A Season to Be Sinful (13 page)

They are the very devils seed, the maid said.

Ducking her head quickly so she would not catch the girls eye, Lily applied herself to her meal. She felt the maids hesitation, as if she wanted to say more, but then she seemed to think better of it and backed out of the room. Her hasty retreat made Lily smile. If they are the devils seed, she said, a chuckle softly edging her voice, then surely I must be his handmaiden.

Sherry had forbidden the boys to go to Lilys room the night before. This was not done as punishment for any particular offenseindeed, he was blithely unaware of their offenses against his staffbut because he had determined his own brief encounters with Lily had exhausted her. He had no doubt she would disagree with his estimation, which further supported his decision not to include her in making it.

The boys knew, though, that she had been awake long enough to get herself out of bed and into trouble and that she had been served her first meal. Such particulars as they had about her condition were courtesy of one of the maids, and they were fairly dancing with excitement to see Lily when they applied to Sherry for permission to do so.

Sheridan was not optimistic that they would obey him, so he was pleasantly surprised when he found them huddled outside the door to her room the following morning. He was certain one of them had had an ear pressed to the door a moment before hed stepped into the hallway. They came to attention rather too quickly to have been applying themselves to some good purpose.

Sherry subjected them each to a careful examination. They were clean, if not polished. Tucked in, if not neatly pressed. They had parted their hair crookedly, but that was less important than the fact that they had combed it. It was a good effort by three children who had not seen the sense of it before.

Impressive, Sherry said. He could see the compliment pleased them, but they were far too anxious to offer more than an uneasy smile.

Do ye think shell know us? Midge asked. Dash ere thinks we look like toffs an she wont see us for oo we are.

Sherry gave them all a second critical glance. I do not like to disagree with Master Dash, but I believe you have not yet achieved membership in the Brummel set.

They regarded him blankly.

It means she will recognize you.

Oh, then yer lordship should ave said that.

I thought I did, Sherry said, but his comment was meant more for himself than for them. Is Dr. Harris with her?

Pinch nodded. Es been in there ever so long. Wot do ye make of it?

I expect its because he is thorough.

We should go in, Dash said. E might need us to fetch something. To support this point, he added, You did.

I am certain Harris has all his medicines and tools in his bag.

Dash looked as if he might object, but laughter from inside the room arrested his attention. Oh, she will pop er stitches for sure. On no account should e make er laugh like that.

Sherry was inclined to agree, though he also had the unexpected and unwelcome thought that if there was going to be laughter, then it should be he, not the physician, who aroused it. Unwilling to make that notion the subject of contemplation, Sherry placed his hand on the doorknob. It turned under his palm without effort from him.

Harris opened the door wide. So it is just as we thought, he said. Four of them come to beg an audience.

Four? It was not what Lily thought. She had anticipated only three. When the physician stepped to one side, she saw Sheridan was with the boys. Lest the children doubt that she was happy to see them, she thrust aside her regret that they were not alone and opened her arms wide.

She will be overrun, Sherry said to the doctor as the boys bounded for the bed.

Harris turned to observe the reunion. All three boys clam-bered onto the bed, and all of them stopped short of throwing themselves into that welcoming embrace. It appears your worries are without foundation. The lads show remarkably good sense.

Sherry had to admit that they did. Instead of dropping like felled trees, they wound themselves around her as gently as ivy. Pinch got the half circle of her right arm, Dash and Midge the left. It was impossible to know who was truly clinging to whom, and Sherry concluded that in the end it was of no consequence. One was vine. The other lattice. He supposed it was the need of one for the other that was important.

Makes me quite envy them, Harris said glancing sideways from the affecting scene on the bed to Sheridan. I didnt think that was possible.

It made Sherry feel like an intruder as well. He tilted his head toward the hall and indicated they should both step outside. When the doctor followed, he closed the door.

I have missed you terribly, Lily said.

We wasnt the ones gone away, Pinch reminded her. Ye left us.

I suppose I did.

Owd ye let im stick ye, Midge asked. Ye always was as light on yer feet as I am wi my fingers. He held five digits up for her inspection and wiggled them. So owd it appen?

He didnt stick me.

No, Dash said. Pull the other one, its got bells on.

Lily lowered Midges hand and held up her own. I swear its true. Do you think Id allow a macaroni like him to plunge his shiv in me?

Dash giggled. E is a toff, right enough, but not a bad sort. Still, I didnt believe e was innocent, even when it looked like e was elpin ye, I was wonderin if e still meant to finish wot e started at the Garden.

Thats why we stayed wi ye, Pinch said. In case e decided to try an make a proper job of it. Slept right ere in this room every night but last.

Why not last night?

E forbid it.

Lilys head lifted along with the eyebrows. You thought he might still mean to kill me, but you stayed away because he forbid it ?

Well, e as a way about im that ye dont want to cross, Pinch admitted sheepishly. And we was comin to trust im a little.

Lily knew precisely what Pinch meant. Its all right. She gave his narrow shoulders a light squeeze. I dont think hes a bad sort either. He seems to have treated you well.

Except for the proper drubbin, Midge said. There was no cause for im to ave us scrubbed until we was as white as the Dover Cliffs.

Youve never been to Dover, Midge.

No, but I eard ye tell about it. The cliffs are fair to gleamin in the sun, you said, and so were we. Everyone stared.

She laughed. What torture has been inflicted on you poor boys. You have my deepest sympathies, but you will find them insufficient to release you from telling me what you were doing in Covent Garden that night.

Wot night? Dash asked.

Lily caught him by the chin and made him look at her. It was enough.

Oh, that night.

