Taming the Barbarian by Greiman Lois

Author:Greiman, Lois [Greiman, Lois]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical, Paranormal, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780060783945
Publisher: Avon
Published: 2005-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

“Mr. Johnson,” Fleurette said, rising from her desk and giving her newest employee a prim nod. He was two inches shorter than she, pudgy around the middle, and, judging by his gold-rimmed spectacles, severely nearsighted. The Doderty Agency definitely knew how to pick their men. “What have you learned?”

The little man’s mustache twitched as he removed his top hat. As it turned out, he had more hair beneath his nose than atop his head. “Regarding one Sir Killian Hiltsglen of Scotland,” he said as he opened a leather-bound book and pushed up his spectacles to study his notes. “On the third day of July in the year of our lord 1817, Killian, Sir Hiltsglen, purchased one stallion of unknown lineage from a Lord Bayberry. Later that same week, he bought an acreage consisting of woodland and a small quarry. Formerly, it belonged to one Lord Gardner. Sir Hiltsglen is currently residing in the original cottage that was built upon said property some centuries past.”

He glanced up. Fleurette blinked. “Continue.”

Mr. Johnson pursed his lips. Perhaps his cheeks were the slightest bit flushed. “I fear that’s all the information I’ve been able to obtain thus far, my lady.”

She stared at him agog. “Mr. Johnson, I knew more about him at the outset.” For instance, he was a barbarian and a lout, an overgrown, overpowering cretin and a veritable thief. He also had arms the size of tree trunks and a chest like a boulder. He was as strong as a stallion, able to lift her without thought. A woman would never be safe around him, and yet, somehow, inexplicably, she had felt…

“My apologies, my lady,” Johnson said, and gave her a prim, insulted bow. “But as I told you at the start, this sort of investigation takes time.”

“I realize that, Mr. Johnson,” Fleur said. “But I don’t have much time. He has already stolen a steed and a valuable piece of property right out from—”

“Stolen?” Johnson asked, his tone clipped. “If it’s a matter of theft, you should contact the proper authorities posthaste.” He blinked, looking nervous. “As I’ve said before, I’m uncomfortable dealing with the criminal element. In point of fact—”

“I was not being literal,” she said, and resisted the urge to give him a sound knock on the side of his head. “Just… please, find out what you can as soon as humanly possible. Anything at all regarding his past… where he was born, his family life, his business enterprises, what he’s been doing these past few years.”

Mr. Johnson sighed heavily, as if he weren’t being paid handsomely to do the very things she’d just outlined, “I’ll see what I can do, my lady,” he said, and left her office.

The remainder of the day went no better, and the rest of the week was singularly unspectacular. Friday arrived with alarming haste.

Fleurette stood in her dressing room, trying again to think of a plausible reason to avoid Lucille’s party. She was tired, after all, and the weather was unpleasant. The

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