Wit and Witchery by Geraldine Burrows

Author:Geraldine Burrows
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Witch Romances, Psychic Romances, Regency Romances
Publisher: Glenarvon Press
Published: 2023-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

Sixteen

How far that little candle throws his beams!

So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

–Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

It seemed to Annis that finally their peril must be at an end, for she could not conceive that even the Red Queen of Covent Garden would employ mounted hirelings. Once Ryder had determined that pursuit was not forthcoming, he fixed Jamie with an icy stare and launched into a tongue-lashing about the perils of taking one’s ballocks into the boudoirs of grasping actresses.

Waxing wroth next on the subject of Annis, he snapped, “Not only are you a fool, Deverill, you’re a damned coward. You left your comrade in the hands of the enemy to save your own skin.”

Jamie looked so stricken that Annis could bear it no longer. “Leave off, my lord,” she said in a low voice.

“I’ll get to you next,” he snapped. “In the meantime, hold your tongue.”

But of course, she could do no such thing. “He didn’t wish to leave me, but I finessed him into a position where he had to.”

Ryder unbent somewhat. “Well, having been finessed by you a time or two myself, I suppose I can’t blame him. All right, Deverill, I’ve had my say.” He held out his hand. “Let’s call it quits, shall we?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Jamie returned the handshake, grinning ruefully.

Annis took advantage of the truce to direct a pointed question at their rescuer. “How did you manage to arrive when you did? Explain yourself, sir, or I shall begin to think you dabble in sorcery.” (An observation she’d not make lightly did Ryder but know it.)

He gave a low laugh. “No sorcery, just a series of well-planned maneuvers—none of which would have been necessary if you had told me the truth. As it was, you left me with the impression that you had taken up with a wastrel lover who was dunning you for money, not to mention causing you to nearly faint at your cousin’s dinner table. Now, this concerned me.”

Oh, I’ll wager it did, black knight, Annis thought, but you are no witch man to see the arcane truth of things.

“I had you followed by my grooms,” Ryder resumed. “They eventually returned with the startling intelligence that Mrs. Fulton had exited Camden House by way of a tree and repaired to London’s most notorious brothel in the company of a man who bore a strong resemblance to the Honorable Mr. Deverill.”

Annis and Jamie exchanged chagrinned looks. They’d had no inkling they were being followed.

“Naturally,” Ryder continued, “my curiosity was piqued. I repaired to Mrs. Barlow’s place to discover Jamie loitering out front. So I sent over my lads to request an interview.”

“That’s putting too mild a face on it,” Jamie countered wryly. “As I recall, your men dragged me into an alley where you threatened to throttle me unless I came across with news of Annis.”

“Be that as it may,” Ryder went on imperturbably, “I decided I had better go inside to see what was happening—which I did just in time to see you disappear into the kitchen with your tray and tankards.

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