His Lordship Possessed by Lynn Viehl Page A

consider
    myself superior to Rina or her gels. Had fate been only a
    fraction more unkind to me, I might have sold myself on
    the streets of Middy.
    55
    Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 55
    7/15/13 10:25 AM
    LYNN VIEHL
    But to be marched along and obliged to behave like
    Dredmore’s whore made me feel as if I’d poured several
    gallons of lamp oil over my head while standing next to
    a bonfi re. It wouldn’t take much of a spark to set me off .
    Why had he come? Furthermore, how had he known
    that I’d be here?
    You’ve been spending too much time in the company of
    strumpets.
    I held my tongue until we reached the large party
    chamber the gents had rented for their revelries. I
    couldn’t make myself cross the threshold, not until I felt
    Dredmore’s hand at the small of my back.
    “Afraid?” he murmured.
    “Bored.” I wondered how I might get rid of him in
    front of six witnesses. Perhaps when he lit one of his
    infernal cigars I would accidentally tip an oil lamp in his
    lap.At fi rst glance Rina’s party room resembled a parlour,
    with settees and lamps and elegant drapes. Th en I
    noticed how wide the settees were, and some baskets that
    contained unmarked bottles of golden liquid, lengths of
    satin ribbon, and, of all things—
    “Peacock feathers?” One of the gents reeled over to a
    basket and plucked out a long plume. “Now what can you
    do with one of these beauties, love?”
    His strumpet, a leggy brunette who had thin lips
    beneath too much tint, whispered something in his ear,
    making him roar with laughter.
    Dredmore steered me round the others to a settee by
    56
    Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 56
    7/15/13 10:25 AM
    Disench anted & Co., Part 1
    the crackling fi re in the hearth. Rather than sit I leaned
    against one arm and held out my hands as if to warm
    them.
    He hovered, not quite touching me but close enough
    to keep the others from hearing him. “You shouldn’t have
    run from me.”
    “I didn’t run.” I turned my hands over and wriggled
    my fi ngers. “I rode.”
    He grunted. “I suppose I should be grateful that you
    left Velvet at a decent stable.”
    “Velvet.” Of course, because he was black.
    “I didn’t name him.” He came to stand beside me.
    “You could have killed yourself, riding alone in the dark.”
    I glanced up at him. “Disappointed?”
    His mouth twisted. “I came to court today for you.”
    “I saw,” I acknowledged. “Yet you never made it into
    the courtroom.”
    “I was waiting by the prisoner’s gate,” he said. “When
    they brought you out, I was going to take you from them.
    Th en I had to deal with that snuff mage.”
    “For which I am grateful, Lucien.” I had to say that
    much.
    He regarded me for a long moment. “No, you’re not.”
    “You two bickering already?” Th e drunk thrust a
    tumbler of gin in Dredmore’s hand and then presented
    me with a much smaller measure in a fi nger glass. He
    lifted his own drink, sloshing a bit over the brim as he
    toasted me. “Here’s to all the gels with ginger curls, be
    they east or west, they shag you best.”
    57
    Viehl_DisenchantedP2_EG.indd 57
    7/15/13 10:25 AM
    LYNN VIEHL
    “To the compliments of discriminating, fi ne young
    gentlemen.” I pretended to take a sip and watched
    Dredmore do the same.
    “Come on, you two.” Th e drunk gave me a playful
    push that almost knocked me over. “Have a sit and get
    acquainted.”
    To avoid another shove, I went and sat on the end
    of the settee furthest away from Dredmore. Naturally
    he followed and boxed me in by seating himself directly
    beside me.
    “Th at’s more like it.” Th e drunk patted my head with
    a clumsy hand before stumbling back over to the blonde.
    I felt Dredmore’s arm snake along my shoulders as
    I watched the others cavorting. “Madam Eagle will not
    allow you to remove me from the premises.”
    “Ging doesn’t seem to fancy you as much as me,
    mate,” the drunk called out, and slapped the blonde on
    the hip. “Th is