A Rogues Proposal

Fixing her gaze on the carriage's wall, she reviewed her plans. She had, she thought, managed well thus far. She'd told the General she'd taken a sudden notion to visit a friend, Melissa Blackthorn, who helpfully lived just beyond Bury St. Edmunds. Over the past ten years, she and Melissa had frequently simply visited, without formal arrangements. The General was always at home, and the Blackthorns were always in residence; there was never any danger of not finding a welcome. So she'd claimed she would visit Melissa and, as usual, stay overnight.

Both the General and Foggy had accepted her decision with a little too much readiness for her liking. The General's understanding smile, his gentle pat on her hand, had left her with the distinct-and she was sure not inaccurate-impression that he thought it was Demon's absence that had prompted her visit to Melissa. That his absence was the cause of her restlessness.

Flick wasn't at all sure how she felt about that-irritated, yes, but in a rather odd way. Frowning, she glanced out of the window and abruptly sat up. They were passing the main courtyard of The Angel, already a sea of men and boys all heading in one direction or another. The majority of visitors were still finding places to lay their heads; Flick prayed, very hard, that she'd be successful in carrying out the next phase of her plan. An instant later, the carriage lurched, then turned, and rumbled under the arch into the stable yard of The Angel.

Where pandemonium reigned.

Gillies hauled the horses to a stop, and two i

Her voice was steady; she'd deepened and strengthened her usual tones so that she sounded older, more commanding. It seemed to work; retrieving her one small bag, the i

Lifting her arms wide, palms up to encompass the scene, Flick turned dramatically and launched into her charade. "Good gracious, Giles! Just look at this crowd! Whatever's afoot?"

Gillies simply stared at her.

One of the i

"A prizefight!" Pressing a hand to her cloaked breast, Flick fell back a step. "Oh, how distressing!" She glanced about, then looked at the i

She stared-beneath her veil she glared-at Gillies.

After a moment, he said rather woodenly, "Indeed not, ma'am."

At least he'd remembered to address her as ma'am.

"Come, Giles-we must speak to the i

Beyond the door lay a wide reception area fronted by a long counter presently ma

It had been years since she'd visited The Angel, but Flick recognized the i

Flick could have kissed them.

Gentlemen's heads turned at the mention of a lady; as they took in her dark cloak and veil, those in her path politely stepped back. Between the i

All of whom were studying her rather speculatively.

The i

Flick took her courage in both hands.

"Kind sir"-her voice hinted at a quaver-"I have just arrived in your fair town only to discover this crowd before me." Setting her big black reticule on the counter before her, she clasped her hands tight about it so the i

Turning back to the i

Her plea caused a hush.

The i

Tapping his pencil, he glanced up at her. "Just you, is it, ma'am?"

Flick drew a deep breath. "Yes." She made the word sound very small, very weak. "I…" She drew in another breath and clasped her fingers more tightly on the reticule; the facets of the topaz flashed. "I was recently widowed-well, it's been six months, now, I suppose-I've been travelling… for my health, you understand."

She delivered the words in a slightly breathless rush, with what she hoped was just the right degree of feminine fragility. The i

Exceedingly glad of her veil, Flick glanced about; the i

"I say, Hodges," one of her neighbors drawled, "you'll have to find a room for the lady-can't possibly send her out into the night."

A deep rumble of assent rose on all sides.

"For the honor of Bury St. Edmunds, if nothing else," some other helpful soul put in.

The i

Flick gritted her teeth and suppressed an impulse to deliver a swift kick to the buck's nearby shin; Hodges was now scowling.

Luckily, he was scowling at the buck. "No need to take that tone, m'lord. I've found the lady a nice room-I hope I know my duty."

He shut his ledger with a snap. Turning, he reached for a key hanging with a full score of others on a board behind the counter. To Flick's consternation, all the gentlemen around her leaned forward, squinting at the board to read the number of her room!

She had, she realized, just saddled herself with a large number of champions, some of whom might be entertaining notions of a reward.

But as the i

"If you'll just come this way, ma'am?" He waved to the end of the counter, to where a wide staircase led upward. Then he turned to the waiting crowd. "You gentlemen won't mind biding your time until I get the lady settled."