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make it utterly impossible to be an equal partner because you refuse to trust anyone but yourself.
He did make her a worse operative when they were together because all she wanted was him.
A counterplot to track the arrival of the agents and goods was underway, involving all of the departments and operatives from all areas of the service. There were too many unknowns, and the dangers were incalculable due to those unknowns.
Wanted to tell him that she had actually provided an idea to Tilda and might be working with the woman on designing more functional costumes for the female agents.
She wanted to hold his hand. That broke her heart. She had pulled away from him at the theater, but not for the reasons he thought. She had been afraid.
She would have to return to the Convent and prepare for teaching, as the fall term was well under way.
making their way to the designated meeting place for Convent agents in London. Almack’s. It was a delightful advantage for the ladies to have Lady Cowper as an ally, as she was the clear grand dame of the Almack’s patronesses and had been an agent herself at one time.
The situation in Ireland was more complicated than anyone would have liked and, even in jest, had to be taken seriously.
There is a shipment of agents or sympathizers of the Faction coming on land, and they will also be transporting unreported goods. Our mission, along with the other operatives joining us, will not be to stop the operation, but to monitor it. We need to know where every passenger goes and where every item off-loaded ends up.”
Minerva’s brows rose. Ivy was in the group this evening? That as an impressive feat. Ivy was one of the best agents to come out of the Convent, and her missions were usually of the utmost discretion and importance, due to the standing of her husband in Parliament.
He rather reminded her of Hal’s protector turned house servant, a cantankerous rascal named Tad.
He hadn’t shaved in days, which added to his look, and gave him the rugged, dangerous, rough appearance one might wish for the occasion, but it also took her back to the young man she had pulled from the docks all those years ago.
She looked into Griff’s face again, and this time, saw him looking at her. Breath seemed to fill her lungs rather than escape them, and the tightness in her chest eased. Something about the steadiness of him, of his look, the certainty of his bearing, was enough to ground her and give her confidence.
“Ears, Rudder, Mirrors, passengers,” Weaver called out, drawing Minerva’s attention to the meeting.
“Gent, Mist, Beacon, passengers.” Gent knew the city well, that was a good choice. And Beacon was the best sharpshooter the Convent had; she could take care of them both as well as herself.
“Trick, Trace, Rogue, goods.”
once sheltered, turned to face Griff, setting her back against the rough wood of the crates. His mouth was on hers at once, and she arched into him, her fingers still behind her back, gripping against his with the same hunger her lips ached with. He was relentless against her, and she was just as voracious, giving as much as she was taking, pleading as much as she was declaring, and reveling as much as she was driving. It was a battle and a dance, a sparring session full of laughter and meaning, grazing fingers and teasing looks, a frenzy of feeling and a moment of madness. Glorious, delicious
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“Please be careful,” she whispered, the three words meaning something else entirely. Griff’s lips twitched, and somehow, she knew he understood. He kissed her once. “You be careful,” he said with clear emphasis, his words taking on the same meaning.
But he, Gent, and Beacon had managed to track a passenger from the ship who had gone to a house from which there had been comings and goings all night and into the morning.
He had felt more settled about matters between them when he’d caught her watching him and seen her smile, but the firmness of her grip on him had told him everything he had needed to know.
“Brick and Pen and I tailed a man to St. James.
Approve and appreciate, he’d once said. Yes, he approved of her, and hell yes, he appreciated her, and he’d do so for the rest of his life.
I am worse without you than I could ever be with you.”
He covered her hand with his. “You misunderstand me. I am giving it back to you.” Minerva looked up at him, her gray-blue eyes wide and startled. Griff smiled, cupping her cheek. “Hello again, Hatch.” Thankfully, Minerva did not try to deny it, though her throat worked twice for a swallow, and her tongue darted out to wet her lips before she could speak. “How long have you known?” “Since before I told you the story,” he confessed with a small laugh. “I suspected, especially when I spent enough time looking in your eyes, and then I knew for certain when I did tell you. You didn’t gasp in the
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He leaned forward and gently kissed her. “Thank you, my love. For your bravery. For your stubbornness. For saving me. Then and now.” Minerva put a hand to his face, bringing her brow to his. “Oh, Griff.”
“How are they going to handle the fallout from your assignment, Griff? Still on it?” Griff shook his head soberly. “No, they’ve handed it off to Trick, given what we now know. He’s best suited to further the work there. I’m helping the London League to secure their records and families, since there is no telling how much compromise there has been.”
“She’s really not going to let us tell them about Duchess?” Clara shook her head. “She insisted they be kept in the dark. Duchess has all the necessary paperwork. It was simply not understood what it was for, and she did not elaborate on the subject at the time.” “How are we going to keep this a secret?” she hissed. “They’re our husbands, Clara!” “And her brothers,” Clara replied. She rubbed her brow, sighing a little. “We’ll have to hope they forgive us and blame her. Her first mission is after Christmas. That much I know.”
