A Code of the Heart (The Code Breakers Series Book 3) (14 page)

Her brother slowly looked around the room as if doing his own reconnaissance. What the hell did that young pup think he could do? He wanted to mangle the young fool for bringing his sister into danger, but knowing Amelia’s strong will, he guessed her brother had no choice.

“Do you know those gentleman?” Bev asked.

Unfortunately, he had betrayed his connection to Amelia and her brother. Observant Bev was no fool. “I do know them. Young bucks out for a little fun on the seamier side of town.”

“With money to waste.” Bev puckered her mouth in anticipation.

He didn’t want to call attention to Amelia and her brother. “Can you get them out of here if any trouble starts to happen? They’ll just get in the way. I know their mother and don’t want her to be upset by the silly fools getting hurt. I’ll make it worth your time.”

“I can take them out the back way.”

He had no way of knowing if Bev could be trusted, but what choice did he have now that Amelia had sashayed into the middle of his operation. He dug for his bag of coins in the lining of his jacket. “Go over to their table and play it up with the blond man. Make it appear like you’re looking for a little fun with them. And then take them out the back way and tell them I said to get the hell away from here.”

“But I’ll come back once they’re gone. You did promise me a bit of fun for all my effort.”

“Of course, once my business is settled.” He gave her a look that she could not misinterpret, a woman of her experience.

She leaned down and kissed him on the lips. “You better not change your mind.”

Playing along, he swatted Bev on her full, round arse when she turned. She cackled loudly, causing Amelia to turn.

Amelia looked straight at him. He wanted to shake her and shout at her for coming into danger, but at the same time he wanted to hold her and protect her. He took a big gulp of his ale and looked away from her close inspection. He needed no extra attention focused on either of them.

Amelia’s eyes widened in shock when Bev sauntered to their table. His little prude was turning red from Bev’s overtures. Brinsley would have preferred to protect her from the seediness, but she was the one who chose to come to a dockside tavern in the worst part of London. Unbelievable. She might as well go into treacherous St. Giles looking for adventure.

Bev bent over the table, flirting with Amelia’s brother, giving him an eyeful of her breasts. He stood and offered Bev a chair.

Amelia’s attention was on the young girl and her interaction with the man Brinsley surmised was her father. He sure hoped to hell the old bastard wasn’t the young girl’s lover or pimp, and that Amelia had come here with some notion of saving her in some manner.

Tonight’s mission had gotten complicated in ways he hadn’t considered. Now the potential for things to go sideways was tremendous. Because of Amelia’s innocent presence, he couldn’t find the calm he usually had when about to close on a quarry. He needed to settle his racing heart and figure out how he could keep her and her brother safe.

The door opened again, and of all the luck, tonight his suspect had arrived. Wrapped in the scarf and hat, the thin man confidently made his way into the tavern. This was no dockworker trying to sell the secrets to make money for his family, shooting down one of the theories that had been bandied about.

Brinsley sat back against the wall, trying to act nonchalant as he surreptitiously checked to make sure all his men were in place.

Talley too had noted the suspect’s arrival. He had removed one of the waitresses from his lap, teasing her and sending her for more drinks. The din in the room grew louder and more raucous.

Harry greeted the man and led him to the corner table. Harry kept his head lowered in a subservient manner as if he recognized the man’s treachery.

Brinsley’s attention was drawn to the sound of a chair scraping briefly on the floor. The young girl’s father stood; the girl grabbed him by the arm, begging him. He slapped her across the face, knocking her to the floor, sobbing.

Amelia gasped and jumped from her chair at the violence. Her hat fell off revealing her bright red hair twisted in a braid that cascaded down her shoulders and back.

One of the brawny dockworkers shouted, “He’s no bloke. It’s a woman in breeches.” All the men jumped to their feet, some gawking, some pushed close, and some needing much more. One of the men fell into a waitress, who landed in the lap of a disgruntled drunk, making him drop his drink. In the bedlam, the first punch was thrown and pandemonium broke out.

Realizing her peril, Amelia tried to stuff her hair back into her hat, but got caught in the men shoving toward her. She was knocked to the ground.

As punches, glasses and even bottles were thrown, the father made his way through the wild fracas toward their suspect in the corner.

