Chapter 2 #2
Adrian sighed at the reminder. Of course Edward had every right to be furious about the information Adrian had withheld about Miss Melody Roberts.
Adrian would be too if Edward had lied to him about Samantha’s true identity.
It didn’t matter that Adrian’s only concern had been for Edward’s well-being and that he’d only wished to protect him from heartache.
Not when the pain Edward now had to suffer was worsened by feelings of utter betrayal.
Unfortunately Miss Roberts, the woman who’d helped Edward’s heart heal after Evie’s death, with whom he’d believed he could be happy, was not simply Lady Heathbrooke’s meek companion but also a highly trained government agent.
She’d been raised and trained by Dorian Harlowe, the same man who’d raised and trained Samantha along with three additional women.
Knowing this, Adrian had tried to warn Edward away from Miss Roberts.
With Harlowe a direct threat to Samantha if she revealed details about the secret Nightingale project she and her foster sisters had all been a part of, telling Edward the truth had not seemed like a viable option. Yet he had discovered it anyway.
The awareness created a heavy sensation in Adrian’s chest. He hated knowing he’d lost Edward’s trust and that their friendship might never recover. Hopefully, one day Edward would let him explain. Hopefully, by then, he would understand why divulging the truth had not been possible.
Aware that he had more pressing matters to think of right now, he entered the parlor and faced Samantha’s inquisitive gaze. “Lady Edwina is missing.”
Samantha’s eyes widened with shock. “Since when?”
Adrian approached, his attention moving briefly toward the hand she’d placed on her swollen belly. Male pride mingled with contentment, overshadowing the feelings of dread that threatened.
“She vanished two days ago.” He lowered himself to the spot beside her on the sofa. “Wrengate has asked me to help him find her, and I have accepted.”
“Of course you have. Anything less would be inconceivable.”
“Even when considering your past encounters with him?” He watched her closely. “You were forced to fight for your life and kill two men thanks to him.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I would turn my back on his sister, who’s lovely by the way. Had it not been for her brother’s dislike of me, she and I might have become fast friends.”
Adrian considered this briefly, then said, “While I don’t believe I’ll ever warm to Wrengate as a person, the information he confided in me this evening — particularly regarding his interactions with Wycliff – has improved my opinion of him.”
Incredulity showed on Samantha’s face, yet she sounded genuinely interested when she asked, “How so?”
It didn’t take long for Adrian to relay the details of his conversation with the duke, at the end of which he said, “What he did for his sickly sister isn’t so different from what you and I would do, is it?”
Samantha shook her head. “As much as I hate to find anything even remotely commendable about him, his turning to you for help is exactly that. By coming here, he has proven his willingness to put family before all else, including his pride.”
“He doesn’t trust Bow Street to get the job done.”
A laugh burst past Samantha’s lips. “Another sentiment we have in common.”
“Enough for you to start liking him?”
“Heaven forbid.” She scrunched her nose. “Thankfully, I don’t have to like him in order to track down his sister. The way I see it, she’s the one I’ll be helping, not him.”
“And by helping, I hope you’re referring to offering me good advice from the safety of our home.
” When she opened her mouth as though she might argue, he raised his eyebrows and told her firmly, “You are over eight months pregnant, Samantha. My heart won’t survive another threat to you or the baby. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” A sweet smile curled her lips, warming him to the depths of his soul. She leaned sideways and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. “I understand you completely, and I agree. Now, tell me what Wrengate divulged, and let’s see if we can figure out where to begin.”
* * *
A sip of hot tea was the perfect start to the gentleman’s day. His newspaper rustled as he leafed through the pages, solely to ensure the City remained under control.
Thankfully, there appeared to be no new murder cases in recent weeks, but that didn’t mean other crimes weren’t brewing.
When the next atrocity occurred, the gentleman had little faith in Bow Street’s efforts.
Even though he’d initially been impressed by Kendrick’s ability to stop Sally Finch, who’d brutally murdered three men, he’d since learned that this had been Miss Hastings’s doing. Not Kendrick’s.
Now, after Croft attempting to catch Mr. Finn O’Leary, and failing, the gentleman worried the Irish crime lord might be plotting other nefarious deeds. As far as he knew, nothing had been heard from O’Leary since that night in Saint Giles when he’d vanished.
Earlier in the year, the gentleman admittedly had wondered if Finn O’Leary might be suitable as Croft’s replacement should efforts to guide Croft’s hand fail. The gentleman had since realized that the Irishman was cut from another cloth entirely.
Unlike Croft, O’Leary would seek only his own selfish gains. And he’d do so with the kind of ruthlessness the gentleman sought to abolish.
With this in mind, he prayed Croft would get to O’Leary first, and not the other way around.