| Summary: |
It could have been a scene from one my novels. As a rule, respectable ladies do not accept call from Mysterious Gentlemen on business of the most grave importance but I confess that I was possessed of a lively curiosity. The past three years had been so determinedly dull, I hope Mr. Adam Hardesty would offer a tiny respite from it. Indeed, upon first glance, Mr. Hardesty had such a formidable, thrilling presence, he quickly became the model for the villain in the sensation novel E was currently writing. Imagine my shock and distress the, when Mr. Hardesty accused me of being party to a plot of murder, blackmail, and general villainy! I knew nothing of such occurrences, and proclaimed my innocence. Unfortunately, Mr. Hardesty left unconvinced, and I had an uneasy feeling over what his search would uncover. You see, Gentle Reader, thought I live a most uneventful life now, my past contained a Great Scandal that would be ruinous if resurrected. To protect my secrets from Mr. Hardesty's investigation. I concluded that I would need to conduct an inquiry of my own, and if that meant sharing my findings with Mr. Hardesty, so be it. And my course of action had nothing whatsoever t do with the illicit, passionate feelings that he aroused in me, feelings that propriety would definitely frown upon... |
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