the dirty traitor,” Worth replied, settling back in his chair.
It seemed like an age ago. In the time since, Beau had come back to England, seen to it that both Winfield and Albina were charged with their crimes, and met extensively with General Grimaldi to debrief the mission, including where they’d failed and how they’d finally succeeded. They never would have broken the case if it hadn’t been for Marianne, and Beau made certain the general knew it.
In all of their talks, however, Beau had refrained from asking Grimaldi where Marianne was. He desperately wanted to know, but he didn’t feel it was his right. And Grimaldi, that bastard, hadn’t bothered to tell him.
“That was it,” Beau continued. “The morning after the raid on the French camp, Marianne and I sailed back to England with Winfield and Albina as prisoners.”
Everyone already knew that Winfield was the culprit, of course. The London papers had spread the word far and wide the moment they’d got wind of the scandalous news.
“I must admit, I never suspected Winfield, of all people,” Worth said shaking his head.
“Neither did I,” Kendall agreed. “I knew he was a bastard, but I had no idea how big of one. The fact that he’d intended to sneak off with his mistress thinking the French would reward him is nearly beyond belief. Greedy blackguard.”
Beau nodded. “How is Frances taking it, Kendall?”
Kendall leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers in front of his chest. “Better than expected. She wasn’t particularly surprised. She’s known for some time now that her father isn’t who she thought he was.”
“How is Lady Winfield handling the news?” Worth asked Kendall, an eyebrow arched.
“That is a different story altogether,” Kendall replied with a sigh. “Lady Winfield isn’t taking the news well, I’m afraid. According to Frances, she’s taken to her bed, inconsolable.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. I’ve done all I can to keep the story of the baron leaving with Albina out of the mouths of gossips, but I’m afraid his being a traitor will be his legacy,” Beau replied.
Kendall nodded. “Frances was worried about me, actually. She wanted to know if I still wished to marry her after her family’s shame.”
“Of course you wouldn’t reject her,” Worth replied. “You’re far too loyal.”
“A fact of which I assured her immediately,” Kendall replied with a smile. “I don’t give a toss about Frances’s family’s reputation. I’d marry her tomorrow by special license if she would agree to it.”
“Yes, Bell, that’s one thing you’ve missed: Frances and Julianna are now planning a big wedding for us together,” Worth said, laughing. “In the spring.”
Beau glanced at the brandy bottle again. He was trying to pretend as if everything was normal. He’d simply finished another mission and was back to his regular life, biding time before his next mission. There was nothing new about it.
But nothing was the same. Not a moment went by when he didn’t think of Marianne.
He’d left her there, with her brother at the crossroads of Coulogne Road and the Andres Highway in France. He’d traveled back to the hotel alone. David had come to the hotel to gather her belongings that night, and Beau hadn’t even asked where they were staying. The next day he made his own arrangements to return to England on the ship that was taking Winfield and Albina back as prisoners. He hadn’t seen Marianne since.
“By God, he is looking at the brandy bottle,” Worth said, surprise in his voice.
“I’m not going to drink it,” Beau ground out.
“Are you considering it?” Kendall asked.
Beau narrowed his eyes on the earl. “No. Why?”
Worth sighed and rolled his eyes. “I do think it’s time, Kendall, don’t you?”
“Time for what?” Beau asked, his gaze darting back and forth suspiciously between his friends.
“Time for us to give you a little speech along the lines of the ones you gave us,” Kendall replied.
“What speech?” Beau replied, still side-eyeing them both.
“The one where we inform you that you’re madly in love with the woman, and need to ask her to marry you,” Kendall continued.
“What woman?” Beau asked, but he already felt as if a vise was being clamped around his heart.
Worth shook his head. “Seriously? ‘What woman?’ Don’t you think we know you’ve fallen in love with Marianne? It’s been obvious from everything you’ve said about her since the moment you walked in here.”
“What?” Beau pushed himself back in his seat. “I was merely telling the story of—”
“Spare us,” Worth replied. “We’ve both recently fallen in love