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Guy shrugged. “I have become accustomed to receiving threats.”
“Why is that?”
“I suppose it is my line of work.”
The man tucked the pistol back into the waistband of his trousers. “I hadn’t realized banking was so dangerous.”
“Any job can be dangerous, given the right circumstances,” Guy remarked. “Are we done here?”
The man frowned. “Do you have any intention of staying away from Miss Locke?”
“I do not, but I do hope to leave Anmore soon.”
“That should be sufficient.”
“If you hear from this person again, be aware that I will pay you generously if you come to me first.”
“And if I don’t?”
Guy narrowed his eyes. “Trust me when I say that you don’t want to make me angry,” he warned. “Do I make myself clear?”
The man bobbed his head. “I understand.”
“I am relieved to hear that,” Guy said. “If you’ll excuse me, I am now late for a meeting.”
They left the alleyway, the man heading one way down the road and Guy going the other way. Who had hired that man to threaten him to stay away from Miss Locke? And for what purpose? Had someone taken a shot at him because of his assignment or because of Miss Locke?
Guy sighed. He hated not having all the answers, but he found it especially disconcerting that someone had gone to great lengths to threaten him to stay away from Miss Locke. He had no intention of pursuing her, so he wasn’t a threat to a potential suitor.
Could Phineas have sent that man to threaten him? Frankly, it wouldn’t surprise him. Guy knew how much Phineas disliked him, and the feeling was mutual. Phineas had already warned him to stay away from his cousin. Perhaps he’d decided to up the ante by sending a man to threaten him. But did Phineas want him dead? That seemed rather extreme, even for him.
Guy couldn’t help but wonder if Miss Locke was in any danger from her cousin. After all, she was the heiress now, and he was worried that Phineas might take drastic measures to ensure she never inherited.
He arrived at the back door of the coffeehouse and knocked on it. It opened, and the same blond man from the first meeting stared back at him.
“What do you want?” the man demanded gruffly.
Not bothered by his aggressive tone, Guy replied, “Burke told me to meet him here.”
“He did?”
Guy nodded. “I spoke to him today at the colliery.”
The man slammed the door shut, and Guy waited patiently in the darkened alley. After a long moment, the door opened, and Burke greeted him with a smile on his face.
“Do come in,” Burke invited, opening the door wide. “You will have to forgive Adam, but he doesn’t have any manners.”
Guy saw Adam glaring at him from the corner of the room. “He doesn’t seem to want me here.”
“Adam is always wary of new people,” Burke revealed.
“I can respect that.”
Burke gestured towards one of the tables. “Would you care to sit?”
“I would.”
After they were situated, Burke grew serious. “You did a great service to those coal miners today.”
