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He huffed. “Then you are easily deceived.”
“Perhaps, but I know my friend. She wasn’t involved in any disreputable business,” Madalene pressed. “She was working hard to pay off her father’s debts so her mother and sister could build a new life.”
“How admirable,” Lord Hawthorne muttered.
Madalene cast him a frustrated look. “Are you always this cynical?”
Lord Hawthorne didn’t hesitate in the least as he replied, “Yes.”
“I pity you, then.”
His brow rose. “You pity me?” he repeated slowly.
“I do,” she said. “Not everyone has a devious nature.”
“It has been my experience that they do.”
“Regardless, Edith was abducted, and we must try to help her.”
Lord Hawthorne unclasped his hands and said, “I will do my best to find her, but London is a very big town.”
“I could always—”
“No! You will do nothing,” he barked.
Madalene’s shoulders slumped slightly. “I am just deeply worried about my friend.”
“You should be.”
“Where will you start looking for her?”
“I have contacts all over London who should be able to assist me in finding Miss Hardy,” he revealed.
Finding herself curious as to what kind of contacts a marquess would have, she asked, “May I ask who your contacts are?”
“You may not,” he said firmly, “but I can assure you that they can be trusted.”
“I just think…”
He spoke over her. “That is wholly unnecessary.”
She lifted her brow in amusement. “You don’t wish for me to think, my lord?”
The irritation was evident on Lord Hawthorne’s expression as he replied, “You are a very vexing young woman.”
Madalene decided to take the opportunity to ask another question that had been on her mind. “You previously mentioned that you had a certain set of skills that could help me find Miss Hardy,” she said. “I am curious to what those are.”
“You do not need to concern yourself with that,” he remarked dismissively.
“Whyever not?”
Lord Hawthorne clenched his jaw. “I am not willing to divulge that information and you must take me at my word if you want my assistance.”
Madalene knew that she had pushed him too far and she didn’t dare risk losing his help in finding Miss Hardy. Frankly, she had no other options but to trust Lord Hawthorne.
“I will take you at your word, for now,” she said, “but I do hope one day you will trust me enough to confide in me.”
Lord Hawthorne extended his hand to assist her in rising. “Trust is to be earned, Miss Dowding.”
