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Chapter One

Will sat next to the , his head resting on a high wingback chair, watching the arden below Its floere in full splendor and the light danced with the petals of the rose vine that grew up the garden’s wall

He closed his eyes for a brief moht on flowers He was fairly certain the ansas never

Forced retire havoc on his ent He’d investigated several criminal operations, all without detection To the rest of society, he’d been seen as a bu and wo his country He’d played his role perfectly and it had allowed hih many social circles and slip back out before anyone suspected espionage was at play

That was until last hwater He’d set up an elaborate ruse to becoht “fall” under the marquess’s employ Basically he’d becoh oods fro them to interested buyers

That was, until the Marquess had kidnapped not one, but tohwater now sat in Scotland Yard Unfortunately, he’d dragged Will’s family naation short

The Marquess had been guilty, of course But who supplied hi they were stolen fro? These were all questions Will had only begun to answer

He hoped, however, to have the chance to finish the investigation he’d started But now society connected hi his reputation He was viewed as a criht participating in anyent wouldn’t be able to spare hi he was a spy

What a mess

Fortunately, his acquaintances, the Lord Pennwalt and his lovely wife, had included him on the invite list to their house party despite his reputation Or perhaps because of it He knew every tongue agging about his activities, which iven hi him here, one he wouldn’t squander The ton would allow hi penniless rake, but not, apparently, a thieving one He wouldn’t have another chance like this anytiuest roster

Not that he cared what they thought, but it iht have just hidden himself away and allowed the rueton was expected to arrive in two days’ tihwater And while the Prince Regent had suggested Will reation before it was too late and he was forever branded a thief, Will found he couldn’t let it go

So he waited

But the party downstairs held little appeal without Bridgeton here to scrutinize Rather than participate, he’d taken himself back to his roo flowers No wonder he wanted to continue the investigation He’d perish of boredom without it

A rattling of his door’s handle ht illuarden outside his , he sat in a dark corner of the rooe as he trained his gaze to the door

He heard so rattle in the lock and then the distinct click as whoever was on the other side successfully picked it Slowly the door swung open and a figure crept in, softly closing the large, wood-paneled behelance told hih not a child; it didn’t appear to be a man either Had a woman sneaked into his room?

A smile curved one corner of his lips upward There were a fes in attendance Lady Crawley, for exaht her capable of picking a lock But appearances could so Not usually, but occasionally

Perhaps she or so for a dalliance Whomever it was, she was persistent Mayhap, this was just the distraction he needed until Bridgeton arrived