CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The premises on Night Street where he and the other Lords of Night Street ran their investigative service from was an innocuous gray building. Using his key to open the front door, he let himself inside with his mind still on Beth. Something was off with her... very off. He was sure she’d believed that man was a threat of some kind, but she’d denied it. Leo had been unable to follow whoever it was, as his first concern had been for her and the children.
The narrow hallway soon opened into a reception area that held chairs and a desk, behind which sat Perkins. He was their front man, the face of the Lords of Night Street Investigative Services.
“Good morning to you, Perkins. Would you care for a currant bun?”
The man wore round spectacles, and his appearance was always neat and calm, which was an asset when dealing with overwrought clients.
“Thank you, Lord Vereton, that is very kind of you, but I have eaten this morning already.”
“So have I, Perkins, but there is always room for more.”
The man smiled, and Leo guessed the conversation was over, so he moved deeper into the building. They had set up two rooms for clients in need of private consultation. He passed them, and opened another door that led downstairs. His friends’ voices greeted him as he reached the bottom.
“Hail, Noble!”
He lifted a hand by way of acknowledgement, and then placed the package of buns in the middle of the round table the other three men sat at. They pounced on it.
They were each noblemen, and had grown up together playing on estates. That was when they had decided upon their names they now used to work undercover.
Beth’s cousin, Nick, Earl of Attwood, was Gallant. Valiant, was Marcus, Viscount Needly. He was tallest of their group, with blond curls and bright blue eyes. Like Nick, he had a serious nature and was slow to anger. Lastly came Valorous, Jacob, Viscount Hatherton. With dark hair and green eyes, he was the gentlest among them, and appeared to have an inexhaustible supply of calm. Leo was Noble, although sometimes he struggled to live up to the name.
“I shall keep you on as a friend if you arrive with these more often, Leo.”
“I live to serve, Valorous.”
Between them they’d closed many cases, from kidnapping to blackmail. They had exposed noblemen who were intent on forcing innocent women into sexual slavery, and taken down a ring of Russian fraudsters. Trained by their country to spy and work behind enemy lines, those skills were now in use to help others.
“We have another case,” Nick said as he finished his last bite. “It seems there is another blackmailer at work in London society.”
“I think it likely there are a great deal more than one, but it is rare anyone actually speaks out about them,” Leo said, reaching for the last bun, just beating Marcus, who glared at him. Sighing, he broke it in half and threw it at his friend, who caught it smoothly, now smiling.
“True, but we can only deal with what is before us.”
“Which is?” Jacob asked.
Nick went on to outline the details while they all listened and discussed the matter, until all parties were clear on the direction the investigation would take.
“Right, now that is sorted, care to tell us how it is that Marcus and I arrive back from his hunting lodge to find you engaged to none other than Nick’s cousin? A woman, if memory serves, you usually argue with,” Jacob said.
“It’s a long story,” Leo said, looking at Nick, who replied with a shrug.
“Excellent, I shall tell Perkins to bring down the whiskey instead of tea.”
Leo did not have secrets from these men. They knew his good and bad traits, and the things he’d done he wished he hadn’t—and the same was true in reverse.
“The evil breaker of hearts is back,” Leo said.
“Harriet Hyndmarsh?” Jacob whistled. “What does that bitch want?”
“A husband is my guess,” Marcus replied. “And as Leo has all his teeth, and doesn’t lisp or spit up his food, I would also guess she has... or should I say, had, him in her sights.”
“Yes.” Leo exhaled. “I overreacted at the Tottingham ball, when she came up to me, and as Miss Whitlow was at my side and for once we were conversing as normal people do, I rashly said she was my fiancée.”
“It was not his finest moment,” Nick said.
“No, and I have caused a great deal of trouble for both you and Beth, and for that I am sorry, but—”
