Page 8 of An Unbending Lady for the Desperate Earl
“I’m sorry I don’t understand.” Christian eyed the curious stranger. He didn’t know what could have happened in that room to cause this sudden change in the Duchess—her entire demeanor seemed less fraught than it had minutes before.
“Miss McCarthy is an investigator, and I should say she may be the only one that I feel inclined to trust. Aside from some minor untruths, she has performed her duties with the utmost care and dedication, and I have reason to believe she may be the answer to my prayers.” The Duchess turned to the younger lady. “Tell me, did you investigate the previous kidnappings? I had not thought to ask before.”
Miss McCarthy’s expression darkened. “Alas not. Those men outside prevented me from gaining entry, and by the time I finally managed to get into the houses of those poor souls, their chambers and carriages had been turned over so completely that I could not have found a scrap of evidence, even if I had possessed the largest spyglass known to mankind. My colleague attempted to keep everything as it ought to have been, but the others are rogues. Rogues who know little of what they are doing, I may add.”
“Then, it must be fortunate that I have denied them access?” The Duchess breathed a small sigh of relief. Christian reasoned that this newfound ‘faith’ may not have lasted long, had the Duchess discovered that Miss McCarthy had investigated the previous kidnappings and come up with naught.
“Very fortunate, Your Grace,” Miss McCarthy replied. “And you must continue to deny them, or they shall ruin any progress we may make. To them, they are more concerned with seeming triumphant, than actually seizing a victory.”
Who is this strange creature?Christian had never encountered a lady so brash and confident. It was something of a refreshing change, for she clearly had no qualms about speaking her mind.
“You will return as soon as you have more information?” The Duchess fidgeted anxiously with the sleeves of her gown.
Miss McCarthy nodded. “I will report to my colleague this instant, and we shall come up with a plan of action. As soon as we begin our pursuit, I will inform you. You will know of our every move, so you may be assured that you have put your faith in the right person.”
“Gratitude, Miss McCarthy.” The Duchess sighed. “Lord Galbury, might you accompany this young lady to the door? I must go and speak to my husband of what has been unearthed. Although… Miss McCarthy, you will not mind if I tell him that it was Admiral Thomson who informed me of everything? He is more traditional than I, and I have reason to believe he would be bemused by the idea of a female investigator.”
“Of course, Your Grace. As long as you have faith in me, that is all I care for,” Miss McCarthy replied. A tight note lingered in her tone, piquing Christian’s curiosity. If she were truly a female investigator, then he imagined she had already endured her fair share of scorn and disbelief, upon telling people what she did. Maybe she had thought the Pelsley’s would be different.
With that, Christian and Miss McCarthy parted ways with the Duchess. The latter made her way along the hallway, to locate her hiding husband. Meanwhile, Christian fell in step with the strange investigator, as they headed back down to the front entrance.
“May I offer you a proposal, Miss McCarthy?” he said, as they walked.
She smirked. “I thought you were already engaged, My Lord?
“I… That is not what I meant!” His cheeks flushed with heat. “You are teasing me?”
“Certainly.”
He gave a stifled laugh. “Very amusing, Miss McCarthy. But I had a different manner of proposal in mind.”
“Oh? And what may that be?”
“Lady Helena is exceedingly dear to me, and I will do everything within my power to aid you in your search for her,” he replied. “I have served in the British Cavalry, and there are many acquaintances of mine who may prove useful in your investigations.”
He needed to reassure Miss McCarthy that he could not possibly be a suspect in this vile affair. She had not alluded to it, but he still felt inclined to nip any thoughts of that ilk in the bud.
The idea had come to him while he had been pacing the landing, waiting for the ladies to emerge. Truly, he did not know why he hadn’t thought of it sooner; he had a vast number of acquaintances who knew all about intelligence, albeit of an ordinarily military nature. With Miss McCarthy and her associate’s assistance, combined with knowledge from his acquaintances, there was every chance that they would find Lady Helena, alive and well.
“That will not be necessary,” Miss McCarthy replied. “But I thank you for your generous offer.”
Christian furrowed his brow. “You misunderstand me, Miss. I was not asking for your permission. I was merely informing you of what is going to happen.”
“And I am informing you that, if we should happen to require your aid, you will be called upon. As of this moment, however, that is not needed.” Miss McCarthy held his gaze. “Leave this to the professionals, My Lord. If you do not, you will only get under our feet.”
The impertinence of her!He felt quite furious. “Miss, I really must insist that you—”
“You will be called upon if you are required. Until then, I suggest you continue in your actions. The Duchess will need all the comfort and reassurance she can get, and she seems fond of you. Her husband cannot play that part, given his own grief. I am sure you are suffering, too, but you must be stronger than the Duke. Be her friend and behave as a future son-in-law might. That is where your focus should rest for now.” Miss McCarthy smiled sweetly. “And, in the meantime, we will bring your fiancée back to you.”
“Miss, if you would—” However he didn’t get to finish his sentence, as Miss McCarthy swept out of the house before he could muster a protest. For the second time today, a door had slammed in his face, and he could do nothing to remedy it.
Miss McCarthy had torn into his life like a whirlwind, and though she might have won the favor of the Duchess, she would have to behave a great deal more graciously to win his. A stern resolve fixed in his mind. He would give her two days, and if she did not call upon him within that time, to seek his assistance, then he would take matters into his own capable hands.
If you think that is the end of it, Miss McCarthy, that I shall wait idly by while my fiancée is still missing, you are sorely mistaken. There are things you do not know, and things you did not pause to learn… Only fools rush in, and I do hope you do not turn out to be such a fool. For the sake of Helena, and the Pelsley’s, and me.
Why, she could well be putting the investigation into jeopardy by refusing to work alongside him, for she had not given him the chance to mention what he had heard about there being two men involved in these kidnappings. At least in the ones that had taken place upon the road, where the ladies had been riding in their carriages. Surely, that was an important factor? Yet, the stubbornness in Miss McCarthy had prevailed. He hardly knew her at all, but he imagined that same stubbornness was an innate trait in her character.
Irked by the brusque manner in which she had left, and the insistence that he play the part of guard dog or companion, he walked away from the front entrance and entered the drawing room on the ground floor of the house. It lay empty, as he had known it would.
