Dangerous Escapade by Hilary Gilman Read Free Book Online Page B

will find the paper
I spoke of. Bring it to me, and I shall protect you, never fear.”
    Kitty heaved a
deep sigh. “I suppose it is the only way,” she agreed sadly. She could never be
comfortable again in Debenham House without learning the truth one way or the
other. She supposed that the Earl would be spending most of his time at the
home of his betrothed; therefore, she determined to ride to London that same night
and, using the many skills she had acquired in the course of her adventuring, to
enter the Earl's town house undetected.
    He applauded
her decision. “You are a courageous woman, Mistress Brabington, and truly your
father's daughter.” He kissed her hand, pressing his lips against her palm in a
manner that sent a shiver of repulsion through her.
    She rode back
to Debenham House in a very thoughtful mood. Long as she had been absent, Kitty
had not been missed. In all that huge household, there was no one whose
business it was to take care of their master's ward, and she could not help
feeling that it would matter to no one if she accepted the stranger’s offer and
placed herself under his protection.
    She spent the
rest of the day in her chamber, for there was much to consider. She dwelt
happily on the thought that she was after all a well-born lady with a place in
society if she chose to accept it, yet when she considered the accusations made
against the man who had done so much for her, she was miserable and felt that
she would willingly exchange all her newfound wealth if he could only be proved
to be innocent. Remembering that warm kiss the stranger had pressed into her
hand, she could not help speculating upon how it would be to feel Debenham’s
warm lips against her palm. Did the Lady Amelia receive such tokens of my
Lord's devotion? She was shocked to find that the thought was inexpressibly
painful, and for the first time, she questioned her own feelings about Debenham.
She reached no conclusion other than that she intended to renounce her breeches
as soon as possible as half-remembered visions of gowns trimmed with lace and
ribbons rose before her.
    The household
retired early for, despite the lengthening spring days, it was still dusk by
dinner time, and Mrs Goulding had strong views concerning the use of candles by
under-servants. As soon as she was sure that the servants were all abed, Kit
stole down the stairs and found her way to the nether regions of the house,
where a side door was habitually left open for the convenience of the staff.
Moving with stealth almost as skilful as that displayed by Wellbeloved in the
pursuit of his profession, she reached the stables unchallenged and there
saddled her mare with the ease of long practice. She could not help wondering
at the apparent laxity of the Earl's grooms, for the mare had not allowed
herself to be saddled in silence, and yet still no one had appeared to
investigate. The truth was that none of the servants was inclined to ask the
foreign young gentleman where he might be off to in the middle of the night, and
having heard from John of his prowess with the small sword, they declined to
interfere. So, although Kitty was not undetected, she was at least unmolested.
    At any other time,
that ride into London through the moonlit night would have delighted Kitty, for
the countryside, always lovely, had taken on a strange fairylike quality in
the moonlight. The road lay before her — a
winding shimmering ribbon — down the hill and
away towards the red glow in the sky, which was London.
    She reached it
one hour later, trotting through the deserted streets on her tired mare,
unconscious of her own fatigue, only concentrating with painful eagerness on the
task before her.
    As she was a
stranger to London, she was obliged to ask the direction several times and,
more than once, was compelled to draw her sword as some passer-by sought to
relieve her of her purse. Not for nothing had Kit roamed the cities of Europe
with her father. She was more than a