Read Online It Takes a Spy...: A Secrets and Seduction book by Sheridan Jeane - Free Book Online
Authors: Sheridan Jeane
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for that timely call for help.”
Evangeline grimaced and looked down at the floor. “Father’s furious with me.”
“Well, I’m furious with Father,” Cecilia said. “How could he turn on Devin so easily?”
“Try to understand,” Evangeline said. “He’s under a great deal of pressure. He’s leaving behind everything he knows. The prospect of moving to the south of France combined with Mother’s illness must be extremely difficult for him, and when you add the fact that he’ll barely see you again after you’re married, he must be at the end of his tether. Father constantly has misgivings about himself and his decisions. Is it a wonder that he has doubts about having you marry Devin?”
Cecilia sighed heavily. “I know how much Father tends to worry, but his disloyalty is unforgivable.”
“You’ll need to find a way to forgive the unforgivable. He’s your father, after all. Nothing will change that. Not even your wedding.”
Cecilia remained silent. Her sister was right. She’d need to find a way to let go of her outrage. After all, she couldn’t remain angry with her father forever. But how could she simply forget his betrayal? “This isn't the time to be talking about Father,” she finally said, breaking her sister’s gaze. “We need to hide Devin.”
Evangeline appeared to have been poised to spout more words of advice, but she closed her mouth quickly and glanced up at Devin. “Time to Test the Trunk,” she said, emphasizing the T’s in the words. She punctuated the comment with an impish grin, but whether at her alliteration or at the thought of Devin folding himself into the trunk, Cecilia couldn’t guess. “I can’t wait to see you cram yourself into such a small space.” She turned her grin on Cecilia, who found it impossible not to grin back.
“I’m so pleased to provide a moment of humor,” Devin grumbled, but he didn’t look annoyed. At least, not overly so.
The sound of footsteps hurrying down the corridor startled Cecilia. “Did you lock the door when you came in?” she asked her sister. “We don’t want the police bursting in on us.”
Evangeline’s eyes widened, and she rushed to the door. With an audible click, the latch shot home. Evangeline tested the door by twisting the handle. It remained shut.
“It’s time for you to hide,” Cecilia said.
Just at the words were left her mouth, a sharp knock at the door made her gasp.
Devin immediately folded his body into the tall trunk. The top of his head hit the bar from which Cecilia’s dresses had so recently hung. He grabbed hold of it and tried to remove it, but it was firmly affixed in place. With a bit of effort, he shifted his body and slid his head into the space between the bar and the back of the trunk. He held onto the bar with one hand, and Cecilia noticed that the metal rod pressed into his cheek. He wouldn’t be comfortable in there for long. She and Evangeline pushed the two halves of the upright trunk shut while Cecilia called out, “Who is it?”
“Officer Rafferty,” the man replied through the door. “We’re conducting a search of every room in the hotel for the jewel thief.”
Cecilia glanced at the closed trunk and spotted a piece of black fabric from Devin’s trousers poking out just below the bottom latch. Panic-stricken, she waved her hand at her sister and silently tried to point out the problem. Evangeline looked at her oddly, but then followed her gaze. When she spotted the betraying bit of fabric, her eyes widened in horror.
“I can assure you,” Cecilia called out to Officer Rafferty, “that Mr. Montlake is not in my room.” She and her sister rushed over and fumbled with the latches. They quickly managed to open the trunk just an inch. Evangeline deftly stuffed the piece of cloth inside. “I’m shocked you’d even suggest such a thing to an unmarried lady.”
“I mean no disrespect, Miss Paring, but I have my orders.”
Cecilia pawed through the pile of keys
Evangeline grimaced and looked down at the floor. “Father’s furious with me.”
“Well, I’m furious with Father,” Cecilia said. “How could he turn on Devin so easily?”
“Try to understand,” Evangeline said. “He’s under a great deal of pressure. He’s leaving behind everything he knows. The prospect of moving to the south of France combined with Mother’s illness must be extremely difficult for him, and when you add the fact that he’ll barely see you again after you’re married, he must be at the end of his tether. Father constantly has misgivings about himself and his decisions. Is it a wonder that he has doubts about having you marry Devin?”
Cecilia sighed heavily. “I know how much Father tends to worry, but his disloyalty is unforgivable.”
“You’ll need to find a way to forgive the unforgivable. He’s your father, after all. Nothing will change that. Not even your wedding.”
Cecilia remained silent. Her sister was right. She’d need to find a way to let go of her outrage. After all, she couldn’t remain angry with her father forever. But how could she simply forget his betrayal? “This isn't the time to be talking about Father,” she finally said, breaking her sister’s gaze. “We need to hide Devin.”
Evangeline appeared to have been poised to spout more words of advice, but she closed her mouth quickly and glanced up at Devin. “Time to Test the Trunk,” she said, emphasizing the T’s in the words. She punctuated the comment with an impish grin, but whether at her alliteration or at the thought of Devin folding himself into the trunk, Cecilia couldn’t guess. “I can’t wait to see you cram yourself into such a small space.” She turned her grin on Cecilia, who found it impossible not to grin back.
“I’m so pleased to provide a moment of humor,” Devin grumbled, but he didn’t look annoyed. At least, not overly so.
The sound of footsteps hurrying down the corridor startled Cecilia. “Did you lock the door when you came in?” she asked her sister. “We don’t want the police bursting in on us.”
Evangeline’s eyes widened, and she rushed to the door. With an audible click, the latch shot home. Evangeline tested the door by twisting the handle. It remained shut.
“It’s time for you to hide,” Cecilia said.
Just at the words were left her mouth, a sharp knock at the door made her gasp.
Devin immediately folded his body into the tall trunk. The top of his head hit the bar from which Cecilia’s dresses had so recently hung. He grabbed hold of it and tried to remove it, but it was firmly affixed in place. With a bit of effort, he shifted his body and slid his head into the space between the bar and the back of the trunk. He held onto the bar with one hand, and Cecilia noticed that the metal rod pressed into his cheek. He wouldn’t be comfortable in there for long. She and Evangeline pushed the two halves of the upright trunk shut while Cecilia called out, “Who is it?”
“Officer Rafferty,” the man replied through the door. “We’re conducting a search of every room in the hotel for the jewel thief.”
Cecilia glanced at the closed trunk and spotted a piece of black fabric from Devin’s trousers poking out just below the bottom latch. Panic-stricken, she waved her hand at her sister and silently tried to point out the problem. Evangeline looked at her oddly, but then followed her gaze. When she spotted the betraying bit of fabric, her eyes widened in horror.
“I can assure you,” Cecilia called out to Officer Rafferty, “that Mr. Montlake is not in my room.” She and her sister rushed over and fumbled with the latches. They quickly managed to open the trunk just an inch. Evangeline deftly stuffed the piece of cloth inside. “I’m shocked you’d even suggest such a thing to an unmarried lady.”
“I mean no disrespect, Miss Paring, but I have my orders.”
Cecilia pawed through the pile of keys
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