Three Nights of Sin by Anne Mallory Page A

“I was at me pub. The White Stag. Went out for a bit to clear me head. Been celebrating with the lads. Anyways, I heard a sound. A cry for help. I ran around the corner, ready to help the fair lady, but I was too late.” He hung his head. “The bastard had already done her in.”
    “How do you know?”
    “He was hunched over the body! Covered in blood. His eyes met mine. Devil’s eyes! I knew immediately ’twas him. I let out a yell and tackled him.”
    Noble lifted a brow. “You tackled him? Very brave of you.”
    Penner puffed up some more. “Couldn’t let him get away. I’m quite the sportsman. Know how to put a man down. Can handle me fists.”
    Marietta smiled weakly as Penner gave her anothercoy glance. She looked at Penner’s form. Tall, lanky Kenneth had probably gone down like a sapling felled by a monstrous axe.
    “Did he say anything? Try to proclaim his innocence? Try to run?” Noble asked.
    “Blighter looked smacked in the gob. Like he didn’t know why I had hit him. As if murdering women were not a sin.” Penner closed a fist in disgust.
    Marietta exchanged a look with Noble and was gratified to see a thoughtful look in his eyes.
    “And then what happened?”
    “The watch guards came. We have about five fellas from the Stag that do rounds. One of the men on duty was in the pub.”
    “The man who arrested K—the brigand—was intoxicated?” she asked.
    Noble’s lips pinched together as Penner’s head swung toward her.
    “No more intoxicated than need be. Just what are you implying, miss?”
    Noble tapped the feather of his quill against his leg. His expression said, Talk yourself out of this one.
    “Well, it—it just seems such a dangerous business. You probably needed to double your efforts to keep the murderer subdued if the watchman on duty was below the weather.”
    It wasn’t her best effort at dissembling, but she watched Penner process her words and his slow nod turned more vigorous. “Yes, just doing my duty.” He leaned into her space. “I know how to take care of things.”
    His expression grew coy again. Not quite whatshe’d had in mind when she’d lamented her failed charms.
    “Lovely.”
    Noble gave her another warning glance, but was no longer glaring as he turned back to make a few more notes. He asked a few more questions—about Penner’s commendation, the White Stag and what had happened after the tackling, but nothing stuck out in Penner’s answers. Just a do-gooder who Marietta fervently wished had not “done good” that particular night.
    “If you need any more information, send your assistant back. I’ll make sure she gets all she needs.” He smiled. “I’m a hero.”
    Marietta forced a smile in return. She had been told she would make a decent mistress once. That her sharp tongue could be put to good use, as disgusting as that had sounded from a man three times her age and size. If she were truly desperate enough to go that route, she would choose someone other than Archibald Penner, the man who ruined Kenny.
    They walked from the house, and Marietta held her tongue until they were well away.
    “What were you thinking to impersonate Nathaniel Upholt? What is Mr. Penner going to do when he doesn’t see his write-up in the paper?”
    Noble looked unconcerned. “Oh, the article will appear in the Times. ”
    “What? How?”
    “I spoke to Nathaniel this morning. He was more than happy to give me the task of interviewing Archibald Penner.”
    Her jaw dropped. “You spoke to Nathaniel Upholt?”
    “By way of courier, yes.”
    “And you did all of this before I awakened?”
    “Not all of us can afford to be layabouts.” His arms swung loosely at his sides as he walked. “You upper class types are all the same. Sleep until noon and then fritter your nights away.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “I do not fritter my nights away.”
    “Really? And what do you do at night?”
    “I go to social events. Parties or galas. Sometimes a musicale. Or a