Beth found herself frozen.
Blanche sauntered over to the table, and the two card players stared ather, mesmerized. “Wot a lucky girl I am, then,” she purred, “to have suchfine fellows smilin‘ at me.”
Beth gathered her wits and quickly entered the kitchen and shut thedoor. The third man turned and leered at her, putting down his gun. Asshe’d hoped, he didn’t remember to shoot the bolt again. Lucien could getin if things turned bad.
She smiled at the bearded man, though she feared it came out a bitsickly. “Hello, sweetheart.”
He reached out to grab her, but she sidestepped him. “Don’t I get somewine, ‘andsome?”
He grabbed her anyway. “Pay a kiss for it,” he said.
His mouth was slack and wet and sour. Beth was sure he wasn’t as foulas Lord Deveril, but she could quite see how Clarissa had thrown up herbreakfast. She commanded her rebellious stomach to be still and writhedabout as if she were enjoying it. She hoped Lucien couldn’t see this, orhe’d be fit to kill.
When the man’s mouth freed hers, he chuckled. “You’re a proper spicydish, aren’t yer me little molisher? Come on. Pepper, and have your wine.There’s plenty more where that came from.” He wrapped an arm around herand pulled her to the table where Blanche was skillfully playing one manoff against the other with much shrieking and banging about.
Was Nicholas inside? Just to do her bit, Beth staggered and knockedover a stool.
Her escort pulled her straight. “You’re well on the go already, ain’tyer?” He thrust the bottle at her. “Have some more.”
They needed to play for time. “Well,” said Beth with false refinement,“hi ham more haccustomed to drink from hay glass, sir.”
Blanche shrieked with laughter. “Right spark, she is. We call her ‘theduchess!’ ”
All the men roared, and the black bearded one casually tweaked one ofBeth’s nipples. Fortunately he took Beth’s outraged squeal as part of heract. “Right away, Yer Grace. The best crystal, do yer?” To Beth’s horrorhe went out of the room to get it. Was he going upstairs? Nicholas was upthere somewhere. She ran after him.
The man turned, then grinned knowingly. “So that’s yer game, Duchess.Yer a smart one and no mistake. Fancy a nice comfy bedroom, do yer? Comeon, then.”
Beth glanced around frantically. They were at the bottom of the stairsleading up to the ground floor, and the wall was lined with shelvesholding bowls and pots. The noise from the kitchen was deadened by theclosed door. She could hear nothing from above. Nicholas must surely bein, which was the noisy part. If necessary she’d break some pottery.
“I think I’d better go back to me sister,” she said coyly. “She’ll getawful jealous.”
?Let her, Pepper. Perhaps I?ll give her a turn upstairs, too. Come on.? He grabbed her wrist in a beefy paw.
“Let go!” Beth squealed. She suddenly remembered that they weren’tsupposed to go upstairs and dug in her heels.
“Wot the hell’s up wiv you?” the man growled. “Don’t you play off yourairs and graces wiv Tom Cross, Duchess.” He yanked her to him, turned herover his knee, and landed two stinging blows on her behind, which herflimsy skirts did little to cushion. Beth saw red.
“You disgusting man!” she shrieked as soon as she was upright. Shegrabbed at the shelves. The first thing that came to hand was a small ironskillet. She crowned him with it with all her might. His eyes crossed, andhe collapsed down at the base of the stairs.
“Bravo!” declared Nicholas from the top of the stairs. “I was beginningto think you’d need rescuing.”
“I rescued myself,” said Beth, aware of a flicker of pride. She rubbedher behind and rearranged her bodice. “Are you finished?”
“Yes. I’ll give Lucien the signal and you can get out of here.”
“What about him?” asked Beth, pointing to her victim. “Won’t he spoilthe plan?”
“No, he won’t be surprised to find you crowned him. But he won’t keeplong either. Get on your way.” He disappeared back to the upperreaches.
Beth put on a brazen face and sauntered back into the kitchen. Blanchewas on the toothy man’s knee, feeding him wine from the bottle. The otherman was hovering impatiently. He turned quickly. “Where’s Tom?” He wasn’tso much suspicious as wary of poaching on the other man’s property.
“Gone to get me a glass, of course,” said Beth saucily. The man came ather. Beth backed up. She really couldn’t take another mauling kiss. Shelooked around for a weapon ?
Lucien and Miles burst in. “Wot the hell you doing, Molly?” Lucienroared, grabbing Beth.
Blanche leapt off the toothy man’s knee with an impressive squeal offear. “Help!” she cried. She tried to hide behind the toothless one, buthe didn’t look keen to fight.
“Who’re these then?” he asked.
