The Scarlet Spy Read Online Free Page A

place would long since have gone up in smoke.”
    “And Siena shrouded herself in an air of mystery that was unsuitable for many missions,” added Mrs. Merlin.
    Shannon
did
have a tendency to set off sparks, thought Sofia. But her new husband, a raffish Russian spy by the name of Alexandr Orlov, seemed to have tempered her fire. Together they made a formidable team and at the moment were somewhere in Prussia, working to prevent Napoleon from marching any farther east.
    As for Siena, she was also recently married—to an earl, no less—and on a clandestine assignment in Italy. Sofia gave an inward sigh. She had never met Lord Kirtland, but Shannon had said that Byron’s poetic heroes paled in comparison to the raven-haired earl …
    “… So, I trust you will have no cause for complaint,” finished the headmistress.
    “Sorry?” Roused from her momentary musings, Sofia snapped to attention.
    “What Mrs. Merlin means is, you will find the situation no less challenging than those faced by your friends.” As Lynsley turned, the candlelight caught the deep lines of worry etched at the corners of his eyes. “And no less dangerous. Indeed, to be truthful, I am having second thoughts about asking anyone to undertake the assignment. It may be an impossible one, even for a Merlin.”
    “Whatever it is, I should like to try, sir.” Seeing his brow furrow, Sofia quickly added, “What is there to lose?”
    “Your life, to begin with.” Lynsley looked more serious than she had ever seen him. “As for the other ramifications, I wish I knew what they all might be. In this particular case, I cannot give you a name or a face of the enemy. I would have to toss you into the heart of London Society—a spider’s web, however silken—and expect you to unravel the lies and intrigue by yourself.”
    “I’ve managed a number of sticky situations here at the Academy, sir.” Sofia tried to appear calm and collected, though her heart was pounding wildly against her ribs. “I am adept at using both my weapons and my wiles. Whatever is called for, I won’t let you down.”
    “It is not myself that I am worried about,” replied the marquess softly. “I don’t send any Merlin into battle unless I feel she has a decent chance of achieving victory.”
    Standing her ground, Sofia quickly countered. “We are trained to deal with adversity, are we not? The very reason we exist is to take on a task when the odds seem impossible.”
    “She has a point, Thomas,” said Mrs. Merlin.
    Lynsley sighed and allowed the smallest of smiles to appear on his lips. “I see you wield rhetoric as well as a rapier, Sofia. You are right about the Academy’s purpose, but that does not make it any easier to send you into mortal danger.” Reaching into his pocket, he took out a small packet sealed with a wafer of black wax. “You will need to read over these documents before you come to London.”
    The feel of the paper set her palms to tingling.
    “Unfortunately, I cannot stay to make the detailed explanations. I have a pressing engagement this evening in Town. Mrs. Merlin will go over the basics of the assignment and work with you on refining the skills you will need to masquerade as a lady of noble birth.”
    “It was not for the sake of preserving my sofas from mud that I requested the change of clothing,” said Mrs. Merlin dryly. “Once you change from breeches to blue satin, we will be devoting every waking hour to perfecting your poise and your polish. Lord Lynsley wants you ready to leave for London on the day after tomorrow.”
    “Unlike most other missions, this one will allow us the opportunity to meet socially,” continued the marquess. “You will, after all, be joining the
ton
at the height of the season, and as the widow of an Italian count, you will quickly be included on everyone’s guest list.”
    “How—” began Sofia.
    “I hope to have all the particulars worked out by the time you arrive in Town.” Lynsley was already