Jo Beverley - [Rogue ] (51 page)

In a few moments he was back. "All's bowman. Here's the jacob."

Within minutes they were all safely down and the hatch closed. Lucien replaced the ladder against the wall. "There's a back way out the mews," said the boy. "Follow me."

All went sweetly and soon they were on Park Street and working their way, a group out for a lark, to Grosvenor Square to tell Hal and Francis all was done. They turned onto the square and froze.

Hal and Francis were there, talking to the First Minister of England and the Duke of Belcraven. Francis looked over and gave a wild look.

The duke caught it. He turned, curious. His eyes passed blankly over the ill-favored group, paused thoughtfully on Robin, then traveled back.

Beth felt herself color up and hoped her garish face paint hid it. She could sense Lucien fighting laughter. He got enough voice to say, "Evenin' guv. And a grand night for England!"

"Indeed it is," said the duke and looked at Robin. "Don't I know you, boy?"

"Who, me, guv? Nah." True to his part he walked boldly forward. "Got a sixpence, mister, to help toast the duke?"

Blanche, the other professional, swayed forward. "Give me a shilling and I'll sing a ditty."

At the sight of her, the Earl of Liverpool grew red in the face. "Begone with you, you shameless hussy!"

But the duke laid a hand on his arm. "They are only out rejoicing on this great day, Liverpool." He produced a coin. "Let me see... I wonder who is your leader."

Without hesitation, Lucien dragged Nicholas forward. "Here he is, milord."

"I might have known," murmured the duke and passed over the five-shilling piece. "Be sure everyone gets a bumper, my good man."

Nicholas groveled and touched his forelock. "Surely, Yer Honor. God bless your lordship. Long life to Your Grace...."

"Enough!" declared the duke, but he was clearly struggling to keep a straight face. "Be on your way." His gaze wandered over them again, pausing appreciatively on Blanche and even more so on Beth. Quite clearly, he winked. "After all," he said to the disapproving Lord Liverpool, "on such a night as this, are not all the people of England one big happy family?"

"This rabble is no family of mine," said the earl haughtily. "I doubt they are even voters."

"Don't be so harsh. Who knows how even a small change in fortune could transform them." He addressed the group once more. "Can I not depend upon it that you will improve yourselves rapidly, my good people?"

They all chorused their agreement.

"I do not think it beyond possibility, Liverpool, that one day soon these promising fellows could aspire even to a house in Grosvenor Square."

"You're mad!" said Liverpool. "Come along, Belcraven. The horses are standing."

With a smile, the duke followed.

Beth called after him. "No reason a lady can't aspire to live in Grosvenor Square too, Yer Honor!"

He turned back, laughing. "No reason at all. But you're a saucy piece, aren't you?"

Beth cocked her hip and ogled him. "I'm the apple of me father's eye."

"I don't doubt it," the duke said, and his glance encompassed both Beth and Lucien. "I don't doubt it at all."

Liverpool's carriage rolled away, and they all, including Hal and Francis made haste to Upper Brook Street, where an agitated Tom Holloway was waiting with a carriage. There were two. Eleanor waved out of the second.

Nicholas, Lucien, Beth, and Robin scrambled into Eleanor's hackney while Hal, Miles, Francis, and Blanche piled into the one driven by Tom Holloway. A glance back at Deveril's house showed it quiet and dark. The guards had doubtless decided, no harm having been done except to Tom's head, not to cause a commotion.

"What are you doing here?" Nicholas asked Eleanor as he drew her into his arms.

"I didn't want to miss all the fun. Did you carry it off?"

"Only just. We had to be rescued by this gallant fellow," he said, ruffling Robin's hair. He passed over the dollar. "I think you earned this."

"Thank you, sir!"

"But," said Lucien, "you are not going on the Town to spend it tonight. Promising young men need their sleep."

Robin glowered slightly but muttered, "All right."

"Think, Robin," said Lucien gently. "A change is a change. You're not the same boy. If you came up with any of your old friends now, they'd roll you naked and sell every scrap you owned."

"Reckon you're right, milord," said the boy, much struck. He gave a little sniff. "It's hard, givin' up what a person's used to."

Beth leaned over and put her hand over his. "It is hard, Robin. But life is change, if you want to make anything of it." She smiled at Lucien. "And it is definitely worth it in the end."

Nicholas smiled at his wife. "And here I've been persuaded to settle down."

Eleanor surveyed his rough appearance. "You call this settling down?"

