Page 49 of The Earl and the Reluctant Lady
Chapter Fifteen
He hadn’t slept.
After the encounter with Agnes in the carriage, and what she’d told him about her secret suitor, he’d been unable to sleep. Instead he’d formulated a plan for how to identify the man and put a stop to his attentions.
He’d sent a message to Agnes at first light with instructions on what to do, and she’d followed through perfectly. She hadn’t even asked him how he’d known about her affiliation with the Ladies of Virtue. She’d merely indicated in her return message that she had scheduled a meeting with her friends.
But, evidently, she hadn’t read his message to mean that he was attending the meeting as well, which was why she was currently looking at him as if he’d sprouted a second head.
“What are you doing here?” she hissed.
“I thought I’d made it abundantly clear in my message. I’m here to speak to your friends so we can figure out who this bastard is.”
She shook her head. “You never said you would be involved. And we don’t need you. I don’t know how you found out about my involvement in the Ladies of Virtue and I don’t even need to know. Suffice it to say we are trained for this very thing.”
He should have known she’d fight him on this. “I realize that, but having a set of fresh eyes on a situation always helps.”
“Of course you think we need your help because we’re women and we certainly can’t do anything on our own.” She rolled her eyes heavenward.
“Not true. You pulled a dagger on me last night and could have filleted my throat before I’d even realized what had happened. I recognize that you’re skilled. But I also know that my being a man means that I have access to parts of Society that none of you can reach.”
She opened her mouth to argue, then shut it with a frown.
“Agnes, I need for you to let me help. I need to be a part of this because I need for you to be safe.” Again she opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a raise of his hand. “Not because your brother asked me to look after you, so don’t even say that.”
“Then why? Why is it so important to you?”
“Because you’re important to me, Bluebell. Certainly, you know that after all these years.”
Which was how it came to be that he stood at the front of a parlor with a handful of women peering back at him.
“Is this the lot of you?” His brow furrowed in a frown. “I had envisioned the Ladies of Virtue being a rather larger group.”
“No, of course not. But we’re also in the midst of a discord in our group and these are the members I trust the most,” Agnes said. “And those I’ve already told about this particular issue. Though we are missing Harriet, since she is preparing for the Brookhaven party.”
Lady Matilda eyed him speculatively. “How do you know about our organization?”
“Agnes did not betray your confidences, if that is what concerns you,” he said. He wasn’t about to let Agnes know that Chris had told him about their penchant for hunting street criminals.
“That is all you will tell us?” Agnes asked.
He nodded.
“Very well. For what reason did you want us gathered?” she asked.
Fletcher forked his fingers through his hair. He moved his gaze between the three women sitting in a clump on the settee. “I know that Agnes has spoken to you regarding her new admirer.”
The two women flanking Agnes both nodded.
“It seems that she upset him recently when she declined a dance. He has made his displeasure known in no uncertain terms,” Fletcher said.
“What can we do to help?” Matilda asked.
“I’d like to know what you’ve seen when you’re with her. Do you know anyone she declined to dance with?”
“There’s an entire list of men that she declines at nearly every ball,” Justine said.
His gaze turned to Agnes.
