“Secondly, I am not your lap dog. I won’t sit and stay on command. Or obediently follow where you lead. If you have somewhere you absolutely must be, you will inform me before we go gallivanting all over England. Your father hired me to do a job and dammit, I will do it the best way I know how. Which doesn’t include you dictating our every move. I am the professional, after all,” he tacked on for good measure.
Given her glowering expression, she’d comprehended every word. And had found issue with each one.
Oh, hell. She was about to become indignant. The last thing he needed was an overwrought silk-stocking who felt the world had wronged her. Why couldn’t Lawson have sent him to some corner of the country lacking the delicate sensibilities of the nobility? He’d have gone to Scotland if need be.
Just when Nate thought he had her pegged and was prepared for her vicious onslaught, she took a steady breath and her eyes cleared like a passing storm.
Her voice held complete calm when she answered, “Mr. Frederickson, since you found it within yourself to speak so . . . honestly . . . with me, I feel I should return the courtesy. First, I will concede you are the expert. My father wouldn’t have entrusted myself—or his collection—to anyone less than capable. However, I’m not about to set aside my freedoms on what we both know to be an overreaction on my father’s part.”
She paused while he remained silent. In all honesty, he wasn’t sure how to respond. In the last minute, she’d destroyed every expectation he had.
He didn’t get an opportunity to think on it as her eyes suddenly narrowed and pinned his boots to the floor. He felt like a wayward student who’d spoken out of turn. “Secondly, I have never in my life treated someone as a lap dog. No matter if their arrogance demanded it. If you are looking for someone who has acted childish, Mr. Frederickson, I suggest you place yourself in an empty room and look in a mirror. Overindulged, spoiled brat indeed!” Her chest expanded with visible outrage as she finished chastising him.
Nate fought the urge to fix his gaze on the sudden uplift of her breasts. Soft mounds that wouldn’t overfill his hands but based on the quick glimpse he allowed himself, would still fit very nicely in his palms.
Damn her. He’d never had an issue keeping his work separate from his leisurely pursuits before. Even when a case called for him to sway someone of the female persuasion, he had always been able to emotionally detach himself and keep his focus on the objective. What was it about the frustrating bundle before him that clouded his mind and obliterated his focus?
He would just have to work harder to remind himself she was a job. Shouldn’t be too difficult considering how much of a thorn in my arse she is.
“It seems we are at an impasse, Lady Annabel. A situation we should endeavor to overcome.” He flashed a smile he hoped didn’t come across as a grimace. “Hopefully without bloodshed.”
Her features didn’t ease. She clearly wouldn’t be coaxed to seeing things properly. Damn woman.
“Mr. Frederickson, according to you, I would never dirty my person by shedding your common blood.” She paused. “However, having one of my underlings do it for me wouldn’t be out of the question.”
Was that a twinkle of humor lightening her eyes to a soft blue? Could the pampered miss have some spirit to her after all?
Before he could capitalize on her softened demeanor, the door to the room opened and a tall woman, spectacles perched on her nose, entered the room.
“Oh! Forgive me, Anna. I didn’t know you were here. I’ll leave you to your discussion.”
The intruder attempted to back from the room but Lady Annabel rushed to her side and prevented her escape. “Nonsense, Evie. Considering this is your office, we are the ones intruding. Are we not, Mr. Frederickson?”
Lady Annabel’s question was no doubt her way to get him to entice the woman to stay. Since he wanted nothing of the kind, he almost remained silent. However, doing so wouldn’t weaken Lady Annabel to his way of thinking. “Lady Annabel has the right of it. Pray excuse us, Miss—”
The woman peered silently across the room to Nate, her face impassive.
“Evie, this is the Bow Street Runner my father hired to investigate the thefts. Mr. Frederickson, Miss Evelyn Harold, my friend and mistress of the school,” Lady Annabel provided, filling the void left by Miss Harold.
In Runner mode, and to test the schoolmistress’s reaction to him, Nate approached to offer a more formal greeting. “It is a pleasure, Miss Harold. From what I’ve seen, you run a very fine school.” He didn’t mention his knowledge of the school consisted of the front walk, foyer, and her office.
He ignored Lady Annabel’s look of bewilderment at his effusive praise of the establishment, and instead focused all his attention on Miss Harold.
Nothing about her appearance indicated anything out of the ordinary. For all intents and purposes, she resembled an approachable but no-nonsense teacher. She wore her pale hair in a severe knot. Her gray day dress, made of serviceable linen, seemed a size too large, giving her a rather frumpy appearance. A state her height and high cheekbones disputed.
Based on her open conversation with Lady Annabel, their friendship seemed to run deeper than operating the school together. Nevertheless, he would reserve judgment.
Her voice was composed when she finally spoke. “Any praise for the school should be directed to Lady Annabel, Mr. Frederickson. Without her presence and dedication, the school wouldn’t have accomplished half of what it has.”
“Nonsense. I only facilitate the running of the physical aspects of the school. Evie is the one who dedicates her time to each of the students. They respect her, and rightfully so.”
