Page 89 of What's an Earl Gotta Do?
They had almost reached the end of the courtyard when a door opened. A thin, fair-haired man who was only an inch or two shorter than Michael came ambling down the steps.
The man started at their presence. “Who’re you? What’re you doing here?” he growled.
Anne buried her face in Michael’s shoulder. Her grip on his arm was steel. He knew what she was trying to remind him—act casual and keep to their plan. God, how he hated doing this, hated referring to Anne in the terms he was about to use.
“Nothing much,” he said, trying to sound tipsy and unconcerned. “Just looking for somewhere to take this prime article.” He gave Anne a squeeze.
The man turned to Anne. “Say, I ain’t seen her before. I like a Long Meg, I do, but they’re hard enough to find. Most bunters ain’t tall enough for a Tuppenny Upright. I fancy you know what I mean, being a jack of legs yourself.”
It took every ounce of Michael’s self-control not to throttle him. Anne squeezed his arm. Stay calm. He strove for a jovial tone as he replied, “Indeed I do.” It came out sounding a bit strangled, but the man didn’t seem to notice.
“Why don’t you take her around that corner?” The man nodded to the building behind them. “There’s a little alleyway, nice and private. I fancy a turn with her after you’ve done. As tall as she is, she’ll do nicely for me even up against the wall.”
“This one’s mine,” Michael snapped. “Why don’t you find someone else and take her inside?” He nodded toward the door through which the man had come.
“Because my boss is a right cunt, he is, and he won’t let me bring no one inside.”
“But he doesn’t mind you loitering in the alley, looking for a fancy piece?”
The man looked affronted. “Well, he ain’t there now.”
Michael was inching back toward the main street, ignoring Anne’s attempts to dig in her heels. “You can find someone to bring inside, then, can’t you?”
“I’m telling you, I can’t. If they tell him I brought a moll in there, he’ll skin me alive.”
Michael peered at him. “They? Who exactly are they?”
For a split second the man’s eyes went wide before he schooled his features. “N-never you mind. The point is, I ain’t had a swive in three days, and unless I can find a cat tall enough to do it up against the wall, I won’t be getting one.”
“Well, you’ll have to keep looking,” Michael snapped.
“Hey, now. Don’t be like that. Like I said, I’ll wait ’til you’ve finished with her. Head ’round that corner. You’ll find a nice spot. There’s a good fellow.”
Michael was debating the merits of strangling the man with his bare hands when he felt a sharp pinch on the inside of his arm. He glanced down at Anne.
Her expression was unmistakable, even in the near darkness. Don’t you dare. He gave her a petulant look, and she very subtly shook her head.
He drew in another breath. “Around the corner, you say?” He led Anne the direction the man had indicated, glad at least to be getting her away from that cretin.
Anne pulled him into a nook, then looped her arms around his neck and began kissing his jaw. “That was good, Michael,” she whispered. “Very convincing.”
“We’ve got to get out of here,” he muttered.
“Not yet. I wonder who’s hiding inside, who would tell on him to his boss? Let’s see if we can get him to say.”
“That could be anyone. It’s probably just his criminal associates. I don’t want you anywhere near him. We need to—”
“I say,” the man said, peeking around the corner, “here I was, coming to see if you was close to done, and what do I find but you haven’t even started! I’m on a tight schedule here, so get on with it.”
Anne buried her head in Michael’s chest to hide her face. “That’s more like it,” the lanky man said. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to check your progress.” He disappeared again.
“Anne!” Michael hissed. “We’re leaving. Now!”
“But Michael—"
“Now!” He grabbed Anne’s hand and pulled her deeper into the alleyway, only to find that the way was blocked by a pile of broken crates.
Cursing, Michael led Anne back the way they had come. “All done, then?” the lanky man asked. Michael didn’t respond but positioned himself between him and Anne as they hurried past.
