Page 4 of Irresistible
Jess swallowed. “I understand, and I vow I will say nothing.”
Lady Pickering placed the letter in Jess’s hand. Taking a deep breath, Jess stared at the missive. It was blank on the outside. She broke the seal and glanced toward Lady Pickering.
“Do you know what it says?”
“Not specifically, but I know its purpose.”
Jess tipped her head down and read.
Miss Goodfellow,
You have been identified as a cryptographer of great skill. Resultingly, the Foreign Office requires your assistance. Specifically, we ask that you undertake a mission of dire importance and secrecy. The person who delivered this note is your primary contact and will ensure you receive the preparation necessary for this endeavor.
This contact has not read the contents of this note, and you must not share them withanyoneoutside the Foreign Office. In addition to potentially decoding messages on this mission, you will determine if your partner, who will be revealed to you soon, is working against us. You must use all your intellect and abilities to investigate his activities and motives. You will be expected to deliver a report upon your return. Your contact is not aware of this part of your assignment.
Burn this missive immediately after reading.
With gratitude and expectation,
The Foreign Office
Jess’s heart felt as if it would burst from her chest. Her breathing grew rapid. She swallowed, trying to calm herself. This was monumental. The Foreign Office was asking her to be a spy.
Reading it a second time did not settle her nerves. She was simultaneously thrilled at the prospect and terrified by the expectations. How on earth was she to determine the secret activities and motivations of another spy? Someone who likely had more experience than she did, seeing as she had none.
“You’re awfully quiet, dear,” Lady Pickering observed.
Jess looked up from the note, folding the parchment and eyeing the cold hearth. As it was August, there was no fire. And she needed to burn this right away. Indeed, it felt as if the letter with its incendiary contents might scald Jess’s hand.
“I’m rather shocked,” Jess said over what seemed to be the roaring of her pulse thundering through her head. But of course, Lady Pickering couldn’t hear that. Taking a steadying breath, Jess asked, “How did this happen?”
One of Lady Pickering’s dark brows peaked. “Are you not an excellent cryptographer?”
“Ienjoysolving ciphers.” Jess’s neck turned cold. The seemingly innocent occurrence of an unknown but kindly gentleman noting her working on a riddle at the British Library and asking if she might like to solve a cipher wasn’t remotely innocent at all. “Who is Mr. Torrance?”
Lady Pickering shrugged. “I’m sure I don’t know.”
Jess wasn’t sure she believed her, but she wouldn’t press to know more. At least for now. It seemed obvious that Torrance was somehow connected to the Foreign Office. Just as Lady Pickering apparently was. That alone was extraordinary.
This was a great deal to comprehend. “This is an exceptional opportunity. Pardon me.” She had to get rid of this paper.
Standing, Jess went to the fireplace and struck flint into flame. She set the parchment ablaze before dropping it into the fireplace. The paper twisted and burned before Jess’s gaze. She did not return to the settee until there was nothing but ash.
“Well done,” Lady Pickering said. “You will spend the next week learning how to perfect a disguise and adopt a new identity.”
A week?Jess’s heart rate had finally begun to calm, but now it sped again, making her feel as if she’d dashed around the room about forty-seven times. “For the mission?”
“Yes. You will be playing the part of Mrs. Smythe. Further details will come later. For now, you must learn to adopt new mannerisms and to speak differently than you normally do. You must also carry yourself as a married woman.”
Every part of Jess tensed. “Married?”
“Yes,” Lady Pickering confirmed. “You will have a partner on this mission—your ‘husband.’ You would never be asked to complete a mission on your own, at least not in the beginning.”
A ball of unease formed in Jess’s stomach at the thought of gaining a pretend husband whom she would be investigating. This was beyond risky. Even so, there was no way she would refuse the opportunity. This was everything she’d dreamed of. No, it was far more than anything she could have expected. It could change her life completely.
“Does this come with compensation?” she asked, thinking she could perhaps live without her dowry if her father refused to give it to her.
“Yes. However, that cannot be your only motivation for accepting this invitation.” Lady Pickering eyed her expectantly. “It will not be easy. You must carry out your disguise and behave as Mrs. Smythe, as well as decipher whatever you and Mr. Smythe might find on your mission.”
