FREE! In The Arms of My Enemy (Completed!) Book 1

A Traitor Among Us

"You come at a grand time," the housekeeper, a pleasantly plump woman named Mrs. Rowles, said as she guided Fidelia through Northumberland's great house. "The master, Mr. Thynne, be hosting a ball with several prestigious guests tomorrow. We need all the help we can get."

Fidelia followed silently, taking in the richly decorated walls and plush rugs in the hallway. As soon as Sally had told her everything she needed to know, Fidelia had marched over to Middleton Hall and asked about a maid's position. When Mrs. Rowles asked about previ­ous experience, Fidelia fibbed about serving in a fancy house in Bath several years before. It was a weak lie, but it was adequate enough to fool the housekeeper, and Fidelia had been hired.

"You shall clean the rooms and start the morning fires for the guests during their stay," Mrs. Rowles was saying, showing Fidelia the rooms she would oversee. The grand beds and decorations reminded her of Bath and the room she had shared there with William. The memories set her teeth on edge. She could not allow herself to become distracted. She had a job to do. Well, several jobs, if one counted her duties as a new maid.

"What about Mr. Thynne's rooms?" she tried to imitate Sally's accent and sound innocently enough, but Mrs. Rowles cast her a stern glance.

"The only one allowed in his room is his personal valet, Mr. York. You're under strict orders not to enter, understand?"

Fidelia smiled and nodded quickly, but the hindrance to her plans needled her. Sally had said that she hadn't recognized the traitor's voice, and since Sally was acquainted with all the servants except those who directly served the master, Fidelia's list of suspects was narrowed signifi­cantly.

She would easily be able to sneak into the upper servants' rooms to investigate them during the ball that night, but Mr. Thynne's rigid rule about which servants could enter his room was suspicious. If he was indeed the traitor that would let the French into the country and possibly kill her husband, she would need to find proof as soon as pos­sible to warn William in time. This was going to be more difficult than she had previously thought.

"Now, let's see if we can find a cap to hide that hair. You shan't draw attention to yourself, understand?"

Again, Fidelia plastered on a smile and nodded even as her mind was distracted. She had just seen a man that she was almost certain was Mr. Thynne. He was young with a pleasant face, flashing a quick smile at a guest. Fidelia and Mrs. Rowles passed so quickly, however, that Fidelia could not see who the guest was. Could it be the mysterious Frenchman? Or one of the others here for the house party and ball?

"When do the first guests arrive?"

"Some are already here, but the rest arrive tonight."

As she set about her duties, Fidelia's mind drifted to William once again. If she could discover who the traitor was, would her husband even listen to her? If not, she decided with a firm set of her jaw, she would protect Lottie and their new home against this threat on her own, no matter the cost.

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Hey guys! Thank you so much for reading this far!  What do you think of Fidelia's plan?  Is it a good one?  This chapter used to be longer, but I ended up cutting a scene.  Don't worry!  They are going to be reunited soon, but do you think they can make it work? Or would Fidelia be better off with Edmund? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

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