A Wedding In Springtime(36)

“The thief may be dangerous. You should not go alone,” said Thornton.

Marchford drew a small revolver from his waistcoat. “I will not be alone.”

“Remind me to talk to you about the accouterments you bring to a ball,” said Grant, and he turned to run along the side of the house toward the front, Thornton following him. The passage between the two houses was dark, and the men slowed their step around blind corners and entryways, cautious for any surprise attack. They moved silently, listening for any sound.

At the front gate, they heard a scraping noise. Grant carefully lifted the latch. Taking a slow breath to calm his racing heart, he steeled himself for battle. He burst through the gate, but an alley cat merely screeched and disappeared into the night. Grant and Thornton searched around to the front of the house but found no sign of the thief.

Marchford joined them a few minutes later. He too had not found anyone, so they returned to the study, where the admiral stood before his desk. The top drawer had been wrenched open.

“Did you catch the thief?” asked Neville, joining them a few minutes later, breathless and panting.

“No,” replied Marchford. “You?”

“I thought I might have seen him once, but I could not catch him.” Mr. Neville gasped for breath.

“Sit, man, sit,” demanded the admiral.

“Did he get the papers?” asked Mr. Neville, collapsing into a chair.

“I am afraid he did,” replied the admiral.

“Demmit, man!” yelled Mr. Neville. “This is why sensitive information should not be kept in a private residence. This information should be handed over to the Foreign Office for protection.”

“Not that the Foreign Office provides any more protection,” snapped the admiral.

Grant shut the door against unwanted eavesdroppers and gossips, of which London society were the worst offenders. “What do you mean, Uncle?”

“Sprung a leak, my boy. The Foreign Office has been losing information faster than a leaky rowboat takes water.”

“That is a slanderous untruth!” sputtered Neville.

“How else would you explain it?” asked the admiral. “Documents missing, plans known by our enemy before they are even executed, and our spies—many have been discovered or have disappeared.”

“Is this true?” asked Marchford.

“The enemy does seem to have good information,” conceded Neville. “But all the more reason why we must be extremely cautious. What information did those papers contain?”

“It was correspondence from spies on the coast containing plans for the naval defense of Cadiz and other places.”

“Which spies? Give me the names!” demanded Neville. “They must be warned. Their very lives are in danger.”

“I think we have some time,” said the admiral, walking to a wall of books. He climbed up a small ladder and pulled a tome from one of the top shelves. Opening the book, he pulled out a large envelope with an elaborate red seal.

“What is that?” asked Grant.

“Why are these men here?” asked Neville, pointing at Grant and Thornton. “They are not government agents. They have no business here.”

“They are my friends,” said Marchford in a quiet tone that crackled with authority.

Neville glowered under bushy eyebrows but said no more.

“The letters were written in code,” said the admiral. “The code is contained in this envelope. I had one made myself, did not trust the Foreign Office. Without this, those letters are useless.”

“Our people should still be warned,” said Neville, taking out a small notebook.

“And so they shall, but not by you,” said the admiral. “These are my men. I will see to their safety.”

Neville’s eyebrows once again slammed down over his eyes. “But what about the code? It cannot stay here; surely you must see that.”

“Yes,” conceded the admiral. “I suppose you are right.”

Mr. Neville stood and stretched out his hand for the envelope.

“Marchford,” said the admiral. “There is no man I trust more. Will you keep this safe?”

“Yes, Admiral,” said Marchford, taking the envelope, even as Neville sputtered.

“This is exactly the sort of thing that must not happen. Private residences are not a safe place for information of vital importance to the Crown.”