5
Jo was at the Dukes house before he woke up for the day. Pauline and Jo went straight to work on the top floor where they found a few family secrets, but nothing they were looking for. William had left a journal they both enjoyed reading. Seems the second oldest brother was quite a character when he was at Eaton. He and their brother Michael were there at the same time and they decided to play a trick on the prefect who had given them hell all year. They went to a local farm and bought two dozen chickens and put them into the prefect's room. It took the prefect the entire day to empty the chickens out of his room. For weeks after every time someone passed him in the hallways they would cluck at him.
Jo and Pauline had a good laugh at her brother's antics. When Jensen woke up he went to look for Lady Hartford he thought of nothing else on his ride home from the gaming hell. When he walked into the room he found her bending overlooking into a trunk. His imagination seemed to run wild watching her bottom wiggle. He cleared his throat to call his attention to himself. He was not sorry when she stood up suddenly because she was wearing a tight-fitting shirt that showed off the exquisite size of her breast. She was perfect in all manners.
"Have you ladies found what you were looking for?"
Pauline was shaking her head no and Jo laughed.
'We found a lot of things but not what the key unlocks. Would you care to join us in our search your grace?"
There was nothing he would like better than to take the day and be with Lady Hartford, but he was due in a meeting with Othello and Apollo and he could not be late.
"I would love too but I have a meeting to go to. I would like if you could dine with us again tonight."
He could see the smile play across her face. She seemed so happy at the idea it made his heart do a flip or two.
"I would love to your grace my brother is still out of town and I do not want to be alone with my wicked sister in law."
He laughed at her comment he had heard of a wicked stepmother but never a wicked sister in law.
"What makes her so wicked?"
"Oh, a lot of things if you ask me. But mostly she is a wagtail she has a friend who she has living in the caretaker's house. She had my brother's caretaker move out while Luther was away. Mr. Wilkens had been with our family for twenty years at least. My brother was so mad, but Wilma refused to send her friend away and give Mr. Wilkens his house back. That is why she is wicked."
He laughed at how serious she was about the subject of her sister-in-law, but if the sister in-law were cheating on her brother he could understand her being upset. She seemed rather close to her brother, so it was understandable her feelings of anger.
"Do you know for a fact she is seeing this gentleman?"
"Well I know I am not worldly and I won't say I know what goes on between a man and a woman but I can say when they went into the secret alcove during the ball and I happened to be on the second level and heard them in there. Should I tell you there is a bed in the secret alcove and a lot of other things."
He raised his brow what could be in that alcove and how did she know?
"How do you know about this alcove and what is in it?"
She laughed, it sounded musical and pleasing he wondered if she sang as well as her laugh hinted at. He would have been surprised Johanna could not carry a note to save her life.
"When I was younger I saw my father disappear with the countess of Derry. If you had not noticed I like to explore, and I found the room along with a place to watch the ball without being detected."
"May I inquire what other than a bed did you find in the secret room?"
Her blush told him more than her words since she seemed to be stuttering her answer. There was a board with handles, and it had a hand on it. Then there were other things I did not know what they were, but there were many in different sizes. The oddest thing was the whip and mask.
Jensen choked back his laughter if she thought the whip was the oddest thing then she had no idea what any of the other toys were for. He had to agree with her she was not worldly or knew what went on between a man and a woman. A thought of wanting to be the one who taught her all the wonders between a man and a woman filled his head. He shook that thought right out he was happy being a bachelor and living a double life. If he had a wife and children he could not keep working for the crown and he enjoyed his life in the dark parts of London.
Adams came into the room and announced lunch was ready on the dining room on this level. Both Pauline and Jensen had forgotten about the dining room up here after all this was last used for the Dowager Duchess as her residence. After she had turned eighty she no longer wanted to socialize and only her closest friends and family members were invited up here. The entire floor had never been used since her death ten years before. Pauline led them into the dining room remembering her grandmother's rules about dining with her. Pauline never had a problem since she no longer talked but her grandmother forbids anyone from talking during suppers with her until the last course was served.
