The Rake's Handbook (27 page)

Watch for Sally Orr's next Regency adventure

When a Rake Falls

Coming soon from Sourcebooks Casablanca

Lord Boyce Parker felt a sudden urge to sing. The wooden plat
form grew smaller as the balloon gained altitude. Seconds later, the fields and hedgerows below resembled the irregular squares of a mottled green chessboard.

“We must land and soon,” the girl said. “Once I get you safely on the ground, we have plans for some scientific experiments today.”

“But I hired this balloon to go to France.”

“No! Time is of the essence. The valve must be opened.” She squinted like she was studying the best way to reach the draw line controlling the valve. Leaning forward as if to attack, she widened her stance.

Her actions caught him off guard, and he crouched in anticipation of repelling her charge.
Who would move first?
He returned her narrow-eyed stare.

She jumped forward to her left. He leaped to his right.

At the last second, she dove past him and attempted to grab the line. Picking her up by the waist, he carried her to the opposite end of the swaying basket and held her there. Squirming to free herself, she only managed to turn sideways. “You're a madman.”

“Beg pardon?”

“Who but a madman would…
sing
all the way up?”

A big thank-you to all of the RWA contest judges for their comments on this story. Special recognition to Christie Ridgway, Nicola Cornick, and Caroline Linden for their generous advice. I'd also like to thank the wonderful Chris Sterner, Wendy Kitchen, and Susan Winer for their invaluable assistance.

Sally Orr, PhD, worked for thirty years in medical research, specializing in gene discovery. One day a cyber-friend challenged her to write a novel. Since she is a hopeless Anglophile, it's not surprising that her first book is a Regency romance. She lives with her husband in San Diego, surrounded by too many nonfiction books and not enough old English cars.