Johanna Lindsey Read Free

Do you accept?”
    “Accept what? I don’t hire on blindly.”
    “No, no, of course not. But the job is a very simple one, will require only time and a little effort.”
    “Then you don’t need me. Good day.”
    The man looked shocked at being dismissed. Sebastian stood up and finished his wine. He didn’t like dealing with lackeys, no matter how official or important they were. And he certainly wasn’t interested in a simple job that anyone could do. But frequently he encountered rich men who could afford him, who wanted to hire him just so they could brag to their friends that they had employed the notorious Raven.
    He started to walk away from the table. The two guards suddenly moved to block his way. He didn’t laugh. Humor wasn’t part of his character anymore. That deep bitterness that he refused to acknowledge left no room for humor. He was annoyed, though, that he was going to be forced to expend effort just to say no.
    Before any violence could erupt, the official said, “I must insist that you reconsider. The duke expects you to be hired. He cannot be disappointed.”
    Sebastian still didn’t laugh, though this time he actually had a small urge to do so. He took a moment to deal with the two fellows who thought to detain him, grasping each of them by their heads, which he smashed together. They crumpled at his feet while he glanced back at the official.
    “You had a point to make?”
    The man was staring at his guards on the floor. He looked disgusted. Sebastian couldn’t blame him. Good guards were hard to come by.
    The official sighed before he faced Sebastian again. “You’ve certainly made your point, sir. And allow me to apologize. I understated the matter, which on the surface seems simple enough but is far from it. Others have been sent to perform the task, and all have failed. Five years of failures. Have I intrigued you yet?”
    “No, but you’ve gained a few more minutes of my time,” Sebastian said and sat down again at the table. With a hand he indicated the man could make use of the other chair there. “Keep it brief, but be precise this time.”
    The fellow sat down, cleared his throat. “I work for Leopold Baum. This is his town, in case you were not aware of it. As you might guess, men of the duke’s stature make enemies rather easily. It’s unavoidable. One in particular happened to be his wife.”
    “She was his enemy when he married her?”
    “No, but it didn’t take her long to become one.”
    Sebastian raised a brow. “He’s that difficult to get along with?”
    “No, no, certainly not,” the fellow insisted in defense of his employer. “But she possibly thought so. But to the facts. Five years ago she was kidnapped, at least it seemed so. A ransom was demanded and delivered, but the duchess wasn’t returned. It was assumed she was killed. The duke was furious, of course. An extensive search ensued, but there were no clues to follow.”
    “Let me guess,” Sebastian said dryly. “She perpetrated the kidnapping plot to extract some wealth before she went on her merry way?”
    The fellow flushed. “So it would seem. Several months after the ransom was paid, she was seen traveling, quite in style, across Europe. Men were sent after her. A few more clues were found, but she never was.”
    “So what exactly does the duke want? His wife, his money, or both?”
    “The money isn’t important.”
    “If that’s the case, why wasn’t more expended in finding her? It sounds like he didn’t really want her back.”
    “Frankly, sir, I must agree with you,” the fellow confided. “I would have devoted more effort myself if she were my wife and I’d yet to produce an heir.” Sebastian sat back, somewhat surprised, though his expression remained inscrutable. He waited for the man to clarify his statement. He did appear slightly nervous now, after saying it.
    “That is not to say that a great deal of effort has not already been made in the search. But the duke is a