Page 34 of The Lady Needs a Rogue
A stocky gent boasting bushy gray mutton-chop whiskers marched through the door. His physician’s satchel swung in his hand as he headed directly to the unconscious man. A patrolman followed close on the doctor’s heels.
“What’s all this about, Caldwell?” The patrolman punctuated his question with a scowl.
“And a good day to ye, Constable Lewis,” Finn said, appearing unfazed by the man’s expression. “Miss Mason encountered an intruder.”
“Ye had nothing to do with the man’s current state, I presume.” The constable didn’t hide the note of skepticism in his voice.
“I arrived after the man had fallen unconscious.”
Tempering his scowl, the constable turned to Macie. “Miss, I need ye to tell me what happened.”
“First things first,” the physician interrupted. “This man needs immediate transport to the hospital.”
Constable Lewis went to the door, calling over his shoulder. “I shall summon an ambulance.”
“Do it now.” The physician’s tone was grim. “With any delay, he may not survive.”
*
As he escortedMacie through Metropolitan police headquarters, Finn spotted a detective approaching them. He resisted the impulse to utter an epithet.Inspector Bradley.The by-the-book clod’s terse words of introduction confirmed he had been tasked with investigating the now-unconscious intruder in Bennington Manor.
Bollocks.
Inspector George Bradley was a stuffed shirt whose skill at deduction had yet to be demonstrated. Why, the horse pulling Finn’s carriage might have possessed more instinct for bringing criminals to justice.
The detective’s redundant questioning dragged on until well past sundown. When the dull bloke finally indicated that Macie was free to leave, they returned to Finn’s waiting coach.
His driver, Reggie, peered down at them from bench. Concern filled his eyes. “Have they deduced a reason for that bloke to be in the lady’s house?”
“Not yet.” Finn kept his tone bland. He didn’t have much faith they would get an answer to that pressing question that night, if at all.
Reggie adjusted his flat brimmed hat on his gray-haired head. “Good thing ye arrived when ye did.”
“Indeed,” Macie agreed, flashing a soft smile. Once inside the carriage, she took a seat on the upholstered bench and peeled back the curtain, appearing to settle her gaze on the crescent moon. “I had not expected Inspector Bradley to go on and on as he did. I suspect the man does enjoy the sound of his voice.” A little sigh escaped her. “Thank goodness we were able to dispatch a messenger to Nell. She does tend to worry.”
Finn settled in across from her. “Does she now?”
“At times.” A look of amusement played on her lips. “She’s a bit on edge when we’re traipsing about old houses. All those gothic novels she’s so fond of have her jumping at everycreakof the floorboards.”
“That’s understandable. After all, ye never know what ye’ll find.”
“That’s the point, isn’t it?” Macie posed the question with a little grin.
By thunder, she was pretty when her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I’m starting to see why Jon is going gray,” he said, if only to disguise the direction of his thoughts.
“My brother rather exaggerates the toll my supposed antics have taken upon him,” she said lightly. “I do hope Nell is enjoying the soiree. She was so looking forward to the evening with Lady Yarbury and her guests. The countess is a gracious hostess. She’d generously offered her personal carriage to transport us to her home.” Once again, she glanced up at the moon. “I suppose we are well past the point of arriving fashionably late.”
“I am a poor judge of such matters,” he admitted. “Tonight, I’m more concerned with keeping ye safe.”
“Inspector Bradley seemed quite sure I was not in danger.” She turned to him. “Certainly that poor man in Grandfather’s library poses no threat.”
“I do not share his confidence.” Now was not the time to mince words. Not when Macie’s safety was at stake.
Her eyes narrowed in surprise. “You disagree with his conclusion?”
“The man pays more attention to the starch in his collar than to any evidence of danger.”
“Inspector Bradley sent patrolmen to search the house. I understand they found no one there,” she countered logically. “No evidence of theft, nor of some other sort of criminal scheme.”
