Deception by Amanda Quick

anything, sir? Because if so, let me inform you that I will not tolerate it.”
    “Not at all.” Jared tapped his fingertips together in a slow, silent drumroll. “Miss Wingfield tells me that she realized nearly two hundred pounds off the last shipment.”
    “That is quite correct,” Pettigrew said stiffly. “And she was extremely lucky to get that much out of it. Why, if it had not been for my contacts in London, she would probably have received no more than a mere hundred or hundred and fifty pounds.”
    Jared inclined his head. “It will be interesting to see if I can do as well on her behalf as you have done, willit not? Perhaps I shall even be able to improve upon your efforts.”
    “I say,” Pettigrew sputtered indignantly. “I don’t care for your attitude, sir.”
    “Your opinion of me is neither here nor there, is it?” Jared observed mildly. “But I assure you that I will pay close attention to Miss Wingfield’s financial affairs. After all, she needs the money, does she not? A single woman burdened with the responsibility of three young boys can certainly use all the income she can get.”
    Pettigrew’s heavy face turned an unpleasant shade of red. “Now see here, sir, I cannot allow you to take possession of Miss Wingfield’s goods without so much as a by-your-leave. You might very well up and disappear with them for all we know.”
    “The goods have already disappeared, so to speak,” Olympia said. “Mr. Chillhurst had them sent off to London this very morning.”
    Pettigrew’s eyes widened in astonished fury. “Miss Wingfield, surely you have not done anything so rash as to allow this man to whisk your goods out of Upper Tudway.”
    Jared continued to tap his fingertips together. “They are safe enough, Pettigrew. They were dispatched under guard. A trusted acquaintance of mine will receive them when they reach London and see to their disposal.”
    “Good God, man.” Pettigrew rounded on him. “What have you done? This is outright thievery. I shall inform the magistrate at once.”
    Olympia jumped to her feet. “That is quite enough. Mr. Pettigrew, I am satisfied that Mr. Chillhurst has only my best interests at heart. I really do not wish to be rude, sir, but I must insist that you cease prattling on in such an insulting fashion. Mr. Chillhurst might take offense.”
    “Yes.” Jared drummed his fingertips together andlooked as if he were contemplating the possibility. “I might.”
    Pettigrew’s mouth worked for a moment but no words came out. Then he heaved himself up out of the chair and glowered at Olympia. “So be it, Miss Wingfield. If you choose to put your trust in a stranger rather than in a neighbor you have known for years, that is your affair. But I expect that you will regret this reckless piece of work. Your new tutor looks altogether too much like a bloody pirate to me and that’s a fact.”
    Olympia was outraged. Jared was, after all, in her employ. It was up to her to defend him. “Really, Mr. Pettigrew, you go too far. I cannot allow you to speak in such a fashion to anyone on my staff. Good day to you, sir.”
    “Good day, Miss Wingfield.” Pettigrew stalked to the door. “I only hope you have not lost a packet by trusting this … this person.”
    Olympia watched the door until it closed behind Pettigrew. Then she risked a quick, awkward glance at Jared. She was relieved to see that he had stopped tapping his fingers together. She suspected that the mannerism did not bode well.
    “I apologize for that unfortunate little scene,” Olympia said. “Pettigrew means well, but I believe he was somewhat insulted by the fact that I have turned my uncle’s shipment over to you to handle.”
    “He called me a pirate.”
    Olympia cleared her throat delicately. “Yes, but please do not take offense. He is not entirely to blame for making such a remark. Indeed, Mrs. Bird commented upon the resemblance earlier. There is something about you, sir, that does tend to