Free Temptress in Training by Susan Gee Heino

so she had nothing left for me.”
    â€œHell. If you wouldn’t have barged in on us up there earlier I…Say, you didn’t by any chance notice whether the little slut was wearing a rather fine piece of jewelry, did you?”
    â€œWhat? No, I didn’t see any jewelry. Can’t say I was particularly looking for any, if you know what I mean. Why?”
    â€œDamn chit stole from me, that’s all. No matter. I’ll get it back. I’ll find her.”
    â€œThat’s right. Let her rest up a bit for you, eh? So come, there are plenty more rabbits to be snared, Fitz. Let’s go set up some traps.”
    Fitzgelder muttered a string of uncommonly harsh profanity, yet Lindley did nothing but laugh over it. Still, he never gave a hint that Sophie and Miss Sands were hiding in this very room. In fact, his good-natured insistence that he and Fitzgelder go trolling for entertainment and pleasure elsewhere must have successfully swayed Fitzgelder into agreement.
    â€œHell, I deserve a night out after all this,” Fitzgelder remarked.
    â€œIndeed you do,” Lindley encouraged. “As I always say, when the time is right, one must disappear into the night.”
    â€œYou always say that, do you?”
    â€œOh, yes. Quite frequently.”
    â€œWell, I’ve never heard you say it.”
    â€œThere are a great many things you’ve not heard from me, my friend,” Lindley remarked. “Perhaps someday you will.”
    With that Fitzgelder grunted but allowed that a night out was in order. Nonchalant and as innocent as babes, the two men seemed in high spirits as they set off. It was not at all as if one had just boasted of rape and the other plotted murder only moments ago. Vile, terrible creatures. Sophie did not even want to know where they were going, just that they were gone.
    What on earth had Mr. Fitzgelder been saying about some jewelry? He claimed she had stolen it from him? Why, that was ludicrous. She’d never stolen in her life, and certainly not from an ogre like Fitzgelder. Why, he’d likely kill anyone who stole from him! Heavens, did he truly believe she had? This was dreadful.
    The women huddled silently until the last footstep faded away. Were the men gone? Sophie listened. The house was quiet around them.
    â€œI can’t let it happen,” Miss Sands whispered softly.
    â€œCan’t let what happen?” Sophie barely breathed in question.
    â€œRastmoor,” the actress said quickly, creeping out from behind the cabinet. “I’ve got to go warn him.”
    â€œWho on earth is Rastmoor?”
    â€œFitzgelder’s cousin; the man he plans to have murdered!”
    â€œOh, but Miss Sands! You certainly can’t mean to involve yourself in this business!”
    â€œI’ve been involved for years. Now come out. Your friend Lindley was right; this is the perfect opportunity to disappear into the night.”
    Sophie frowned. What on earth was Miss Sands getting them into? The woman would be dead wrong if she thought she could prevent what Mr. Fitzgelder had planned. And indeed, she was wrong about Lord Lindley, too.
    True, the time could very well be right to disappear into the night, but Sophie would never think of that man as her friend. All he would ever be to her was a liar and a very poor poet. And the man who likely stole her most expensive pantalets.
    Â 
    D AMN, BUT HE WISHED F ITZGELDER WAS DRUNK. T HE man was so much easier to control when he was well into his cups. For now though, at least, he had him out of the house. With luck, Miss Darshaw would heed his warning and take herself away from there while she had the chance. With even more luck, she wouldn’t entirely disappear. He should very much like to find her again, for various reasons.
    Just now, though, Lindley had his hands full enough. He led Fitzgelder to the carriage he’d arranged for him. Pray to God Eudora was holding up her end of