Lady Merry's Dashing Champion by Jeane Westin Read Free Book Online Page A

him to exhaustion and deep sleep, she had learned all the Dutch needed and put it into cipher.
    Everything Meriel heard at the spy hole caused her to question what Chiffinch had in store for her. He didn't trust her with more information than for her immediate needs, preferring to tell her only what she must do next.
    That night she confronted Agnes. "I must know what I face, or how can I be prepared? Chiffinch trusts no one, probably not even you."
    Agnes looked about their tower room, frightened. "Nay, I can tell you nothing."
    "Who would hear?"
    Meriel watched as Agnes went to the oaken door and ran her fingers over every inch of it. "What are you doing?"
    "I checked this the first day, m'lady, but a hole could have been bored since. Whitehall itself is full of spy holes, especially into a lady's bedchamber." She returned to the table where Meriel sat. "I know little more than you do, m'lady."
    "I know almost nothing."
    "Why should I risk my employment, miady? And what does it matter, since you will be sacrificed, whether you succeed or fail. Chiffinch cares nothing for his people, only the game. Even if you win through, he will not risk that you would reveal your part and thereby reduce his glory. He's after a knighthood."
    Meriel leaned forward and clutched Agnes's hand. "Confide in me, because we are together in this venture. Don't you see that if I do not survive, you will not be allowed to live to tell of failure, either? If I do win, I will see you bettered ... Somehow, I swear it."
    Agnes looked alarmed at that, but the truth of Meriel's words at last softened her face. "What do you want to know?"
    "What lies before me? Chiffinch will not tell me the whole of it."
    "I think because he does not know himself more than a few steps ahead. Lady Felice was caught with plans for the defense of the Thames, or rather how unprepared we are. Chiffinch had been on the watch for someone who was close to the Duke of York to appear at the shop of a known Hollander spy. Her ladyship's noble arrogance and greed caused her to fall into his trap. But Chiffinch cannot risk the Dutch knowing her ladyship has been exposed. I overheard him say he means to use you as a lure to bring out more at Whitehall in the pay of the enemy. That is all I know. Mayhap you will learn more as Chiffinch questions the countess."
    "But why chance sending me to the palace where Lord Giles could expose me?
    Agnes sighed. "Because no one would believe that Lady Felice would stay from court in the country for longer than a week. Not even for her health, as has been put about. Mayhap 'tis one of Chiffinch's tests. If Lord Giles does not discover your identity, then the Dutch might not. The Dutch fleet commander has seen Felice but once while with her husband on a diplomatic mission several years ago. That is probably when they recruited her."
    Meriel's patriotic anger flared. "The woman has betrayed everything!" Then abruptly she sat down, shaking. "You mean he intends to send me to the Dutch fleet as Lady Felice." Agnes didn't answer. Meriel fairly shrieked at her, "Doesn't he?"
    Agnes shrugged. "Expect anything."

    After each session at the spy hole, Meriel was sent away to repeat an imitation of Lady Felice's haughty speech, practice her carriage and manner of walking, first with Agnes and then each evening with Chiffinch to that hard taskmaster's rare satisfaction. Now all this learning took on a life-or-death meaning and Meriel's mind was wonderfully concentrated on her lessons.
    A simple thing though it was, Meriel found it was most difficult to learn that a countess never looked down because nothing was expected to be in her path.
    Yet all was easier than the formal court curtsy. The hasty dip of a servant maid would not do for a highborn lady. Bending one knee, stepping back on the other leg, sweeping the three-foot train of heavy velvets and silks attached to her court dress to the rear while sinking to the floor, all with eyelids languid, took two full