An Agent For Lucy (Pinkerton Matchmaker 1) by Amelia C Adams

Author:Amelia C Adams [Amelia C Adams]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-10-16T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

“Lucy, my dear, I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’ve come.” Mr. Collins gave her a kiss on the cheek, and she noticed how his hand trembled as he clasped her wrist. This wasn’t the same man she and her father had seen just a matter of weeks ago.

“Mr. Collins, this is Jed Green, my trainer.” She’d tell him about the wedding later. Right now, the focus needed to be on finding Mrs. Collins.

They sat down in the corner of Mr. Collins’ room. Lucy glanced around and appreciated the rich decorations and the comfortable layout. She wished Pinkerton agents could afford such luxuries, but their humble hotel would have to suffice.

“Please tell us everything that’s happened from the moment you arrived,” she said, turning back to Mr. Collins.

The man pulled in a ragged breath. “We arrived and checked into the hotel, and that first night, we stayed in. Delphine was feeling a little worn out from the journey, so we went to bed early, but the next morning, she felt quite all right and wanted to do some sightseeing. We hired a driver and visited some of the different points of interest in the city, and then she wanted to see Chinatown. We’ve just returned from living in China for the last four years,” he said, turning to Jed.

Jed nodded. “It must have been a marvelous experience. About what time did you arrive in Chinatown?”

Lucy noticed how he acknowledged what Mr. Collins had said and then steered the conversation back on course. She’d have to remember that trick.

“Oh, it was around three in the afternoon. We wandered up and down a bit and looked in some shops, but then we wanted to rest, so we came back to the hotel. We ate dinner that night with a nice couple from New York who were also here to see the sights, and the next morning, the ladies decided to return to Chinatown together and do some shopping. The lady—a Mrs. Gresham—wanted Delphine’s advice about silks, and us husbands went along reluctantly. At times like this, husbands aren’t much more than walking pocketbooks.”

Lucy smiled. Yes, Mrs. Collins was fond of spending money, but Mr. Collins had never begrudged it. Even now, he spoke indulgently.

“I thought for sure we’d visited every silk shop in the area, but the ladies wanted to go back the next day and the one following. Eventually, Mr. Gresham and myself tired of Chinatown and gave the ladies our leave to go by themselves. I hired a young boy from the area to go with them and carry their packages, and they had a marvelous time. I thought Delphine’s fascination with Chinatown would simmer down a bit when the Greshams left to go home, but it didn’t. In fact, she seemed to spend more time there than ever.”

“Was the boy still going with her?” Lucy asked.

“Yes, he was. I felt safer knowing she had a companion.”

“Safer? Did you feel like she was in danger?”

“Oh, nothing like that.

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