Page 95 of The Bachelor Spy
“Yes.”
“The ship that was torpedoed in April? The one that sank. That killed”—Frederick’s voice rose—”over a thousand people.”
“That very one, in fact.” Blake’s voice dropped lower, softer. All traces of mirth evaporated.
The profoundness of the statement silenced the room.
“Good heavens, Blake.” Frederick shook his head. “And … and Miss Montgomery was with you?”
“Not exactly.” Evie moved to stand near the window, apart from the rest of the group.
Something about that stance, distant and alone, made Grace’s heart ache for the woman.
“I was aboard under a mission to find the same man, or so I thought. Blake and I, along with my brother Evan, had been partners for months before this, but Evan and I were not privy to Blake’s assignment of not only locating the spy but gathering information about a possible traitor within our ranks. We were meant to find the informant as well and attempt to extract information from him.”
“And that’s where she shot you?” Grace asked. “Aboard theLusitania? Isn’t that right, Blake?”
“What?” Frederick’s head swiveled between Evie’s direction and Blake’s. “Miss Montgomery, your partner, shot you aboard theLusitania?”
“It’s a long story that will not assist your understanding of why we’re here,” Blake said, settling deeper into his chair. “But I will say that her aim is impeccable.”
Evie rolled her eyes heavenward for Blake’s benefit, no doubt. Grace grinned.
They really seemed to be perfect for each other. The fact they were both spies only made it better.
“Is that when you learned her brother was a traitor?” Grace asked.
“Miss Montgomery’s brother betrayed you?”
Poor Frederick. No doubt all this information was not helping his mental faculties at all.
Blake hesitated, clearly weighing how much to reveal. “He did, but he’s no longer part of our current situation.”
The room grew quiet again before Frederick continued carefully. “He died in the sinking?”
Evie looked over at Blake, who then turned to Frederick. “Yes.”
Grace had heard the truth of how he died, but she decided they must not have shared more for a very specific reason—one she would not betray in this moment.
“However, we discovered that the spy we’d been searching for was going to be operating in England—specifically, in convalescent hospitals where wounded officers and soldiers could be questioned without raising suspicions.”
Oh, so there was a very serious spy, besides Blake and Evie, within these walls. Someone who was causing hundreds if not thousands of young men to die on the battlefield because of the information the traitor passed along.
A knot began to form in Grace’s stomach. Howmortifying.
And that was averyappropriate use of the word.
“Like Havensbrooke,” Grace breathed.
“Like Havensbrooke,” Blake confirmed. “And while I am supposedly here to heal from injuries, that’s a false cover for the true reason. Our sources confirm this traitor may be here, and it is our assignment to stop them before more intelligence reaches Germany.”
“Hmm …” Frederick adjusted himself in the seat, his frown deepening. “Later, when all this is past, I should very much like to hear about your journey to this occupation and why you’ve chosen to keep it hidden from me all this time.” Frederick nodded. “But you had no hand in bringing this danger to my home, correct?”
“Can you doubt it?”
Stillness lay between the two cousins. Best of friends. A tense thread where the fidelity of their bond teetered toward fraying, before Frederick answered, “No, I don’t.”
Blake’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “In order to protect you, we cannot share more information. The less you know, the safer you will be. In fact, I’ve already shared more than I prefer.”
