Page 76 of Lady Louisa and the Carriage Clock
The maid took her arm and drew her away from Leopold and out of the room. They were silent until they reached the privacy of Louisa’s bedchamber.
“Would you like a bath, my lady?”
She shook her head. “All I want right now is my bed.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Lucy helped her mistress change into a nightrail and insisted on staying by her side until she fell asleep.
Louisa remembered falling into Cecil’s arms. He’d held her so gently and she wished she’d never had to leave his embrace. It didn’t matter if he could never love her. She loved him and hoped he would vanquish the RA and find the peace he needed so desperately.
Despite racing thoughts of Lord Wycliffe and what had transpired in Richmond that night, she fell into a deep sleep.
* * * * *
Cecil wasn’t alone at White’s for long before Leopold joined him in the dining room.
“How is the beef this evening?” the other man asked as he took a chair facing Cecil.
“Excellent. I’m just not as hungry as I thought I was.” He pushed his dinner plate away and gestured to the ledger in the middle of the table. “That book came from Lord Kettering’s study. Before he died, he told me it lists Rogue’s Alliance members, and contains proof his wife was one of the founders of the RA.”
“His wife?” Leopold raised a brow.
Cecil proceeded to tell the other man of the events he’d witnessed in the mansion in Richmond.
When Cecil had finished his tale, Leopold picked up the ledger. “May I?”
“Please.”
Leopold opened the ledger and pulled a pencil and a small notebook from a pocket inside his coat.
Cecil sipped his port as he watched Leopold look over the first page of the ledger and make notes.
“The first entry is dated nearly ten years ago. It is an elementary cipher: The names are a first initial and surname, and I merely have to skip two letters ahead to find the correct letter of the name. The letter A reverts to the Letter C, and so forth. It isn't a very secure code.”
“My take would be that Lady Kettering was a little too sure of herself after getting away with so much for so long.”
Leopold nodded. “That is usually the downfall of spies and criminals.”
They sat silently for several minutes as Leopold pored over the ledger. There were only two other men in the dining room, most members being downstairs in the gaming rooms at this time of night.
A waiter came near and Cecil waved him off.
“I’m sorry. Did you want a drink?”
Leopold shook his head.
He had to ask. “How is Louisa?”
“She will be quite all right. Her maid is looking after her.” He didn’t look up.
“Does she know you work for the Home Office?”
Leopold looked up briefly. “I told her on the carriage ride back to Grosvenor Square.”
“And Henry Bones works with you?”
“He does.” Leopold paused. “Eliza was not adequately investigated by the Home Office. The agent in charge of that duty has been outed as an RA member. I looked into the rest of your staff myself several months ago.”
