Page 36 of A Scandal at Stonecliffe

“Yes, well, I—there are some men from her past, but the likeliest to me seems Lord Arden.”

“Arden?” Sloane arched an eyebrow.

“Yes. Verity says he’s something of a blackmailer. The thing is, we stole something from his safe. It didn’t bel—”

“Wait. You’re saying you helped her steal something? Nathan...what has happened to you?” Sloane grinned. “Stealing? Chaps popping up claiming to be your brother?”

“Malcolm Douglas is hardly my fault,” Nathan protested.

“Nor, I imagine, was stealing from Lord Arden. That has Verity written all over it.”

Nathan ignored the remark. “So you can see that there are a number of people who could have hired these two men. I want to find them and question them. I want to know who paid them. That’s why I came to you.”

“Despite what you may think, I don’t know every criminal in London,” Sloane said drily.

“I’m sure you know more than I do,” Nathan retorted. “And I’ll wager you know where we should go to learn who they are.”

“Nathan, you astonish me.” Sloane looked at him for a moment, then stood up. “Very well.” He went behind his desk and pulled out a drawer to take out a small pistol and stuck it into a pocket of his jacket. He followed up by removing a knife and sliding it into place inside his boot. “Did you come armed with anything other than your charm?”

For answer, Nathan removed his dueling pistol from the side of his waistband and a short club from inside a pocket.

“I’m impressed,” Sloane said, closing the drawer and beckoning Nathan down the hall. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?”

“To see Parker.”

“The man you threatened to murder a few months ago?” Nathan’s voice rose in astonishment.

“The very same.”

“But...why?”

“Because he does know every criminal in London.” Sloane grabbed his hat and settled it on his head as he went out the front door.

“Are we planning to attack the man again?” Nathan asked.

“Nonsense. I’m a respected citizen now, didn’t you know?” Sloane hailed a hackney to take them to the docks. “Parker and I have an understanding. I trade in legal items, and he trades in the illegal, and we stay out of each other’s way.”

Despite Sloane’s assurance of a truce, Parker’s men appeared none too happy to see them when they arrived at his headquarters. But, after a sullen glare or two, one of the men went into the back and returned a few moments later to lead them into Parker’s office.

Parker didn’t stand up or offer them a chair, merely folded his hands across his stomach and looked at them questioningly. Sloane returned the gaze steadily, also not speaking. They’d be here all day at this rate.

“We are looking for two men,” Nathan said.

“What’s it got to do with me?” Parker turned his truculent gaze on Nathan.

“We thought you might be able to help us,” Nathan replied pleasantly. “One of them was my height and the other one short and square. They had on caps, so I don’t know their hair color, and they had the lower halves of their faces covered.”

Parker snorted. “Don’t know much then, do you?”

“The tall, thin one had a rather distinctive scar on the back of his left hand.” Nathan’s eyes had been riveted to the hand holding a knife against Verity’s throat. “Large. Shaped like a crescent.” Nathan traced the shape of the scar on the back of his own hand. “And I think he was left-handed because that was the hand in which he held the knife. His eyebrows were thick, almost grown together above his nose. He called the other man Shoe, I think—though that doesn’t seem like a real name.”

“They’re none of my men,” Parker said, shrugging his shoulders.

“I’m not going to press charges,” Nathan said. “I just want to find out who hired them.”

“Still don’t know them.”