and held me in the circle of his arms. “How did you get all the way down here?”
“I’m on an errand.” I held up my parcel. “I had to buy some ribbon and, apparently, the only suitable shop is near here.”
Colin whistled in appreciation. “That’s good thinking, Verity.”
“I would love to take credit for being so clever, but it was pure happenstance. The oldest girl was in desperate need of ribbon, and Lord Henry wouldn’t let her come to this part of town.”
“But he allowed you?” Alec’s color rose, as though he was offended on my behalf.
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, and it’s a good thing, too, so calm down.”
“You said you had news?”
“Yes. They’re bringing over the Third Division from England, and they’ll be here this weekend. And then there’s a special brigade from India that specializes in putting down insurrections. They’re going to billet them in the student housing at the university!” My voice rose in pitch and volume as I reached the end of my message.
Alec and Colin exchanged glances, then Alec turned to Mick and said, “Mick, go bring Verity some water.” Once the boy was gone, he said to me, “How do you know this?”
“I heard it at the governor’s house.”
“How?” Alec asked.
“It came up when we were talking about a ball the governor is planning for the officers when they arrive.”
“There’s not much action we could take, though it is good for us to know,” Alec said.
“I thought you could get your people on the staff of those buildings, perhaps set up ways to listen to or observe the soldiers,” I suggested.
Colin laughed. “I believe we’ve created a monster. Next thing you know, she’ll be leading the revolution, standing on top of the barricade with a banner, shouting defiance at the British.”
“No, that would draw too much attention,” I said, shaking my head with a smile. “Remember, my expertise is espionage.”
“When is this ball you mentioned?” Alec asked.
“The Wednesday after next. I don’t know the exact time, as the official invitations haven’t been issued. I also don’t know who will be invited, if it will be only the highest-ranking officers or only the newly arrived officers.”
Mick arrived with the water, then leaned against the table, looking like he was trying to make himself inconspicuous so Colin and Alec wouldn’t notice he was there and send him away again. I took a grateful sip. I hadn’t realized how parched I’d become while walking around. “What I was worried about,” I continued, “was having that many troops billeted so close to your headquarters. They’ll have you surrounded. They might decide to search the theater again, and you’d have less warning to hide the evidence.”
Colin and Alec exchanged a meaningful look, and while they seemed to be weighing their response, Mick laughed. “You don’t have to worry about that!” he said. “The magpies would never think to look here.”
The glare Alec shot him should have killed him on the spot. A little doubt in the back of my mind grew, taking form as I realized what was wrong with what Mick said. “But didn’t they suspect your headquarters were here when the police searched the theater the night of the party?”
Alec turned a purplish shade that didn’t look healthy. Even his scalp was red beneath his fair hair. Colin went so pale that his freckles stood out like copper coins on his face. Neither of them spoke. “There was no raid, was there?” I said, breaking Alec’s hold on me and backing away. The realization made me ill. “The police weren’t searching the neighborhood. All that gathering evidence and escaping was merely a bit of theater to make the new recruits—what did you call us, sparks?—feel like we shared your danger, to convince us of how horribly persecuted your movement was so we’d sympathize and be useful to you.”
Alec regained his composure enough to ask, “Do you disagree with the cause, Verity?”
“No, I don’t, because it’s a good and just one. There was no need to trick me.” That fateful day in the park flashed before my mind’s eye, and I saw the roadster rush past after Alec swept me off my feet. The driver’s hat had been pulled low, but I remembered red hair. “That was you that day in the park, wasn’t it?” I asked Colin. “That reckless ‘magister’ who nearly ran me down so that you”—I whirled on Alec, my finger pointed in accusation—“could rush to my rescue. What did you do, steal