A Dangerous Ruse by Tilly Wallace

Author:Tilly Wallace
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ribbonwood Press

Thirteen

The council kept Sera busy over the next few days. She found herself on the outskirts of London stomping through pigsties and considering how to make their homes warmer to keep the pigs happy. Or she stood on the banks of the Thames to examine items thrown up by the action of the river that might have a magical residue attached to them.

On returning to her home one afternoon, Sera pulled off her hat and tugged the pins out of her hair. Then she scratched her scalp with both hands, working her nails into itchy spots. She had laboured all day out in the sun with the hat wedged on her head. No more, she decided. Let her skin be kissed by the sun, what did she care? Hats and parasols were inconvenient. All she needed was a lotion to spread on her skin so that she didn’t burn. She would give that some thought and brew a sample to test its effectiveness against the heat of the day.

Elliot crossed his arms and clucked his tongue. “It was a waste making you a duchess when most days, you come home looking like a filthy street urchin.”

Sera grinned at him, her long hair now tousled and hanging around her face. “I rather think I bring a breath of fresh air to the title.”

“That’s not fresh air I smell.” Elliot scrunched up his face.

Sera batted at him. “You’re just grumpy because I don’t have another midnight job for you. Something will come along, just wait. Have you had any more sightings of my shy visitor?”

Some weeks ago, Elliot had spotted a man staring at the house. Twice he had returned, each time circling closer but never knocking on the door. Nor had he yet attempted to break in through the kitchen.

“No. But I’ve got eyes watching for him. The local children are also enlisted and keen to provide guard duty.” He tapped the side of his nose, indicating one of his birdies would report in if the man returned.

It warmed Sera’s insides that the community had rallied around to protect her and watch her watcher. If he returned, they would discover him and determine whether he was friend or foe.

Inside the parlour, Sera found Inge bent over a piece of sewing in her lap. The low table had been dragged closer to her and held her open sewing box. A length of blue thread tried to escape over one side. Skeins of green sat together in the top tray. Beside her, a crumpled drawing perched on the arm of the chair. She appeared to be following a design of entwined flowers.

“Good afternoon, Inge. That is gorgeous work. What will you turn it into?” Sera flopped on the settee and pondered pulling off her boots and stockings.

The other woman glanced up, her smile turned to a frown at Sera’s dishevelled appearance. “It will be a reticule when I am finished. I like to design and sew. It keeps my mind and hands busy.”

“Really?” An idea sparked in Sera’s mind.

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