Free Deception by Amanda Quick Page B

interesting news for you.”
    “Do you indeed?” Pettigrew swept the long tails of his coat aside with a practiced motion of his hand and sat down. “I suspect you are about to tell me of your uncle’s latest shipment of goods. Never fear, my dear, I have already received word of it and stand ready to assist you, as always.”
    “That is very kind of you, sir, but the good news is that I will no longer require your services for such matters.”
    Pettigrew blinked rapidly several times as if he had a speck in his eye and then he went very still. “I beg your pardon?”
    Olympia smiled warmly. “You have been extremely helpful, sir, and I am most grateful to you, but I cannot impose upon you any longer.”
    Pettigrew frowned. “Now see here, Miss Wingfield, I do not consider it an imposition to assist you in disposing of those shipments. Indeed, I feel it is my duty to aid you. I would be remiss in my obligations as a friend and neighbor were I to allow you to fall into the hands of the sort of unscrupulous scoundrels who would not hesitate to take advantage of an innocent such as yourself.”
    “You need not fear for Miss Wingfield,” Jared said very quietly from the doorway. “She is in good hands.”
    “What the devil?” Pettigrew turned swiftly to face the door. He stared at Jared. “Who are you, sir? What are you talking about?”
    “I’m Chillhurst.”
    Olympia sensed a sudden tension in the air between the two men. She hastened to diffuse it by making introductions. “Mr. Chillhurst is my nephews’ new tutor. He has only been with us for a few days but already he has done wonders. The boys have been studying geography all morning and I’ll wager they now know more about the West Indies than any other boy in Upper Tudway. Mr. Chillhurst, allow me to present Squire Pettigrew.”
    Jared closed the door behind himself and walked to the desk. “Mrs. Bird told me that he had arrived.”
    Pettigrew’s gaze was fixed on the black velvet patch that covered Jared’s eye. Then he scowled at Jared’s bare throat and the open collar of his shirt. “Damme, man, you don’t look like any tutor I ever saw. What is going on here?”
    Olympia was irritated. “Mr. Chillhurst most certainly is a tutor. A very excellent one. Uncle Artemis sent him to me.”
    “Wingfield sent him?” Pettigrew shot her an annoyed look. “Are you quite certain?”
    “Yes, of course, I’m certain.” Olympia strove for patience. “And as it happens, Mr. Chillhurst is skilled in financial matters. He has offered to act as my man of affairs. That is why I shall no longer be requiring your assistance in disposing of my uncle’s shipment, sir.”
    “Your man of affairs.” Pettigrew was dumbfounded. “Now see here, you don’t need a man of affairs.
    You’ve got me to look after your finances and such.”
    Jared sat down. He rested his elbows on the arms of the chair and steepled his fingers. “You heard Miss Wingfield, Pettigrew. She will no longer be requiring your services.”
    Pettigrew shot him a scathing glance and turned back to Olympia. “Miss Wingfield, I have warned you often of the dangers of dealing with persons whose backgrounds you know nothing about.”
    “Mr. Chillhurst is a perfectly respectable person,” Olympia said firmly. “My uncle would not have employed him to work in this household if he were not a man of excellent character.”
    Pettigrew gave Jared a disparaging look. “Have you reviewed his references, Miss Wingfield?”
    “My uncle took care of that sort of thing,” Olympia said.
    Jared smiled coldly at Pettigrew. “I assure you, sir, there is no cause for concern. I shall see to it that Miss Wingfield realizes a fair profit off the goods her uncle sent to her.”
    “And who’s to say what that fair profit is?” Pettigrew retorted. “Miss Wingfield will have no way of knowing if you take advantage of her, will she? She will have to depend upon your word in the matter.”
    “Just as she has