Page 41 of The Scholar's Key
Fabric rustled before Mrs. MacNall cursed under her breath.
“Rosa? Can you come in, please?” she called, and Percy nearly choked. There had been servants here the entire time. How easily they could have been caught! How did a woman afford servants? It seemed that mistresses were much better paid than Percy had ever imagined.
The work boots of a maid appeared now, and she helped Mrs. MacNall remove the trappings of her dress and then don attire that was more appropriate for the occasion.
Mrs. MacNall said nothing to her maid, humming a song instead, her voice rich and melodic. It soothed Percy somewhat, who would have been in a panic if it were not for Noah’s reassuring gaze upon her.
Finally, the woman walked out of the room, speaking to her lover again, in what Percy could only describe as purring. A strange jealousy began within her at the thought that Noah had been here with the woman, alone – until she remembered that he had left. For her.
The maid must have finished her tidying for she walked out of the room, hopefully to retire for the evening.
Lord Chesterham and Mrs. MacNall talked slightly longer until their voices trailed off, their footsteps coming closer, stopping outside the door, and suddenly the murmuring turned into heavy breathing and the whisper of fabric.
Oh, dear. Percy supposed she should have expected this. There was only one reason a man like Lord Chesterham would keep a mistress.
And it seemed they were going to be spectators for a show they hadn’t counted on.
CHAPTER15
This was agony.
Here he was, as close to Percy as he ever could have wanted to be, as close as he had only been in his dreams – and he was listening to another man seeking his satisfaction.
They had to get out of here. And they had to get outnow.
But first, they had to determine which bedroom Mrs. MacNall and Lord Chesterham would put to use.
At the moment, they were using the wall in the corridor, if the panting and groaning were telling.
“On the bed,” came the guttural command, and there were a few footsteps – away from where Noah and Percy were hiding. Thank goodness.
“Come, let’s go,” Noah whispered to Percy, scooting backward from under the bed, reaching a hand out to pull her with him. She took it, and when he finally had her out from under, he tried not to laugh at the dust covering her dark clothes.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pouch filled with coins, which he left on top of the bed before turning back to Percy. It wasn’t Mrs. MacNall’s fault that she was losing such a valuable gift.
Keeping Percy’s hand in his, he tugged her toward the window, lifting it up and then sliding out over the edge, grunting at the drop before he lifted his hands up toward her.
She swung one leg over the windowsill, and then froze when they heard a voice within— “Is something there?” Noah’s heart seemed to stop, but Percy didn’t hesitate as she jumped out, a sharp rip causing her momentum to slow. Her eyes widened but she landed in his arms before they looked up to see a large swath of her dress hanging out the window.
“Oh, dear,” she said, but then looked at him with a shrug. “Nothing to be done now, but we’d better go.”
Her scarf was askew, and he reached out, his fingers brushing the soft skin of her cheek as he straightened it over her hair, which would have been a sure giveaway if the light were to hit it just right.
Not that anyone would likely be watching for them right now, and Mrs. MacNall and Lord Chesterham were certainly otherwise occupied.
“Do you have the necklace?” he asked, and she nodded, lifting her hand to show him the box clutched within it.
“I’ve had it the whole time.”
“Good,” he said tersely. “Let’s go.”
They started down the street at a fast pace, although he made sure to slow enough to accommodate her skirts. Fortunately, she had worn good boots, and he had to commend her forethought, even if accompanying him had been foolhardy.
“Where are we going?” she asked, and he turned to her in surprise.
“I’m taking you home.”
“Not yet!” she protested. “We have to inspect the necklace.”
