Finally, something came out of this chase for Lord Kerrington.
“I will g?—”
Before he could finish, Lady Kerrington, whom he was coming to realize was a very stubborn young woman, opened the carriage door and hopped down.
With a happy hum to herself, she glared back at him, and he groaned once she swayed out of earshot. Although he was secretly enjoying the way she flaunted convention. He enjoyed seeing her grasping at the edges of propriety to pull it around herself, only to give up.
Indeed, she snuck out, dared to enter the Spindle and cause a ruckus, and now she was marching headfirst into the office of an accountant she didn’t know.
Gabriel wondered, not for the first time, if he had been too harsh in accusing her of covering for her husband.
He followed after her, matching her pace, then strode slightly ahead when they approached the front door. Brown eyes, the color of toffee that made him peculiarly hungry in a way he had not felt in a while, narrowed on him.
“What?” he questioned.
“Nothing,” she snapped.
Together, they entered the building and ascended the stairs to the room where the light had been visible from outside.
Gabriel made to enter first, but not without a cursory glance at Lady Kerrington. She looked fresh-faced and young, nothing at all like a lady who would look twice at a man like Lord Kerrington.
Then again, not all ladies have the luxury of choice.
Her disguise was poor, but it had held together in the Spindle. However, an accountant was well-connected, and if Farley was present, then Gabriel and Lady Kerrington had to be very careful how they presented themselves.
Shaking off his thoughts, Gabriel entered the room.
At a small desk by the window, a young, dark-haired apprentice was bent over paperwork, his quill scratching away on parchment. A candle burned next to the paper, and his raspy voice told enough of his exhaustion when he greeted them.
“How may I help you?” he asked, barely looking up from the paperwork.
“Good evening.” Lady Kerrington’s voice was soft.
She moved to the desk, her smile already in place.
It wasn’t the winning smile that most ladies knew how to flash to get what they wanted. No, this was something quieter. This was a smile that was not used for manipulation, but understanding.
“I want to ask for a favor,” she continued. “I’m searching for an address.”
The apprentice’s head shot up, his tired eyes turning wide. “No. Oh no, Mr. Farley won’t be having that. Nobody will be receiving any information about his clients.”
“It is for?—”
“I’m sorry,” the apprentice cut in. “I don’t care who it’s for. I can’t help you. My boss will have me tossed out of this office withscarcely a penny to my name.” He paused, glancing at her almost apologetically. “Goodnight.” His voice trembled slightly, and it was clear he was scared of the consequences.
Lady Kerrington looked up at Gabriel, who had to fight back his irritation at the boy’s refusal. Still, he nodded.
He stepped closer to the desk, noting the apprentice’s pale face and frantic script, as if he was already drained but had work to finish that night.
“You are scared of Mr. Farley,” he noted, his voice softening a little, just like Lady Kerrington’s. “That is understandable, but an easy thing to tackle. With me, you will have nothing to fear. I have heard he can be a cruel employer, but no harm will come to you. If it comes back to you, then it is simple: you are a young, tired man, and the nights are long. Perhaps a man and woman did slip by you. Perhaps you thought you imagined them. Many excuses to escape the consequences.”
However, the apprentice still looked worried.
Gabriel took out another coin purse. London worked off the back of bribery, and he had long since found out that there were very few tongues he couldn’t loosen with a heavy enough purse.
“You will be doing a distressed lady a huge favor,” Lady Kerrington added, drawing the apprentice’s attention back to her. She gave a smile, not pushy, but certainly an argument in its own way. “And I will be indebted to your kindness.”
Gabriel fought the urge to roll his eyes at her exaggeration, but he could see the apprentice’s resolve cracking.
