“I thought you might be interested in continuing our conversation from before, and without any chance of Alexander interrupting us. If we start talking quietly between ourselves too often Alexander will think there really is something between us and he is the type who would probably challenge you to a duel.”
“Duels have been illegal in the army for some years now,” George pointed out weakly but he knew that she had spoken the truth. Alexander believed that any scandal that his actions caused could be bought away and George had found that this was depressingly accurate when put into practice. Annabel seemed to find his protest not even worth commenting on because the next time she spoke it was completely unconnected.
“It is a dream as a spy to be in France since they have been fairly good at catching our spies while we were at war. Our government was overjoyed when they found out that I could come over here without anyone asking any questions. Now, if you are willing, I could pull you in as an assistant. I got enough money from the government as working money that I can pay you for your work until I can get in touch with the masters and suggest they hire you. I know that you have money problems and I'm giving you the chance to earn something other then half pay.” George found that he was starting to get used to the extreme unladylike bluntness that Annabel had now that her cover was blown.
“I have one thing to ask before agreeing to help you,” George said. “Do your parents know that you are working as a spy?”
“Of course they do, Alexander is the one who doesn't know. I got their permission as soon as I got the offer to work as a spy. They're worried about me, but they agree that it was my duty as a good loyal citizen to help with the war effort as much as a could. It gets tiresome to act stupid all of the time but distressingly no one notices if I slip out of character every once in a while because it's just what they expect.”
“So did you get training as a spy and everything?” George asked, wondering if he was about to step into a world he didn't know anything about.
“I had teachers,” Annabel said, nodding. “But you don't have to worry, most of what they taught me didn't really matter. If you managed to survive in the army you probably know most of it already, a lot of what they told me only needed saying because at the time I was a fairly normal girl. What you do need to know I am sure I can teach you as we go along. So are you in?”
“I'm in,” said George, surrendering to a vague chivalric feeling that he shouldn't leave a woman asking for help without assistance. That and she wasn't wrong about his need of money, he couldn't afford to turn her down. “Why can't we ask Alexander for help as well though? I would think that your brother would have been your first thought since you know that you can trust him. We've hardly talked, you don't know if you can trust me or not, but you came to me instead of your own brother. It doesn't makes sense to me.”
“You know Alexander. I love him, he is a very good brother, fiercely protective of me, which is cute, but he lacks the intelligence to be a good aid for me. He would try, he would try very hard, but he would slip up. I have been watching you more then you think and I have seen you flinch every time Alexander or I say something really dumb, which suggests a sort of intelligence on your part.”
“So you think I'm smart because I can tell when you are stupid?” George asked, he had to admit that her deductive logic seemed flawed to him no matter how smart she apparently was. She simply nodded happily though.
“I'll talk to you later about what we will be doing, it'll be nice to do business with you, good night,” she said and she slipped out of his room. George was left with the vague feeling that he might have been dreaming but he knew in his heart that he hadn't been.
To be continued...
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