Lady Annabel graced her friend with a genuine smile. The first of its kind Nate had witnessed since their introduction. The authenticity of it brightened her entire countenance and knocked his judgment of her from its axis. In his experience, members of high society rarely befriended commoners.
Maybe he’d judged the princess too harshly.
Questions remaining, he refocused on Miss Harold. “Have you been with the school long?”
“Since Lady Annabel took over running the school, sir.” She was clearly practiced at dodging a question.
Fortunately, he was more skilled at interrogating. “How fortunate for Lady Annabel to have found someone with your skills. Were the two of you acquainted prior to you taking on the position?”
What is wrong with the man? He was clearly pressing Evie for answers to some hidden questions. And not being very circumspect about it. If this was an example of his skills, Anna suspected his reputation was a tad overstated. Maybe she’d been wrong to fear his involvement.
Either way, she wouldn’t allow him to question her friend like a criminal.
“Mr. Frederickson, Evie has more important business than to dally with us.” Anna didn’t miss the relief pass over her friend’s face. “Besides, there are things I must see to before we depart and since you’ve expressed a desire to become a thorn in my side, I’m assuming you’ll be tagging along.”
The easy smile he’d put on for Evie melted, his mouth forming the grim line Anna was more familiar with. She hadn’t set out to provoke him. The words had simply . . . slipped out.
A feat that happened quite frequently in his presence. Though it was hardly her fault he was so prickly.
Her increasing slip of the tongue wasn't the only development since meeting the Runner. Before today, she’d never been so forthright. Her response to his not-so-subtle insults still amazed her. Considering how she’d wanted to slap the man, her response had been tame.
In all fairness, he would have deserved it. Calling her an overindulged, spoiled brat. The conceit of Mr. Frederickson was beyond astonishing. She’d have to try harder if she wanted to somehow beguile the man enough to obstruct his investigation.
&nbs
p; “Elegantly put, Lady Annabel,” he finally replied.
How the man managed to not break a tooth with the strength of his clamped teeth, much less force words out, was a complete mystery. At least he hadn’t started another argument. With their constant bickering, she wasn’t sure how much longer before she incriminated the real thief—
An error she couldn't afford.
Chapter 6
Anna couldn’t have been more pleased with how the remainder of her visit to the school had gone. Wholly on account of Mr. Frederickson’s displeasure at having to follow her around like the lap dog he’d self-declared himself to be. He clearly had wished himself elsewhere, but as he’d grunted and grumbled endless times, until he could guarantee there was no threat lurking at the school, he had no choice in the matter.
Hopefully her enjoyment of his discontent wasn’t an indication she was a bad person. Especially since she was perfectly safe at the school, and the house for that matter. His diligent protection was unnecessary. Yet, despite this, she hadn’t sent him away. His preposterous claims on her character had earned him every moment of his own irritation.
Regardless of what it said about her, she couldn’t help but be delighted when they returned to the house hours later and he dismounted his horse in a huff of indignation. Mumbling something about having business to attend to, he stalked toward the rear of the house.
Anna’s only disappointment was not having the opportunity to speak with Evie alone. After Mr. Frederickson’s attentive interest in her friend, Anna made sure they’d stayed far away from her. Evie didn’t have anything to hide but Anna refused to subject her friend to more of the man’s questioning.
She entered the house and went to her room to change for the evening meal with her father. With him spending many of his waking hours cataloging his antiquities and the school consuming most of her day, mealtime had become the only quality time they regularly shared.
She was halfway through preparing for supper with the help of her maid, when thoughts of Mr. Frederickson crept back into her mind. She couldn’t deny the man was a threat—and not just to her temper. He was stubborn, arrogant, and downright condescending at times.
Until he employed his charm, something she’d most certainly noticed at the school. His smooth words, flowing off his tongue, combined with the perfect blue of his eyes. His downright handsome smile revealed a peek of white teeth, for once not clenched together.
All could prove to be very seductive.
Luckily, she seemed to spur his hostility, saving her from being the recipient of his captivating spell. Not that he’d have any reason to seduce her. Despite Evie’s attempt to downplay her attractiveness, her beauty found a way to shine through the severe hairstyle and frumpy clothes. Anna could be dressed in the top fashions and still not warrant any admirer’s attention.
A point proven when a flash of appeal had entered Mr. Frederickson’s eyes right before he’d started questioning Evie.
He’d transformed into a man capable of gracing any ballroom without offending anyone with inept social graces. It was probably a blessing he hadn’t offered his appealing nature the moment they’d met. A handsome face and smooth words had never swayed her before, but if he’d been amiable upon their first meeting, she wouldn’t have been so cautious.
She was a woman after all, and there was no denying the man was extremely attractive.
But his handsomeness was not the issue at hand. She needed to further her efforts to save the school without the man mucking it up.
Her hair and dress in place, Anna dismissed her maid. She had some planning to do and she’d long vowed to involve no one else. If she were ever caught, she alone would take the blame. Not even Evie knew of the very tangled web Anna had spun for herself.
