The Great Christmas Ball by Joan Smith Read Free Book Online Page B

hurt?”
    “A mere bagatelle to a veteran of Badajos, I promise you—that little bit of boasting is just for you. Don’t tell Gordon. But I didn’t mean this lump on the head when I said it was a pity he saw me, Miss Lyman. The fact that I was aware of the rendezvous tells him you are working with me. How else could I have known of it? I may have put you in danger,” he said, and gazed at her a long moment. Cathy was beginning to feel the greater danger was in his eyes that held her mesmerized. “You did not catch sight of my attacker?” he asked.
    “No, he must have been there before any of us.”
    Costain nodded. “Gordon willdislike it, but I think I really must ask you two to resign.”
    “You’re right. We are more harm than help,” she said reluctantly. “I shall miss the excitement.”
    “You are developing a taste for alarums and excursions, are you? Take care, or you will find yourself enjoying Byron.”
    “I shall place the blame in your dish, sir.”
    Gordon returned with the tea tray. “I have just had a capital notion, Costain,” he said, smiling from ear to ear. “What you said about it looking suspicious, my hanging around the Horse Guards—”
    “Yes, I do think it a poor idea,” Costain said at once.
    “So do I. The thing to do, I’ll sign up to work for them on a full-time basis.”
    Cathy could almost hear Costain’s inward groan. “They aren’t hiring at the moment,” he said quickly.
    “That will be no problem. Mama knows everyone. You would never guess it, the way she hugs the grate, but she has connections throughout society. She will arrange it, never fear. Do you think I could get an office next to yours?”
    “That office is taken. The Horse Guards has certain requirements for recruitment, Sir Gordon.”
    “Call me Gordie. All my friends do. As to requirements, dash it, I have two years at Oxford. I can parlay the old bongjaw as well as a Frenchie. Papa made a point of our learning languages. I can scribble up a pretty good fist. I shan’t mind what job I am given—scribbling out letters, or what have you. Dash it, I’ll even make the tea.”
    Cathy said, “This is nonsense, Gordie, and you know it. What do we know of spying? We are nothing but a nuisance to Lord Costain. I have just been telling him we shan’t involve ourselves further in his business.”
    “Speak for yourself,” Gordon said, unfazed. “I shall drop around Whitehall tomorrow and see who I can pester into giving me a post.”
    Costain felt this was to be avoided at all cost, and said, “Do you know, Gordie, I think it would be better if you remain anonymous. You could be of more use to us in a free-lance capacity.” He looked over Gordon’s shoulder to Cathy, who shook her head in amusement.
    Gordon looked interested. He did not really relish sitting behind a desk. Free-lance had a dashing sound to it. “What did you have in mind, Costain?”
    “It would be a great help to me if you could follow certain people,” he said, rapidly inventing an imaginary chore to keep the boy busy.
    “It will require a disguise, of course,” Gordon said knowingly.
    “Oh, certainly! A disguise is of the essence.”
    “Who is it I am to follow?”
    “A fellow at the office.” He stopped, ransacking his mind for some harmless person. “Mr. Leonard, Cosgrave’s secretary,” he said. “He lives on Half Moon Street.” As Mr. Leonard would be in the office all day, Costain added, “And his wife. It would be helpful if you could discover something of her doings.”
    “A shady wife, eh? Sounds pretty suspicious to me.”
    Costain and Cathy exchanged a secret smile. Costain said, “Highly suspicious.”
    “Can you describe her?”
    “No, you’ll have to discover which house on Half Moon Street the Leonards live in. When you see a lady come out, don’t let her out of your sight.”
    “I’ll stick like lint on a coat sleeve. You can count on me.”
    “England counts on you.”
    “England couldn’t