discharged at once. Not that that would ever happen. Adrian truly valued Vincent’s candid nature. The valet had been in Adrian’s employ for more than a dozen years and knew all of Adrian’s secrets. If there was one person in the world Adrian trusted without question, it was Isaiah Vincent.
“You are trying to dissuade me, aren’t you?”
“It’s my duty, sir.”
Adrian raised a skeptical brow.
Vincent shrugged. “It’s why you pay me as well as you do, sir.”
Adrian scoffed. “You are paid far too well.”
“And that is why I carry out your orders implicitly.” Vincent paused. “Even when I disagree with your reasoning and think you are making a dreadful mistake.”
“Then we understand one another.”
“Indeed we do, sir.”
“What have you found out?”
Vincent heaved a reluctant sigh.
“Go on, out with it.”
“Very well.” Vincent’s brow furrowed in thought. “Lord Radington’s valet is discreetly involved with Lady Helmsley’s personal maid, who is the second cousin, once removed, of Lord—”
“Blast it all, Vincent.” Impatience sharpened his voice. “I do not need an accounting of the dalliances of servants or their familial connections. I am well aware that news, gossip if you will, travels quickly from house to house in this town. And the best way to find out nearly anything is to tap into that knowledgeable labyrinth of servants. Precisely why I asked you to do so. Now, what have you learned?”
Vincent studied him curiously for a moment. “I have never seen you like this, sir.”
“Love, Vincent, does dreadful things to a man. It wreaks havoc with even the most rational sensibilities. And a man in love with his wife ...”
“There are worse things, sir.”
“None that I can think of at the moment. Now, to the matter at hand.”
“Sir, I do think—”
“You cannot change my mind so you needn’t continue to put this off. Now ...” Adrian held his breath. “I want to know what you have discovered.”
“As you wish.” Vincent heaved a reluctant sigh. “Lord Radington has arranged a meeting with a lady at half past four this afternoon at the Langham Hotel.” He hesitated. “Room 327.”
“With my wife!” Anger rushed through him, mixed with something much more painful.
“That, sir, I was neither able to confirm nor deny,” Vincent added quickly.
“I shall have to kill him,” Adrian said in a cool, dispassionate manner. It was most surprising as he felt neither cool nor dispassionate. Indeed, at this very moment he wanted to rip something apart with his bare hands. Preferably Radington.
“Excellent idea, sir, but might I suggest you confirm your suspicions before resorting to murder.”
“Oh, I intend to.” He glanced at the clock. It was nearly five. “Have my carriage sent around, Vincent.” He started toward the door.
“One moment, my lord.”
Adrian turned toward the valet. “You cannot stop me so I suggest you abandon the effort.”
“My lord, if you insist on taking this ill-advised step ...” He pulled a nondescript key from his waistcoat pocket. “This is a master key. It will open the door to every room at the Langham.”
Adrian took the key and turned it over in his hand. “Where did you get this?”
“The night clerk has a sister who is in service—”
“On second thought, it’s best that I don’t know.” He nodded and pocketed the key. “Thank you.”
“Part of the job, sir.”
Again Adrian started for the door. “Never mind the carriage, I shall take a cab.”
“Sir,” Vincent called after him. “Do you really think this is wise?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.” Adrian ignored the dreadful weight now settled in the pit of his stomach. “I do know the only thing worse than my suspicions would be confirming them.”
“I am confident you are wrong, sir. Lady Waterston is not the type of woman to dally with another man,” Vincent said firmly. “I would wager a great deal on that.”
“I do
“You are trying to dissuade me, aren’t you?”
“It’s my duty, sir.”
Adrian raised a skeptical brow.
Vincent shrugged. “It’s why you pay me as well as you do, sir.”
Adrian scoffed. “You are paid far too well.”
“And that is why I carry out your orders implicitly.” Vincent paused. “Even when I disagree with your reasoning and think you are making a dreadful mistake.”
“Then we understand one another.”
“Indeed we do, sir.”
“What have you found out?”
Vincent heaved a reluctant sigh.
“Go on, out with it.”
“Very well.” Vincent’s brow furrowed in thought. “Lord Radington’s valet is discreetly involved with Lady Helmsley’s personal maid, who is the second cousin, once removed, of Lord—”
“Blast it all, Vincent.” Impatience sharpened his voice. “I do not need an accounting of the dalliances of servants or their familial connections. I am well aware that news, gossip if you will, travels quickly from house to house in this town. And the best way to find out nearly anything is to tap into that knowledgeable labyrinth of servants. Precisely why I asked you to do so. Now, what have you learned?”
Vincent studied him curiously for a moment. “I have never seen you like this, sir.”
“Love, Vincent, does dreadful things to a man. It wreaks havoc with even the most rational sensibilities. And a man in love with his wife ...”
“There are worse things, sir.”
“None that I can think of at the moment. Now, to the matter at hand.”
“Sir, I do think—”
“You cannot change my mind so you needn’t continue to put this off. Now ...” Adrian held his breath. “I want to know what you have discovered.”
“As you wish.” Vincent heaved a reluctant sigh. “Lord Radington has arranged a meeting with a lady at half past four this afternoon at the Langham Hotel.” He hesitated. “Room 327.”
“With my wife!” Anger rushed through him, mixed with something much more painful.
“That, sir, I was neither able to confirm nor deny,” Vincent added quickly.
“I shall have to kill him,” Adrian said in a cool, dispassionate manner. It was most surprising as he felt neither cool nor dispassionate. Indeed, at this very moment he wanted to rip something apart with his bare hands. Preferably Radington.
“Excellent idea, sir, but might I suggest you confirm your suspicions before resorting to murder.”
“Oh, I intend to.” He glanced at the clock. It was nearly five. “Have my carriage sent around, Vincent.” He started toward the door.
“One moment, my lord.”
Adrian turned toward the valet. “You cannot stop me so I suggest you abandon the effort.”
“My lord, if you insist on taking this ill-advised step ...” He pulled a nondescript key from his waistcoat pocket. “This is a master key. It will open the door to every room at the Langham.”
Adrian took the key and turned it over in his hand. “Where did you get this?”
“The night clerk has a sister who is in service—”
“On second thought, it’s best that I don’t know.” He nodded and pocketed the key. “Thank you.”
“Part of the job, sir.”
Again Adrian started for the door. “Never mind the carriage, I shall take a cab.”
“Sir,” Vincent called after him. “Do you really think this is wise?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.” Adrian ignored the dreadful weight now settled in the pit of his stomach. “I do know the only thing worse than my suspicions would be confirming them.”
“I am confident you are wrong, sir. Lady Waterston is not the type of woman to dally with another man,” Vincent said firmly. “I would wager a great deal on that.”
“I do
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