She retrieved the ledger hidden beneath the everyday stationary in the top drawer of her secretary. She opened it to the last page, silently hoping the figures she’d tallied the day before had somehow reverted from negative to positive.
Her wish went unanswered. The amounts remained as bleak as before. Not even her clandestine activities had turned the situation around.
Which brought her back to the most pressing dilemma.
If anyone discovered she’d procured her father’s relics, not only would she have the law to contend with, she’d have to face her father’s disappointment—the only thing that gave her pause no matter how worthy her reasons. Each time, she promised herself it would be the last. That she’d somehow find another way to save the school from its creditor.
Despite how many payments she’d made with the supposedly priceless artifacts, she could never quite get out from under the weight of the debt. She was beginning to question how upstanding the creditor, Mr. Rollins, really was.
Even knowing Father would rescue her and settle all debts, she couldn’t go to him for help. Not now. It would be admitting failure—something she wasn’t ready for. There were too many young women counting on her to keep the school going.
Upon reaching her maturity, she had taken control of the school from the board her grandmother had assembled shortly before her death. Anna alone had changed the directive of the school. Instead of only providing to the nobility, it now offered teachings to underprivileged girls who needed the education to find suitable employment in order to secure their future, and thus not needing to rely on a husband or family for support.
There was a slight problem with Anna’s behest. Neither underprivileged young ladies—nor their families—had ample funds to pay.
No, she refused to give up yet. There was too much at stake. She would see this through and somehow repay her father for her treachery.
The most prudent thing would be to never get caught. Something she’d been counting on until Mr. Frederickson’s appearance. How could she have figured someone like him into the equation? Given the extensive collection, she’d hoped her father wouldn’t notice a few unimportant items missing. She’d underestimated his dedication to the antiques.
Anna closed the ledger and returned it to its hiding spot. She’d learned staring at the abysmal numbers wouldn’t miraculously alter them. One thing was apparent. She’d need to acquire another one of her father’s artifacts. The next payment was due in two days and Mr. Rollins had made it quite clear that if she didn’t have either money or some other form of payment, he’d take the school as retribution.
Obtaining—she refused to call it stealing—one of the relics wasn’t the problem. She would somehow find a method for repaying her father. No, the problem remained avoiding Mr. Frederickson during her dubious labors.
En route to the dining room where she’d find her father drinking his single, nightly brandy, she tossed around several ideas on how to dodge the impossibly attractive Runner. Nothing seemed plausible. The man had too much confidence to not have any skill. She needed to think of something he’d never suspect. Something he’d never plan for. Or maybe something quite simple.
Right under his very nose.
Lost in her thoughts, Anna stepped into the dining room, only to lock eyes with the very man she wished to avoid.
Chapter 7
Nate didn’t know how he felt about sharing the dinner table with the earl and his daughter. Whatever his thoughts on the subject, the alarm upon Lady Annabel’s face when she strolled into the room and found him sitting with her father, made him glad he’d accepted the invitation.
Given the tightening of her pink-hued lips, she was far from pleased. Good. Let her squirm. It was only a portion of what she’d earned by dragging him around her damned school for hours on end. He’d had to double his efforts to remind himself that as a rule he was generally an even-tempered gentleman who held a deep affection for women. Especially ones who were attractive, even in a subtle way. He most assuredly could not strangle one in complete exasperation.
La
dy Annabel quickly composed herself and the tension surrounding her mouth eased with the smile she gave her father. Nate was astonished by the warmth and affection flowing between father and daughter. The very regard Nate had never received from his sire. Then again, not many noblemen gave a damn about their bastards. Nate’s father just happened to care less than most. Thankfully his mother had filled any void.
Brodford spoke and pulled Nate from his musings. “Anna, dear, I’ve invited Mr. Frederickson to dine with us.”
“I see that, Papa. How very kind of you.”
She might have coated her words with sweet innocence but the narrow look she flashed Nate said something else entirely.
He still wasn’t sure what had prompted Brodford to extend him the courtesy of dining with the family. By no means was the earl expected to do such a thing. Actually, Nate would have been less stunned if he hadn’t.
“Nothing kind about it. Mr. Frederickson might be here to do a job, but he is also a guest.” Brodford lifted his glass and took a hearty drink.
Nate remained watchful. What a complete contradiction to his general understanding of the nobility. The earl somewhat fascinated him. Nate’s dealing with his bastard of a father and a lifetime of condemnation by other members of the ton had convinced him nobles were incapable of empathizing with commoners.
Not to mention his history with the woman who’d sealed his opinion of the upper crust.
“Kindness or not, I am thankful for the invitation, my lord,” Nate finally replied. Not simply because his mother had taught him to be gracious, but because, despite his better judgment, he was beginning to respect the earl.
“Call me Brodford. I’ve never had much use for fancy forms of address. Plain silliness if you ask me.”
The Runner's Enticement (Men of Circumstance Book 2) Page 3
