Page 50

PROLOGUE

Captain Eleanor Goodrum’s Townhouse

Grosvenor Square

E l knew it was only a matter of time before someone caved to Perseus Whitcombe’s demands and offers of obscene amounts of money to lay bare her many, um, business interests throughout England and abroad. She had to work fast to make sure she knew what he knew, before he knew it.

She looked up at a light patter of boots on the marble floor in the foyer of her townhouse. A few seconds later she said, “Come” at the light tap on the door to her sunny, private parlor.

Dickie Jones appeared in the open doorway, tugging on the hand of his sister, Olivia.

The young woman was a bit older than the young street spy El had come to rely on to carry her messages and keep her secrets.

The girl was maybe only fourteen but a consummate genius at laundering the clothing and linens that came off the drying lines in Goodrum’s back gardens as sweet-smelling and soft as when they’d been newly created.

Despite her mastery of the laundry at Goodrum’s, and being a teacher of cleaning secrets to other young men and women at El’s many estates, Olivia remained extremely shy.

“Please, Olivia. Come sit and have some tea.”

“Is there something here you’d like me to take down and soak in lemon and lavender, Captain?”

“No, Olivia, just come sit with us for a few minutes.” El patted the seat next to her on a curving settee in front of a floor-to-ceiling window.

The towering trees outside shaded and dappled the sunlight piercing the white lace curtains.

Dickie chose a chair closer to the hall entry and sat facing the two women.

She smiled at her two young proteges fondly. “I have need of your talents to help me keep a very powerful, wealthy man from snooping his way into our business.”

Dickie immediately took the offensive. “Tell me who the cove is, and he won’t bother you again.”

El smiled indulgently. “We shouldn’t dump another body into the Thames for a while.

The river police are getting suspicious.

I don’t want that handsome magistrate to put Col on our trail.

” She pushed a stubborn auburn curl behind one ear and continued.

“This is going to call for an, um, diplomatic touch, Dickie.” She paused a few moments, trying to collect just the right words.

“We don’t want to hurt this man, we just need to slow him down. He’s a powerful duke.”

“Cor—.” Dickie exploded out of his chair and paced to El’s side. “What’s he done? I don’t care how important he is, I won’t see him interfering in your work.”

She laid a calming hand on Dickie’s arm. “It’s not what he’s done. It’s what I’m afraid he might do. You see, he thinks he knows everything about our business, and he’s determined to expose what he doesn’t understand.”

Dickie remained silent for a matter of seconds while his clever ten-year-old mind clicked into a dawning awareness. “Oh…he thinks you’re taking advantage of the people you help. He doesn’t know what we really do.”

She gave the boy a slow smile and nodded her head. “He’s convinced I’m guilty of dark deeds, the knowledge of which he intends to use to stop me from investing in his brother’s publishing business.”

Dickie stroked his chin. “If he’s going to snoop around all three country estates, I’ll have to spend lots of time following him…” He shot her a meaningful look.

“Name your price.” El was prepared to be at the bright young runner’s financial mercy for the great task she was about to entrust to his wisdom.

“And include Olivia’s time, since I need her knowledge of the languages her students speak so that she can assist in questioning them to see what he’s up to.

We have to organize the hundreds of eyes that are in place at all my estates. ”

Dickie turned to his sister. “Olivia, could you please go see what’s taking so long for our tea?”

The young woman rolled her dark blue eyes and headed out into the hallway. Dickie waited until the echo of her slippers could be heard hastening down the steps leading to the vast kitchens on the first floor.

Only then did he turn back to El. “I don’t need the money so much as I used to, Captain. I live with CB, Nathaniel, and Aunt Camilla now. They take care of whatever I need.”

El’s mouth flew open in surprise.

The look on Dickie’s face turned speculative. “There is one thing, though, I need from you.”

“Anything. You know you can count on me.”

“It’s Olivia. I want more for her than a position as a laundry maid.”

“But she’s the best laundry maid in London. I take very good care of her financially. Otherwise, someone would have hired her away by now.”

“I want something for my sister money can’t buy.”

Now El was intrigued. “What would that be? I’ll help if I can.”

“I want Olivia to grow up and marry a kind gentleman who’ll take care of her and give her a family. My sister deserves to be a lady, with fine, soft hands covered inside silk gloves. You have the power to make that happen.”