Chapter 3

Rebecca walked into her guardian and boss's office for her new accepted her new assignment. She looked back at Sir Boniface after scanning her mission brief. "Personal assistant to Richard Sutton?"

"Yes," Sir Boniface said. "You recall your training with Erasmus, acting on Lord Sutton's protection, don't you?"

"Yes," Rebecca said. "That was, what, ten years ago?"

Sir Boniface leaned over his desk; hands laced together over papers. "The position will keep you close to him. You will also take up residence at his home here in London. We have prevailed on him to send his children to Lord Sutton's country home."

"That will make things easier," Rebecca said. "Adding six children to protect would complicate things."

Sir Boniface corrected that with a smile. "Even more so, as Richard's household now includes ten daughters. You are behind in your gossip, Rebecca. The man had twelve daughters with his late wife. Two are married, which leaves ten in his nest."

"Lady Olivia is dead?"

"A riding accident over a year ago, during a hunt," he supplied. "Rather odd that fate should bring down a woman with the fortitude to survive childbirth so many times with something so…"

"Indeed," Rebecca agreed, ending his thought. This was a sore subject. His wife had died in childbirth many years before. Rebecca suspected, from the odd silences and the lack of conversation, that neither he nor his sons were fully over the loss.

"You made an impression on Lord Sutton," Sir Boniface said. "He requested you to protect his brother."

Sir Boniface paused, shifting his weight in his chair. "This sort of thing isn't what I told you I would make available. Your experience is strong enough to gain more time in the international arena, perhaps even partner with Phileas, when he gets back from China. He has been a great asset to me there, but he has been away from home for too long. Since the taking of Guangzhou and Tianjin and the signing of the new treaties, we can only hope that Beijing will stop its nonsense. Either way, the Ambassador will have to do without Phileas. But as I was saying… Lord Sutton is insisting and has the power to get the Prime Minister involved if I refuse him."

"The gentleman is waiting for you in the main foyer," Sir Boniface said. "I will expect daily reports. And Rebecca…"

"Yes, sir."

"As I recall, you were rather taken with Richard Sutton back then." Sir Boniface said, lips curling into a teasing smile. "He is a widower now, with a house full of children in need of a new mother, so watch yourself."

Rebecca's jaw dropped. "Sir Boniface!"

Sir Boniface chuckled at his ward's indignant outrage. He had not spoken to her of marriage since she joined the service. Standing, he moved closer to her, sitting on the edge of his desk and taking her hands in his. A rare demonstration of paternal affection calculated to gain her full attention for what he would say next.

"Just looking after you, my dear." Sir Boniface said. "Marriage would end your career, you know. A woman's responsibilities differ from that of a man. I am liberal enough to allow a woman to become an agent, but not enough to involve a mother in life-threatening missions. A nice desk might be found for you if your husband allowed you to remain with me."

"I will keep that in mind."

Rebecca's sour expression gave him a chuckle.

When Sir Boniface let her hands go, Rebecca stood and stepped forward without warning to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. The move was guaranteed to throw the serious man off balance and into a bluster about proper office decorum. Rebecca didn't stay long enough to hear it.

Sir Boniface gave a crooked smile as the door closed behind her.

The minx is a joy to my life, and I selfishly want to keep her. Of course, if she fell in love one day, I would have to relent. That would suppose the man in question was suitable, passed a sweeping background check and was found worthy of her. So far, no one asking for my Rebecca has won her affections or been found worthy.

Would she had been born a boy… It would have made making her an agent and sending her into dangerous situations much less painful. Of course, you agonize over Phileas and Erasmus just as much, old boy. But those two scamps I could more easily train to handle heartbreak and conniving women. …much easier than broaching the same subjects with Rebecca.

Sir Boniface gave up his moment of paternal reflection, turning back to the desk. He frowned down on all the work that may be the death of him, the most important being that mess in Prussia.

King Fredrick William's mental capacities were fading fast. The reports said he lived in a world of his own. Since his stoke of paralysis in October, he was little better than a shell of the man. The most logical move had been accomplished. The King's brother William was Regent. Not good for those that would liberalize Prussia's political structure. In the natural order of things, Prince Fredrick and Princess Victoria will step closer to the throne. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert and I have high hopes for Prussia under their reign.

But that could be years off yet. I might send Phileas to investigate things after he recovers from his voyage. Erasmus is returning from Scotland soon. I will send him to keep watch.

Sir Boniface was just about to dive into the tall stack of other work when his secretary came in with his medicine. "Thank you, Wallace. Leave it on the desk."

The man finished his errand and left the room.

Sir Boniface looked at the glass with distaste. The medicine prescribed for his heart tasted like swamp water. He ignored it for a time and then forced himself to drink it down. He called Wallace back and assigned two of his junior agents to oversee missions closer to home.

I promised the doctor I would rest more, Sir Boniface reminded himself.

Resentment overtook him as he watched files leave his office for senior agents to oversee.

I hate delegating so much to others, but the doctor warned me the mild attack I had suffered last month could have been far worse. I will take his warnings seriously and take measures to avoid another. Poor time to drop dead. I need Phileas back here and ready to take over.

Sir Boniface called Wallace back, giving him orders to see to it he had no appointments after five. We will see if that's enough to keep the chest pains at bay.

When Phileas returns… I'll finish training him, move him into his place as my successor. The boy… no, he's a man now and has fully earned the step up. I just hope Prussia has handled its change of guard by then. I would hate turning over the reins with a revolution imminent.