"So, Lady Hartford did you and my aunt find anything other than my Uncle Williams journal?"
"Oh, yes this floor has so many mysteries they may not be the one I am seeking but the history of this house is fascinating. One of your ancestors during hard times became a highway man and held up Queen Anne of Scotland who was traveling incognito. You have such an exciting history your grace. Mine is drab and boring well as far as I can find out. The most interesting thing that happened was my Aunt Lilly was killed in an accident on the way to see her father and my mother died the exact same day at the exact same hour after giving birth to a still born baby. My aunt and mother were twins."
"Well I find that extremely interesting do you not Aunt?"
Pauline was shaking her head yes, how odd was it for twins to die on the same day and at the same time in different places and different ways? Most unusual. After lunch Jensen went to his meeting promising he would be back for dinner if Johanna would dine with them.
Jensen entered the home office building and went straight to Othello's office where both Simon and Victor were waiting for him.
"Is there a reason I have been summoned?"
Simon did the talking.
"It seems one of your neighbors is being birddogged for making inquiries into certain people and things and they were led to you, but one of these people according to Anteros one of these people who they contacted is not at all happy and has put a price on their head."
"What does this have to do with me. My job is the bowels of London? You said it led them to me in what way? Is my Jack Billings identity blown?"
"No, it has nothing to do with your job for the crown. It has to do with your family, Your Uncle Nesbit to be accurate."
"I only see the man once or twice a year. He is not close to anyone, but he comes to the season opening dinner at the family home in London each year. I am still not understanding why you brought me in. I know a few of my neighbors but not well enough to help you with information on them."
Victor laughed, which annoyed Jensen. Victor was a year older than him and was the second in command of the home office, but he could be arrogant for an Earl well actually he was a prince, but he was a know it all.
"We did not bring you in here because we need information from you we need for you to protect the target."
"What is so important about this target are they royalty?"
"No but she is the daughter of a Duke and the granddaughter of a highly respected Marquis and her uncle is a fellow agent."
Jensen sat down he had a sinking feeling who this target was and there was not anything he would not do to protect her. He took a deep breath and surprised both Victor and Simon with his words.
"Lady Hartford is the target?"
"How could you have known?"
Jensen laughed,
"She came to my house to ask if she could explore it because of a letter she received and a key someone left for her. She is at my house right now with my aunt searching for something the key will open."
"Does she know who sent her the letter and the key?"
"No, that is probably why she made inquiries she is very inquisitive and very bright. She was able to trace my family to the key that is the connection is the key belong to someone in my family."
Simon sat and pondered all this information.
"Do you happen to know what the letter said?"
"I do she brought it with her to show me. It was something to the effect of Lady Hartford, take this key and solve the mystery of days of yore and tell the world of an unwilling offering of purity and life, Justice denied."
Victor looked puzzled,
"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?"
"We do not know Victor that is why she is investigating. She wants to know what Justice was denied."
"You do not have to be snippy about it Jen. I was just asking a question."
Simon snapped at both.
"Stop all this bickering you are both acting like children this young lady needs to be protected and that has become our responsibility. Now Jensen in addition to your other duties for the crown I am assigning you to keep the girl safe."
Jensen could not help thinking to himself this could be heaven, or this could be hell depending on how active she planned on being during the season.
"How can I keep her safe if I am at Madams doing my normal duties?"
"You will have to just manage but she will be making her debut this season and from what I understand she could be the incomparable of this year's season or Madison could as well. I do not know when my duties started Involving seasons and who the incomparable of the season would be. He was happily married and even before that he was not much on the season he was always working.
Jensen perked up at the mention of Madison's name.
"Speaking of Lady Jacobs Daniel sent me a note asking I look out for a marker her cousin the Earl put out on her. He placed a 20,000 pound note out in the world for anyone to collect on and it included marriage to the lovely young lady. Daniel is terribly upset. Evidently after he told Cuthbert that he was not her guardian Daniel was he placed and advertisement in the lower London paper sending men to Daniels home to marry the girl."
