Page 53 of Masquerading with the Duke
Clarence sighed. ‘I feel the same way, but as you know, I’m just a lackey. There are those who think differently.’
All three brothers made identical scoffing sounds at the thought of Clarence being anyone’s lackey.
‘What I feel and what I can prove are two entirely different things,’ Clarence said in calm response to their cynicism. ‘Braden has always been at a disadvantage, and always had his detractors, given the rumours about his father’s loyalties.’
‘Which begs the question, why risk having him in the government’s service?’ Vince asked.
‘As I have told Zach and Amos, I took a chance. Like you, I sensed his integrity, and a determination to prove himself in the face of the detractors I just referred to. Besides, he speaks excellent French and Spanish and has a brain the size of Wales.’ Clarence chuckled. ‘A vital but rare combination in my line of work.’
‘What’s really brought you here a few days early?’ Zach said, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. ‘Excuse me if I don’t believe that it was Anna’s idea.’
Clarence chuckled. ‘I let Braden leave the diplomatic service without putting up much of a fight because I sensed he knew who the real traitor is and planned to beard him in his own back yard.’
Zach flexed a brow. ‘Redrow?’
‘Good God, how the devil…’
‘First time I’ve seen Clarence flustered,’ Vince said, chuckling along with Amos. ‘I must make a note of the date in my diary.’
‘It’s not a sight you see every year,’ Amos agreed. ‘Martina quit Redrow’s employ,’ he added for Clarence’s benefit. ‘She hasn’t said why but we’re pretty sure that Redrow tried to compromise her. Braden, when he heard about it, told us that he was acquainted with Redrow through his work in France and the rest…Well, it seemed obvious when we stopped to consider the facts.’
‘He is living beyond his means,’ Zach added. ‘Redrow, that is.’
‘But so is Braden,’ Clarence said. ‘As his critics in government circles, those in positions of influence who still resent his father’s behaviour, have no scruples about pointing it out. He also spent a lot of time away from his post in Paris when there wasn’t much going on.’
‘Have you asked him how he came by his fortune?’ Vince enquired. ‘Or what he did with his free time?’
‘Heavens no. He’s an inventive chap, not afraid to grasp opportunities when they come his way. And his leisure pursuits are none of my damned business, as I am sure he wouldn’t hesitate to remind me if I ever asked, which I shall not.’
‘Presumably you had him followed,’ Amos said, ‘if there were doubts about his behaviour.’
‘Yes, of course, from time to time but if he was acting against our interests, he was too wily to be caught at it.’
‘Or your people were inept,’ Zach suggested. ‘Or indeed he was never acting against your interests, or those of our country.’
Clarence tilted his head by way of acknowledgement. ‘He did manage to shake them off occasionally. It was as though he knew he was being followed and tolerated it when it suited him, which hardly did his cause with his detractors much good.’
‘There’s nothing new about what you are telling us, Clarence,’ Zach said. ‘We had this same conversation a week ago. Something must have changed.’
Clarence rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncomfortable. He disliked discussing sensitive affairs of state, even amongst his family. ‘The fact of the matter is that we’ve reached a bit of an impasse with the French delegation that’s here in London. They are not best pleased with the rumours floating about regarding the country’s future trading links…’
‘Rumours that reached their ears courtesy of the traitor?’ Vince clarified.
‘Correct, and we’re hard pressed to deny them, since they happen to be true. The business about cutting France out of agreements with America, that is.’ He threw his hands up. ‘God alone knows why my lords and masters think it necessary. After Napoleon’s antics one would think we’d know better than to risk alienating the French again, but there you have it. Some memories are long, and I suspect that a lot of decisions are reached for personal rather than political reasons.’
‘You let Braden go too easily and now need to entice him back so that he can calm the French down,’ Amos said, not without sympathy in his tone.
‘Something of that nature. The French like and trust him and keep asking for him.’
‘Or there again, perhaps one of this delegation is the traitor’s opposite number. The man he passes on secrets to, for a price,’ Zach suggested. ‘If that’s the case, Braden can no longer help him, given that he’s resigned his post.’
‘Oh, he still possesses a welter of sensitive information inside that big brain of his. But I think we are all agreed that his loyalties are beyond doubt.’
‘Then haul Redrow in and give him a grilling,’ Amos said.
‘Wish it was that simple.’
Zach rolled his eyes. ‘These things seldom are. Unless you have evidence of his guilt, he’ll just deny it, I imagine.’
