Forty-three
Jonathan raised his voice, but Evangeline couldn’t understand what he was saying. The maid shrank away, shaking her head.
“Jonathan, you’re scaring her,” Evangeline said.
When she stepped toward them, he held out his hand. “Stay back! Farrin is in Athens, and she is working with him.”
Evangeline froze.
A commotion came from the other side of the house. Her uncle yelled her name, and it sounded like a herd of horses running up the front staircase.
“Evangeline?”
Havers! It was Xavier, and here she stood in the middle of the corridor wearing nothing except a sheet.
“I’m here,” she called, rushing back toward the bedchamber. “Nothing is wrong.”
She reached the room and slammed the door a breath before her uncle and both brothers-in-law barreled around the corner.
“Devil take it!” Crispin bellowed. “Why are you yelling at the maid? Your wife’s sisters are beside themselves.”
Evangeline scrambled to grab a wrapper and kicked free of the bedsheet as the men argued outside the bedchamber. She was donning her slippers when a sharp rap on the door made her jump.
“Vanna, let me in.”
“I’m coming, Uncle Charles.” She yanked the door handle with a huff and looked at Crispin. “Why are you being so loud? You never raise your voice. What is wrong with you?”
“It’s my wedding night,” he snapped.
“And you can blame Farrin for ruining it,” she said. “He’s in Athens.”
Xavier, the only calm one of the bunch, asked in a quiet voice, “Is this true, Evangeline?”
“Yes,” Jonathan answered and took the envelope from Leda’s hand. “He sent a message to Dom.”
The poor maid backed into a corner, tears streaking down her cheeks. Evangeline went to her and placed her arm around her shoulders to murmur words of comfort. When Leda’s shaking slowed, Evangeline looked to Jonathan.
“She might have found the letter. Ask how she came to be in possession of it.”
Jonathan frowned but did as she requested. Leda glanced at Uncle Charles before lowering her head and answering.
“A man stopped her on the street,” Jonathan translated.
“Tonight? Why was she away from the villa?”
Leda’s cheeks flushed when she spoke to Jonathan. His eyebrows drew together.
“She was with her beau.”
“La!” Evangeline said. “I thought she was done with him.”
Uncle Charles came forward. “The man was older and English like me.”
“It could be Farrin,” Crispin said. “There were sightings reported from Scotland, but he’s wily enough to use decoys.”
Leda grabbed Evangeline’s hand, pleading in Greek. When she spoke the name Li, Jonathan flinched.
“What did she say?” Evangeline asked.
“Dr. and Mrs. Li’s lives are in danger if she fails. Hellfire! Is he next door?”
Aunt Beatrice and her sisters appeared at the end of the corridor.
“Who is next door?” Regina asked.
Jonathan turned on his heel, stalking toward the bedchamber. “Wedmore, Vistoire. Take the women to the library and bolt the door. Do you have weapons?”
Uncle Charles lifted his shirttails to reveal a dagger strapped to his waist.
Jonathan entered the bedchamber and exited a moment later with a pistol. “Do you know how to shoot, Vistoire?”
Xavier nodded sharply and took the pistol.
“Margrave, you’re coming with me.”
Evangeline hurried after Jonathan. “Shouldn’t you summon the Janissaries? This could be dangerous.”
“We must act quickly.” He rummaged through a trunk in the corner and pulled out a short dagger and another pistol. “Farrin won’t hesitate to kill his hostages if the authorities arrive at the door.”
She grabbed her chemise from the carpet, chose an apron-front gown from the wardrobe, and dressed quickly.
Jonathan was dressed in all black when he came to kiss her on the forehead. “Stay in the library, please. As long as you are safe, I won’t be distracted.”
“Yes, of course.” He had discarded the letter on the writing desk, and she retrieved it and broke the seal. “It’s written in cipher.”
He smiled. “Perdita.”
Of course, that would be the key. The King’s first love had performed the role in Shakespeare’s play.
Her uncle was waiting in the corridor with Crispin. “Your sisters and aunt are in the library. Shall we join them?”
Her sisters rushed the door as soon as she and Uncle Charles entered.
“Are they gone?” Sophia asked.
“Just now,” Evangeline said. “But Crispin is in good hands with Jonathan.”
Sophia waved her hand. “Crispin can handle himself. Is that the letter?”
“We need paper and a quill.”
Regina rifled through the library table’s shallow drawers until she found writing materials. “Do we decipher it like Uncle Charles’s journal?”
“It’s a different key word, but yes.” Evangeline spread the letter on the table with Sophia and Regina flanking her and wrote the alphabet across the page.
“Well, since you girls have everything in hand…” Uncle Charles pulled out a chair and sat facing the door, keeping guard.
Aunt Beatrice had taken a seat on a blue brocade bench beside Leda and was chattering away. Leda nodded and answered.
“Did you know Aunt Beatrice spoke Greek?” Evangeline asked her sisters.
They shook their heads.
Xavier paced the carpet, stopping occasionally to peer over Regina’s shoulder. When the last letter of the message was deciphered, Sophia took the quill and slashed lines between the jumbled letters to form words.
“The mission must be completed,” Sophia read aloud. “Meet us in Kifisia promptly. Farrin.”
Evangeline met her uncle’s gaze. “We passed through there on the way back. Are they trying to reach the Semkari?”
“I knew Lord Dominic couldn’t be trusted,” Regina said.
Typically, Evangeline would have pointed out Regina found everyone suspicious, but this time, she was right.
“With any luck,” Uncle Charles said, “Margrave and Hackberry have Farrin and Wolfe in custody already.”
“That still leaves Lord Dominic on the loose,” Evangeline said. “Jonathan will be so disappointed. I think he considers Lord Dominic a friend.”
Half an hour later, a knock sounded at the library door. “It’s me, Evangeline.”
“Jonathan.” She rushed to the door to turn the lock. He and Crispin entered.
“Farrin and Wolfe are on the run again,” Crispin said. “We found the doctor and his wife tied up in the bedchamber. Their two servants were locked in the cellar.”
“What about Lord Dominic?” Sophia asked.
Jonathan cocked his head. “What about him?”
“We deciphered the letter.” Evangeline sighed. “You need to see it.”