Raven (Gentlemen of the Order #2) - Adele Clee Page 0,2

not for the need to help the downtrodden, he would spiral into an abyss.

“We serve those who cannot help themselves,” Daventry continued, softening his tone. “We cannot let our emotions decide who is worthy and who is not. Your only thought should be that a vulnerable woman may suffer a tragic fate if we do not intervene.”

“Sophia Adair is not vulnerable.”

“I am referring to Jessica Draper. Trust me, Cole, once you learn more about the case, you will not question my logic.” Daventry paused. “I know living in such close proximity with Sophia will be difficult. But a week spent at Blackborne—”

“Wait!” Finlay’s heart leapt to his throat. “Lady Adair is to reside at Blackborne while I conduct my investigation?”

Daventry frowned. “Yes, she moved to the house weeks ago and is too frightened to leave her sister alone.”

Good God. Had Daventry lost his mind?

“You expect me to live alongside Sophia while attempting to make logical deductions?” It was the most absurd, most terrifying suggestion he had ever heard. With their checkered past, he would find it impossible.

“No one knows Jessica Draper is in England, so the main suspects are limited to those who live in the house. Oh, and then there’s Dr Goodwin. He visits weekly, I’m told. But yes, Cole, you will need to work closely with our client in this matter.”

Suspicion flared.

What the devil was this really about?

The tale seemed so improbable he couldn’t help but wonder if there was another motive behind Sophia’s request. But Daventry was adept at spotting fakes and frauds. In this instance, the master of the Order had disregarded his own rules. They never took wealthy clients, never solved the problems of those with powerful connections, never agreed to such intimate arrangements. And so Finlay had to believe the threat was genuine.

“Very well,” he said, though every muscle in his body tightened. He would work quickly, work day and night to allay the lady’s fears. “Inform Lady Adair I will take her case, though I shall reside at Blackborne only if I deem it necessary.”

He would hear the facts before he let them browbeat him into submission.

“Excellent. She is expecting you this evening.”

This evening?

Blessed saints!

“You’re to ride there, cover the twenty miles on horseback,” Daventry continued. He opened the desk drawer, reached inside and withdrew a sealed letter. “Lady Adair took the time to list all those who work at Blackborne. She included instructions on how to reach the property to ensure no one follows you from town.”

Finlay took the letter. He broke the seal and scanned the elegant penmanship. Sophia Adair wrote with light, sweeping strokes. Each flourish reminded him of the woman who used to laugh at silly things, laugh at every given opportunity. The memory roused an ache in his heart, not a smile.

“I’m to take the narrow path through the woods,” he said, somewhat astounded he had accepted the job. “Arrive under cover of darkness.”

“It is imperative no one knows you’re there.”

Finlay considered the names on the list.

A faint flicker of hope surfaced. A beacon in the blackness. A means to save a man from crashing into the rocky shore.

“With so few suspects, I doubt the investigation will take a week.” That said, the situation would prove unbearable. He might not last the night.

“I think you’ll find things are more complex.”

“Aren’t they always?”

The comment drew his mind to the sudden resurgence of his nightmares. Spending time in Sophia Adair’s company would bring the devil to his door. Indeed, he feared he hadn’t the strength to keep the beast at bay.

Chapter 2

Blackborne Wood

Windlesham, Surrey

There was something eerie about the woods surrounding Blackborne. It had nothing to do with the strange rustling of nocturnal creatures foraging in the undergrowth, or the sudden twinkle of stunned eyes in the blackness. It wasn’t the sight of gnarled branches reaching for the heavens like arthritic fingers. Nor was it the stench of stagnant water, or the way the trees creaked and groaned in the breeze. It was the feeling of being watched by eyes Finlay couldn’t see, the feeling that something sinister crept behind him, ready to drive a blade into his back.

The faint glow of light in the distance brought some relief, though knowing Sophia Adair was waiting to greet him filled him with dread.

He had been given no specific time to arrive, told to come under cover of night. The other instructions were precise. Follow the path leading from the woods and head to the stables. Attend to his horse and then