A Curious Beginning

I pushed the paper back across the desk and rose. “Thank you, Sir Hugo. But you may inform your superior that I do not require hush money. I burned the papers to prove I have no intention of pressing a claim. My word should be good enough.”


He rose swiftly to his feet, as did Stoker. “Miss Speedwell, I am not a man who likes to revisit his opinions. I form them swiftly and they are invariably correct. But Inspector Mornaday has been eloquent on your behalf. While I must question your judgment in the company you choose to keep,” he added with a flick of a glance towards Stoker, “I would like to believe you do not mean to bring harm to the family.”

“Then believe it.”

He touched the page. “Accepting this token of their gratitude would go a long way towards accomplishing that.”

“No, Sir Hugo. It would go a long way towards putting me in their debt—a position I have no intention of occupying.”

He looked appealingly at Stoker. “Can you not exercise some influence in this?”

Stoker shrugged. “I could sooner influence the sun to set in the east, Sir Hugo. She is entirely her own woman.”

The rush of gratitude I felt for Stoker’s understanding nearly made me dizzy. Never before had I encountered a man so willing to abandon his allegedly God-given right to dominion over the fairer sex.

Sir Hugo returned his attention to me, raising an imperious brow. “Without your cooperation in this matter, I do not know how far I can go towards ensuring the continued goodwill of my superior.”

I lifted my chin and gave him my most imperious stare. “I am willing to take my chances, but know this, Sir Hugo—if there are any further acts of hostility, you may rest assured they will not begin with me.”

I turned on my heel and walked out, calling over my shoulder, “Adieu for now, Sir Hugo.”

Mornaday hurried to show us out, shepherding us down the staircase and opening the door that led onto the pavement. “That was unexpected,” he told me with a grin. “But I have come to expect the unexpected from you, Miss Speedwell.”

I put out my hand. “Thank you, Inspector Mornaday, for all your efforts on our behalf.”

He took my hand, shaking it slowly. His look was inscrutable and he gathered Stoker in with it. “I do not know how bad this is all going to get. I believe you are safe for now. Just, keep yourself quiet, will you? The less you draw attention to yourselves, the sooner they will feel secure and the sooner they will believe you mean them no harm.”

Stoker gave him a searching glance. “I still owe you a thrashing, Mornaday. But I am prepared to forgo the pleasure in exchange for a bit of information.”

Mornaday’s eyes widened a fraction as they settled on Stoker’s shoulders, broad and set as they were with murderous intent. “I am listening,” he said quickly.

“I would like to know who is sitting in the shadows watching all of this. Tell us the name of the fellow giving Sir Hugo’s orders. We might like to look out for him.”

Mornaday cast a look back over his shoulder, shaking his head. “More than my job is worth, man. More than my life is worth. But I can tell you this—you have it wrong. There is no ‘him.’ It is a ‘her.’”

With that he retreated into the building and pulled the door shut behind him.

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