"Recently I have found myself impatient, on edge, restless. It led me to ..." This was awkward to admit, even to an old friend. He drew a deep breath. "To suspect my wife of being embroiled in an affair."

"I see."

"I wasn't entirely wrong. She was involved with something she wished to keep from me." He cast his friend a hard look. "This."

"She wasn't at all pleased." Max studied him closely. "She still doesn't know, does she?"

"Good G.o.d, no." He shook his head.

"Then I a.s.sume Miss DeRochette-"

"Doesn't know either, at least as far as I know. I don't know how she could. And if she did, she would certainly tell my wife." Adrian shuddered and returned to his chair. "And then there would be h.e.l.l to pay."

"From them both, I suspect," Max said mildly.

"I much prefer not even to think about it, thank you." No, the very idea that Evie might learn the man who had given her a.s.signments and directed her activities with his often seductive words was the same man who had told her in a most romantic manner that their lives didn't begin until the moment they had met struck fear into his heart in a way no criminal or spy or villain ever had. "And it is my intention to avoid that until the day I breathe my last. Or beyond. Now ..." His tone hardened. "Where are we?"

"We?" Max chuckled. "Welcome back."

"Only for the moment," Adrian warned.

"Agreed." Max nodded. "As I said, a file that includes your true ident.i.ty as well as the names of the previous two heads of this department was stolen."

"From you." Adrian bit back a grin.

"Yes, from me." Max huffed and continued. "It may or may not be significant, but a few months ago, one of your predecessors, whose name is in the file, died. As he was elderly, I thought little of it although he was said to have been in excellent health."

Adrian nodded. "You're speaking of Sir George."

"I am." He paused. "I a.s.sume Evelyn does not know of her guardian's connection with the department."

"That's my a.s.sumption, although I can't very well ask her."

"You and your wife keep a lot of secrets from each other."

"Not at all," Adrian said. "Not since our marriage anyway. We agreed from the start that our lives before we met didn't matter."

"How very romantic of you. And extremely clever as well."

"I thought so."

"You know, one of the reasons I have not married is because I thought marriage called for complete and total honesty."

"We have complete and total honesty."

Max raised a skeptical brow.

"About the present," Adrian said firmly. "The past is another matter."

"I didn't know you could categorize honesty that way. How very interesting," Max said under his breath. "As I was saying, Sir George's death might well be nothing but coincidence given his advanced years, although I find his death, followed by the theft of the file, at the very least curious despite the length of time between the two incidents." He paused. "I did have my secretary make some inquires but he found nothing untoward in Sir George's demise. Your immediate predecessor, Lord Lansbury, thinks it is nothing more than chance and of no significance." Max's gaze met his. "I am always suspicious of coincidence."

Adrian nodded.

"Even though Sir George's death and the theft of the file are separated by some three months, I still feel it is something to keep in mind." He studied Adrian for a moment as if choosing his words. "My investigation before I involved your wife led me to believe Lord Dunwell had arranged the theft. As he is a most unimaginative man, it was reasonable to a.s.sume, if the file was in his possession, it would be in his library."

"Which is why Evelyn insisted we go to the reception," Adrian said slowly. "And why I found her in the library."

"You caught her?"

"Not exactly." He blew a resigned breath. "But her presence and the arrival of Lord Radington helped convince me as to my wife's infidelities."

"Radington?" Max choked back a laugh. "She has far better taste."

"This is not amusing."

"Not to you, perhaps." Max sobered. "You're not going to like this part."

"Because I'm so fond of the rest?" Adrian narrowed his eyes. "Go on."

"My information about Dunwell was wrong." He shrugged. "But I learned that too late to stop Evelyn."

"I see." He wasn't at all happy to learn that Evie had risked discovery for nothing. Still, it was the nature of the game. "Then you are back where you started."

"Not entirely." Max opened a drawer, pulled out a file, and tossed it onto the desk. "This is the file in question."

Adrian shook his head. "I don't understand."

"Neither do I." He shrugged. "This was delivered via Fenwick's this morning."

Adrian shook his head. "This makes no sense."

"No, it doesn't." Max stared at the file. "Although if all someone wanted was the information, they have it now."

"And might well think, with the file recovered, our investigation will be at an end."

Max grinned. "I like the way you say our."

"Force of habit," Adrian said absently, his mind racing. Once again, he got to his feet. "You thought initially that the purpose of the theft might be to destroy the effectiveness of the department, and the newly formed government itself, by bringing it to public scrutiny."

Max nodded.

He paced in his usual manner, noting in the back of his mind that his old office needed paint. That, too, hadn't changed. "But without the doc.u.ments in the file, that is, without solid proof, the information is very nearly worthless."

"Unless," Max said slowly, "the department itself is not the target."

"Then what is?" Adrian paused. "Or who?"

