“I heard he is involved in national intelligence- spying, if you will.”
“So I’ve been told.” Her eyebrows lifted in puzzlement. “Why do you ask?”
Gray shrugged. “Just curious. I will see you at dinner, then.”
“Very well.”
Returning to her sitting room, Brynn read for a while, then changed for dinner and went in search of her brother. When she didn’t find him in his bedchamber or the drawing room, she extended her search to the lower floor. He wasn’t in the salon or dining room, either. When she finally found him, it was in the study, of all places. He was sitting at the desk, rummaging through one of the drawers.
“Gray?”
He gave a start and looked up, a guilty flush on his face.
“What are you doing? That is Lucian’s desk.”
“I… was looking for writing implements.”
“You can find paper and pen in your room.”
“Can I? I didn’t think to look there.”
He reached farther into the drawer, then shut it and rose to his feet. Brynn stiffened when she saw him slip something into his pocket. She moved toward him, wondering if he thought she was blind. “What did you take, Gray?”
His flush deepened. “Nothing important, really.”
“Grayson Caldwell,” Brynn said, feeling as if sh
e were scolding her youngest brother when he misbehaved. “Let me see.”
He hesitated a long moment before drawing the object from his pocket. “It’s nothing of significance.”
Brynn caught a glimpse of a ring that bore the Wycliff seal. “Lucian’s seal ring?”
“Yes. I merely wanted to borrow it.”
“Why?”
“Because I need his stamp on a letter.”
“Why don’t you simply ask him to stamp it for you?”
“Oh, certainly,” Gray replied with an edge of sarcasm. “I should present him with bald proof that I’m trafficking in contraband cargo. How do you think he would react, Brynn? He’s an official of the British government. Do you really think he would turn a blind eye if I were to divulge my illegal activities to him?”
Brynn frowned. “Why are you still involved in illegal activities? You told me you would stop smuggling as soon as our debts were paid. The settlement Lucian gave you should have been more than sufficient…Wasn’t it?”
“Not quite,” Grayson said, refusing to meet her gaze.
She took a deep breath. “Gray, I won’t beg Lucian for money. It was bad enough that I sold myself to him in marriage. I refuse to become any more obliged to him-”
“It wouldn’t matter if you did. Money cannot help me out of this difficulty.”
She placed a hand on his sleeve, her eyes searching his face. “Gray, what is wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong. I simply need Wycliff’s seal on a letter of authorization to ship a load of brandy. It will allow me to elude the revenuers if I am caught.”
“But why must you even take the risk? Can’t you just stop smuggling?”
“I do intend to stop, Brynn. Very soon. But I still have obligations. I cannot quit until I make one final shipment. This will be my last smuggling venture, I swear, but it will be more dangerous than most.”