Turning the handle, she dropped to her knees and pushed it open, then crawled inside. Her hope was that they were busy on the bed and wouldn’t see her.
Soft light filled the room, and she found the screen to her right, so she scurried behind it.
“Miss Chartreuse, your beauty never wanes,” a man said. “This will be my masterpiece.”
“Oh, Lord Lithgow!” a husky voice sighed. “You are the only light in my week. I long for our time together.”
Beth wanted to push her fingers into her ears to stop hearing the words. Dear Lord, she could only imagine what was happening behind that screen. A chair had clothes piled on it.
“I think I will try another hue for your breasts my dear, Miss Chartreuse.”
Hue?
Beth started rifling through the clothes until she located a man’s jacket. A cough rose in her throat, so she forced herself to breathe slowly and swallow several times until it passed.
“My nipples should be rose, I think? Last time they were darker.”
“Yes, I was not happy with their color. Especially considering they deserve to be worshipped by everyone who sees this.”
Dear Lord, what were theydoing? She was fumbling through the pockets searching for papers now. Surely someone would know she was here soon? She’d be found and locked in Newgate to rot where rats would nibble her toes.
Slipping her fingers inside yet another pocket—how many pockets did men need in their jackets?—she felt the edge of something. Pulling it slowly out, she saw that it was a sheaf of papers. Pushing them inside her bodice, Beth replaced the coat.
“Lift your left leg, dear. Yes, perfect. And perhaps that hand to the back?”
“Like this?”
“Perfect.” Lord Lithgow sighed. “I wish my wife was so compliant.”
“She does not understand you as I do, my Lord.”
“No, indeed. She is a brutish woman who controls us all.” Another sigh.
Beth turned in the small space and slowly crawled toward the door once more. She had to do it, peek a glance at the couple. She then hurried out the door and closed it behind her. Regaining her feet, she ran to the door she’d not long ago entered, and left the building.
There was absolutely nothing to laugh about, but a giggle erupted from her anyway. Lord Lithgow had been painting a naked Miss Chartreuse. She felt almost lightheaded with relief that she had not witnessed a coupling of some sort.
On legs that were not entirely steady she retraced her steps down. Pulling the cloak close, she met Lucas at the bottom glowering.
“Why are you wearing a mask?”
“I found it and thought it would hide my identity.”
“At least you are unhurt,” he grunted, not willing to concede that may work. “Hurry now, we need to leave here before whatever is going on erupts. Stay at my back.”
They’d taken no more than four steps when a group of men appeared.
“It’s that way.”
“Aye,” Lucas muttered.
“Well then, go that way,” someone snapped at him.
Lucas turned and nudged her ahead of him. Beth walked to where a group of men stood.
They had to get out of here before someone noticed there was a woman in their presence. What if Lord Lithgow found his papers missing and came looking for them? The dangers were many. They had to get away from here at once.
“Stay still and close to me,” Lucas whispered in her ear.
