I contemplated my reflection again. Neither Lord Evan nor I would be able to enter as gentlemen since neither of us would be clothed in the appropriate evening wear. How, then, would we get in? As ever, we would make it up as we went along. I smiled at the thought, eyeing my grinning reflection. There was a good chance I was enjoying this too much.

“I received a note from Mr. Kent a half hour ago,” Julia said into the silence.

I turned to face my sister. I had not heard a messenger arrive. And a note, only to Julia? By all rights, he should have written to me—I was the elder sister and head of the household—or at least to both of the Colebrook sisters, to keep it within the bounds of business…and propriety.

“Is that so?” It came out rather more sharply than I had anticipated. “When did he start writing to you and not us?”

“You receive notes from Lord Evan,” Julia countered.

We stared at each other. She was equating Mr. Kent with Lord Evan? Julia’s fair skin flushed; she had more or less admitted she felt an attachment to the Runner. She busied herself adjusting the lace upon her sleeve. “He has been investigating on our behalf.”

“May I read the note?”

She eyed me. “No,” she said, drawing the soft refusal out, “but I can give you the meat of his news.”

What on earth had Mr. Kent written to my sister that she would not allow me to see?

“Are you really not going to let me read it? I let you read my notes from Lord Evan.”

She gave a slight lift of her shoulders. “I am allowed to have my own letters, Gus.”

“Of course you are,” I said, but her refusal still stung. “What is his news, then?”

“He says that Mulholland thinks Lord Evan is still in England. I think, too, that Mr. Kent is aware you lied to him about Lord Evan’s departure.”

“Well, it was bound to happen. The man is not stupid,” I said. “Thank you for keeping quiet on that score.”

“Of course,” Julia said. “Although I do not like lying.”

Especially to Mr. Kent, I thought.

“Mr. Kent also says Mulholland is not officially attached to the Runners in regard to pursuing Lord Evan,” Julia continued. “In other words, he is not under the Bow Street aegis, although Mr. Kent has seen him in the vicinity of the court. Interestingly, upon Mr. Kent’s discreet inquiries, he was warned off asking any questions about Mulholland, and his informant suggested that such interest could jeopardize his position.”

I chewed on my lip. “A subject not to be discussed. Mulholland is, most probably, using the resources of Bow Street but not subject to their oversight.”

“Mr. Kent suggests the same. If Mulholland does anything egregiously outside the law, it will not be associated with Bow Street or the Home Office.”