Raven (Gentlemen of the Order 2)

“So, Lady Adair wishes to hire an agent to investigate the matter,” Finlay stated.

“Not just any agent. She insists on hiring you, Cole.”

The comment rocked him to his core.

Thoughts of Hannah filled his head. Three years had passed since the Lord claimed her and denied Finlay the right to make amends. They had married for convenience, but he had done everything in his power to help her overcome her insecurities. Now, he would rather wallow in misery than betray her memory.

Finlay swallowed a mouthful of brandy while ghostly echoes of the past whispered in his ear. “I cannot help Sophia Adair.”

“But she married Lord Adair to save her sister,” Daventry pressed. “Had you been here, I imagine life would have been vastly different for both of you.”

“Fate had other plans.” Devious plans.

Daventry sat forward, his grey eyes hard, unyielding. “It is not a request, Cole. You will reside at Blackborne for a week and help Lady Adair with her dilemma, or you will leave the Order.”

Leave the Order?

Hellfire!

Surely Daventry wasn’t serious.

Finlay’s kinship with his colleagues was the only thing keeping him sane. Were it not for the need to help the downtrodden, he would spiral into an abyss.

“We serve those who cannot help themselves,” Daventry continued, softening his tone. “We cannot let our emotions decide who is worthy and who is not. Your only thought should be that a vulnerable woman may suffer a tragic fate if we do not intervene.”

“Sophia Adair is not vulnerable.”

“I am referring to Jessica Draper. Trust me, Cole, once you learn more about the case, you will not question my logic.” Daventry paused. “I know living in such close proximity with Sophia will be difficult. But a week spent at Blackborne—”

“Wait!” Finlay’s heart leapt to his throat. “Lady Adair is to reside at Blackborne while I conduct my investigation?”

Daventry frowned. “Yes, she moved to the house weeks ago and is too frightened to leave her sister alone.”

Good God. Had Daventry lost his mind?

“You expect me to live alongside Sophia while attempting to make logical deductions?” It was the most absurd, most terrifying suggestion he had ever heard. With their checkered past, he would find it impossible.

“No one knows Jessica Draper is in England, so the main suspects are limited to those who live in the house. Oh, and then there’s Dr Goodwin. He visits weekly, I’m told. But yes, Cole, you will need to work closely with our client in this matter.”

Suspicion flared.

What the devil was this really about?

The tale seemed so improbable he couldn’t help but wonder if there was another motive behind Sophia’s request. But Daventry was adept at spotting fakes and frauds. In this instance, the master of the Order had disregarded his own rules. They never took wealthy clients, never solved the problems of those with powerful connections, never agreed to such intimate arrangements. And so Finlay had to believe the threat was genuine.

“Very well,” he said, though every muscle in his body tightened. He would work quickly, work day and night to allay the lady’s fears. “Inform Lady Adair I will take her case, though I shall reside at Blackborne only if I deem it necessary.”

He would hear the facts before he let them browbeat him into submission.

“Excellent. She is expecting you this evening.”

This evening?

Blessed saints!

“You’re to ride there, cover the twenty miles on horseback,” Daventry continued. He opened the desk drawer, reached inside and withdrew a sealed letter. “Lady Adair took the time to list all those who work at Blackborne. She included instructions on how to reach the property to ensure no one follows you from town.”

Finlay took the letter. He broke the seal and scanned the elegant penmanship. Sophia Adair wrote with light, sweeping strokes. Each flourish reminded him of the woman who used to laugh at silly things, laugh at every given opportunity. The memory roused an ache in his heart, not a smile.