meaning of this?" Mary demanded, directing her comment at the Lord Admiral, knowing full well this was his doing, for William would never think of bringing such a person anywhere near their home.
"My lady," he began, clearing his throat and shuffling about much as he had the first time he and William had called at her father's house all those years ago. He shook his head and continued, "Mary, I need your help with this girl." Mary's eyes must have grown wide with alarm as the scandalous implication of his request hit her. All too quickly, he started sputtering, "No, it's not like you think ... she's not ... it's just that she's critical to the Admiralty, and we need her to ..."
Baxter let out a small, threatening growl.
The girl ignored the dog. "What this mackerel-mouthed fool is trying to tell ye, milady," she said with an insolent shrug toward the Lord Admiral, "is that 'e wants you to make me into a lady."
Mary's mouth dropped open, and she looked to her husband for confirmation at this outlandish proposal.
William nodded mutely.
"A lady?" she managed to whisper, before she sank into the closest chair. Her gaze fluttered up to William's flushed face.
The Lord Admiral knelt before her. "Mary, it's been a long time since I've asked anything of you, but on this we need your help. This woman has the power to identify a heinous criminal who has taken refuge amidst the
ton.
With your help and your sensibility, she could make a brief entrance into society and complete her work. I wouldn't ask this of you if there wasn't so much at stake."
"Certainly you must be joking?" Mary's gaze returned to their other guest, who sat with one leg propped up on the arm of the chair and her arms crossed over her chest. She turned back to the Lord Admiral. "Why don't you take her to your house? Priscilla has a much better chance of launching her than I ever would. You know I've been out of society for years now."
"My dear cousin hasn't your ... your nerve, Mary. Besides, this venture requires delicate handling," he said, leaving out what Mary knew to be the truth of the matter — Priscilla would never keep her mouth shut or allow such an obvious piece of baggage into their stately Pall Mall house. There was also the other reason — the Lord Admiral's daughter and only child, Eustacia, was making her entrance this Season.
The last thing the widowed Lord Admiral would want was to have anything mar his precious daughter's entrance and acceptance by the creme de society.
The Lord Admiral rose and cleared his throat. "I think it would be more convincing if you were to present her as a long-lost cousin perhaps or a godchild in need of sponsorship. Few would doubt your kindness or your veracity."
Mary wasn't all that convinced. "Surely you aren't asking us to take her in? To have her live with us?" This she directed at her husband.
William shrugged, obviously still unable to speak.
That wasn't the case with their other guest.
"This is a cracker idea if ever there was one." The woman got up, and Mary was loath to even look at the damage done to the needlepoint cushions. "There ain't no way none of the quality is going to take me for a lady, and I don't think I cotton to spending time with the likes of those blokes either." She crossed the room and held out her grimy paw for Mary.
To Mary's utter shock, manacles hung from the girl's narrow wrists, bound together with a short chain.
A criminal? This girl was a criminal?
Too stunned to even consider what she was doing, Mary took the proffered hand, her eyes riveted on the sturdy iron links.
Calluses closed around her own manicured fingers, and the woman pumped her arm enthusiastically, while the chains rattled their own grim tune.
"Sorry for bothering you, milady. They thought you could help me and that I could help them in turn. I can see from your face, this is a bleedin' crazy idea. Me a lady!" The girl laughed, a bitter little sound, as if being a lady was akin to getting to
"My lady," he began, clearing his throat and shuffling about much as he had the first time he and William had called at her father's house all those years ago. He shook his head and continued, "Mary, I need your help with this girl." Mary's eyes must have grown wide with alarm as the scandalous implication of his request hit her. All too quickly, he started sputtering, "No, it's not like you think ... she's not ... it's just that she's critical to the Admiralty, and we need her to ..."
Baxter let out a small, threatening growl.
The girl ignored the dog. "What this mackerel-mouthed fool is trying to tell ye, milady," she said with an insolent shrug toward the Lord Admiral, "is that 'e wants you to make me into a lady."
Mary's mouth dropped open, and she looked to her husband for confirmation at this outlandish proposal.
William nodded mutely.
"A lady?" she managed to whisper, before she sank into the closest chair. Her gaze fluttered up to William's flushed face.
The Lord Admiral knelt before her. "Mary, it's been a long time since I've asked anything of you, but on this we need your help. This woman has the power to identify a heinous criminal who has taken refuge amidst the
ton.
With your help and your sensibility, she could make a brief entrance into society and complete her work. I wouldn't ask this of you if there wasn't so much at stake."
"Certainly you must be joking?" Mary's gaze returned to their other guest, who sat with one leg propped up on the arm of the chair and her arms crossed over her chest. She turned back to the Lord Admiral. "Why don't you take her to your house? Priscilla has a much better chance of launching her than I ever would. You know I've been out of society for years now."
"My dear cousin hasn't your ... your nerve, Mary. Besides, this venture requires delicate handling," he said, leaving out what Mary knew to be the truth of the matter — Priscilla would never keep her mouth shut or allow such an obvious piece of baggage into their stately Pall Mall house. There was also the other reason — the Lord Admiral's daughter and only child, Eustacia, was making her entrance this Season.
The last thing the widowed Lord Admiral would want was to have anything mar his precious daughter's entrance and acceptance by the creme de society.
The Lord Admiral rose and cleared his throat. "I think it would be more convincing if you were to present her as a long-lost cousin perhaps or a godchild in need of sponsorship. Few would doubt your kindness or your veracity."
Mary wasn't all that convinced. "Surely you aren't asking us to take her in? To have her live with us?" This she directed at her husband.
William shrugged, obviously still unable to speak.
That wasn't the case with their other guest.
"This is a cracker idea if ever there was one." The woman got up, and Mary was loath to even look at the damage done to the needlepoint cushions. "There ain't no way none of the quality is going to take me for a lady, and I don't think I cotton to spending time with the likes of those blokes either." She crossed the room and held out her grimy paw for Mary.
To Mary's utter shock, manacles hung from the girl's narrow wrists, bound together with a short chain.
A criminal? This girl was a criminal?
Too stunned to even consider what she was doing, Mary took the proffered hand, her eyes riveted on the sturdy iron links.
Calluses closed around her own manicured fingers, and the woman pumped her arm enthusiastically, while the chains rattled their own grim tune.
"Sorry for bothering you, milady. They thought you could help me and that I could help them in turn. I can see from your face, this is a bleedin' crazy idea. Me a lady!" The girl laughed, a bitter little sound, as if being a lady was akin to getting to
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