Castles

'What else is on your mind?'

'I just thought I would mention… that is, the incident in front of the Opera…'

Colin shut his book. 'Yes?' he prodded.

'It's affected her. She hasn't said anything to me, but I know she hasn't gotten over the incident. She's still blaming herself for Raymond's injury.'

'That's ridiculous.'

Flannaghan nodded. 'She keeps apologizing to her guard and this morning, when she came downstairs, I could tell she'd been weeping. I believe you should have a talk with her, milord. A princess should not cry.'

Flannaghan sounded like an authority on the topic of royalty. Colin nodded. 'All right, I'll have a talk with her later. Now leave me alone. For the first time in months, I'm actually close to being caught up and I want to get today's totals entered. I don't wish to be disturbed until dinner.'

Flannaghan didn't mind his employer's gruffness. Colin would take care of the princess, and that was all that really mattered.

The butler's cheerful mood was sorely tested the rest of the afternoon. He spent most of his time answering the front door and turning away potential suitors. It was a damn nuisance.

At seven o'clock that evening, Sir Richards arrived on their doorstep. He didn't request admission. The head of England's Security Section demanded to be let in.

Flannaghan ushered Sir Richards up the stairs and into Colin's study. The distinguished-looking gray-haired gentleman waited until the butler had taken his leave before speaking to Colin.

'You're looking none the worse for wear,' he announced. 'I wanted to look in on you to see how you're doing, of course, and also compliment you on a job well done. The Wellingham business could have gotten sticky. You handled it well.'

Colin leaned back in his chair. 'It did get sticky,' he reminded the director.

'Yes, but you handled it with your usual tact.'

Colin caught himself before he snorted with laughter. Handled with tact? How like the director to summarize in gentlemen's terms the necessary killing of one of England's enemies.

'Why are you really here, Richards?'

'To compliment you, of course.'

Colin did laugh then. Richards smiled. 'I could use a spot of brandy,' he announced with a wave of his hand in the direction of the side bar against the wall. 'Will you join me?'

Colin declined the offer. He started to get up to see to the director's request, but Richards waved him back to his seat 'I can fetch it.'

The director poured himself a drink, then went over to sit in the leather-backed chair facing the desk. 'Morgan's going to be joining us in just a few minutes. I wanted to talk to you first, however. Another little problem has developed and I thought it might be just the task for Morgan to handle. An opportunity, you see, for him to get his feet wet.'

'He's joining the ranks then?'

'He would like to be of service to his country,' the director told him. 'What do you think of him, Colin? Forget diplomacy and give me your gut reaction to the man.'

Colin shrugged. His neck was stiff from leaning over the ledgers for so long and he rolled his shoulders, trying to work the knots out. 'I understand he inherited title and land from his father a few years back. He's the Earl of Oakmount now, isn't he?'

'Yes,' Sir Richards replied. 'But you're only half right. The title and land came from an uncle. Morgan's father ran tail years ago. The boy was shuffled from one relative to another during the growing years. There was talk of illegitimacy and some think that was the reason the father abandoned the boy. Morgan's mother died when he was four or five.'

'A difficult childhood,' Colin remarked.

The director agreed. 'It made him the man he is today. He learned to be clever early on, you see.'

'You know more about his background than I do,' Colin said. 'All I can add is superficial. I've seen him at various functions. He's well liked by the ton.'

The director took a long swallow of the brandy before speaking again. 'You still haven't given me your opinion,' he reminded Colin.

'I'm not hedging,' Colin replied. 'I honestly don't know him well enough to form an opinion. He seems likable enough. Nathan doesn't particularly like him, though. I do remember him making that remark.'

The director smiled. 'Your partner doesn't like anyone.'

'That's true, he doesn't.'

'Did he have specific reasons for disliking Morgan?'

'No. He referred to him as one of the pretty boys. Morgan's a handsome man, or so I'm told by the women.'

'Nathan doesn't like him because of his appearance?'

Colin laughed. Sir Richards sounded incredulous. 'My partner doesn't like charmers. He says he never knows what they're thinking.'

The director filed that information away in the back of his mind. 'Morgan has almost as many contacts as you have, and he would be a tremendous asset to the department. Still, I'm determined to take it slow. I still don't know how he'll handle himself in a crisis. I've invited him here to talk to you, Colin. There's another delicate matter you might want to consider handling for us. If you decide in favor of taking on the assignment, I'd like Morgan to get involved. He could do well to learn from you.'

'I'm retired, remember?'

The director smiled. 'So am I,' he drawled out. 'I've been trying to hand the reins over for a good four years now. I'm getting too old for this business.'

'You'll never quit.'

'And neither will you,' Richards predicted. 'At least not until your company can survive without your added income. Tell me this, son. Has your partner wondered yet where the additional funds are coming from? I know you didn't want him to know you've started helping the department out again.'

Colin stacked his hands behind his neck. 'He isn't aware,' he explained. 'Nathan's been occupied opening the second office. His wife, Sara, is due to have their first baby any day now. I doubt Nathan has had time to notice.'

'And when he does notice?'

'I'll tell him the truth.'

'We could use Nathan again,' the director said.

'That's out of the question. He has a family now.'

Sir Richards reluctantly agreed. He turned the topic back to the task he wanted Colin to accept. 'About this assignment,' he began. 'It's no more dangerous than the last, but… ah, good evening, Princess Alesandra. It's a pleasure to see you again.'

She stood just outside the entrance. Colin wondered how much she had overheard.

She smiled at the director. 'It's good to see you again, sir,' she replied in a soft whisper. 'I hope I haven't intruded. The door was ajar, but if you're in the middle of a conference, I'll come back later.'

Sir Richards hastily stood up and walked over to her. He took hold of her hand and bowed low. 'You haven't intruded,' he assured her. 'Come and sit down. I wanted to talk to you before I left.'

He latched on to her elbow and ushered her over to a chair. She sat down and smoothed her skirts while she waited for him to take his seat as well.

'I heard about the unfortunate incident outside the Royal Opera House,' the director remarked with a frown. He sat down, nodded to Colin, and then turned his attention back to her. 'Have you recovered from your upset?'

'There wasn't anything for me to recover from, Sir Richards. My guard was injured. Raymond required eight stitches in all, but they were removed yesterday. He's feeling much better now. Isn't that right, Colin?'

She kept her gaze fully directed on Sir Richards when she included Colin in the conversation. He didn't mind her lack of attention. He was fully occupied trying to hide his amusement. Sir Richards was blushing. Colin couldn't believe it. The hard-nosed, steel-hearted director of covert operations was blushing like a schoolboy.