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they're only going to get louder."
Gazing into the small parlor facing the sea, Serena took note of the convivial party seated near the windows. Two handsome young nobles, their expressions amused, were sprawled in elegant languor observing two ladies' dramatic recitation.
"They just ordered up supper, too, so I'd say they're going to let them little dollies entertain them a trifle longer."
"I could just sit here in the hall," Serena suggested.
"Heavens no, child. There's not a speck of heat out here. Find yourself a spot in that corner near the fire." Fanny indicated the site with a quick lift of her chin. "If you sit nice and quiet, they won't be apt to take no notice. Rich rogues can be a danger to a young lass like you if'n you're not careful. And when Tad's done running for them fine gentry, I'll have him bring you a cup of soup and a bit of tea."
Serena's grateful thanks were casually brushed off by the landlady. And while the splendid young noblemen were engrossed in their ladies ' rendition of the newest ditty disparaging the Prince of Wales, Serena slipped into the secluded corner near the f i re.
Within short hours she'd be on board the ship that would take her to Florence, to her friends the Castellis, to an art school she'd always dreamed of attending ever since her mother had told her of all the renowned ateliers and collections in the city of her birth. Despite a ringing fatigue and hunger, she was comfortable and warm, protected from the rain that had just begun falling, ensconced in a cozy refuge f or the night. If she believed in luc k — a nd she did with the same gambler's spirit as her fathe r — s he'd be tempted to say her luck had finally turned.
******************
Sometime later she ate her soup and tea while the young bloods and their ladies consumed Fanny's best cut of beef and pudding and drank Champagne and laughed . . . and kissed. There was much kissing and more than that on occasion with the young ladies sitting on the gentlemen's lap from time to time. Serena tried not to loo k but the noisy, amorous repartee was in too close proximity to fully ignore.
The rain had been driving in sheets against the windows tor some time and between kisses and giggles and f lirtatious petting, the conversation had occasionally centered on whether they would all stay the night or begin the journey back to London. The dark-haired buck didn't seem to mind ;f they went or stayed. And while he kissed the lady clinging to him, he did it idly, like a man with other things on his mind.
As the heat from the f i re seeped through Serena's tired senses, her eyes began drifting shut and the amusements of the party from London seemed to enter her consciousness f ro m a great distance. Until a giggling shriek jerked her awake and a swift glance was enough to know she shouldn't look again no matter the instinctive impulse. The fair-haired blade, roaring drunk and laughing, was sliding the gown f rom his paramour's shoulders and it appeared as though he were intent on making love to her, public venue or not.
"You might want to shut the door, Charlie, unless you're in an exhibitionist mood," Beau mildly said.
"Sha'it yourself."
"Char l ie-e-e," Lizzie fretted, her remonstrance ending in a giggle as the Marquis of Albington licked a path downward between her breasts. Then she softly moaned, her eyes drifted shut, and her hands came up to hold his head to her breast, the compelling sensations of his mouth on her nipple apparently overcoming any reservations she might have had.
"It appears we're about to be entertained," Beau lazily drawled, clearing the filled glasses from the tabletop in his immediate vicinity.
"Wake up the judge!" The cry from the street outside was dimly heard, and a second later, the front door of the Pelican crashed open. A rain-soaked man burst through the portal, shouting, "Wake up the judge!" his voice like a crash of thunder in the candlelit room. "Fanny, where the hell are you?" he
Gazing into the small parlor facing the sea, Serena took note of the convivial party seated near the windows. Two handsome young nobles, their expressions amused, were sprawled in elegant languor observing two ladies' dramatic recitation.
"They just ordered up supper, too, so I'd say they're going to let them little dollies entertain them a trifle longer."
"I could just sit here in the hall," Serena suggested.
"Heavens no, child. There's not a speck of heat out here. Find yourself a spot in that corner near the fire." Fanny indicated the site with a quick lift of her chin. "If you sit nice and quiet, they won't be apt to take no notice. Rich rogues can be a danger to a young lass like you if'n you're not careful. And when Tad's done running for them fine gentry, I'll have him bring you a cup of soup and a bit of tea."
Serena's grateful thanks were casually brushed off by the landlady. And while the splendid young noblemen were engrossed in their ladies ' rendition of the newest ditty disparaging the Prince of Wales, Serena slipped into the secluded corner near the f i re.
Within short hours she'd be on board the ship that would take her to Florence, to her friends the Castellis, to an art school she'd always dreamed of attending ever since her mother had told her of all the renowned ateliers and collections in the city of her birth. Despite a ringing fatigue and hunger, she was comfortable and warm, protected from the rain that had just begun falling, ensconced in a cozy refuge f or the night. If she believed in luc k — a nd she did with the same gambler's spirit as her fathe r — s he'd be tempted to say her luck had finally turned.
******************
Sometime later she ate her soup and tea while the young bloods and their ladies consumed Fanny's best cut of beef and pudding and drank Champagne and laughed . . . and kissed. There was much kissing and more than that on occasion with the young ladies sitting on the gentlemen's lap from time to time. Serena tried not to loo k but the noisy, amorous repartee was in too close proximity to fully ignore.
The rain had been driving in sheets against the windows tor some time and between kisses and giggles and f lirtatious petting, the conversation had occasionally centered on whether they would all stay the night or begin the journey back to London. The dark-haired buck didn't seem to mind ;f they went or stayed. And while he kissed the lady clinging to him, he did it idly, like a man with other things on his mind.
As the heat from the f i re seeped through Serena's tired senses, her eyes began drifting shut and the amusements of the party from London seemed to enter her consciousness f ro m a great distance. Until a giggling shriek jerked her awake and a swift glance was enough to know she shouldn't look again no matter the instinctive impulse. The fair-haired blade, roaring drunk and laughing, was sliding the gown f rom his paramour's shoulders and it appeared as though he were intent on making love to her, public venue or not.
"You might want to shut the door, Charlie, unless you're in an exhibitionist mood," Beau mildly said.
"Sha'it yourself."
"Char l ie-e-e," Lizzie fretted, her remonstrance ending in a giggle as the Marquis of Albington licked a path downward between her breasts. Then she softly moaned, her eyes drifted shut, and her hands came up to hold his head to her breast, the compelling sensations of his mouth on her nipple apparently overcoming any reservations she might have had.
"It appears we're about to be entertained," Beau lazily drawled, clearing the filled glasses from the tabletop in his immediate vicinity.
"Wake up the judge!" The cry from the street outside was dimly heard, and a second later, the front door of the Pelican crashed open. A rain-soaked man burst through the portal, shouting, "Wake up the judge!" his voice like a crash of thunder in the candlelit room. "Fanny, where the hell are you?" he
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