Page 10 of Rules for a Bastard Lord
She sniffed and stomped around Mr. Hallowsby. He was giving her a bemused expression, but she turned her back on him. Sadly, that only made her spine tingle with awareness, though she focused totally on the Cockney Viking.
“They’s good Christian possets ’ere. For ’eadache, for fever, for a laidy’s increasing pain.” She shot Lady Linsel a glare.
“Oi don’t need that,” said the Viking.
“And carrots. Do you need carrots?”
“I loike carrots well enough, but I don’t mean to be paying for them.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Well, I’m selling them. And I won’t tell you aught about the lockbox unless you buy every single piece of it. Basket too.” The basket was a last second inspiration, but she counted it worth a shilling at least. “There’s quality goods in there. Great for whatever ails you, even if it’s hunger. Especially if it’s hunger.”
“I don’t need any old lady possets!”
“But you do need the lockbox, and I know where ’tis.”
Lady Linsel threw up her hands. “She knows nothing!”
Lord Linsel huffed. “Because there is no lockbox!”
“One guinea for the lot.”
“I don’t ’ave a guinea,” the man growled.
A low voice interrupted, the words laced with humor. “Course you do, Jeremy. You love flashing that gold.”
The Viking looked up and glared. And after a furious gesture at his men, the pair stopped looking at her carrots and re-aimed their pistols at Mr. Hallowsby.
“What are you going to do?” Mr. Hallowsby taunted. “Even up here, there’s law. The innkeeper’s seen you by now. And his children. There’s folks in the street too. It’s a beautiful afternoon. Everybody’s out. You planning on shooting everyone? Pay the woman, and then leave us be.”
“Bram!” Lord Linsel cried.
“Dicky,” Mr. Hallowsby responded. “You paid me to get you safe and sound to Scotland. I’m trying to do that, so shut up and let me handle things.”
“Not when you’re—”
“A guinea,” Maybelle interrupted. She had to, or the men would start squabbling like chickens. “And another for the basket.”
“Wot!”
She lifted her chin. “Keep wasting my time, and it’ll be a guinea per carrot.”
“I’m not paying that!”
“Then I’ll be on my way, and you’ll never find that lockbox. Not in a million years.” It was a lie. Even these brutes likely knew how to search a room.
The Viking glared at her. Then it became a glower. She didn’t even blink. If she had to deal with this nonsense on her last day in this town, then he would damn well make it worth her while.
It worked. With a curse, Jeremy pulled out his purse. “I don’t have two guineas,” he groused.
Maybelle could see he had one guinea and several other coins.
“Your men have purses, don’t they?” she challenged.
They did, but they were loath to hand over their coin. Until Jeremy kicked one. “Your sis is increasing, ain’t she? Think she’d like a potion?”
The other one nodded slowly. “It’s ’er birthday Tuesday.”
Maybelle smiled. “There you go. Drop it in boiling water. Let her smell the steam, and then drink it. Wonderful soothing.”