Hmmm. Why were you there? I thought I had your promise. She glanced at each of the others. And yours. And yours, too.

Ye did, Dash said. But we give our word to Ned Craven as well. E ad need of us that night. Said we should find a mark wi a quid that wouldnt be missed.

Ned? Then why was he She stopped herself from asking the impulsive question and chose another tack. Did Craven say why he needed a quid?

Dash shrugged. Why does e ever? Drink or gamin.

Ores, Midge said. Sometimes its ores.

Thank you, Midge, Lily said wryly. I will speak to Craven about releasing you from your word. You can depend upon it. Even if the boys were able to secure employment with Sheridan, there were hundreds more like them in Holborn for Craven to exploit. She could manage perhaps another three or four under her protection. So Lord Sheridan was the mark you chose.

It was Pinch who nodded. I fancied im to be good for the quid. We all did. Couldnt expect wot come of it. though. That was a bit of an eyepopper, seein you fall on im that way.

For me also, Lily said.

So owd ye get stuck? Pinch asked.

Inattention, Pinch.

But ow?

And oo? asked Midge. If it wasnt imself wot did it, then oo?

So they hadnt seen everything; she had wondered. Then she wondered if they would tell her. Mayhap silence was best for all of them. I have nothing else to say on the matter until Ive spoken to his lordship. She ruffled Dashs flaxen hair with her fingertips. Tell me about him. What title does he possess?

Es a viscount.

How do you know?

E told us the day we come ere. I think we must ave tweaked im proper because e puffed imself up a bit and told us e was the Viscount Sheridan. Midge was impressed, but I knew it wasnt the same as if e was a duke.

Lily could only imagine Sheridans chagrin if he heard the boys talking now. Well, it is still an important title. Have you learned his name?

Pinch looked puzzled. Lord Sheridan. Thats wot they all call him.

That is like you calling me Miss Rose when my name is Lily. She saw their eyes dart away and their heads bow. Yes, I know about that. Never mind, it is done with. You will continue to call me Miss Rose, and we will not speak of the other again. I only mention it because it is a respectful address in the same manner Lord Sheridan is a respectful address. He has another name. Norbert Pennywright perhaps. Or Neville George Whittington.

William Toplofty, Pinch said.

Simon James Toggery, Dash said.

Not to be outdone, Midge offered, Arthur Macaroni.

They rolled away from Lily, holding their sides as they laughed at their own delicious wickedness.

Actually, came the smooth voice from the doorway, it is Alexander Henry Grantham.

There was immediate silence. Unlike the boys, Lily did not blush. She regarded Sheridan with perfect frankness and was emboldened by the presence of the children to take him to task. Do you find knocking a terrible inconvenience?

He raised a single brow at the chilly tone she adopted. In my own home, yes.

Eavesdroppers hear no good of themselves.

I was not eavesdropping. None of you noticed me standing here.

You might have announced yourself.

I thought that is what I just did. Alexander Henry Grantham, Viscount Sheridan. I shall keep that appellation, I think, though I admit to some fondness for Arthur Macaroni.

Midge burrowed his flaming face in a pillow.

We didnt mean yer lordship offense by it, Pinch said. It was all in the way of fun.

Do you think Im offended? Sherry asked.

Dash felt like burying his head with Midge, but he risked a glance in Sheridans direction. Ow would we know? Ye always look like ye do now.

The irony of Dashs observation was that it had a powerful effect on Sheridans countenance. He blinked widely, boggle eyed. Even the line of his taut jaw became a fraction slack. His nostrils flared and his lips parted. From somewhere under his intricately tied neckcloth a wave of red color washed over him and settled most distinctly in the tips of his ears.

Now it was Lily who clutched her side as the laughter she could not hope to restrain truly threatened to burst her stitches.

Watching her, the niggling thought returned to Sherry that it was no hardship to play the fool. Her laughter did not disturb him in the least this time. As was often the case, he reflected, ones disposition could be favorably bent by which side of the door one was on. He liked being on this side.

Sherry walked to the foot of the bed just as Midge was crawling out from under the covers and Lily was knuckling tears from her eyes. Midge handed her a corner of the sheet he had tucked in his hand.

Dont you have a handkerchief, Master Midge? Sherry asked.

Yes, mlord, but its mine. He glanced apologetically at Lily. Were not allowed to use our sleeves ere. Dunnet cuffs us if we do.

Lily glanced sharply at Sheridan and he raised his hands, palms out. This is the first Ive heard of blows being struck.

The boys laughed in unison, but it was Dash who explained the reason for it. E dont swipe at us ard. Miss Rose ugs us arder than Dunnet pops us.

Now it was Sherry who gave Lily the significant glance. Please give Miss Rose your handkerchief, Master Midge. It is always the politic thing to do to offer a lady ones handkerchief.

E means its good form, Pinch said. Go on.

Midge retrieved his handkerchief and looked at it rather longingly before holding out it to Lily. Thank you, she said gravely. It is enormously kind of you. Unfolding it, she couldnt help notice its crisp and pristine condition. And so clean.

Midges shrug had overtones of guilt. I mostly use my sleeve. Aint comfortable blowin my nose in something wots so pretty.

Lily was able to use the handkerchief to shield her smile as she dabbed at her eyes, but Sherry had to be more circumspect. He studied the carving on the walnut headboard beyond Lilys right shoulder and worked very hard at not catching her eye.

When Lily was finished, she folded the handkerchief carefully and began to return it to Midge. Before he took it, the boy looked to Sheridan for direction.

You may tell her to keep it, or take it back for yourself. If it makes a difference, I will see to it that you get another.