The Bois de Boulogne was enormous. The park itself was several times larger than Hyde Park in London, and it used to be a royal hunting preserve, though much of the area had been neatly transformed into acres of walking paths and grassy areas for Parisians to enjoy when it had been acquired by the City of Paris nearly a decade and half ago. Other parts were still thickly wooded and less traveled. Which would suit Valentine’s purposes.

“Where are we going?” Bronwyn asked as she cantered beside him.

He glanced at her. “You wanted to learn to defend yourself so here we are.”

It chafed that she had disregarded his offer of marriage so cavalierly, though deep down, he had guessed that she would not accept, just for the sake of it. Taking a man’s name for protection would be the last thing she’d do. Not her. Not the Kestrel. While he admired that rebellious streak of independence, he cursed it, too, because even retired, his former name of Waterstone was known across continents and could deter the most hardened of criminals. He’d always been a fair arbiter, but the rumors about him being ruthless weren’t unfounded.

While she had admitted to nothing, he knew the foiled abduction in the United States was thanks to her. The only question was…who was she working for? It had to be someone at a high level, considering no one had openly sanctioned her role. Lisbeth had written that she was at a loss. The Kestrel was a ghost. So who had conscripted her?

The prime minister? Ashley? The queen herself?

Valentine didn’t know when he’d stopped thinking of Bronwyn as a criminal. Or whether he ever had. Her identity as a disreputable spy had confounded him, but they had to be on the same side. Her moral compass seemed to be in excellent order…and she hadn’t tried to stab him yet, though he was certain she wanted to. The funny thing was that he was not thinking of her as his enemy any more, considering what she’d accomplished, and he admired the fact that she hadn’t given in to his pressure tactics. Not once.

She was right that she needed to know how to protect herself, however.

In a more secluded part of the woods, he dismounted and secured their horses, before emptying his saddlebags. He brought out a case that contained two pistols and gestured for her to come closer.