A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1)(47)

He stuck his hand in a knothole in the trunk of the tree and pulled out a rock about half the size of his fist.

“Whenever you need to get a message to me, put it in this hole and cover it with this rock. I shall check it every morning and every evening. This should be safer than using servants to carry our messages for us or coming to each other’s homes to deliver them.”

Julia nodded. “I always take my morning walk before any of the family is awake.”

“Perfect. Now let us go before anyone sees us.”

She took his arm and they started back through the park’s entrance, which was only a few steps away, and back onto the street.

“If you ever feel yourself to be in danger,” he said, “do send me word or come to me.”

“I shall be careful not to give my uncle cause to be suspicious of me, and in the meantime, I shall listen for any information I can discover.”

“Yes, try to intercept any messages your uncle might receive, and see if you can eavesdrop when Mr. Edgerton comes to visit your uncle. But be careful.”

Again, Mr. Langdon stopped and his intense eyes gazed down at her. The concern in them nearly stopped her heart. Did he truly care what happened to her? Did anyone care about her, orphan girl that she was? Phoebe cared, but . . . if she knew Julia was spying on her father, even Phoebe’s love would grow cold. Julia could lose everything, the only things she had—her uncle’s support, her cousin’s love, and her own good standing in society—if her uncle were to be found guilty of treason.

But how could she not give Mr. Langdon her help? How could she not do all she could for her country? If many of her countrymen’s lives depended on her, she would do whatever she had to do to save them. How could she not?

“You are not having second thoughts?” he asked as they continued walking down the street leading them back to her home as well as Felicity Mayson’s.

“No. I am willing to do what I can.”

There was a crease in his brow.

“What are you thinking?” Julia asked.

“This could be very dangerous for you. But if you find yourself in danger, you will tell me, will you not?”

“Of course.” Julia imagined her uncle’s fury if he should ever discover that she was plotting against him. Her heart skipped a beat.

“The messages you encounter will probably be in code.” Nicholas Langdon spoke quickly. “They will look like words, but the words will not make sense. Whenever possible, copy down the letters exactly and then leave the original where you found it. If you need to leave me a direct message, or I you, the War Office will be known as ‘our mutual friends.’ The traitors will be spoken of as ‘the relatives in Kent.’”

Julia imprinted this information in her mind.

“You understand?”

“Yes.”

They made their way back to Grosvenor Square and passed right by her Uncle Wilhern’s town house. As they began meeting up with other people on the street, Julia deliberately made her expression one of polite calm, even smiling at passersby. Mr. Langdon appeared perfectly calm himself as he stopped in front of Felicity Mayson’s door.

“Good day, Miss Grey.” He tipped his hat to her.

She nodded and knocked at her friend’s home as she did nearly every morning.

Julia and this man shared a secret now, a dangerous secret. But even if the secret were not discovered, neither Julia’s nor Phoebe’s lives would ever be as they had hoped, because her uncle and guardian, and Phoebe’s father, was a traitor to England.





CHAPTER TWENTY


It was Tuesday. Julia sat writing another letter to Sarah. The risk of her aunt’s wrath was too great to try to sneak away to keep her regular visit to the Bartholdys. Sarah, in her last letter, had spoken of her fear as her small amount of money dwindled. Julia wrote to say she hoped and believed she would be able to find a safe place for her soon.

Once, during her first Season in society, Julia had hoped a certain gentleman was on the verge of proposing marriage to her. When she heard he had proposed to a widowed lady nine years his senior because of her fortune, Sarah had held Julia’s hand and cried with her. Phoebe had gone to bed, but Sarah had sat up with her, assuring her she was too lovely and sensible a girl to be passed over for very long. She was sure Julia would find a worthy match and would then be glad that this unworthy gentleman had thrown her over for someone else.

Julia couldn’t let someone as kind as Sarah down. She must try to sneak away tomorrow and make her way to the children’s mission to speak with Mr. Wilson.

A light knock sounded at her door, and Julia looked over her shoulder to see Phoebe clutching a letter.

“Julia, did you know about this? Can it be true?” She stared at Julia with a look of astonishment.

“What? Can what be true?”

“It’s about Sarah.” Phoebe came toward her, holding out the letter.

Her heart in her throat, Julia took the letter from Phoebe and saw that it was addressed to her aunt. “Do you have Aunt Wilhern’s permission to read her letter?”

“She gave it to me.”

Julia’s heart beat faster as she read aloud, “I am sorry to tell you—you probably have already heard it from someone else—but Robert Smitherman’s son has run away with their governess, who is none other than Miss Peck, whom you employed until recently, if I am not mistaken.”