Page 66 of Irresistible
Gil’s brows pitched together. “Why not?”
Now was the moment. “Because it’s not French.” Dougal didn’t relish the look of unease that passed over Gil’s features. “I do hope you didn’t pay too dearly for it.”
“No.” Gil’s voice squeaked on the word. He tried again. “No.” That time, he spoke evenly, but he was clearly shaken. “At least, I don’t think I did. The man who procures my French brandy sold it to me. I didn’t want to give you his name. He made me promise not to reveal his identity.”
“Of course not,” Dougal said affably. “I’m not angry. I’m more curious why you would want anything that was a replica of something belonging to Napoleon.”
“I—” Gil snapped his mouth closed as pink flooded his neck and face.
“He likes French things,” Mary said softly, patting her husband’s leg and looking at him with the purest love Dougal had ever seen. “And he likes to feel important.” She transferred her gaze to Dougal. “Don’t we all?”
He contemplated that for a long moment, but it was Jess who answered. “Yes, we do.”
Dougal supposed that was why he did what he did for the Foreign Office, so that he could do something that mattered. And if that wasn’t a kind of importance, what was it?
“Let me speak bluntly, Gil,” Dougal began. “Your French obsession is suspicious. Your eccentric behavior—shooting targets weekly with a supposed copy of a gun owned by Napoleon, your speaking French, writing coded love letters—all of it is more than odd. It begs the question if you are up to something.”
Mary had gone pale, her eyes rounding in mortification. “How did you know…” She slowly lifted her hand to her mouth. Then she dropped it again, her eyes narrowing. “Youstole our letters!” She turned her head to Gil. “I told you I didn’t misplace them.”
Feeling Jess tense beside him, Dougal quickly revealed the truth. “Yes, I took the letters. We came here to determine whether you are French spies.”
Gil pulled his arm from Mary’s shoulders and nearly vaulted from the settee. “What?”
Mary grabbed his wrist. “Gil, control yourself.”
“But this ismarvelous.” Turning his head to Mary, Gil grinned, his expression rapturous. “Can you imagine, Mary. Us as French spies?” He laughed with delight.
Forehead creasing into ever deeper lines, Mary stared at him. “You can’twantto be a French spy?”
“Goodness no,” he said with a wave of his hand and a hearty laugh. “But isn’t it exciting to think that someone believed we might be?”
Mary stuck out her chin, her face still scrunched up with confusion. “I’m not sure I find that exciting, but if you do—”
Gil snapped his attention back to Dougal. “Who was it? Did someone turn us in?”
“It wasn’t anyone specific. Your…odd behavior has not gone unnoticed. The Foreign Office monitors suspicious activities, particularly along the coastline.”
Mary folded her arms over her chest. She’d gone from horrified to annoyed. “I don’t understand how you read the letters.”
“I deciphered them,” Jess answered evenly. “I was, ah, curious as to why you encoded them.”
Dougal was surprised she asked that, but glad, since he wanted to know too.
Gil shrugged. “Just a fun diversion to liven things up a bit.”
Did they really need to do that? Dougal found them plenty lively.
Mary cast her gaze toward her floor. “I can’t believe you read them.”
Jess reached to touch Mary’s arm. “I’m sorry. Please don’t feel embarrassed. They were very…sweet.” Jess’s expression flashed with a brief grimace as if she realized sweet was perhaps not the best description.
Dougal could understand how Mary would feel violated to have their private things read. “I offer my deepest apologies, Mrs. Chesmore. We were conducting our duty to the Crown. I do hope you’ll understand, even if you can’t forgive.”
“You don’t have to stop calling me Mary.” She sniffed, then straightened, her gaze moving to Jess. “How did you break our code?”
Jess gave her a sheepish smile. “It wasn’t easy. Your key was most difficult. Though we were here to conduct an investigation, I want you to know that my affection for you and our friendship is absolutely real.”
Mary softened completely then, uncrossing her arms and clasping her hands in her lap. “I’m so pleased to hear that.” She put her hand to her cheek. “Heavens, I can only imagine what you thought of our letters!” She laughed finally, turning her head toward Gil, who joined with her.
