Page 61 of The Viscount's Silent Pugilist

Indeed!“How do you do it?” Jonathan asked.

Robinson’s brow furrowed. “Do you mean solve crimes and track down criminals?”

“Although I admire your profession, I meant, how do you watch Franny get hit when she fights?”

Robinson’s gaze slid from Jonathan to Gen. “Ah,” he murmured with a subtle nod, as if something had just dawned on him. “Well, Franny was a pugilist before I fell in love with her, so I couldn’t ask her to give it up once we married. But the truth is, I thought I was going to have an apoplexy at her last mill.”

Feeling a little less emasculated, Jonathan nodded but forced himself to watch as Gen completed her drills. The runner stood beside him throughout.

“I can’t help but notice the way you look at Gen,” Robinson said. “Not that I like to meddle in relationships.”

Jonathan steeled himself for Gen’s punch, which she stoically accepted without even a flinch. He, on the other hand, gasped and experienced sympathy pains that had him clutching his stomach.

“I am telling you this because from what Franny and the others tell me, I think she is running from something or someone,” Robinson said. “She could be in danger, and that concerns me.”

A prickle of trepidation raised the hair on Jonathan’s neck. “So, you are telling me I need to be more concerned about something in her past than these boxing drills?”

“That’s my guess,” Robinson said.

The lawman’s instincts were impeccable, so it would be foolish to ignore them. “I’ve assumed as much.” Jonathan moved closer to Robinson so that he wouldn’t be overheard. “In fact…I would like to hire you to look into the relationship between Lord Kilsby, a Doctor Arnold, and Gen,” he whispered.

“Of course,” Edward said. “The thing is, I’ve already started investigating.”

“Oh?” Jonathan asked.

“Franny and Josie asked me to. They care about Gen. And I should warn you, your mother also hired me last night.”

So, Jonathan, dolt that he could be, was the last one to think of asking Robinson, the best investigator in London, to look into Gen’s past.

As he often did when he was frustrated, Jonathan scraped his fingers through his hair as if it helped him organize his thoughts, which it rarely did. “Do you know anything yet?”

“No,” Robinson said. “Lady Davenport mentioned Kilsby, so I attempted to call on him earlier today, but he refused to see me. From now on, I won’t give him a choice. This is the first time I’ve heard of the Arnolds. I will see what I can find out.”

“Thank you,” Jonathan said.

Pete, Thumbs, and Roseanna crossed the gymnasium, headed in Coach’s direction.

Robinson thumbed toward Franny and Gen. “I believe Franny just dismissed them. Gen survived.”

Not only had she survived, but her eyes were bright, and she was smiling. And she was looking at him for the first time in over twenty-four hours. He waved. She dropped her gaze to her feet.

Robinson motioned for Jonathan to follow him. Together they approached the ladies.

“Impressive, Gen,” Robinson said.

“Honestly, I think Gen is ready for her exhibition with Roseanna,” Franny said. “And if that goes well, Bear has already agreed to book her at The Purple Rabbit. That is, if you are up for an underground mill, Gen. I know Lord Davenport doesn’t care about the legality, or lack thereof.”

“I didn’t hear a thing,” Robinson said. “No illegal mills are happening that I know of.”

Jonathan was of the opinion that it was ridiculous that mills were illegal in the city, since most lawmen and members of parliament frequented them, including Robinson, who was the most ethical man of Jonathan’s acquaintance—after Nicolas, that was.

As Robinson covered his ears, Gen beamed.

“I will take that as a ‘yes’,” Franny said.

Now that this was happening, Jonathan wanted to take the entire pudding-headed idea back. He cared too much to toss her into a ring where she could get hurt. However, he also cared too much to stop her from doing something that was important to her.

“We had a very important discussion before training today,” Franny said. “We have decided that Gen will wear cosmetics when she fights in public. White face paint that makes her look like a ghost. The Fancy will love it.”