A Rogue of My Own by Johanna Lindsey Page A

her a thoughtful look. “But you might still be of use to me.”
    Rebecca stiffened slightly, annoyed that he thought he could use her for his own purposes. How was that any different from how Sarah had treated her?
    “How so?” she asked carefully.
    “Don’t look so suspicious, m’dear. I merely meant you will still be in a position to hear and see what is going on and make your own judgments in that regard.”
    He was quite right. Evelyn seemed not to object to Sarah’s little errands and didn’t mind talking about them either. But Rebecca wasn’t about to commit to anything of this unusual nature again, especially when she knew so little about Nigel Jennings.
    “We can agree that Sarah works for her own interests, not those of the crown,” she said, then bluntly added, “Whom do you work for?”
    He seemed surprised, but that could easily have been feigned. “Do you really need to ask?”
    She nodded. “You are cloaked in secrecy. No one I questioned could provide anything but rumors about you. So I would need—”
    He appeared amused again and cut in, “You were checking up on me?”
    “Of course. I was hoping to find out that you are here at the queen’s behest. I wanted to have more ammunition for my mother to take to the prime minister, should Sarah try to dismiss me over this matter. The Marshalls do not go down without a fight. If Sarah wants a battle, she will find that she is the one who will likely get dismissed.”
    She had no doubt that Nigel’s surprise was genuine now. “You have floored me, indeed you have. And damn me if that doesn’t sound promising and worth more thought. But in the meantime—”
    “There is no meantime. Don’t ask me simply to believe everything you say. That sort of naïveté is what led me astray last night. Before I can do what you ask, even as minor as it seems,I would need proof that what you do, your intelligence gathering, is in the service of queen.”
    “You mean proof other than that I am her illegitimate uncle?”
    Rebecca raised a doubtful brow. “Taking advantage of a rumor? Fie on you, sir. No, I don’t think that will do.”
    He laughed. “Touché. Would you believe Rupert if he vouched for me?”
    Rebecca knew she would enjoy any contact with Rupert, for whatever reason, but she shook her head. “While I am certain that he could not be involved in anything that might harm our country, I can’t discount that you may have him fooled about your own motives.”
    Nigel smiled, even though she suspected her stubbornness was beginning to annoy him. “Well said. Your determination not to be gullible again I find even more useful. We will not ask the queen to interrupt her busy schedule to have a word with you, especially now that she is being hounded to rest more often during these last few months of her pregnancy. But her husband occasionally has time on his hands. Will you believe Prince Albert if he corroborates that I am a loyal servant to our country?”
    Oh, my, the prince? “Indeed,” she said immediately.
    “Very well, I will mention it to him before I leave for my appointment today. Give him a day or two to find an opportunity to approach you in a manner that will not draw undue notice. Once you are satisfied that my devotion to the crown is without question, you can keep me apprised of anything untoward you may learn of at court.”
    She was amused that he was taking it for granted that she would assist him as long as she received proof that he wasa legitimate royal supporter. Not that she minded. He wasn’t asking her to do anything she was morally opposed to, as Sarah had done.
    “Just don’t shove any notes under my door if I’m not there. Hand deliver only. People seem to be breaking into my room lately,” Nigel said drily. “In fact, Rupert could serve as a go-between for us, since the ladies do visit him at all hours of the day—and night—and this meeting I’m going to today may result in a sudden trip out of the