Lord Valorous(15)

"Miss March, forgive me, I should not have done that."

"I-I understand."

"Understand what?"

"About noblemen."

On those ominous words, she then turned and fled down the road, and turned up a path that lead to a house. Seconds later she had disappeared.

"Not your finest work, Jacob," he said, heading back to his carriage. "Night Street, Hamley."





He was no clearer on why he had kissed Miss March as the carriage pulled up outside the offices he and his friends had set up as the front for their investigative services. Pushing the matter aside as temporary insanity, he left his carriage and entered the small gray stone building using his key. 

The narrow hallway opened into a reception area that held four chairs and a desk, behind which Perkins sat. He was their front man, and his neat appearance and round spectacles calmed people when they first entered. Although on closer inspection, the man had a harried air about him today.

"Is everything all right, Perkins?"

"I am somewhat behind, Lord Hatherton."

Jacob watched as he took off his spectacles and rubbed the glass briskly with a cloth he drew from his pocket.

"In what?"

"'Tis not a matter to concern yourself with, my lord, I shall catch up."

Perkins was always organized, so Jacob had never given much thought to what the man actually did. It was a surprise to see him agitated.

"I'm sure you will," Jacob said, not knowing what else to add. "Are the others here already?"

"Indeed they are, Lord Hatherton."

Moving deeper into the house, Jacob passed two rooms they had set up for if a client needed privacy. He then opened another door and took the stairs down to the basement. Their voices were a soft rumble as he grew nearer, and he soon saw his three friends seated at their round table. They spent many hours in that position, discussing cases.

The fifth Earl of Attwood, Nick, had dark hair and eyes. His nickname from long ago when they were boys was Gallant. To his right sat Marcus, Viscount Needly, the tallest of their group. Blond with blue eyes, he was known as Valiant. On his right sat Leo, Marquis of Vereton. He had eyes the color of midnight and hair to match; his nickname was Noble.

"Valorous," they all greeted him. Finding the spare seat, he fell into it.

"Bloody cold out there."

"Exactly, so why are we here and not at home?" Nick said. "Grace is trying to ready the staff to leave in three days' time, and me leaving the house hardly found favor."

Only two of them were married, and thankfully Jacob liked Nick's and Marcus's wives.

"You all know Lady Revel," Jacob said, and his friends nodded.

"Sharp wit and equally sharp tongue," Leo drawled.

"Her companion was dismissed without reference, for no reason, and then forbidden to see her."

"Hardly unusual, Jacob."

"I know that, Leo, but Lady Revel had a fall and hurt her leg and has been bedridden since. The companion, Miss March, said that when she called to see the staff to enquire after Lady Revel, one of the housemaids said she saw a vial of poison in Lord Revel's room."

Jacob then went on to tell his friends the rest of the story, and Miss March's genuine fears for her employer.

"So the old tartar controls her own finances, good for her," Nick said. "But if it is true that her husband said her wealth would go to the heir upon her death, that could give validity to the companion's claim."

"And it was the companion who contacted us, and you went to the Hen and Duck to meet?" Marcus asked.

"Yes, and today when I paid a call on Lady Revel to see if I could speak with her, under the guise of handing over a gift from my grandmother, she was there, lurking in the lavender."

"I beg your pardon?" Marcus looked shocked.

"Miss March, the companion, she was there snooping, but I intercepted her and bundled her into my carriage. My driver then took her to a tea shop to wait for me."

Jacob wished he hadn't said those last words, as Nick narrowed his eyes.



       
         
       
        

"Why would you do that?"

"She just lost her job, has had people attempting to kill her, and is a long way from home. It was the least I could do." He shrugged.

"Where is she from?"

"Kent. Her father is a vicar and she is one of nine children."

"You know a great deal about her," Leo said. "How many times have you met with her?"

"Twice."

"In two days?"

"Is that a problem?" Jacob said the words in his coolest tone. But all it did was make his friends laugh.