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“I need you to listen,” he said in a low voice, looking around them.

Theodore swallowed his mouthful. His expression went from teasing to confused to serious. He had his moments, but he often knew when to sober up.

“You’ve heard about my wif—you’ve heard about Lady Eleanor. You know of her scandal.”

Spencer waited until Theodore nodded in confirmation.

“Her ruin was a setup. She uncovered a dark ploy involving Lord Belgrave and Lord Follet. They are shipping off—” He looked around, once again ensuring they were not overheard.

A rowdy, drunken man in the corner wailed loud enough to drown out their conversation anyway.

“They are shipping off women to offshore places. Mostly the Caribbean.”

“The Caribbean?” Theodore echoed, surprised. “I’ve heard there are underworlds over there, but I have never given it much thought.”

“Me neither. Not until Lady Eleanor turned up at Everdawn Hall, ranting, half-desperate, half-mad, but honest.”

“But was she not?—”

“No, she wasn’t visiting an aunt in the colonies. She was in St. Euphemia’s.”

“Oh dear,” Theodore breathed.

“So you know about this establishment?”

Theodore nodded. “When you spend your time in different beds as much as I do, you learn about these kinds of things.”

Spencer sighed. “I see. Well, the Duchess was sent there. I basically bought her freedom. Or rather, I bought the nuns’ cooperation.”

“From a prisoner at a convent to a duchess in a matter of days.” Theodore whistled. “She must be special.”

Spencer’s jaw clenched as he looked away from his friend and toward the window.

Everdawn Hall was an hour or two away, and he disliked being so far from her. That startled him. He was not used to being so responsible for somebody else. He would see them in safe hands and then leave.

But knowing that he had left her in Everdawn Hall alone…

She was safest there, but he had thought of very little since leaving for Thornshead after dinner.

He ignored Theodore’s jibe, turning his attention back to him. “I need more connections to expose Belgrave and Follet. And I need Follet watched. He cannot get near Charlotte. She is safe, but he is already looking for her.”

Theodore’s eyes widened, but he nodded earnestly.

“I will do what I can to help. Still, this will not be easy, Spencer. I can arrange some meetings when I return to London. I rescheduled my business for tomorrow, so I will leave as soon as I am finished there. I’ll report back as soon as I can.

And, you know that I will keep this secret, right? You can trust me.”

“Thank you,” Spencer said with a nod, grateful for his friend’s sensibility.

“You do not need to thank me.” Theodore looked at him for a long moment.

He was perhaps the only person who knew the extent of what Spencer had been through. Who knew him in and out. Who knew that Spencer would be equally determined and afraid. Not afraid of the two men, no. But afraid that he would lose yet another sister.

I already lost Anna. I won’t ? —

He pushed those thoughts away. They would do him no good.

“However,” Theodore drawled, that teasing tone returning to his voice, “you may apologize profusely by… oh, I do not know, introducing me personally to your bride? Avington and Everdawn are not so far from each other, after all.”

“No,” Spencer said. “You will meet her in due course.”

Theodore ignored his response. “No wonder you did not invite me to the ceremony. You wished us to have a more intimate first meeting. How thoughtful of you, my friend.” He smirked, knowing he was pressing every button Spencer had.

“No,” Spencer gritted out. “Drop this, Avington.”

“What are two decades of friendship for if I cannot meet your wife?” Theodore exhaled, shaking his head.

“It is not two decades, you dramatic fool. It’s been fifteen years.”

Theodore scrunched up his face, muttering under his breath about feeling old. “If I cannot meet the Duchess, despite being her husband’s best friend for fifteen years, then I have done something wrong.”

“You are not meeting her because I know you,” Spencer corrected.

And I scarcely know her, and she does not trust men easily. I see it in her eyes.

Then again, he did not think she trusted women either. Regardless, he didn’t know how well she would take to his friend’s inclination to tease every woman he came across.

Theodore’s grin was slow and lazy—the rake who prowled London rather than the Marquess who would help Spencer bring down Belgrave and Follet.

Spencer had never quite known how his friend could shift so smoothly between both personas.

“Come on, you truly think I’ll embarrass you?”

“Yes.”

“Then you are absolutely correct.” Theodore barked a laugh.

“But fine. While you keep your wife hidden, I will listen out for more stories of her beauty. London was quite abuzz when she debuted, if memory serves me well. She turned down quite a horde of hopeful suitors, too. Beautiful women are powerful women—do not forget that, Spencer. Perhaps you can gain more from your wife than just information.”

Spencer growled at him, but Theodore only laughed, loud and pleased with himself.