The Wily Wastrel by Kihlstrom April

Author:Kihlstrom, April [Kihlstrom, April]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9781610845786
Publisher: Belgrave House/Regency Reads
Published: 2011-09-14T04:00:00+00:00

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Chapter 14

Some days later, Philip and Emily and Sir Thomas and Harry and James and another gentleman bent over the newspaper at Philip's townhouse. They carefully read her latest piece and then consulted the Latin bible they had borrowed from Lord Darton’s library.

"Did I get it right?" Emily asked anxiously.

It took another ten minutes and then Sir Thomas and Harry grinned at one another.

"Perfect!" Harry said. "Absolutely perfect! And no one, reading it, could think anything amiss."

"Yes, but now you shall have to carry that heavy Latin bible about," Philip said doubtfully.

Harry shrugged, his devil-may-care eyes dancing with amusement. "A good many men carry bibles into battle," he said. "But if need be, perhaps I shall become a wandering priest, or something of the sort. I shall pretend that my whole life revolves around this bible. Which, in a sense, it will."

James snorted. "As though anyone would believe such a thing of you!" he said.

Sir Thomas, however, eyed Harry thoughtfully. "That might not be such a bad notion," he said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "I was jesting," he said. "No more than James do I think anyone would believe me in such a role! Nor that Wellington would spare me from the fighting for such a purpose."

Now it was Sir Thomas who shrugged. "Perhaps. But should it ever come to that, it would make an excellent disguise. No one pays any attention to priests in war time. What do you think, Baines?" he asked the other gentleman.

Frederick Baines smiled lazily. "I think young Harry would make an interesting priest but I am more concerned with this code you’ve come up with. And how to protect Mrs. Langford from discovery. You said there had been rumors that she is the author of several columns. How is her writing being delivered to the paper?"

Sir Thomas looked at Philip and Emily and quirked an eyebrow enquiringly.

"I send it with a footman to the paper," he said blankly. "But the fellow is never in livery when he goes."

"No, but perhaps he talks," Baines pointed out, with a deceptively careless air. "If you gave it instead to Sir Thomas and he chose, quite at random of course, a street urchin to send it with, that might be safer."

"But how can we be certain it will get there, then?" Emily blurted out.

"Oh, I think perhaps Harry could arrange that the right sort of urchin would be hanging about at the right time," Baines said blandly. "Couldn’t you, Major Langford?"

Harry nodded slowly. A grin spread across his face. "Yes, I believe I could," he agreed.

"And then we must hint that another lady is responsible," Baines persisted. "I know one or two who might be amenable to being thought the author of Mrs. Langford’s fiery pieces demanding reform."

There were a few more details to be worked out, but by the time the clock struck the hour, it was done.

"When will you return to the continent?" Philip asked.

"Very soon," Harry replied. "There is a great deal to do and not much time to do it in.

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