The Emperor's Conspiracy by Michelle Diener Read Free Book Online Page A

yourself, following me around at night.”
    He conceded the point, which surprised her, lifting a shoulder as if to acknowledge it. “You interest me, Miss Raven. And seeing you walk in country boots to a rookery turned that interest very keen indeed.”
    “There is nothing to it. You will be bored to learn the truth, I assure you. But the damage is done now. No one has followed me before. He’ll think this is serious. Maybe he’ll do something equally serious in return.” Gripped by a sudden urgency, she rang on the bell.
    Her maid, Betsy, came, flushed and pretty, to the door, and Charlotte did not even try to use doublespeak. It was no longer necessary in front of her guest. “Find Kit, tell him to go to Luke and tell him I have to see him tonight. And he’s to tell Luke to do nothing until then. Nothing .”
    Betsy’s eyes went to Lord Durnham, then back to her, wide with surprise.
    “Hurry.”
    Betsy gave a nod and disappeared, and Charlotte looked after her, the sight of an empty doorway far more appealing than the questions on Lord Durnham’s face.
    “Who is Luke?” From the corner of her eye she saw him put down his cup, stretch his legs out as if he had all the time in the world.
    She needed to let him know his time was running out.
    “Luke Bracken is the man who sent that footpad last night.” She lifted her head, made sure she had his full attention. “He is the man who is planning a way to kill you.”

9

    T here was no mistaking that Charlotte Raven was serious.
    “Kill me?” Edward raised an eyebrow. “That sounds overly dramatic.”
    “Were you asking questions of me a day or two ago? Or rather, did you pay others to?” She spoke, not with outrage, but some other more intense, more focused, emotion.
    Edward frowned. So much for discreet inquiries. “I did.”
    “Your men are all dead.” Seeming unable to keep still, she stood up and walked to the window. “So you might want to keep that slightly condescending tone from your voice, Lord Durnham. And start considering that I may be right.”
    His mouth fell open. He forced it closed again. “Dead? Don’t be ridiculous.”
    “Have you heard from any of them?” The challenge in her voice was unmistakable. As was her conviction.
    Edward did not doubt for a moment that she truly believedthey were dead. “No, I haven’t. They are due to report to me tonight.”
    “Well, you’ll be in for a long wait.” Her voice trembled. “If you know of their families, I would appreciate it if you would give me their addresses. And then both you and I will be contributing a generous sum to their widows.” She lifted her head, and glared at him as she spoke the last sentence, expecting him to protest.
    “If a crime has been committed, and you know of it, why haven’t you reported it?” He stood, too, suddenly, and she froze, almost shrinking away from him. It disturbed him.
    “I know only that they are dead. I do not know where they died, or the hand that killed them.” She did not look away as she spoke, and even though he knew she was lying, and she knew he knew, she did not so much as flinch.
    “You would protect their killers?”
    “I don’t know what you are talking about.” She turned away, looked out the window, her back stiff.
    “If they are dead”—and he was suddenly beginning to believe they were—“they were agents of the Crown, and their deaths will be investigated.”
    “Agents of the Crown?” When she spun to face him, her face was white. “Why? Why did you do it? What could you possibly wish to know about me you could not just have asked?”
    “Would you have answered?”
    She bit her bottom lip. “No.”
    “But you told my sister.”
    She stiffened in surprise at that, her eyes going wide, and Edward shrugged. “She would not tell me, either. So do you blame me for trying to find out on my own?”
    Charlotte crossed her arms over her breasts. “If those men weren’t dead, if they could have made their meeting