"When it rains it pours. Tell Daniel we will look for the marker and you protect Lady Hartford."
"I think I can arrange that."
Simon coughed,
"Make sure her virtue is protected Jensen as well do nothing to besmirch the young lady's reputation unless you are prepared to settle down?"
"I have never done such a thing why would you say such a thing to me I am not a known rake. Yes, I have sought the comforts of women but never an innocent. I was never that much of a cad not even undercover as Jack Billings."
It was Victor who laughed at the question.
"She is Charming's niece you know how he is about family."
Jensen left thinking great now he had to worry he would upset Wayne and Jennifer who worked even deeper in the pits of London than he did. They were known to be the deadly duo. He had thought his day could not get any worse, but he would have been wrong. He stopped by his London townhouse to make sure everything would be ready for the family gathering in a weeks' time. It was a yearly custom that the entire Everleigh family attended just before the official start of the season. It was also when he gave out the allowances to his aunt and uncles that their father had placed in his will. Each child would get five percent of the capital gain of the Duchy for that year the rest went to the Duke and his family. It was quite a sum his father had been very conscientious with the money and made exceptionally good investments. He had learned from his father and this year the allowances would be greater than they had ever been. Instead of just dealing with his headman his uncle was there hoping to get his allowance early. The thing about the will it was ironclad that not a penny would be disbursed before the family gathering or it would nullify the will. None of his other uncles needed the money they all invested well, but not Nesbit he was the youngest son and the laziest one of them all. He was also the biggest pain in the ares because he expected everyone to take care of him and his family. Jensen's grandfather had wanted to make sure all his family would be taken care of. the man loved his family to distraction and found any means to keep them close.
Jensen led his uncle into his study to wait to hear what he wanted.
"What can I do for you Uncle?"
"I just stopped by to make sure you knew about the allowance me and my siblings get each year. After all you are a new Duke and were never intended to be one, so I do not know what my brother shared with you?"
Jensen knew there was more to this little talk than his uncle wanting to guide him in the ways of his family's traditions.
"I am aware of the allowance and I have made sure each family is well taken care of. Is that all?"
Jensen started to stand, and his uncle started to sputter.
"Well actually I was hoping to get a small advance on mine, after all it is only ten days before we all meet here to get the money."
Jensen sat back down he knew his answer was going to upset the old man.
"As my father stated to me and Jenner on more than one occasion that the will was firm in the accounts of the allowance. No one could get more or less than the other siblings other than the Duke. It also states that without the approval of all of your siblings you cannot be given an advancement."
"So, you are versed in the will then?"
"I may not have been the heir apparent but that did not mean my father did not teach me the ways of being a Duke and taking care of one's family. So yes, I am more than versed in the will. If you like I can call all your siblings together for an emergency meeting and take a vote if it is imperative you have the money early."
"My brothers may vote to help me but that dumb mute would not vote to help me for some reason she hates me. I have always been good to her I do not even know why she even has a vote in anything she never says a word. She is probably as dumb as an ox."
Jensen took a deep breath and let it out slowly before answering. His aunt had lived with him most of his life since his father was the heir and never moved out of the family home. She was sweet and no one who really knew her would call her stupid she was anything but.
"I find your sister is quite intelligent and knows a lot more than wasting her yearly allowance, so she had to come and ask for more. Your sister is quite wealthy and has done all her owned investing. So do not ever tell me she is dumb as an ox. Now if you excuse me I am rather busy. Let Leon know if you want me to take the vote or if you can wait the ten days."
Jensen dismissed his uncle by standing up and walking out of the room. He had no time to listen to his uncles drivel the man never worked a day in his life he always had the support of his father. He was not a man Jensen or his other family members could respect. The money he did have was the allowance and a lot of the time he used that unwisely. Jensen went to talk with Leon to make sure things were ready he also sent off a note to Mac he would not be in for a few days and he should carry on. Jensen needed to get back to the estate to protect the Lady Hartford.