugglers,” Whit said defensively. “Just following the goods.”
“Better if there’s two of us.” And better if the second agent was one Hunter knew from experience would keep his head in the unlikely event things went badly at the beach. He leaned back against the chair and stretched his legs out before him. “If we’re discovered, you can fend off our attackers while I run for reinforcements.”