Instead, he swept his hand toward one of the armchairs.“Charlie tells me Harlowe sent you and that you came without escort.”
“I’m capable of protecting myself,” Samantha told him.Though possibly not from lice, she decided while sending the proffered armchair a wary glance.She sat nonetheless.
Annoyingly, Wycliffe chose to remain standing while studying her with a gaze hard as flint.“I trust the tear on your skirt is evidence of that?”
Samantha hadn’t realized the lace trim had ripped.She nudged it with her finger and noted that there was a stain on her skirts as well, from kneeling on the ground when she’d snapped Fierce-eyes’s wrists.Bother.
“There was a bit of an altercation outside,” she murmured, returning her attention to Wycliffe.
He held her gaze for a few more seconds before eventually snorting and, much to Samantha’s relief, taking a seat in the other available chair.
“Tell me why you’ve come.”
“I need a reliable messenger.Someone who can also keep a watchful eye on the occupant of a particular address without getting noticed.”
Wycliffe glanced at the boy who had shown Samantha in.“Charlie, fetch Isak for me.”
Charlie dipped his head and vanished.The tread of feet on the hallway stairs followed.Wycliffe kept his attention firmly upon her but held his tongue.Once again, she wondered how he and Harlowe knew each other and why all she had to do was mention her guardian’s name in order to have her request met.
The sound of rapid footsteps approaching made her straighten her spine.She tore her gaze from Wycliffe and glanced at the door as Charlie returned, followed by a much younger boy who looked no more than ten years of age.
“He’s fast on his feet and small enough to disappear into the background,” Wycliffe informed Samantha when she sent him a questioning look.Addressing Isak he said, “You’re to work for this lady as long as she needs.Do as she says and you’ll be rewarded.”
An expectant silence followed, all eyes on Samantha.She gave a quick nod.“Five shillings per day.An extra pound at the end of the job, provided I’m happy with your performance.”
“Make that two pounds and you have yourself a deal,” Wycliffe told her.
“Very well.Two pounds it is, but only if you complete every task to my full satisfaction.”She stepped toward Isak, who gazed up at her with much too grave an expression for someone so young.“Fail, and you’ll get nothing.Betray me in any way, and I’ll see to it that you’re sent to a workhouse.Understood?”
If he could manage this task without any Runners standing in his way, he’d have proven his worth.
Isak gave a swift nod.“Yes, miss.”
“You’ll start right away then by delivering this to Mr.Kendrick at the Bow Street Magistrate’s Court.”She retrieved a missive from her skirt pocket and handed it to Isak.“Meet me at The Fox’s Burrow tavern tomorrow at three o’clock sharp.If Kendrick has a response for me you can hand it over then.”
“But what if it’s urgent?”Isak asked.
“It won’t be that urgent,” Samantha assured him.She turned to Wycliffe.“Thank you for your assistance.I’m in your debt.”
“I’m counting on it,” he murmured with a wry twist to his lips.
Samantha didn’t doubt it for a second.Loath as she was to turn her back on the man, she forced herself to do so as she departed.There were more important matters for her to attend to right now than worrying over the sort of person who had no qualms about using children to his advantage.
It was vital she find a room to let – a place from which she could run her operation without leaving a trail directly to Clearview House.
10
Evelyn was in high dudgeon.Keen as usual to read the gossip column, she’d snatched up the paper before her brother was able to do so in order to read the latest gossip pertaining to last night’s ball.What she had not expected was for her own name to appear as part of an outlandish lie that threatened to ruin her reputation completely.
“This season will be for nothing unless that story goes away,” she grumbled, frowning into her teacup.“I still don’t understand why someone would write such a falsehood about me.”
“Neither do I,” Adrian said.Seated adjacent to her at the head of the table, he glared at the paper she’d handed him just a few moments before.“Rest assured, I’ve every intention of figuring out who’s behind this and having them write a retraction.”
“Do you think that will help?”
“I expect so.”
The tightness in his voice was evidence of his anger.Evelyn knew he attempted to hide it for her sake, but his expression alone was enough to freeze the air in the room.
