A Dangerous Pursuit (Regency Spies & Secrets Book 1), Laura Beers [romantic books to read TXT] 📗

wasn’t involved in any disreputable business,” Madalene pressed. “She was working hard to pay off her father’s debts so her mother and sister could build a new life.”

“How admirable,” Lord Hawthorne muttered.

Madalene cast him a frustrated look. “Are you always this cynical?”

Lord Hawthorne didn’t hesitate in the least as he replied, “Yes.”

“I pity you, then.”

His brow rose. “You pity me?” he repeated slowly.

“I do,” she said. “Not everyone has a devious nature.”

“It has been my experience that they do.”

“Regardless, Edith was abducted, and we must try to help her.”

Lord Hawthorne unclasped his hands and said, “I will do my best to find her, but London is a very big town.”

“I could always—”

“No! You will do nothing,” he barked.

Madalene’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I am just deeply worried about my friend.”

“You should be.”

“Where will you start looking for her?”

“I have contacts all over London who should be able to assist me in finding Miss Hardy,” he revealed.

Finding herself curious as to what kind of contacts a marquess would have, she asked, “May I ask who your contacts are?”

“You may not,” he said firmly, “but I can assure you that they can be trusted.”

“I just think…”

He spoke over her. “That is wholly unnecessary.”

She lifted her brow in amusement. “You don’t wish for me to think, my lord?”

The irritation was evident on Lord Hawthorne’s expression as he replied, “You are a very vexing young woman.”

Madalene decided to take the opportunity to ask another question that had been on her mind. “You previously mentioned that you had a certain set of skills that could help me find Miss Hardy,” she said. “I am curious to what those are.”

“You do not need to concern yourself with that,” he remarked dismissively.

“Whyever not?”

Lord Hawthorne clenched his jaw. “I am not willing to divulge that information and you must take me at my word if you want my assistance.”

Madalene knew that she had pushed him too far and she didn’t dare risk losing his help in finding Miss Hardy. Frankly, she had no other options but to trust Lord Hawthorne.

“I will take you at your word, for now,” she said, “but I do hope one day you will trust me enough to confide in me.”

Lord Hawthorne extended his hand to assist her in rising. “Trust is to be earned, Miss Dowding.”

Madalene accepted his hand and rose. “Regardless, I am thankful that you are assisting me in finding Miss Hardy.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Lord Hawthorne remarked as she removed her hand from his. “I did warn you not to get your hopes up, especially since there is a good chance we may never find Miss Hardy.”

“You did mention that, but I am choosing to focus on the positive.”

Lord Hawthorne shook his head. “Your eternal optimism is quite irritating.”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t intended as a compliment.”

Madalene smiled up at him. “I know, but I decided to take it as one.”

“On my word, it is extremely frustrating to get through a conversation with you,” Lord Hawthorne declared. “I am not entirely sure why I ever agreed to help you in the first place.”

She had been wondering the same thing. “Why did you offer to help me?” she asked.

Lord Hawthorne didn’t speak for a long moment. Finally, he said, “I suppose I felt some compassion towards your plight, and I know my sister would be saddened if anything ever happened to you.”

“Well, I thank you for your assistance.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Lord Hawthorne put his arm out towards her. “Allow me to escort you back inside. I need to return to the House of Lords shortly.”

Chapter Seven

Baldwin had just situated himself in his darkened coach when the door was flung open and Corbyn stepped inside.

“You are helping the chit now?” Corbyn asked as he sat down across from Baldwin, his voice dripping with disapproval.

“I see that you got my letter,” Baldwin replied as the coach jerked forward.

“I did, and I have some questions.”

“I’m not surprised.”

Corbyn untied his white cravat and tossed it to the side. “If I understand your letter correctly, you want me to use the agency’s resources to find this woman, this Edith Hardy.”

“Yes.”

Frowning, Corbyn asked, “For what purpose?”

“You said yourself that Miss Hardy could be one of the women that were reported missing in the newspaper.”

“She might likely be, but the Bow Street Runners were assigned the case,” Corbyn said. “No one asked for our assistance.”

“That hasn’t stopped us before.”

Corbyn shook his head. “I know Runners are incompetent at best, but that doesn’t mean we interfere every time they botch an investigation.”

“All I am asking is that we send out a few inquiries to the other agents around Town and see if they have seen anything that would warrant some concern.”

Leaning forward, Corbyn removed his grey jacket and promptly turned it inside out, making it brown in color. “I have agents residing in the rookeries,” he shared, setting the jacket next to him. “Everything they see is suspicious. Crimes are rampant there, and some Runners won’t even go into certain parts of Town.”

“Someone must have seen these girls being abducted,” Baldwin pressed.

“Most likely, but we have more pressing matters at hand,” Corbyn argued. “You are supposed to be trying to find a French spy and stopping a radical group.”

“I can do both.”

“Can you?”

Baldwin reared back. “What are you implying?” he asked.

“You seem awfully preoccupied with this Miss Dowding.”

“That is not true.”

Corbyn gave him a knowing look. “Miss Dowding keeps showing up where you are, and she has a sad, distressing story to get you to do her bidding.”

“What are you inferring?”

“Maybe you were right,” Corbyn said with a slight shrug. “Perhaps Miss Dowding is more than what she is letting on.”

“I do not believe that to be the case,” Baldwin replied. “Her eyes do not speak of a devious nature.”

“Just promise me that you will be cautious.”

“Aren’t I always?”

Chuckling, Corbyn replied, “I believe we both know that to be untrue. Sometimes I wonder if you have a death wish.”

As Corbyn started unbuttoning his ivory