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“I am eager to hear it,” Hades said as he raised his head from the journal. He was supposed to be working. He wasn’t. What he had been doing most of the day was thinking about an enticing woman currently residing under his roof.Eloise.
There was something charmingly innocent and, at the same time, enticingly worldly about that woman. She was not obnoxiously forward like most of the women in his acquaintance, yet she wasn’t a shy and proper lady of high society either. She was just enough of the two to make her perfect.
Hades shook his head. He needed to concentrate on the matters at hand and not keep dreaming about the woman he could not have and the kiss that didn’t happen. He looked at William, glad that he provided enough distraction to keep his mind busy.
William sat in the chair across from him and grinned. “First, I think there’s a matter of payment.”
“You know I never withhold the payment for honest work.”
William smirked. “This work is the most honest of them all.” But, of course, byhonest, both Hades and William meant the one requiring more of William’s resources, whether physical or mental, it did not matter. If the man did his work splendidly, Hades paid.
“Do tell.”
William settled comfortably in his chair, took out his cheroot, and lit it. “I have a friend—more of an acquaintance, really. But we ran together in Paris.”
“By that, you mean you used him as a resource in Paris.”
“I used him, and in return, he found me useful.” William shrugged. “He was in the Academy of Science in Paris, the branch of medicine and surgery. An associate, not a real member. You know how those snobs are, even in France. Well, when he needed supplies and materials for his anatomy studies, I was of assistance.”
Hades nodded in understanding. “Go on.”
“Well, he is now in England. Thanks to the cousin who expired and left him the earldom. And since I was too busy with other things, I completely missed that part. Either way, this new earl of mine gained a cousin under his care. Or rather she was under his care until he married her off… to the Duke of Kensington.”
Hades leaned forward. Now the drivel of information spewing from William’s mouth finally sounded of interest.
“I called on him the other day, and lucky for us, he welcomed me home and did not avert his nose as many toffs do. He turned out not to be the kind of man who forgets his friends once he ascends to the top. Unlucky for us, the cousin—the one he married off to Kensington—and he are not as close. He didn’t know her before he arrived on English shores.”
“Is there a point to the roundabout way you are telling this story, or are you just trying to confuse me?” Hades interjected impatiently.
“There is always a point, my friend. Just let me finish.”
Hades waved a hand to proceed.
“Well, since they are not close, he cannot outright come to Kensington’s house and discuss the gruesome murder. However, he happens to have a niece.”
Lord help me.Hades scrubbed his face with his hand. This story was like a bottomless pit, never to end.
“Let me finish,” William said, noticing that he was losing his audience. “This niece of his is about to embark on a come-out season. And she requires a chaperone and a sponsor. Since my dear friend, the new Earl of Roth, is neither a female nor in possession of the knowledge of etiquette rules for ladies, he will be sending his niece to the Kensington house to be tutored.”
William threw up his hands as if the rest was evident. Well, it wasn’t.
“How does that help me?” Hades asked.
“Oh, pardon, my dear friend. I sometimes forget not everybody’s minds leap as mine does. The girl will be like a trojan horse. She will arrive in Kensington’s house under the guise of a clueless debutante, and she will learn all about the masquerade night and all that transpired there.”
“What makes you think she’ll be successful?”
William waved a dismissive hand. “For a man who owns the largest brothel in the country, you do seem to spend a shockingly little amount of time with women. I do not judge, however. Women,” he said and leaned closer toward Hades, “talk. A lot. About everything. They are the best source of gossip. They know everything, and they share every bit of information with each other. Failing that, there are servants who for certain know everything there is to know about well… everything.”
“I’d thought it’d be easier for you to seduce a scullery maid and wean all the information out of her.”
William scoffed. “Easier, yes. But it would ruin my reputation. I might be a scoundrel, but I do not seduce the information out of people, especially not from ones who are not in a position of power..”
“Right.” Hades nodded. “Whatever you have to do as long as you get the job done.”
“I shall.” William leaned back, took a drag of his cheroot, and let out a long puff of smoke.
“Is there anything else?” Hades raised a brow.
“Of course.” William smiled slyly. It was obvious he was waiting for Hades to ask this exact question.This must be good.“I found him.”
Hades settled comfortably in his chair. “And whom could you possibly mean?”
William took another drag of his cheroot before letting out a thick puff of smoke. “St. John.”
