research on Amethyst Disgraces was complicated due to the secretive nature of this…
experiment of yours. Were I to directly inquire, word would have eventually made it back to Mr.
Grimbold Drake, which you’ve explicitly stated is not to happen under any circumstance.
Nevertheless, I persisted, and I’ve discreetly sourced a few Amethyst candidates.”
“Excellent work.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Will you explain how you’ve arranged this information?”
Finch reached around Hugh from behind to lay a hand on top of the folder. Like always, his
nails were neatly manicured, each one filed into an identical crescent, and his suit jacket sleeve
showed exactly half an inch of cuff. Notes of his cologne were subtly present in the air—a
vetiver something-or-other, if Hugh recalled correctly. Whatever it was, it was proper, subtle,
and masculine, much like Finch himself. “Of course,” Finch said softly a short distance from
the back of Hugh’s ear while opening the folder. “It would be my pleasure.
“The list is sorted by clan and alphabetized by surname, starting with Amethyst, then Sapphire,
Emerald, Ruby, and finally Opal. I’ve inscribed information about each Disgrace therein with
individualized facts sheets. I’ve included as many details as I could find and a picture of the
Disgrace when one was available.”
Finch lifted the first sheet and held it so it was within Hugh’s line of sight.
“Take, for example, Lianne Abbott, an Amethyst Disgrace currently residing in Hertfordshire.”
In the top right corner of the page was a picture of a gorgeous woman who looked to be in her
mid-to-late thirties. Her dark hair fell in loose waves down her shoulders, and her piercing blue
eyes appeared kind, although they seemed to Hugh to be rather uninspired.
“In the top left corner of each profile, you’ll discover the Disgrace’s name, age, height, weight,
and last reported temperament. As you can see, Ms. Abbott was described by her cloister as
a kind, sweet, and obedient young woman who excelled in her studies. The main body of the
report is comprised of a more thorough analysis of each Disgrace and any pertinent details
that came up during my research.”
“My god, Finch. You’ve gone all out.”
“I did what was necessary so you could make an informed decision, sir.” Finch placed the
profile on top of the stack and closed the folder. “I’ll always do whatever it takes to best serve