Merely the Groom (Free Fellows League 2)

“What we need to discover is how,” Sussex concluded. “What we need is to warn Colin that his father-in-law is under suspicion and find out bow much he knows about the situation.”

“Interrupt his honeymoon?” Griff asked.

“It’s going to be interrupted anyway,” Jarrod said. “He’s scheduled to make a clandestine trip to France at the end of this week.”

Sussex winced. “He isn’t going to like that.”

Jarrod shrugged his shoulders. “There’s no one else to send. I can’t leave and go to France, and neither can you or Griff.” He thought for a moment, then brought up the subject the Free Fellows League had been dancing around since Sussex had joined them. “We need more Free Fellows.”

The other two Free Fellows nodded.

“We’re in agreement about that,” Griff said. “We’ve known it since we decided to work through the War Office.” He looked at Jarrod. “And you and Colin recognized the problem and used Daniel while I was away at war on the Peninsula.”

“And now that you and Colin are married, we need more unmarried Free Fellows. The question is who? And how do we decide?” Jarrod turned to Sussex. “Any suggestions?”

Sussex took his time before answering. “The problem, as I see it, isn’t finding young men to recruit. There are plenty of young bucks willing to join us. The problem is finding the right match. The candidates need to be like us. Of a similar age and backgrounds. They need to be men who won’t draw attention to themselves or make anyone stop and wonder why they are suddenly in our company.” He looked from Jarrod to Griff. “And I think that whomever we select as candidates should go through an apprenticeship similar to mine.”

Griff frowned mightily. Sussex had earned his place in the Free Fellows League by pursuing Griff’s bride while Griff was away at war. His mission was to test Alyssa’s fidelity and protect her from less honorable would-be suitors. “You want to find someone to pursue Colin’s bride?”

“No,” Sussex shook his head. “But we need someone to help us kee

p an eye on her while Colin is away. Our candidates will have to prove themselves worthy of the honor of being a member of the Free Fellows League, as I had to prove myself worthy. If the new Lady Grantham and her family are involved in traitorous activities, the impostor Colin Fox may still be on the scene.” He looked at Jarrod. “And that could be dangerous for our Colin.”

Jarrod nodded. “We’re not forgetting that someone hired an assassin to kill him.”

“Exactly,” Sussex said.

“Have we any League candidates?” Griff asked.

“Well,” Sussex took a deep breath, “there’s my cousin, Manners...”

Jarrod groaned. “Not Jonathan. He whined incessantly.”

“Have you seen him lately?” Sussex asked.

“No, thank God.”

Sussex chuckled at Jarrod’s quick reply. “He’s almost as tall as I am. He doesn’t whine anymore, and he finally inherited a title.”

Griff arched an eyebrow.

“Paternal uncle,” Sussex explained. “No relation to me. But Manners is now the Earl of Barclay, and the title came with property and a healthy income.”

“But, Manners...” Jarrod hadn’t yet gotten past his distaste for the chubby whiner who had occupied the cot next to his in the dormitory of Knightsguild. “He was under my feet every time I turned around back at Knightsguild.”

“He’s wanted to be a Free Fellow since the day you formed the League,” Sussex argued. “He’s entirely trustworthy, and he worships you, Shepherdston.”

“What?”

“You’re his hero,” Sussex confided. “When we were growing up, all he talked about was how much he wanted to be like you.”

Jarrod glanced over at Griff. “What do you think?”

“He’s kept our secrets for nearly twenty years,” Griff said.

“He told Sussex every move we made,” Jarrod protested.

“I was the only person he told,” Daniel said. “And he only told me because we were all we had. I was his only friend and he was my only friend. And we both wanted to be a part of the Free Fellows League more than anything.”