Chapter Twenty-Six

Thirty minutes later, Kat followed Marcus over the threshold into Sir William’s study. Her eyes automatically surveyed the subdued surroundings. The room was a mess, with some chairs overturned, papers scattered on the floor, and broken furniture upended on the rug. The only light came from a desk lamp and the blazing hearth on the far side of the room.

But, thankfully, sitting near the hearth was Sir William, seemingly all in one piece albeit looking a bit disheveled with his hair messed and his jacket ripped, while he nursed a glass of whisky in his hands. Cantfield was sitting next to him and both stood as she and Marcus approached.

Sir William glanced between them, his eyes narrowed with concern. “Are Danbury and Sir Albert safe?”

“They’re fine. I’ve sent a retinue of men back with them to their houses,” Marcus replied. “You should have listened when I tried to have men stationed here.”

“I know.” Sir William sank back down in his chair with a weary sigh. “It was arrogant of me to think the fiend wouldn’t be so bold as to attack me in my own residence.”

“Did you see who he was?” Kat asked, her every sense anticipating the possibility.

Sir William shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. Not only was he wearing a mask, but, as you can see, the lighting in here was minimal. I can tell you he’s tall and muscular, though I doubt I’d be able to pick him out. His physique was rather like the both of yours.” His eyes flicked over to Cantfield and Marcus.

Confusion swamped her. The physique Sir William was describing was not that of the waiter they’d chased at the opera the other evening after Burton was murdered.

“Are you certain that was his physique?” Marcus asked, clearly thinking the same thing as Kat.

“Positive,” Sir William confirmed before taking a somewhat shaky sip of his drink.

“Tell us what happened,” Kat asked.

He glanced across to his desk. “I was working on some files when I got a niggling sensation at the back of my neck that something wasn’t right.”

It was a feeling Kat had learned never to ignore.

“I pushed my chair to the right just as the blade of a dagger whistled past me,” Sir William continued. He raised his arm and pointed to the far wall behind his desk where a dagger was lodged firmly in the wood paneling, right behind where his desk chair would have been, and at chest height. “I looked over to the door and saw a masked man standing there, reaching for another dagger. That’s when I dove to the ground, grabbed my own hidden pistol from where it was strapped under my desk, and got off two shots.”

Striding over to the door, Kat saw the two bullet holes marring the wood of the door frame. “You didn’t hit him.”

“No. I was rattled, and my aim was off, though the shots did as I intended and deterred him as he fled down the hallway.”

“We need to question your staff and find out how he got in, and if anyone saw him leaving,” Marcus added, while Kat crossed the room to examine the only piece of evidence left, the dagger.

Her steps faltered as she got closer and she swallowed away the large lump that had gathered in her throat.

“What’s wrong?” Marcus murmured as he came up beside her.

She took a step toward the weapon and stared, almost mesmerized by the thing. “It can’t be…”

“Kat, what is it?”

There was concern in Marcus’s voice, as he placed a gentle hand on her arm.

“I recognize the dagger,” she managed to utter, noticing that Sir William and Cantfield were now also standing around her and Marcus, looking at the knife, too.

“Who does it belong to?” Sir William asked.

“Victor.”

Silence greeted her pronouncement for a good ten seconds.

“Victor’s dagger?” Sir William exclaimed, after the shock had passed. “How is that possible?”

“Where is it normally kept?” Marcus asked.

“He gave it away a long time ago.” She remembered the moment as she’d been slightly envious that Victor had given it to someone else rather than her. “He gave it to Nathaniel.”

Sir William pressed his lips together. “Then that means we do indeed have a traitor within the War Office.”

“It does?” Cantfield said. “I’m not following.”

“After he was accused of being a traitor,” Marcus answered, “all of Nathaniel’s belongings were confiscated and taken to the War Office, with only his personal effects ever returned to my mother.”

“Yes,” Sir William confirmed. “His dagger should be safely sealed with the rest of his belongings, in the secure vault of the War Office. Clearly, that’s not the case. I must admit I didn’t truly believe I was a target.”

“Why would you say that?” Kat swung around to look at him. “When you’re listed in the journal as one.”

“I found it a bit far-fetched that all three heads of the War Office were targets of an assassin.” Sir William made his way back over to the armchair by the hearth and slowly sat down. “But after tonight, it’s obviously not so far-fetched at all. And though it’s certainly not the first time I’ve been a target, it is the first time I’ve been one of many targets within a conspiracy, which is what I find fascinating.”

“Fascinating?” Kat wrenched the dagger from the wall and peered down at the ivory handle.

“Completely,” Sir William replied. “The top three in charge of the War Office, targets of an assassin. Makes you wonder who would benefit from our deaths.”

“And who would?” Kat asked him.

