My Surrender by Connie Brockway Read Free Book Online Page B

one be… pressed.”
    She understood the terrible implications and her respect for him grew. She glanced again at the little scars on the backs of his fingers. He had been tortured in France.
    “How do you know of Toussaint?” he asked.
    “Oh, not from Charlotte. I assure you. We discovered him quite by accident. One of the pigeons he uses to communicate with the abbey fell beneath an archer’s arrow. The archer, a minor functionary for the secretary for Alien Affairs, thought the message the bird carried odd enough to bring to his employer’s attention and thus,” she shrugged modestly, “to ours. Toussaint probably doesn’t even know we have him identified.”
    “But he knows of Charlotte’s role in your network and sanctions it?” Dand asked, watching her intently.
    “Yes. If not directly, by tacit consent. Charlotte’s role has grown beyond what I imagine you believe it to be. She has become a vital part of a network. My network. I believe that had Toussaint forbidden her to act on England’s behalf, she would have done so anyway. Perhaps you ought to take a lesson from him?”
    “Ah. But then, Toussaint’s goals and mine may not be the same,” he said.
    “I thought as an agent of Rome your goal was to restore the monarchy to France and with it the Roman Church with all its former rights and privileges?” she said with weighty significance. A little flicker of appreciation danced in his warm brown eyes. He really was a most attractive man.
    “That is part of it. There is…a personal element, too.” He clasped the arms of the chair and pushed himself to his feet. She tilted her head back to maintain eye contact with him. “Can you pull this off, do you think?”
    She nodded.
    “How certain are you?”
    She frowned, irritably. “I cannot guarantee anything, but I am confident of every aspect of the plan.”
    “Tell me of St. Lyon.”
    She could not think of any reason to refuse. “St. Lyon is a collector. Of art. Of wine. Of old books. And most especially, of women.
    “He acquires lovers like some men acquire snuffboxes. The harder they are to add to his collection, the more he must have them. No particular woman incites his passion; it is the chase, the challenge of taking her from another man’s protection that excites him. He must have what is denied him.”
    “And you do not think a man of such appetites poses a threat to Miss Nash?”
    “Charlotte stands in no danger from the comte.” She did not add that had circumstances been different, this might not have been so.
    She looked up. Too late, she realized Dand had read her concern in her face. She saw the suspicion on his face and hurried to reassure him. “The comte would never risk society’s censure by pursuing a well-connected virgin. He values his position amongst the ton far too much to endanger it by indulging in an infatuation. If he was to develop one.”
    His eyes narrowed. He moved away from where she reclined against the silk pillows. “Besides,” she added in a throaty purr, “the comte’s attentions have already been fixed elsewhere. As you already know, he has invited me to be his ‘special’ guest at the castle.”
    He studied her with an insultingly clinical eye. She swung her legs over the edge of the chaise and rose, going to him and laying her hand on his chest imploringly. “It is imperative that this letter the comte has stolen never see the light of day. We have credible information that the contents could incriminate several extremely high ranking officials in a foreign government currently pondering whether to aid or hinder England’s efforts—officials who are extremely sympathetic to our cause. This letter could destroy them.”
    “You really are amazingly indiscreet,” he murmured.
    She gazed up at him, trying to fathom his thoughts. If he failed to win her trust, he would be dead before he reached the front door. Or would her footman, Finn? She would rather not find out. “Do you