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I don't fancy entertaining the baron while you try to struggle into these clothes on your own.” He set aside everything but the chemise and held it up for her to step into.
    Imogen raised her arms and let the whisper-soft lawn fabric fall over her. “One wonders how you can produce women's clothing so quickly. You weren't even gone for a quarter hour.”
    “I'm known to be a worker of miracles. Sadly, this blue was the brightest dress I could find.”
    She ran a finger over it. “Celestial blue. It's quite in fashion this season. I like it, actually.”
    “Well, let's get you in it.”
     
    * * *
     
    Robert was certainly more familiar with disrobing a woman than clothing one, and there was an intimacy to the act that he hadn't expected. Once he had all the ties and ribbons in place he kissed her shoulder. “I think that's it, then.”
    Miss Grant smiled at him. “I see a great future for you as a lady's maid.”
    Robert returned her smile with a wicked one of his own. “There would be benefits to that.”
    “Well,” she said, biting her lip as she paused. “This is goodbye.”
    He laced their fingers together. “Is it? How long are you in Town?”
    “Some weeks yet, but my cousin tends to schedule almost every hour. It would be hard to get away.”
    He kissed the side of her throat and she sighed, leaning toward him. “How did you get away today?”
    “Invitation from a duchess. Violetta couldn't argue with that.”
    He kissed the other side of her throat. “What if the duchess were to invite you out to her country house for a week?”
    Miss Grant chuckled. “I doubt she would do that after I upbraided her today.”
    “Come out to the country with me. Sabre and Telford were planning to go to their house soon. You can ostensibly accept an invitation from her and come with me.” A week with the intriguing, and potentially dangerous, Miss Grant sounded very attractive to Robert. So attractive that he knew he would stop at nothing to convince her. And if she were an agent, from the Americas or elsewhere, wouldn't it be easier to assess her in seclusion?
    Her chuckle had turned into a delightful laugh. “I think that plan is certain to be found out.”
    “Perhaps. But would you care if it was?”
    By the arrested look she gave him, he knew that he had correctly surmised a love of danger in her. She slowly smiled. “Perhaps not. What do you suggest?”
    “Await an invitation. All will become clear.”
    Still smiling, she pulled him closer for a kiss. “Until then,” she said brightly.
     

Chapter Nine
    Robert had been working for the Crown since the age of seventeen, and in that seven years had taken no holidays whatsoever. At first he mildly panicked over what planning might be needed for a holiday. Then he realized that throughout that time he had been on many missions, some of which had required that he be out of touch with the Home Office for weeks or even months. This was simply like planning a mission. Perhaps it even was a mission, if Miss Grant was more than she seemed. Panic mitigated, he set to the required tasks with his usual ruthless efficiency. The Telford's travel plans were confirmed quite innocently over a family dinner. A house in the country was leased, with assurances that the necessary discretions would be observed. Plans for communication in his absence were worked out. It was all so terribly easy he wondered why he had never taken time to himself before.
    Then, on the final eve before his plan was to be executed and he had nothing to do but wait for morning, the ruminations began. The ordeal with Sims had been over for almost two months, yet it arose in his mind from time to time, perhaps because of how furious he had been with the man. This eve, however, it took a grip on his thoughts that he couldn't shake.
    The assignment had been simple enough: observe a new agent on her first assignment and provide assistance as needed. It should have been child's play for an experienced