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

What Letters?

Fidelia strangled a huff as she peered around the corner of the house and watched William usher Miss Thorpe into the car­riage. That man was the most aggravating, hard-headed lout she'd ever met! What was she going to do? She needed to get Lottie to safety, but if she left without the information on the French invasion, then no one could truly protect her and her sister. It was up to her to learn as much as she could and pass the information on to someone who would listen—if not William, then perhaps Edmund, if she could find him.

After cleaning all night, Fidelia finally dragged herself to Mrs. Rowles's room and begged for a piece of parchment and quill. The woman stared at her in shock, surprised that Fidelia could read and write, but shrugged and let her borrow the items.

Using the code that Charles had taught her, she quickly scrawled a letter to William. He hadn't listened the night before, but she wrote the letter just in case, a small part of her hoping that he would still care enough to aid Lottie. Fidelia barely caught the kitchen boy before he headed to town, and she used her breakfast to bribe him to post the letter.

She watched the boy ride away in the grocery wagon and prayed that the letter would be enough. Slowly, she went to return the quill to Mrs. Rowles. Fidelia's muscles ached, and her eyelids were scratchy with lack of sleep.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mrs. Rowles asked, stopping Fidelia when she turned to go to her room.

"We cleaned all night, Mrs. Rowles."

"And now it's day. Come, girl, we've got guests to see to."

Fidelia groaned at the reminder of the guests that Mr. Thynne had invited to stay the night, but she nodded obediently. She couldn't af­ford to get sacked before learning about the invasion.

***

Ellingham Hall, 9 February 1813

William stared at Miss Thorpe, wondering how a person could be so sneaky and yet so daft. What was she going on about now? Something about how he needed to stop lingering in the past. What could she mean by that?

He groaned and ran a hand over his eyes. He'd spent the carriage ride worrying about Fidelia, wondering if he should have stayed to listen to her. But now that he was trapped having tea with Miss Thorpe and his mother, there was no escape in sight.

One of the Thorpes' manservants entered the room, bowing sheepishly. William's parents had both been included in the Thorpes' invitation to visit Ellingham, and the staff was greatly intimidated by the stern countess.

"Lord Greyville, a letter has arrived for you." The servant extended a silver tray that held the letter.

"Fidelia." Relief washed over William. He reached for it, but his mother leaped to her feet and snatched it up first.

The countess shrieked at the servant, "You stupid boy!" Then she turned on Miss Thorpe. "Juliana, didn't you instruct your servants to bring the letters to me first?"

"I didn't think there would be any others while we were here at my father's estate." Miss Thorpe's face reddened. William turned sharply to look at his mother.

"What others?" William asked, his voice dangerously low.

The countess paled and retreated a step, shaking her head. "Th-there are no others. William, don't be silly!"

"Have you been hiding letters from Fidelia?" He advanced until he was towering over her.

Fidelia's words from the night before flashed in his mind: "Three months and not a single letter. I gave up hope on you long ago." Sud­denly he understood.