Let Me Be The One by Jo Goodman Read Free Book Online Page A

Theseus's search for the Minotaur, but guests at Battenburn were generally charmed and intrigued by the home's history as sanctuary for the currently out-of-favor. More than once, the king's—or queen's—men had arrived at Battenburn to take some dissenter of royal policy in custody, only to discover they could not be found. The maze of hallways and hidden passages seemed to turn in on itself, offering protection to earls, marquesses, barons, and even a duke over the course of two and one-half centuries.
    Northam and Eastlyn turned simultaneously as the door to Northam's bedchamber opened. Pale flickering light from a stubby candle illuminated the crack before a figure stepped into the opening. Southerton's eyes darted about the room, finally settling with some relief on the occupants. "At last," he said under his breath. He shut the door behind him and placed his candlestick on a table beside the door. "I despaired of ever finding you. Don't know that I can find my way back to my own chamber so I may camp here. Whose room is this? Yours, East?"
    "Mine," Northam said. He motioned Southerton to come closer and indicated the rocker beside the bed. Eastlyn was lounging comfortably across a padded window seat. "East only just found it himself."
    "Left a trail of crumbs to find my way back."
    "Used candle wax myself," Southerton said, dropping into the rocker. He stretched out his long, athletic frame with such fluid grace, it was difficult to tell he was sitting in a chair and not a chaise. One hand lifted to his hair and he raked it back while his gray eyes darted from friend to friend. "West's gone?"
    "Hours ago," Northam said. "Assignment from the colonel."
    Southerton nodded, expecting as much. "I thought that might have something to do with him being here. These affairs have never been to his liking. You delivered Blackwood's message?"
    "I did."
    Neither Eastlyn nor Southerton asked their friend if he knew the nature of the assignment. It was unlikely that he did, and if he did, he would only tell them what the colonel wanted them to know. It was always that way. Caution was Blackwood's operating principle. Without a word or signal passing between them, they unanimously abandoned the subject of Mr. Marchman's disappearance.
    The Marquess of Eastlyn picked up the tumbler of Scotch that he had balanced on the narrow window ledge and raised it just short of his lips. "You are going to tell us about her, aren't you, North? There's a wager, you know."
    Northam's mouth pulled to one side, communicating his displeasure. He noted, rightly, that Southerton and Eastlyn were unmoved by what he thought. "I saw money exchanging hands. You might have practiced more discretion. How much is the wager?"
    "An entire sovereign," Southerton said. "East's holding the money for Marchman and me."
    "So much," Northam said dryly. "Can you trust him?"
    The viscount cast a dubious look in the direction of Eastlyn, who merely waved him off, not deigning to comment on the slight. "I suppose I shall have to." He looked back at Northam. "Is that why you took her off, because you saw us make the wager?"
    "Can you doubt it?" He looked around for his own drink and spied it on the mantel, where he had left it when Eastlyn first joined him. Northam rose from his chair and retrieved it, then remained standing at the fireplace. His shoulder rested against the mantelpiece and he looked remarkably at his ease. "How long will you each be staying?"
    Southerton eyed the decanter and remaining glass on the silver tray resting at the foot of the bed but made no move to get it. "Haven't changed my mind," he said. "I'll be here the fortnight unless you want me gone before then." He arched an eyebrow in Northam's direction and received a small, negative shake of the head in reply.
    "I am for home on Friday," Eastlyn said. "I will inform Battenburn and his lady tomorrow. It appears I must extricate myself from the most damnable coil."
    Northam's mouth twitched at the