Read Online A Private Duel with Agent Gunn (The Gentlemen of Scotland Yard) by Jillian Stone - Free Book Online
Authors: Jillian Stone
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sniffed lampblack and shellac. He placed the paper under his magnifier and adjusted focus. The darker-colored script suggested the ink was fresh. No doubt a forgery and done recently. The cursive was really quite good. The words teardrop diamond had been crossed out and replaced with star sapphire . A deliberate obfuscation fashioned to look like an error.
Someone had muddled with the description of the necklace, but why? Interesting, Cate made no mention of it. Finn studied the edge of the notepaper. A fuzz of cotton fiber indicated a fresh tear. Abruptly, he rose from his desk chair and found Bootes in the foyer.
“You haven’t seen my brother, by any chance?”
The butler gave a good shake to an umbrella and placed it in the hall stand. His eyes rolled upward. “Two hot baths upstairs—one of them is growing cold.”
Taking two steps at a time, Phineas strode directly into his dressing room, located his evening coat, and removed five strands of pearls and diamonds from the pocket.
His pulse rate slowed considerably as he examined the broken clasp. Fisting the jewels, he exited his bedchamber and turned down the hallway. He tapped once and opened the door. “Sorry about the brawl earlier.”
Hardy languished in a steaming tub, a wet cloth covering his eyes. “Good to know that nervous disorder of yours hasn’t affected your cock. I say, impressive, Finn.”
He settled himself against the highboy. “Do you happen to know anything about this necklace, the one Lady Gwendolyn wore last night? The slightest detail could be helpful.” Five strands of shimmer and sparkle dangled from his index finger.
“The old man is always lavishing trinkets upon her. I never ask about any of it.” Hardy lifted the towel andsquinted at the necklace. “Ghastly thing.” He sat up in the tub. “I received a wire from Gwen. All’s well. Rufus left town for the estate in Shropshire—to cool off.”
He stared at his younger brother. “About last night—my mistake. I dragged you into that escapade on the dance floor.”
Hardy snorted a laugh. “People believe I’m the roguey one, but it’s your schemes that always get us in trouble.”
Finn cocked an elbow. “Yes, but I’m not the one fucking an earl’s wife.”
“Might I take you back more than a few years and remind you of your scheme to sneak into father’s study and unlock the cabinet with the French nudes for the stereoscopic? It was my youthful backside that took the brunt of that caper.” Hardy scrubbed a washcloth over his toes. “I would have danced with Gwen one way or the other. Old Ruffy was soaked—cupping all night with those smarmy investors of his.”
Finn scratched the stubble along his jaw. “We’ll give it a few days. Lord Lennox will stand down.” He opened the bedroom door. “Do not skip off and do something you’ll regret. I mean it, Hardy.”
“I’m back on duty. Four straight days. No leave.”
“Excellent.” He paused to smile at his brother. “In fact, better than excellent.”
Back in his dressing room, Finn stripped off his clothes and stuck a toe in his bath. Warm enough. He sank into the water and submerged himself. Underwater, he contemplated several scenarios as to how the diamond cravat pin came to be stolen.
A number of people had seen him yank the necklace off the gorgeous but gasping Lady Lennox. Between last evening and this morning, someone—the thief presumably—had gone rummaging in his desk and run across the stickpin. He recalled Zeno’s words at the music hall. “The burglar appears to be rather selective. Takes one piece and leaves piles of other valuables behind.” He imagined a gloved hand plucking the rare item out of its case and dropping it between fleshy, feminine mounds.
Finn blew a spout of air as he surfaced in his bathwater. He lathered up his hair and rinsed. The sting of soap in his eyes didn’t do much to hinder a grin.
* * *
CATE STOOD AT the ballet barre and
Someone had muddled with the description of the necklace, but why? Interesting, Cate made no mention of it. Finn studied the edge of the notepaper. A fuzz of cotton fiber indicated a fresh tear. Abruptly, he rose from his desk chair and found Bootes in the foyer.
“You haven’t seen my brother, by any chance?”
The butler gave a good shake to an umbrella and placed it in the hall stand. His eyes rolled upward. “Two hot baths upstairs—one of them is growing cold.”
Taking two steps at a time, Phineas strode directly into his dressing room, located his evening coat, and removed five strands of pearls and diamonds from the pocket.
His pulse rate slowed considerably as he examined the broken clasp. Fisting the jewels, he exited his bedchamber and turned down the hallway. He tapped once and opened the door. “Sorry about the brawl earlier.”
Hardy languished in a steaming tub, a wet cloth covering his eyes. “Good to know that nervous disorder of yours hasn’t affected your cock. I say, impressive, Finn.”
He settled himself against the highboy. “Do you happen to know anything about this necklace, the one Lady Gwendolyn wore last night? The slightest detail could be helpful.” Five strands of shimmer and sparkle dangled from his index finger.
“The old man is always lavishing trinkets upon her. I never ask about any of it.” Hardy lifted the towel andsquinted at the necklace. “Ghastly thing.” He sat up in the tub. “I received a wire from Gwen. All’s well. Rufus left town for the estate in Shropshire—to cool off.”
He stared at his younger brother. “About last night—my mistake. I dragged you into that escapade on the dance floor.”
Hardy snorted a laugh. “People believe I’m the roguey one, but it’s your schemes that always get us in trouble.”
Finn cocked an elbow. “Yes, but I’m not the one fucking an earl’s wife.”
“Might I take you back more than a few years and remind you of your scheme to sneak into father’s study and unlock the cabinet with the French nudes for the stereoscopic? It was my youthful backside that took the brunt of that caper.” Hardy scrubbed a washcloth over his toes. “I would have danced with Gwen one way or the other. Old Ruffy was soaked—cupping all night with those smarmy investors of his.”
Finn scratched the stubble along his jaw. “We’ll give it a few days. Lord Lennox will stand down.” He opened the bedroom door. “Do not skip off and do something you’ll regret. I mean it, Hardy.”
“I’m back on duty. Four straight days. No leave.”
“Excellent.” He paused to smile at his brother. “In fact, better than excellent.”
Back in his dressing room, Finn stripped off his clothes and stuck a toe in his bath. Warm enough. He sank into the water and submerged himself. Underwater, he contemplated several scenarios as to how the diamond cravat pin came to be stolen.
A number of people had seen him yank the necklace off the gorgeous but gasping Lady Lennox. Between last evening and this morning, someone—the thief presumably—had gone rummaging in his desk and run across the stickpin. He recalled Zeno’s words at the music hall. “The burglar appears to be rather selective. Takes one piece and leaves piles of other valuables behind.” He imagined a gloved hand plucking the rare item out of its case and dropping it between fleshy, feminine mounds.
Finn blew a spout of air as he surfaced in his bathwater. He lathered up his hair and rinsed. The sting of soap in his eyes didn’t do much to hinder a grin.
* * *
CATE STOOD AT the ballet barre and
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