ceremonies, so to speak?â
âI will be directing the movements of the ritual,â DâArcy replied cautiously, settling on the word
movements
because of the musical connotation, and thinking of the ritual as a benign symphony somehow gave the whole notion a dignified legitimacy. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his last ten crowns. âSee this as a deposit.â He held out the crowns. Finally Prudenceâs fingers closed around the money. âThe rest we get on the night?â
âGentlemanâs word.â
âWell,â the prostitute said, sliding the money into the large purse she always kept hanging off her belt, âat the very least it will be an education. And Iâm always looking for original ways to educate meself. I think this new girl Amelia has talent. Sheâs very pretty and has an enthusiasm for the theatrics. Just tell me the time and place and what we should be wearing and I promise prompt and professional service, as always, Mr. DâArcy,â she concluded with a tiny flick of her very pink tongue.
 â¢Â â¢Â â¢Â
The young sweep glanced about the private garden square, then slid closer to DâArcy on the park bench. âYou mean to say that we will all spoon together for the sake of . . .âow would you call it . . . magic?â His voice was a tense mixture of incredulity and excitement.
DâArcy stared out at the small pond, upon which a drake was strutting his prowess to a disinterested mate. If only his life was as uncomplicated as that of the lusty drake. Swallowing his own nervousness, he mustered up the last of his resolve. âIt is more in the pursuit of a native science, young Harry, and I will be following the words of the diary to the last letter.â
âAnd these are definitely the words of the great man himself?â
âAbsolutely; I have verified both the handwriting and Banksâs very turn of phrase. It is indisputably his reportage. You have made a great find, and I shall see to it that you are mentioned in my book.â
âAn honor, sir, but I was hoping for a more fiscal kind of reward. . . .â
âIndeed, and I will, naturally, pay you well for partaking in our little secret ritual.â
âHow well?â
DâArcy knew he would not be able to borrow more than the sum of sixty crowns and already his expenses were mounting up. Disheartened, he ran through a mental inventory of all his assets, attempting to calculate which he could more or less happily part with. Finally he arrived at an old set of pewter drinking mugs he had inherited from his grandfather. At least one hundred years old, it was safe to assume they might be of value to the pawnbroker. âI was thinking of the sum of fifteen crowns?â he ventured, assuming the young manâs services might be worth less than the professional Prudence as, he reasoned, another man might actually be willing to pay as opposed to being paid to be included in such a venture.
âIâm in. Harry is always one to mix pleasure with commerce,â the chimney sweep retorted swiftly, winking and licking his lips as he broke into a broad smile. âAs long as Iâm back at the chimneys by nine the next morning.â
âNine? Oh, I can get you back to London well before nineâafter all, the whole ritual climaxes at the crack of dawn. Then we all go our separate ways. . . .â
âIâm rather looking forward to it. Very titillating, Mr. Hammer, even if I say so meself, making love and making history! Something to tell the grandchildren, I daresay.â
âSomething you cannot ever tell of, sir. Unless you wish to condemn both of us to both notoriety and prison,â DâArcy snapped back firmly.
âI was joking, Mr. Hammer. I am as discreet as a monk in a nunnery. As far as Iâm concerned, as soon as itâs over it never
Joe Domanick
Ravi Howard
Heartsville
Stacey Mosteller
Beverly Barton
Sydney Jamesson
Jane Toombs
Tasha Temple
Patricia Watters
Merrie P. Wycoff