Page 67 of Irresistible
Dougal couldn’t help smiling.
Jess leaned close to him and whispered, “Is this typical? Never mind. This is the Chesmores. Of course it’s not.”
“Actually, it’s not far off the mark,” he murmured.
Gil composed himself and settled back against the settee. He put his arm around Mary once more. “I suppose your breeching strap wasn’t really damaged?”
“No.” Dougal needed to put an end to the conversation. He didn’t want to get into all the specifics, nor should he. “Again, our apologies, but I do hope you understand. Now, we must be on our way.” He looked to Jess, who started to rise. Dougal stood and helped her up.
“Must you?” Mary leapt up as well, and Gil came with her.
“Stay,” Gil implored. “We were having such fun.”
“I’m afraid we must return to London,” Jess said, and Dougal kept himself from reacting. She should not have said that, and she knew it, for she instantly stiffened. “We have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves here,” she hastily added. “We greatly appreciate your hospitality.”
“Well, we shall hope you’ll visit again.” Gil turned to Mary. “Spies! What a titillating thought. Not for the French, of course.” He looked back to Dougal, his expression arresting in wonder. “Would the Foreign Office want our help? We would be excellent spies, keeping everyone abreast of the activities along the Dorset coast.”
Jess nudged Dougal’s hand.
He summoned a benign smile for their hosts. “We can certainly, ah, put in a recommendation. If you’ll excuse us, we need to pack, as we plan to depart this afternoon.”
Surprise and disappointment washed across Mary’s expressive face. She really would be an awful spy. “So soon? Can’t you stay until tomorrow at least?”
“I’m afraid not.” Jess reached out and took Mary’s hand briefly. “Thank you again. We’ll see you before we go.”
Dougal nodded at Gil as he ushered Jess from the room. They were quiet until they reached the upper floor, at which point Jess let out a sound that was suspiciously like the start of a laugh. She pressed her hand to her mouth.
Biting his lip, Dougal kept his humor in check until they reached their chamber. Once inside, they let loose until Jess suddenly sobered.
Dougal composed himself. “What is it?”
She put her hand to her forehead. “I bungled thingsagain. I’m afraid you’re going to tell the Foreign Office that I’m an abject failure, and you’d be right to do so.”
He moved toward her and gently clasped her upper arms. “You are not a failure. You are new to this.”
Her eyes held a flicker of unease. “I’ve made many mistakes. You can’t deny that.”
“I wouldn’t characterize it that way. Yes, you’ve made a few errors. That happens to everyone.”
“Did you do anything wrong on this mission?” She arched a brow at him.
He released her arms and resisted the urge to turn away from her. He’d absolutely done something wrong. He’d breached the trust between them when he’d surrendered to passion with her last night. He needed to apologize, but reasoned there would be time on the journey to Lady Pickering’s. They ought to start packing.
“I’m sure I did,” he said lamely. “We should get on.” He turned toward the dressing chamber, but allowed her to go before him.
She strode to the door. “I do think Gil will be disappointed when the Foreign Office does not enlist his assistance.”
“You may be right. I hope he doesn’t send word to them.”
Pausing, she looked back at him over her shoulder. “I have to think it would look suspicious. Here’s a couple who were suspected of spying for the French, and now they want to spy for the English?” She walked into the dressing chamber.
Dougal stared after her. Had he ruined another mission? No, that would mean he’d ruined other missions, and he absolutely had not. He hadn’t killed Giraud, and he hadn’t known the message he delivered was full of nonsense. He’d done his job as he’d always done it.
Still, those things had happened.
He’d done his job here too, and he’d found the Chesmores innocent of espionage. There was simply no convincing evidence.
But what if he was wrong? What if they were spies and had managed to outmaneuver him?
