An Untimely Frost by Penny Richards Page A

courage, she reached up with trembling hands and removed Mrs. Partridge’s wire-rimmed glasses from her nose and then pulled the wig from her head to reveal her own glossy red hair.
    â€œGood heaven above!” William cried. “Mrs. Warner!”
    He was definitely shocked, Lilly thought. In fact, his face looked so red she feared he might succumb to a fit of apoplexy as his father had. Well, the fat was in the fire now, so there was nothing to do but see if she could pull it out.
    â€œYes,” she said in her normal voice, a voice that was tinged with a hint of asperity. “And I must admit I was disappointed that you let my age stop you from at least giving me the position on a trial basis, since Kate Warne was hired when she was but twenty-three. Mrs. Cartwright was disappointed as well.”
    â€œMrs. Cartwright ?” William repeated, frowning. Robert tilted his head back and groaned.
    Without a word, Lilly reached into her reticule. Allan’s face wore a considering expression, and the brothers could only watch with open mouths as she withdrew the lace-edged fan and proceeded to flutter it in front of her face. Rising and dropping into a deep curtsy, she gave William a coy look. “I was so disappointed when you turned me down. Why, I had a sick headache and had to take to my bed for a full day.”
    Returning to her normal tone, Lilly said, “Of course, Mrs. Cartwright did not really expect to be hired. She is a rather flighty creature.”
    â€œBy all that is holy,” Robert shouted, leaping to his feet to shake his finger in her face. “You, madam, have attempted to play us the fool.”
    â€œThat was not my intention, sir,” Lilly told him in an even tone. “I only—”
    â€œBah ! You deliberately set out to dupe us,” he interrupted. “There is no excuse for it ! We will not have it !”
    â€œBe quiet, Robert.”
    The blunt command came from Allan, who up to this point had contented himself with watching things unfold in contemplative silence.
    â€œFather, she—”
    â€œQuiet, I say!” Allan Pinkerton focused his gaze on Lilly. It was clear to her that while the stroke might have debilitated him physically, it had done little to dull his intellect. “Please continue, Mrs. Partridge—excuse me—Mrs. Warner. I believe you were explaining your actions before my son’s rude interruption.”
    Lilly looked into the detective’s piercing eyes. “Though I am much younger than you might like, sir, and realize that I may lack the experience gained with years, it was never my intent to deceive, only to prove that I possess the necessary skill for this position, which I believe I did, since no one suspected that the three ladies who interviewed were one and the same.”
    â€œI’d say you proved that quite admirably, young lady,” Allan said. “And I must say I admire your attention to detail as well as your tenacity.”
    â€œTenacity!” Robert sputtered. “More like trickery!”
    â€œOh, hush, Robert!” A rare twinkle lit Allan’s eyes.
    â€œI apologize if my methods seem extreme and unorthodox,” Lilly said, “but I understand that you’re a proponent of various techniques as long as the ends justify the means.”
    â€œIndeed I am.”
    â€œIt was that very reasoning that led me to go so far in order to be hired by your agency,” she explained. “I ask that you give me this position, Mr. Pinkerton, if only on a trial basis. I will, of course, gladly accept any assignment, but because of my own background, my greatest desire is to help women who’ve been taken advantage of by deceitful men.”
    â€œA praiseworthy ambition.”
    â€œThank you, sir.”
    Pinkerton sat there for long moments, lost in thought. “Will you step out into the anteroom, Mrs. Warner,” Allan said at last. “I would like to discuss