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Guy leaned forward. “After the pit collapsed, I spent hours working at the coal mine. My actions earned Burke’s trust.”
“Do you suppose anyone discovered the true purpose of why you’re here?” Hawthorne asked.
“I believe my cover is still intact.”
“Yet someone shot at you.”
“That is true, but I haven’t discovered the intent behind it.”
Hawthorne reached for a piece of bread off his plate and ripped it in half. “You can’t stay in Anmore forever,” he said. “Corbyn wants you to wrap this case up and come back to London.”
“As do I.”
“Have you considered that you might be looking for reasons to linger here?”
“Such as?”
Hawthorne gave him a knowing look. “I can’t help but wonder if you are prolonging your time in Anmore because of Miss Locke.”
“I can assure you that is not the case.”
Hawthorne shrugged. “Then prove me wrong,” he said. “Finish the assignment, and let’s travel back to London together.”
“Did you travel here on your own?”
“I did,” Hawthorne replied. “It was much faster to ride than to take a coach.”
“Wasn’t that a little risky for a marquess?”
Hawthorne grinned. “If you are asking if I was concerned about highwaymen, the answer is no.”
“We were terrible highwaymen,” Guy commented.
Hawthorne chuckled. “Isabella was rather insistent on you taking her necklace.”
“That she was,” Guy said. “I almost kept it because I felt bad for her husband.”
“I suggest we retain our current occupations instead.”
Guy smiled. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Hawthorne wiped the crumbs off his hands. “Where do we go from here?”
“I intend to speak to Burke and see if a letter was delivered last night,” Guy revealed. “With any luck, the messenger is still in Anmore.”
“Now that I am here, and I intend to stay, we should discuss my cover,” Hawthorne said.
“I already thought of that,” Guy said. “We could say that the bank sent you here to document my progress.”
“That should work.”
Mr. Croke walked over to the table with his hands outstretched. “How are ye gentlemen doing this morning?”
“We are well,” Guy said.
“I couldn’t help but notice that ye two stayed out all night,” Mr. Croke remarked. “I hope ye have no issues with the accommodations here.”
“No, no, they’re fine,” Guy said. “We just got busy gambling at the pub.”