Max drummed his fingers thoughtfully on the desk. "That's the question, isn't it?" He shook his head. "Whatever the answer, it's bound to be complicated. And probably clever."

"Undoubtedly."

"I'll continue my inquiries. Discreetly, of course, as my suspicions have not eased about the involvement of someone within the department." He paused. "I would certainly welcome a.s.sistance."

Adrian nodded. "Help is always appreciated."

"Two minds are usually more productive than one."

"That has been my experience."

"Your wife will be pleased to know her services are no longer necessary."

"Don't tell her," Adrian said without thinking.

Max stared. "Why not?"

"Why?" Adrian stared at his friend. It was perhaps the most absurd idea that had ever come to his mind yet it made a certain amount of sense. In recent days, Adrian had become aware of just how unsure he was of his wife's affection.

Two years ago was the last time Evie's manner had been odd. The last time she had seemed preoccupied or restless. It was minor really, no more p.r.o.nounced than her recent behavior. Indeed, if Max had not been so attuned to observation and brought it to Adrian's attention and to their superior in the home office, it might have gone unnoticed. As it was, there was speculation that Miss Turner might well be working for someone else as well as the department.

Adrian suggested he meet her as himself to best determine the truth. He had quickly discovered her change in demeanor was attributable to nothing untoward at all but rather to her desire to leave the department, to leave the life of secret meetings and clandestine purposes and deceit behind her. That should have been the end of it but was, in fact, only the beginning.

Meeting her in person was scarcely a sacrifice. He had grown more and more intrigued with her through the years. And while the notes Eve and Sir exchanged were, for the most part, concerned with the business at hand, as the years went on, she revealed more of herself to him. He was more cautious than she, but he, too, revealed more than he should have. Was it any wonder then that when Adrian met Evelyn in the flesh, he knew exactly what to say, exactly what to do? She had commented more than once how it was as though they'd known each other forever. Was love then between them a surprise or inevitable? He had already been more than a little in love with her.

Then Richard had died and Adrian had no choice really but to leave the department. He had married Evie and until recently had been more than content with his choices in life. While this wasn't the first time he had wondered about his wife's feelings, it was the first time he had realized the extent of his own doubt.

But hadn't he always felt the least bit convenient? Hadn't he always wondered if she truly loved him or if he simply suited her needs? Not that she had ever actually made him feel that way. Nor had she ever given him any solid reason to question her love. But he had wondered. What man wouldn't?

And hadn't he wondered who was really the love of her life? A dashing, dangerous man she had never met face-to-face or the steady, reliable, respectable, dull lord she had married? Sir or Adrian? It scarcely mattered that they were one and the same. This might well be his chance to find out. Fate had presented him with the perfect opportunity, and he would be a fool to pa.s.s it up.

"I shall make you a bargain, Max." The plan formulated in his head even as he said the words.

"A bargain." Max's brow rose. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that. If I recall, your bargains always left me with more work."

Adrian grinned and retook his seat. "You have become a most suspicious man."

"It goes with the position." His eyes narrowed. "And this bargain?"

"I shall make myself available to you in whatever manner you may need my services."

Max stared. "You're coming back to the department?"

Adrian shook his head. "In an advisory capacity only." He paused. "For now."

"And later?"

"We shall see."

Suspicion shone on Max's face. "There's more, isn't there?"

"There usually is in a bargain."

Max considered him carefully. "Good G.o.d, you have that look on your face."

"What look?"

"That look that says you have come up with something terrifying but brilliant."

Adrian grinned.

"I'm not going to like it, though, am I?"

"Oh, I don't know," Adrian said in a casual manner. "I suppose that depends on how much of a bureaucrat you've become."

"More than I appear, I would say." Max sighed. "And less than I should. What do you have in mind?"

"It's, well, a personal mission, as it were."

"Oh, that sounds good."

"I should like to resurrect Sir. Only in dealings with Evelyn, mind you," Adrian added.

"You want to become Sir again?" Max said slowly. "But only with your wife."

Adrian nodded.

Max studied him for a long moment. "Dare I ask why?"

"As I said, it's personal."

"Not if you're using my department, it's not."

"It used to be my department."

"Past tense." He paused. "However, I do have a certain amount of discretion. Aside from the questions surrounding the file, it's an oddly slow period. Won't last long, no doubt." He leaned forward in his chair and met his friend's gaze. "What did you have in mind?"

"I simply want to renew Sir's correspondence with Eve." Adrian shrugged. "There's little more than that."

"I see," Max said thoughtfully.

Annoyance surged through Adrian. "What, exactly, do you see?"

"I see a man who isn't at all certain of his wife's affections."

"Rubbish." Adrian scoffed. "I trust Evelyn implicitly."

"I never mentioned trust."

Adrian's jaw clenched. "I extrapolated."