Somewhat Scandalous (Brambridge Novel 1) Read Online Free PDF

loudly over the hiss and spit of the fire. He drew a hand across his forehead. “Come in!”
    A tall man with a hard look to his face pushed open the door, waving away the butler that danced behind him.
    Granwich smiled. “Ah, Harding. Glad to see you. I think you have met Henry before.”
    Henry nodded. The man, Earl Harding, jerked his head in response and stepped in, closing the door behind him.
    “I’ve just informed Henry that I believe there to be a new French spy operating in London.” Granwich leaned forward.
    Thank god he didn’t mention anything about encouraging Henry to get a wife.
    The earl nodded and, walking over to an open bookcase, peered inside. “Let me know if I can help,” the earl said tersely. With deliberate movements, he selected a book and slipped it into his pocket. Glancing over his shoulder, he stopped and raised an eyebrow. “You may wish to contact Renard. He’s a turn coat and no one is actually sure who he works for. But if you trade with him, sometimes he will give you valuable information. He knows most of what there is to know about French movements into Britain. He trades out of Devon. William Standish is the man to contact with his whereabouts.”
    As abruptly as he had entered, the earl gave a terse bow and withdrew.
    Granwich scratched his head with a sigh. “Not sure what the matter is with that man. I’ve heard that it’s woman trouble. Hmm, Devon, that reminds me.” He paused and examined an elegant finger. “There’s one more thing. I’ve heard word of a boy down there. Lord Stanton’s son. Captains a smuggling boat out of Brambridge.” Granwich pinned Henry with a watery stare. “I’d like you to keep an eye on him. He might be useful in the future.”
    Henry nodded. Brambridge. Oh gods. He’d hoped to never have to go there again.
     

CHAPTER 5
     
    The book was in pristine condition with barely a crease on its leather spine. Agatha ran her hand over the cover and then pulled it towards her.
    “Henry thought it might distract me.” Victoria leaned forward and stared out of the French windows to the small back garden. “But no matter how I read it, I am always lost after the third sentence.”
    Conversations on Science , Agatha read, by Jane Marcet, First edition 1806.
    “I feel rather a fool; after all in the foreword it does say that this is an elementary textbook written especially with women in mind.” Victoria fell back in her chair with a huff. “But I can’t help focusing more on the relationship between the two girls, Caroline and Emily. And the way they speak to their teacher Mrs. B.! Gosh. Far from promoting knowledge, I want to know whether they actually liked each other. They certainly seem rather catty if you ask me.” She rolled her eyes. “I’m not interested in their observations on transpiration in boring plants. And what does the B in Mrs. B. stand for anyway?”
    “I… I have no idea.” Sliding her finger down the center of the book, Agatha opened the bound pages at random. Gunpowder is a mixture of five parts nitre to one part sulphur and one of charcoal… the constituents of which when heated to a certain degree enter into a number of new combinations, and are instantaneously converted into a variety of gases, the sudden expansion of which gives rise to the detonation. With a sharp intake of breath, she closed the book and then opened it again at a different section, the white of an egg contains a little sulphur therefore…
    “Of course I was terribly grateful to Henry, but—”
    Agatha sat on the edge of her seat and, tucking the book under her arm, picked her teacup off the table. Without noticing the tea was cold, she finished the cup and poured herself another.
    Gazing over the top of the teacup, she stared at Victoria. “I could lose myself in this book for hours.”
    Victoria stopped rambling and stared at her. “I beg your pardon?”
    “This,” Agatha tapped at the book, “is a doorway to untold hours of