A study in scandal Read Online Free PDF

knew precisely what she wanted in a man. Whether or not he existed remained to be seen, but she had the courage to wait and see.
    Amelia was not that confident she would find the right man. She knew it was far more likely that she would either remain unmarried or end up wedded to an old widower looking for a bed companion. Neither option was her first choice, but so far it didn’t appear that she would have a wide selection of suitors to choose from.
    “Amelia will not allow anything improper to ensue,” Meg assured. “This would be strictly research. Even you ”—she pointed at Willow—“can’t argue against that. Isn’t that correct, Amelia?”
    Amelia’s head snapped up. She cleared her throat. “Yes, of course. Strictly research,” she repeated. She wasn’t so certain that was convincing,but she honestly meant it. Besides, Inspector Brindley had made it abundantly clear that he held no interest in her even speaking in his general direction. She knew her virtue would be safe with him.
    Willow pushed her spectacles farther onto her nose. “I will not agree that this is a good idea.”
    “Fair enough. But will you agree that, despite an unlikely chance of impropriety, this is the perfect opportunity for Amelia to start on her own writing? What has she been saying for years?”
    “You don’t have to talk about me as if I’m not in the room.” Amelia crossed her arms over her chest. “You simply cannot write about something without any firsthand knowledge or experience. How am I to write about solving mysteries if I’ve never done so in my everyday life?”
    “I’ve always found that reasoning faulty.” Willow straightened in her chair. “You cannot tell me that Mr. Doyle has murdered someone merely for the experience so he could write about it.”
    “He was a physician. Or perhaps he knew someone who had done the killing,” Meg offered.
    “Exactly,” Charlotte said. “This is precisely the same thing. Amelia, you can work side by side with this inspector, learn all his methods, and be able to use them in your own stories. Perfect idea, Meg.”
    The petite redhead smiled broadly. “Thank you.”
    “Then it is settled,” Charlotte said.
    It wasn’t completely settled. There still remained the tiny matter of the inspector not wanting her assistance.
    “I still don’t think Inspector Brindley will want my help,” Amelia said.
    “That’s preposterous,” Meg said. “You’re delightful to work with. I’m sure he’ll recognize that.”
    She hadn’t felt so delightful yesterday. She’d felt rather like a nuisance. As if he’d have preferred she not be in the same room. Perhaps he didn’t realize she had some experience when it came to solving cases. She could certainly prove her worth to him. She had thought of several people to talk with regarding the investigation, and the list he’d requested was well on its way to completion. Yes, he would be pleased to have her assistance, and in return he could answer any questions she had regarding investigative methods.
    She would visit him at his office. See where he worked, perhaps that would put him more at ease. Yes, Meg had been right, this was the perfect plan.
     
    Amelia double-checked her bag to ensure the list remained safely tucked inside. If she was to assist Inspector Brindley in this case, she needed toprove herself a worthy partner, which meant she needed to appear clever.
    She’d worn her sharpest dress. A black and chartreuse striped confection that molded nicely to her body, giving her a straight, put-together look. She tugged on the hem of her jacket, then straightened her bonnet. Remembering one last tip from Charlotte, she bit down on her lips to pinken them, then rang the buzzer.
    His office was in a part of town with legitimate businesses, though not exactly one she’d want to frequent in the evenings. But the sidewalk was clean enough and no street urchins had bothered her as of yet.
    No answer.
    She took a step back