Harred lifted his brow, surprised by their blunt responses. “Whyever not?” he asked. “If someone is trying to kill me, shouldn’t we contact the one person that can help us?”
“Constables are useless,” Fredrick said.
“Have you worked with a constable before?” Harred asked.
With a shake of his head, Fredrick replied, “No, but if we need to hire an investigator, it will be a Bow Street Runner.Not a constable. They just get in the way of a real investigation.”
Harred didn’t want to fight with Fredrick, but he didn’t understand why he held such animosity for constables. He had never had the need of one before, so he had no opinion of them.
Octavia placed her teacup down and rose to stand by Fredrick. “Shall I inform Carson that we need the use of one of our coaches?”
“Yes, but you are not coming with us,” Fredrick informed her.
“I beg your pardon?” Octavia asked.
Fredrick shot her a stern look. “I do not think I could have spoken any plainer. It is not safe for you to be around Harred until we have this resolved.”
Octavia placed a hand on her hip. “I do not think so, Brother,” she said. “I am a part of this, whether you like it or not.”
“No, Octavia!” Fredrick exclaimed with a swipe of his hand. “I forbid it. I do not want you in harm’s way.”
Turning towards Harred, Octavia smiled sweetly at him. Too sweetly. “Will you kindly tell my brother that he does not control me or my actions and that I will do as I please?”
Harred put his hand up. “I do not wish to get involved.” He paused. “But if I did, I must side with your brother. I do not want to see you hurt.”
Octavia’s smile dimmed. “I am going to tell Carson that we need a coach and then I am going to sit in that coach. I challenge either of you to try to stop me.”
With her head held high, she spun on her heel and departed from the room.
Fredrick’s eyes remained on the doorway that Octavia had stepped through. “My sister is a stubborn thing,” he said. “I would be furious if I wasn’t so blasted proud of her.”
“She is going to come with us, regardless,” Harredremarked. “It might be best if we just accept that fact and move on.”
“If it comes down to saving you or Octavia, I will save my sister every time,” Fredrick informed him.
“I would expect no less from you.”
Fredrick’s eyes held a fierce determination. “Very well, let’s get this over with,” he said. “If your brother is involved, I can’t promise I won’t challenge him to a duel for what he has done.”
“William is many things, but I do not think he is a murderer,” Harred stated.
Octavia stepped back into the room and announced, “The coach is being brought around to the front. Have you two resigned yourself to the fact that I will be joining you?”
Fredrick approached his sister and said, “You are infuriating, my dear sister.”
“Thank you,” Octavia replied.
“That wasn’t a compliment,” Fredrick responded.
Octavia grinned. “I took it as one,” she said.
As they made their way towards the coach, Harred retreated to his own thoughts. Someone had gone to great lengths to ensure he was killed. Who could have done such a thing? It couldn’t have been his brother. So why was the doubt creeping in?
Octavia sat in the coach as it traveled to Harred’s townhouse. She knew that Fredrick wasn’t pleased that she was coming along but she was involved now. Someone had tried to kill her, right alongside Harred. She refused to sit back and do nothing.
Lord William had a dishonorable reputation but would hetry to murder his own brother? Harred didn’t think so, but she had her doubts.
The coach came to a stop in front of a whitewashed townhouse and Harred moved to exit the coach. Once he was on the pavement, he reached back in to assist Octavia.