“That’s the most fascinating thing. You see, there’s no true successor if all three of us died.” Sir William smiled at her. “Though, when you add in Burton and Newtown’s names, along with Nathaniel and Victor’s dagger, then perhaps a clearer picture emerges.”

Marcus sat on the other seat next to Sir William, and Kat couldn’t help but think he appeared fatigued. All she felt like doing was wandering over to him, plunking herself down in his lap, and holding him. The thought had her shaking her head. What was wrong with her? These sorts of sentimental feelings were becoming a nuisance.

“What clearer picture?” Marcus asked as Cantfield handed him a small whisky.

“As you’re no doubt aware now, Burton was the one who observed your brother selling secrets to the Russians.”

“Yes, Sir Albert mentioned it.” Marcus’s fingers clenched around the glass and for a moment Kat was sure he was about to snap the thing, but he took a breath and released his harsh grip, placing the glass down on the table next to him and standing. “What of Newtown, though? What does he have to do with it all?”

Sir William took a sip of his whisky. “He was sent with Victor to bring Nathaniel back to England.”

That was news to Kat. She knew Victor had assembled a team and had grumbled about being forced to take certain people he’d rather not, but the War Secretary had insisted. Perhaps Newtown was one of those Victor hadn’t wanted on the trip?

“Though the last two on the list throw a spanner in the works.” Sir William sighed. “We haven’t found who they are or where they’re located.”

“Are they aliases?” Kat asked.

“Most likely,” Sir William said. “If they were real names, we should have found them by now, or the Chameleon would have. So, it could be a good thing, for if we can’t find them, perhaps the Chameleon can’t either. Now, though I’m loath to admit it, I’d probably serve a better purpose if I left England for a short period until the situation is resolved. You won’t have to worry about keeping an old man like me alive then and can focus on saving others.”

“Where will you go?” Marcus asked.

Sir William shook his head morosely. “I’m not certain. A holiday in Europe with my wife would be just the thing, I think.” He walked over to Kat and took her hand in his. “Do be careful, my dear. I know you can defend yourself, otherwise I never would have brought you into the Department. But when emotions are concerned, they tend to skew our more rational thought processes.”

He bent down and placed a kiss on her gloved knuckles, then turned and walked over to Marcus, who was leaning against the far wall.

“There’s a traitor in our midst, my boy.” Sir William lowered his voice as he spoke. “Have a care and do not trust anyone who isn’t in this room, and I do mean anyone.”

A short time later, they’d arranged to move Sir William and his wife to a more secure location, and one not even the Chameleon would dare breach, Club Tartus.

After all, no one risked incurring the wrath of Livie’s husband, the Bastard of Baker Street. And even though the man himself wasn’t at his club, or even in London for that matter, his men were, and they would ensure Sir William was safe until he could make sail on the morrow and leave the country.

Marcus had also spoken to Lord Newtown using Sir William’s new desk telephone and had organized invitations for all of them to attend his house party tomorrow. Which was why he was now on route to the Lavingham ball to find the Duchess of Calder and convince her to accompany them all to the house party. And that shouldn’t be too difficult to accomplish as Kat had told him to mention anyone who was anyone would be there. The old dragon wouldn’t be able to resist such a challenge.

Kat would have gone with him but seeing the dagger had rattled her a lot more than she’d let on. It brought back memories of training with Nathaniel, and the feeling that she’d never been quite good enough for Victor. Especially when he’d given Nathaniel the dagger of his that had belonged to his own father, knowing how much Kat had wanted it.

It was silly, she knew, but at the time as a young impressionable seventeen-year-old, it had hurt her, and she couldn’t express such feelings to Victor as he would have seen it as weakness. So, she’d kept the pain hidden and got on with training.

When Marcus had suggested Cantfield escort her home while he saw to securing the Duchess’ agreement and ensuring Sir William and his wife got to Club Tartus safely, Kat agreed without a word to the contrary. She suspected her easy capitulation had surprised him, but she couldn’t help the feeling that she was missing something. And, really, if she wanted to clear her head and think properly, she needed to steer clear of Marcus for a bit. The man unbalanced her normally sharp senses, especially when he was physically near her.

The carriage she was in with Cantfield came to a halt at the back of her residence, and before the footman could open the door, she did, bidding farewell to a bemused Cantfield in the process. The carriage clattered away down the street as she pushed open the back gate and began the trek to the back door.

When she was a few feet away, a tingling sensation danced along her spine, and she knew she wasn’t alone. In one swift move, she spun around toward the bushes and pulled out her dagger as a man stepped from the shadows.

“Hello, Kat,” his deep voice rumbled. “It’s been a long time.”

Shock tore through her. She was seeing a ghost. “This isn’t possible… You’re meant to be dead.”