I understood. He had accepted my decision and was telling me to be more exact with the information I brought him. “But the last part…that was useful, was it not?”

I knew I’d stumbled on something the night of Liesje’s wedding. Someone who went by the name Monk was out there, selling valuable information to the British.

Townsend drummed his fingers nervously on the book. “How did you learn of it?”

“I overhead some officers talking,” I said, feeling the urge to protect Duncan.

“The sum you wrote…” He shook his head slowly. “You must be mistaken. ’Tis enormous. An enormous payment.”

“I’m not mistaken.”

“Pray you are. I can only imagine what it would purchase. It could be devastating.”

He doubted me, but I’d find proof. I’d discover Monk’s identity and what he was scheming.

I picked up the book and smiled. “You have sold me on this, Mr. Townsend. Thank you. I will take it.”

Chapter 17: Shot and Shell

September 1779

“I wonder if Lieutenant Duncan will remember you, Emmie,” Charlotte said as we stepped onto Whitehall Slip. “Perhaps he’s forgotten you, totally and completely?” she teased.

Tonight, Judge Latimer had invited us to dine aboard one of the ships at the end of the dock. The entire Winters flock was present—all seven of Charlotte’s siblings, her parents, and one nursemaid—and chaos already reigned.

“Say again, Char? Lieutenant who?” I said as I chased her little brother, Daniel. I caught him just before he ran into the water and swept him onto my hip. Daniel was the naughtiest of her siblings, and by far my favorite. “Was it Lieutenant Dorn—or Dorman? Or was it Dean?”

Though I was joking, I worried she might be right. More than a week had passed since I’d seen Lieutenant Duncan at Liesje’s wedding. I’d attended the theater, a picnic, and two assemblies and learned that I’d been lucky in my early spying, which was turning out to be more challenging than I’d initially thought, and that Lieutenant Duncan could steal my attention even when he wasn’t present.

“You won’t fool me, Emmie,” Charlotte said with a little smile. “I know you better than you know yourself. You are smitten, smited, smote!”

I said nothing. She might have had that right. My feelings had grown stronger over the past days, but so had my inner conflict. Being courted by Duncan felt right, but spying felt right, too. I was divided, simultaneously going in opposite directions. I couldn’t worry about outcomes, though, or I’d go nowhere. As Tom Hackett had once said, “Tomorrow’s tomorrow.”