“What is your problem?” She kicked at a pebble, her green skirts swishing. “You seemed more reasonable last night.”
“About that.” His jaw tautened. “The mission last eve was far too perilous. If we had been caught, the consequences to your well-being and reputation would be too dire to contemplate.”
“But we didn’t get caught, did we?” Because Chinese wasn’t her first language, she had to work harder to summon the words, which made her impatient. “There was no harm done. In fact, there was a lot of good accomplished, for we now know who is behind the theft of Sir Barkley. And not only him…it sounds like Farwell is operating a much larger dog-stealing ring. We will start investigating the Fancy forthwith—”
“Out of the question.”
“I beg your pardon?” she asked incredulously.
“Getting embroiled with the Fancy is a hazardous proposition for anyone, let alone a lady of your station.”
Annoyed that she couldn’t argue as well in Chinese, she switched back to English. “I am not some milk-fed miss—”
“I am aware of that.” While he reverted to English as well, his dictatorial manner did not change. “Nonetheless, you are a duke’s daughter, and the Fancy is a ruthless, bloodthirsty gang. I am certain that when Lady Fayne returns, she will agree with my assessment that this case is not suitable for the Angels.”
Glory felt her temper rising. “And I am certain that Charlie will agree with my plan to proceed with assisting our client.”
“There are other ways of retrieving the dog. You could hire an investigator—”
“I am an investigator.”
The retort burst from her, and she glanced around hastily to make sure that no one had heard. Luckily, the duke was keeping Aunt Patty engrossed in conversation.
“You have seen the Angels at work,” Glory said in a furious whisper. “You know how capable we are.”
“It is not your ability that I question, but your impulse to court danger,” he said with irritating calm. “The Fancy is unlike other foes you have faced in the past. They are a well-connected organization, with police and politicians in their pocket. They rule with fear, and anyone who crosses them suffers the consequences. I currently treat a shopkeeper who was nearly burned to death because he refused to pay them protection money.”
Her heart squeezed with compassion and outrage. “How dastardly of the Fancy.”
“They have done worse.” Mr. Chen’s gaze was relentless. “Trawling the Thames would harvest ample evidence of the gang’s brutality. Which is why you must delegate this case to those who can handle it.”
Of all the arrogant and idiotic presumptions.
“Mrs. Mumford-Mills came to the Angels for help,” Glory said through her teeth. “And we have made progress toward finding Sir Barkley. Now that we know who stole him—and, likely, other dogs—we are responsible for returning him and the other pets to their owners. Case closed.”
“Be reasonable,” he insisted. “Think of the consequences. If not for yourself, then for your family.”
Guilt pierced her armor of resolve. He’d found her Achilles’ heel: she loved her family dearly, and the possibility of hurting them was her greatest fear when it came to her investigative work. If word of her covert activities got out, the scandal would undoubtedly ruin Papa’s political career and undo all his efforts toward stopping the opium trade. Her disgrace would affect the reputations of her mama and younger brothers, Horatio and Theodore, as well.
While Glory’s family had never blamed her for being different, in her darker moments she secretly wished that she could be popular for their sake. If only she could be more like Lady Aileen, the Earl of Darlingford’s daughter, whose charm, refinement, and beauty were said to have helped her father secure a seat in Russell’s cabinet. Glory, however, only knew how to be herself: outspoken, curious, and plain.
When she’d tried to support her father by speaking up at balls about the evils of opium smuggling, she’d done more harm than good. People had either made a rapid exit…or they’d started to snore. A dowager had famously described Glory’s conversation as “soporific.”
It shamed Glory to admit that when it came to social matters, she was a liability to her family.
The least I can do is make sure I don’t get exposed for being an Angel. For my family’s sake, I must never get caught.
Glory took a breath. “If you want to protect me from harm, then help me help myself.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“That is why I am here, Master Chen,” she said. “To ask you to become my shifu.”
He drew his brows together, then shook his head.
“That is not possible,” he said curtly. “I do not take on female pupils.”
“I could be your first,” she wheedled. “You said so yourself that females learn martial arts in China.”
