Flirtation with a Rogue by Jennifer Seasons

Author:Jennifer Seasons [Seasons, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: StoneHouse
Published: 2022-12-22T00:00:00+00:00

Jack jumped on top of Fox and made his way toward Camden Town. Careful to keep the gelding tightly reigned in, he traveled at a fast clip along the dirt roads of London’s busy streets. Barely remembering to grab a coat, he hastily buttoned the green velvet over his open shirt, cursing his thoughtlessness as passersby stared at his untamed appearance. With a self-deprecating smile, he thought to himself that he rather felt wild inside, so why shouldn’t he appear it on the outside?

Fox let out a loud snort and shied, sidestepping to the left. Hearing the high-pitched scream, Jack looked down to see a small child dart out in front of the big sorrel gelding and freeze, eyes huge with terror. Quickly gaining control of his horse, Jack slid smoothly off Fox’s back, grabbed the worn leather reigns, and reached out to the child.

The child continued to stare, large blue eyes glazed in terror. Thinking the little one couldn’t be more than two or three, Jack soothed Fox with a few quiet words, gave the reigns some length, and crouched down in front of the child. Filth covered it from head to toe, dirt was smudged liberally over its face and encrusted under its jagged nails. Barely covered in rags half rotten with age and lack of cleaning, Jack couldn’t tell if the child was a boy or girl. Blond hair hung in limp knots over its face and back. The foul smell of old urine emanated from its small, malnourished body.

Feeling his heart break a thousand times, Jack gently reached out and pushed a greasy strand of hair out of the child’s face and spoke softly, “Are you lost, little one? Where is your mama? Can you speak to me? My name is Jack, what’s yours?”

With a small jerk, the child turned frightened glass blue eyes toward him. Hungry eyes, he thought. Feeling his own eyes prick with moisture and his throat go tight, he tried not to frighten the child.

Such a beautiful little thing, he observed. Thin and small, but so precious. Taking a quick glance around to see if its parent was coming, and seeing nothing, he turned back to the child to find it studying him with a mixture of wariness and hope.

“What is your name, little one?” Jack tried again. After a long, long silence, a weak, ill-used voice said, “Tommy.” The sound came so sweet and angelic to Jack’s ears. Swallowing back boiling emotion, he nodded in encouragement. “Your name is Thomas?” Blue eyes stared warily as the child nodded his head in agreement.

He asked again about the child’s parents. “Where is your mother or your father, Thomas?”

The child only continued to stare, then lifted a small, fragile hand toward his gelding. A small bracelet dangled from the child’s tiny wrist. Trying not to alarm the child, Jack slowly reached toward the bracelet as he spoke to him, “You like my horse, Thomas? His name is Fox. I named him that because he’s the same color as a fox.

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