The Bachelor's Bride (The Thompsons of Locust Street #1) - Holly Bush Page 0,11
at each other.”
“You did,” Muireall hissed. “Aunt should have never encouraged him.”
“Aunt did not encourage him, nor did I. In fact, when he asked if he could call another time, I said that I was far too busy. You’re being ridiculous, Muireall.”
“I am not being ridiculous! We don’t know him. He could be insinuating himself into our family for purposes we’re unaware of. He could be dangerous to us!”
“Dangerous?” she asked quietly, in contrast to Muireall’s excitement, as she noted the bright red color of her sister’s cheeks. She did not believe the danger she had felt was the same as what her sister imagined. Muireall’s eyes had slid away and she was breathing heavily, her shoulders lifting with each intake of air. “What is so dangerous about him?”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then tell me.”
“There is nothing to tell.”
“What are the secrets between you and Aunt? Where does our money come from?”
Muireall’s eyes widened. “Just stay away from Pendergast. Remember your family. The Thompsons. After all, family is all one has.”
“Of course our family comes first,” she said. “And I’m part of that family, but perhaps not ‘part enough’ to be privy to all its secrets.”
Chapter 4
Alexander stood as the visitors filed out of Mr. Schmitt’s office, having been told by Bert that Schmitt would want to see him as soon as the men left. They were a strange trio he’d never seen before, glancing around surreptitiously left to right as they left, all settling their eyes briefly on him. He waited until they passed his desk and went to Schmitt’s office.
“Mr. Kleinfeld said you wanted to see me when your guests left. What can I help you with, sir?”
“Sit down, Pendergast.” Schmitt smiled.
Alexander did not trust his boss in general, but even less so when that man smiled. It inevitably meant there was something unpleasant happening, or about to happen, at City Hall that he would be tasked with fixing. He sat in the leather chair facing the desk and waited while Schmitt stared out the window, shuffled a few papers, and eventually settled on him.
“I need you to gather some information for me. You’ve done that before and been very good at it,” he said, adding the rare compliment.
“Thank you, sir. I’m assuming you would like to know more about this Berline fellow who has been recently appointed to the Gas Trust. I’ve done some checking already and—”
“We’ll worry about Berline later,” Schmitt interrupted. “This has more to do with a personal favor. I’m sure you won’t mind.”
The last time he’d been tasked with a personal favor it had been to investigate a woman who had been seeing Schmitt’s son socially. Schmitt was convinced she was not what she seemed—a young, vibrant woman—but rather he’d believed the gossip that she was a person of questionable morality with several lovers in her past. It had been an unpleasant task, especially since Schmitt would not believe that the rumors about the woman were untrue. Fortunately for the young woman, she had realized what a toad Schmitt’s son was before marrying him.
“What kind of personal favor, sir?”
“Now don’t fret, young Pendergast. I think you’ll find your task pleasant enough.”
“What are you asking me to do?”
“There’s a family in our city I’d like to know a little more about, and I think you’re acquainted with one of the daughters. It will be no hardship to get know her. Answer some questions about her and her siblings.”
Alexander thought about all the young women of Philadelphia that had been thrown in his path as of late, courtesy of his mother and sister, and wondered if it was one of them. He certainly did not want to raise any expectations where there was no interest on his side, but perhaps the information could be gained quickly, in a few outings that he could easily get his sister to arrange.
“Who is the daughter, sir?”
Schmitt looked down at the papers laid out on his desk. “Elspeth Thompson,” he said and looked up. “She was that fireball that interceded when that whore talked back to me. She was no hardship to look at. You’ll have no trouble charming her.”
Alexander knew that his face betrayed his surprise, and he quickly regulated his posture and countenance. It was critical that Schmitt did not gain any advantage. “What could you possibly want to know about the Thompson family?”
“Don’t worry about it, boy. You just take her on a few outings, and I’ll give you some direction then.”