Page 38 of A Devious Secret

Hawthorne’s gaze left his and roamed over the buildings. “We have tarried long enough,” he advised. “It would be best if we got you into a hackney.”

“What about you?”

“I have some business I need to see to,” Hawthorne said.

Stephen wasn’t quite sure what to make of Hawthorne. He was unlike any earl that he had ever met before. He had an air of secrecy about him that made him seem dangerous.

They had just started walking down the pavement when he saw Lord Haddington, dressed in a bold purple jacket, approaching them from the opposite direction.

Blazes. Haddington was the last person he wanted to see. Ever since he had attempted to pursue Evie before she had become Haddington’s wife, they held thinly veiled hostility for one another. But he didn’t regret his actions. Evie was a woman that was worth fighting for, but, in the end, she had followed her heart.

Haddington came to a stop in front of Hawthorne and asked, “What brings you to this section of Town?”

“Stephen wanted to look up an old friend and I offered to go with him,” Hawthorne replied.

“Did you find him?” Haddington asked.

Stephen spoke up. “We did not,” he replied.

Haddington shifted his gaze to meet Stephen’s. “That is most unfortunate.”

“I am beginning to believe this friend does not wish to be found,” Stephen admitted.

“Is that going to stop you?” Haddington asked.

Stephen shook his head. “Not in the least.”

Haddington’s eyes left his and watched the patrons that were passing them on the pavement. “I’m glad that you had the senseto bring Hawthorne along with you,” he said. “You are no match for the ruffians here.”

“I could have managed.”

Haddington huffed. “You would have been attacked and left for dead.”

“I daresay you do not give me enough credit,” Stephen said. “You seem to forget that I was a captain in the Royal Navy.”

“But you aren’t any longer,” Haddington stated.

“I can still fight my way through a few ruffians,” Stephen asserted.

Haddington didn’t look convinced by his assurances. “I sincerely doubt that, and there is no shame in that.”

Stephen took a step closer to Haddington. “I am not some hoity-toity dandy that needs protection.”

Haddington’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I contend that you are.”

As he opened his mouth to respond, Hawthorne cleared his throat. “Are you two done with-whatever it is that you are attempting to do?”

Stephen reluctantly took a step back, but he wished that they had been anywhere else so they could have settled this with a bout of fisticuffs. He had longed to hit Haddington. Frankly, nothing else would give him such great satisfaction.

Haddington turned his gaze towards Hawthorne. “It is most fortunate that I ran into you because I need to speak to you.”

Hawthorne acknowledged his words with a tip of his head. He turned towards Stephen. “Do you think you can find your way home?”

“Again, I am not some simpering miss,” Stephen grumbled. “Will you stop treating me as such?”

Haddington opened his mouth to no doubt disagree with him, but Hawthorne spoke first. “Then we shall leave you to it.”

Stephen watched as Hawthorne and Haddington walked further into the rookeries, neither showing a glimpse of hesitation.