Maurice dismounted swiftly as he entered the courtyard of the abandoned villa, where wild shrubs and choking ivy had entirely overtaken the crumbling stone pillars and cracked walls.
After tying his horse's reins to a low-hanging tree branch, he stepped cautiously inside.
"What took you so long?" a sharp voice demanded from the shadows.
Aisha stepped forward, though her features were entirely obscured by a wide-brimmed hat draped in a heavy dark veil. Maurice caught his breath, unable to entirely mask his surprise. He had known the Duke employed a brilliant, highly secretive spy to find out the truth regarding the poisoning incident, but he had never expected the agent to be a woman.
"One of the chambers at the Duke's estate was destroyed in an explosion last night," Maurice replied, checking the perimeter. "Did you manage to confirm if Count Elias was the one who sent the poison?"
