It Takes a Hero Read Free

that he had a hope in hell there was a shred of sanity between the entire lot of them.
    He rose again. "My lady, I can see that this situation weighs heavily on you and your friends, but I have far more important obligations to attend to than chasing after figments and fancies."
    Malvina rose as well. "This figment, as you so blithely put it, is bent on ruining the very fiber of English society."
    "Lady Tottley," he said, slowly and calmly, "I don't see that society is in any danger. Least of all here in Mayfair. Besides, I can't take on any more cases right now. My current obligations are far too pressing."
    "Yes, yes. Codlin's misfortunate accident," she said, waving her hand dismissively as if they were discussing what color gloves to wear, not the most grisly murder London had seen in fifty years.
    The other ladies, at the mention of the incident, weren't so unmoved. Most looked away and several drew delicate lace handkerchiefs to their now pale lips.
    "I don't consider a man being gutted like a mackerel as
accidental
." He paused for a moment, ignoring the gasps around the room, his eyes narrowing to two dark slits. "The investigation into Sir Rodney's
murder
is far too important for me to be wasting my time here." He went to excuse himself, but Malvina blocked his path.
    "I don't see how some nabob's indecent passing matters all that much," Malvina told him. "
Sir
Rodney, indeed! Codlin's elevation last year was an abhorrence. Really, Mr. Danvers, the man is dead. There isn't much you can do for him now."
    "I doubt he would share your opinion, my lady." A wry smile twisted at his lips. "My talents lie in solving problems, my lady. Real problems. Living, breathing ones. Or at least ones that drew a breath at some time. Now if you don't mind, I bid you good day."
    He started for the door, weaving through the crowded room like a man dodging out of the way of a wayward mail coach.
    Malvina nodded at Lady Funtley, who immediately rose and stepped into Mr. Danvers' oncoming path.
    He skidded to a stop but not before he nearly toppled into the brave marchioness.
    Lady Funtley reached for his arm to steady herself, and when her fingers wound around his sleeve, her eyes widened at what must have been the heat and strength to be discovered beneath. "Oh, my," she managed to say.
    Every lady in the room knew what she meant. And every woman envied her the experience.
    "You will be compensated, Mr. Danvers," Malvina told him as he attempted to shake a determined Lady Funtley from his arm. "
Well
compensated."
    "I doubt even
your
pin money, my lady," he said, "could begin to cover my fees. The East India Company is offering a thousand pounds for the discovery of Sir Rodney's murderer and I intend to collect that reward."
    "I wasn't talking about money, sir," she said. "I was speaking of something more valuable."
    At this intriguing bit, Mr. Danvers found the wherewithal to extract himself from Lady Funtley.
    Malvina stared directly into his dark gaze and was pleased to spy a flicker of interest in the man's eyes. In the past fortnight, she'd gleaned every bit of information she could about Raphael Danvers and she suspected she possessed the one thing that could induce him to help her, help all of them.
    "A house," she said simply. "With land and income. The deed is yours if you uncover the author of this havoc. And more importantly, see that this M. Briggs never puts pen to paper again."
      
    Brantley Hollow, Kent
    A fortnight later
     
    "I won't do it," Cochrane said. "No, sir, I won't do it."
    Raphael Danvers glanced over at his assistant, then nodded his head in the direction of the quaint little village in the valley beyond. "Come now, Cochrane, I thought you were braver than that. It's just a village. Hardly even that. You've gone into the worst rat infested corners of Seven Dials for Pymm but this—" Rafe waved his hand at the view. "This frightens you?"
    The young man nodded vehemently.
    Rafe took another tack. "I hear tell