Brinsley, keeping the men in his sight, pushed his way toward Amelia and her brother. Her brother was smiling as he punched the man who had knocked Amelia down. Her brother pulled her up to stand and then had to punch another man who came at his side. Young though he was, he handled himself well in a fight.

Brinsley had no time for the nonsense. He picked up one man and threw him against another brute to get to Amelia.

Keeping his attention on the man in the corner, Brinsley shoved his way through the belligerent crowd. The girl’s father and the man with the scarf were in conversation at the table. The man didn’t seem fazed by the violence.

Talley gave him a nod across the mayhem, signaling they would stick with the plan for Talley to apprehend the father once he finished his business. Was the father the French spy buying the secrets?

Brinsley had to knock out two brutes before reaching Amelia who was held in the arms of a huge thug who was trying to take her hat. She shouted in outrage and kicked the man in the shin. The man laughed and bent to kiss her.

Rage boiled beneath Brinsley’s skin. He picked up the barbarian and threw him across the table.

Amelia stared up at him. “Derrick?” Her pupils were dilated and her hair hung loose around her shoulders.

He snatched up her hat and handed it to her. “Say nothing. And put the damn hat back on.”

Bev was pulling on Amelia’s brother’s arm.

Brinsley yelled at Bev, “Get them out of here.”

Bev nodded and said something to the brother. He looked shocked by whatever she said.

Amelia’s face was flushed from exertion as she tucked her hair into her hat. Her cravat had come undone, and he could see her pale skin. “Bev will take you out the back way to your carriage.”

He shoved Amelia’s brother. “Get your sister away from here.”

“Yes, sir.”

He watched the brother put his arm around her shoulders as they made their way through the crowd to the back door.

Now that Amelia and her brother were safe, he could focus on his mission. The man in the corner leaned against the wall, his body twisted into an unnatural posture. His hat was gone, his dark hair hung over his blank eyes.

Brinsley searched the crowd for Talley. He was gone, as was the girl and her father.

Brinsley fought his way to the table where the suspect remained motionless. With the chaotic fighting, no one had noticed the man’s grim condition. The man’s breaths came in erratic wheezes that shook his chest. Brinsley recognized the movement for what it was—death rattle.

Brinsley opened the man’s waistcoat; his shirt was soaked in blood. Brinsley struggled to feel for his weak pulse.

Leaning over the man, Brinsley shouted to be heard over the chaos. “Who are you? Who do you work for?”

The dying man’s answer was unintelligible in French.

Brinsley leaned closer to the man’s wan face. “Who do you work for?”

The man fought for a breath.

Brinsley repeated, “Who do you work for?”

“
Elle,
” The man gasped.

Brinsley grabbed the man’s shirt. “
Elle
or is it
il
? Do you work for a woman or a man?”

He mumbled another word, then his head dropped on his chest. Dead.

Chapter Seventeen

Amelia sat alone on the settee facing Cord and Derrick. Gwyneth had confessed all of their activities to Ash, who then reported every detail to the two very grim gentlemen. After her part in the previous evening’s disturbance, Amelia felt like a schoolgirl summoned to the head mistress’ office.

Cord had requested her appearance in his official capacity, something not to be taken lightly—he wasn’t acting as her childhood friend’s husband. At least Cord didn’t withdraw behind his desk as the fierce Director of Intelligence. She couldn’t be totally intimidated by Cord since she only knew him as Henrietta’s considerate and caring husband.

If anyone was trying to intimidate her it was Derrick. He exuded barely suppressed feelings of anger and resentment. And although Derrick never looked directly at her, she knew he was in a dangerous mood. His insolent slouch was gone. Instead his feet were solidly planted on the ground, his oversized, tense body ready to spring out of the leather chair.

His veiled hostility was a direct result of her disrupting his undercover operation. She didn’t realize she had stumbled into a mission until she spotted both Derrick and Talley at the tavern. Talley was an agent who helped them capture the French villains at the Elwood party. She couldn’t fault Derrick’s reaction. But she hadn’t known that Elodie was possibly involved in treason.

Derrick’s eyes were focused straight ahead over her shoulder. All emotion shut off and locked down.

