Page 92 of A Dangerous Lord (Regency Spies & Secrets 3)

“I saw you exit out of your coach and was curious to see where you were going,” Stewart said unabashedly.

“Why?”

Stewart stepped further into the alleyway. “If you must know, I don’t know much about you.”

“I assure you that is purely by design.”

“By your own confession, I know that you work at the Alien Office, but no one would confirm that at the Home Office.”

“Of course not.”

“I even tried interviewing your household staff, but they were incredibly uncommunicative about you.”

“That pleases me, since I pay them well for their discretion.”

Stewart gave him a baffled look. “Which makes me wonder what you are hiding from me.”

Corbyn reached behind him and tucked the pistol into his waistband of his trousers. “There is a coffeehouse around the corner,” he shared. “Why don’t we go there and discuss this?”

“I would appreciate that.”

As they exited the alleyway, Corbyn glanced over at Stewart. “If you truly want to go incognito, you might want to consider not wearing the red waistcoat.”

Stewart tugged down on the ends of the waistcoat. “The red waistcoat marks me as a Bow Street Runner.”

“Exactly. It does stand out amongst a crowd.”

“That is the point,” Stewart replied. “Besides, I have only just left a meeting with the magistrate, and we are required to wear it.”

“Ah,” Corbyn said. “That certainly does make sense.”

They approached the coffeehouse, and Stewart moved to open the door. “Allow me, my lord.”

“Thank you.”

They stepped into the room and a young man approached them with a tray in his hand. “Please sit down, and I will bring you some coffee.”

Corbyn walked towards a round table in the corner and sat down, ensuring that his back faced the wall. His eyes roamed the room, surveying the nearly empty hall, and he saw two windows along the back wall.

“This place doesn’t appear to be too popular,” Stewart commented as he sat down next to Corbyn.

“I assure you that it gets rather busy during the evenings.”

They waited patiently as the young man walked over and placed two cups of hot coffee in front of them.

“Can I get you anything else?” the young man asked.

“I think we are quite all right,” Corbyn said as he picked up his cup.

After he took a sip, Corbyn put his cup back on the table and turned his attention towards Stewart. “What is it that you wish to know?”

“I am trying to get a sense of who you are, but I find that your name is clouded in secrecy.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You are the second son of the Duke of Weatherby, but you work for the Alien Office.”

“That is correct.”

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