"Tamest of the tame. But we have finished our business and, praise be, can return to Somerset."

They had arrived at Tom Holloway's and went quickly in. When Beth went to change, however, Lucien said, "You could just put your spencer over that dress, since we are going to have to smuggle you into the house anyway."

Beth looked down. She had long since forgotten to be conscious of her exposed state. "I could," she agreed.

Lucien counted out ten guineas and proffered them. Face burning, Beth grinned, took the coins and dropped them down her bodice. She grinned at Nicholas and Eleanor. "I reckon I got to ensure me independence one way or another, eh?"

Lucien bundled up his good clothing and they slipped away, passing Blanche and Hal on the stairs.

"Get the money up front, luv!" called Blanche. Beth giggled. "Oh, I've certainly 'done that!"

* * *

Later, limp and content in Lucien's arms, Beth said, "Can we go back to Hartwell?"

"Yes," said Lucien. "After you've been presented." He caught the protest on her lips with his own. "I've let you play the whore, Beth, and I haven't even asked what Tom did to cause you to wrap a skillet round his head. Now it's time for you to play the marchioness."

Beth snuggled closer to his warm, hard body. "I don't think there's much difference between the two."

"I'll go odds the queen wouldn't agree. You could always borrow Blanche's dress for court and see."

Beth chuckled. "Do they throw the highest aristocracy out for lewd behavior?"

"I'm not at all sure."

Beth ran her hand along the fine contours of his arm. "What's the duke going to say?"

"Nothing, I suspect. You know, I've never seen him laugh like that. He's changed. It's as if we've all changed since you've came among us, Beth."

"For the better?" asked Beth.

"Indubitably. You've been like warm sun on frozen ground. My mother sings, my father laughs. And I... I delight in the wit and the strength and the spirit of my friend for life. More men should be as fortunate as I."

"Clever men," said Beth softly, "always will be. And clever women will appreciate a clever man when they meet one".

The End

Want more from Jo Beverley?

Page forward for a special Author's Note

followed by an excerpt from

CHRISTMAS ANGEL

The Company of Rogues Series

Book Three

Dear Reader,

An Unwilling Bride
is the second book in the Company of Rogues series. (The first is
An Arranged Marriage
, Eleanor and Nicholas's story. If you missed that, you can buy the e-edition now.) If you've enjoyed
An Unwilling Bride,
I'd appreciate it if you wrote a review for your on line bookseller or forum.

In
An Arranged Marriage
, Napoleon had abdicated and gone to the island of Elba, and Nicholas and the Rogues became involved in trying to stop a plot to restore him to the French throne. The plot involved Lord Deveril and the beautiful French spy, Thérèse Bellaire. You can see why Deveril's return was a concern, but a greater one was Napoleon's triumphant return to France and the revival of war.

As Beth and Lucien's relationship follows its stormy path, Europe is heading for Waterloo, the desperate last stand to stop Napoleon forever. The allied forces, under the Duke of Wellington, triumph and thus begins a time of peace in Europe, but at great cost. 10,000 or more died that day, and many more were wounded.

By pure chance, I was writing the later parts of this book, the ones around Waterloo in the winter of 1991, during the Gulf War. You'll remember that was the first military action that was brought to our TV screens almost in real time, and it had an effect on me.

As Lucien, Nicholas and the rest waited anxiously for news of a battle they knew had already happened, I could watch missiles explode and, I assumed, people die. Much that the characters say, but especially Nicholas's words after the battle, came out of what I saw on TV at that time.

I thought that was the end of it, however, and also that the Gulf War was the end of military action of that sort. Of course I was horrible wrong. A decade later, on 9/11, shocking death returned to TV screens everywhere, and we've all been too embroiled in war and violence ever since.

What has this to do with a Regency Romance? Only that I was very moved when a fan who is a quilter asked to use Nicholas's words on a quilt she was making as a memorial to the victims of 9/11.

As you can imagine, Lucien's violence toward Beth stirred controversy at the time and continues to do so. It's in keeping with the book, however, which is about force and violence in many contexts, and it worked out to my satisfaction.

You will be able to follow Beth and Lucien through many of the other Rogues books. They don't stop butting heads, but it's all intellectual from here.

I hope you continue to enjoy the Company of Rogues and their friends.

Happy Reading!

Jo Beverley

www.jobev.com

Page forward and continue your journey

with an excerpt from

CHRISTMAS ANGEL

The Company of Rogues Series