She refused to be daunted by Derrick’s fuming mood. If he had been willing to talk with her at the ball, they wouldn’t be in this predicament. She looked directly at Cord and spoke in a clear, precise tone. “I had planned to tell Lord Brinsley at the ball about the connection to Elodie, but he refused to talk to me.”

Derrick startled and bolted upright. “What?”

“If you remember, I approached you at the ball, but you left abruptly to dance with Lady Rowley.”

“You said nothing. How was I to guess you planned to endanger yourself and my operation?”

“Of all the most ridiculous responses. I didn’t plan to endanger myself or your mission. How can anyone plan to endanger themselves?”

“Anyone with any sense knows the docks are treacherous. I would’ve made time to talk with you if I knew you were involved with a smuggling ring.”

Amelia felt the sting of his cold, sharp words deep in her chest. He didn’t care about her. Their kiss had meant nothing to him. He had been flirting with her as he did with every woman, as evidenced by his dalliance with Lady Rowley, and then there was that hussy at the tavern. With the hurt curling around her heart, she dredged up her most haughty tone. “How very generous of you.”

She couldn’t let her wounded feelings interfere with the more important work at hand, cracking the smuggling ring. “You’re right. I should’ve told you, but you were so abrupt.” She shook her head. She didn’t want to confess that her pride had been hurt and she reacted with an impulsive plan.

“Instead you decided to embark on a ridiculous plan that took you to the most dangerous area of London? Do you know what could’ve happened to you?” Derrick’s voice grew louder and harsher. His face was turning a purplish red, as if he might combust.

“I didn’t know we were going to the docks until we followed her.”

Derrick jumped to his feet. “Of all the asinine…When you saw where she was headed you should have turned around and gone home like any sensible person would do.”

She gasped.

Cord interrupted Derrick’s tirade. “This is irrelevant now. We need to move forward. Tell us everything you know about the French girl.”

Derrick sat back down, but continued staring at her, quietly fuming.

“When Gwyneth and I realized that Elodie was the link between the dolls and the diamonds, I went to Madame de Puis’ shop to question her.”

Derrick interrupted. “You should’ve told us right away when you discovered the diamonds.”

Amelia twisted the handkerchief in her lap. How could she explain how protective she felt for Helene? And after discovering Elodie’s bruises, she couldn’t betray her either, not until she understood the abusive situation. “I fully intended to tell everyone once I knew that Helene wasn’t involved.”

Cord’s formal manner softened and he nodded. “Gwyneth explained how you wanted to protect your friend.”

Hearing Derrick’s grunt of annoyance, Amelia continued. “Helene’s business is based on her reputation, and you both know how fickle the ton can be. If there were rumors…”

“Yes, I understand.” Cord encouraged her with his calm and accepting manner. “Once you realized your friend wasn’t involved and that Elodie was the courier for the diamonds, what did you do?”

“Elodie works for Helene, so the risk for Helene is still present. Before I told you and Helene about Elodie’s involvement, I wanted proof, so I pursued the young girl myself. I couldn’t have you men all over Helene’s shop, questioning her. The talk would have been brutal.”

Derrick shifted in his chair, his impatience pulsating throughout the room.

“Gwyneth told me that you had wanted to communicate all at this point, but she encouraged you to continue your own investigation. Gwyneth wanted to impress both Ash and me with her skills.”

Derrick turned quickly to look at Cord at the revelation that Amelia obviously wasn’t as reckless as he believed. She didn’t care at this point if she gained the brute’s good opinion, but she was grateful to Gwyneth for her honesty. Amelia would never have exposed her friend’s part in the misadventure.

“Gwyneth is highly capable, and I don’t think you or Ash should dismiss her talents.”

Derrick rolled his eyes.

All her fear and hurt rolled into a mass of explosive emotions. “Don’t you dare roll your eyes at me, Derrick Jeremy Brinsley. Gwyneth and I aren’t some flighty young girls looking for adventure. We proved our abilities at the house party, searching for clues when Ash was unconscious.”

Cord’s blue eyes lightened in amusement. She didn’t find it funny when Derrick was behaving like a pig-headed bully. She was finding it difficult to remain patient as he exuded disdain and censure.