Page 38 of The Detective and the Baroness

He arrived twenty minutes later. After paying the driver, Jedi immediately walked up and bashed on the door. It swung open, and he came face to face with the baron. “Well, hello, cousin,” Jedi said.

“The hooded man. My wife told me about you. What do you want?”

“I don’t do my business on the street.”

The baron looked down his nose. “And I do not let strangers into my house.”

“I acknowledged you as a cousin. Aren’t you curious why?”

After a few moments’ consideration, Addington stepped aside to allow him to enter. Jedi entered the hallway. “Any servants about? They always listen in, the bloody bastards.”

“No. The maid has left for the day. Let’s go into that room, the one to the left.”

Jedi entered a modestly decorated sitting room or parlor and then sat. The baron sat opposite him.

“I know who you are. Jedidiah Danaher,” Addington stated. “Gilbert left me a private letter with his will. You are his illegitimate son and the bane of his previous existence. My cousin said in his letter that you would look for a handout from me, as you have done from him your entire life.”

“And who have you told about the letter?”

“No one. Not even the solicitor knew the contents.”

Jedi’s blood boiled, but he understood he had to stay calm. “I came to that sorry excuse of a man twice in the past forty years. After my mother died, he tried to put me in a foundling home to be hired out as cheap labor to whoever would pay. Feck that. I make my own way.” Jedi lowered his hood. “See these scars? I earned every one of them out on the streets. I’m not a man to be crossed.”

“So Gilbert said in his letter. He had you investigated, so he was well aware of your criminal enterprises. He also advised me not to pay you any extortion, should you turn up.”

“Like a bad penny, yeah? Well, I had the barony investigated. You have hundreds of thousands of pounds that the miserable old sod tucked away. And some of that is mine. I deserve it. And so, I’ve come to collect.”

The baron blinked rapidly, then laughed. “I think not.”

Jedi flew out of his chair so swiftly that the baron gasped. He closed his hand around the man’s neck and clasped it tightly, causing Addington to wheeze. “You will not mock me or dismiss my request if you want to live. After all, you have a pretty new wife. Maybe I should visit the baroness and show her what a real man is capable of.”

Addington struggled but to no avail. Jedi gave one last squeeze before releasing his grip. Addington rubbed his neck as he coughed and sputtered.

Satisfied he’d gotten his point across, Jedi took his seat. “Now, let’s discuss terms.”

Addington glared at him, still rubbing his neck. “You’re to stay away from my wife.”

Jedi folded his arms. “Then pay me enough to stay away.”

“Any amount I give you will never be enough. You will always come crawling back for more,” the baron rasped.

Jedi shrugged. “That is a risk you will have to take. I won’t be greedy and take it all at once. I’ll come to you when I need it. Or better yet, let’s start with a monthly stipend of a thousand pounds. You can pay me now.”

“I do not keep money here,” Addington retorted.

“I know toffs keep stashes of pound notes in hidden safes. I bet old Gilbert did as well. Maybe we should head over to Wimpole Street right now.”

“No. I do not want my wife to know about any of this. Allow me to make arrangements when I know the baroness will not be at home.”

“I don’t want any servants about, either,” Jedi demanded.

“That will take some doing. I need time.”

“Don’t try to stall.”

“I’m not. I need to make arrangements. And I do not like the idea of a monthly stipend. It is too complicated to arrange meetings. Why not a yearly payment? I will make the first fifteen thousand pounds. What say you? We can negotiate further payments then.”

Jedi eyed the baron shrewdly. He didn’t trust this aristo as far as he could toss him. But fifteen thousand pounds was a good start. Then he needn’t see this arrogant bloke again for a whole year. “I agree.”