Page 11 of Outrageous

“You seem an enterprising man; I daresay you’d contrive something.”

“What I will contrive is a great degree of amusement when you are caught, my lady. Trust me: I’m hardly likely to wander off too soon and miss that show. You have my word as a gentleman that I will not try to escape.”

She chewed her lip, something he was beginning to realize indicated cogitation. “Take off your boots.”

Godric did not believe he’d heard her correctly. “I beg your pardon?”

She raised the pistol.

“Why?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“You’ll hardly try something stupid in the middle of nowhere in stocking feet.”

He looked out the window at the gathering clouds. “It is going to rain.”

“Well, then I recommend you complete your, er, business without tarrying.”

“I gave you my word as a gentleman.”

“I don’t care—I am not a gentleman.”

The chaise shuddered to a halt and then rocked as somebody leapt off. When the door opened he was not surprised to see the boy, James.

He glanced from Godric to the girl and frowned, his pleasant face hardening. “Did he try something with you, my lady?”

“No, I’m merely waiting for him to take off his boots.”

The boy’s lips silently repeated what she’d said and he squinted at her. “But . . . why?”

“Good God, James, so he won’t run. Look at him; that is exactly what he is thinking.”

Godric smiled. “Actually, I was thinking how much I need a piss.”

She flinched as if he’d struck her.

“Here then, your lordship,” the boy said, his face flushed. “That kind of language isn’t—”

“If you want your piss, you’d better take off your boots.” Eva glanced at her watch, which hung from a plain leather fob. “You have one minute to take them off before we recommence our journey.”

The boy shifted. “Um, my lady—”

“Hush,” the little witch said, never taking her eyes from Godric.

He toed at the heel of one boot, giving the appearance of struggling. “My feet have swollen.” He gave her a significant look. “I daresay because I’ve been wearing boots all night. I can’t remove them.”

She motioned with the pistol. “Help him, James.”

Godric swiveled his legs toward the young giant. And when the boy reached for his boot, he kicked him right in the stomach.

Chapter 3

One minute Visel was moving like an old man with aches and pains, the next he’d kicked James faster than lightning and snatched the pistol right out of Eva’s hand.

But not before her finger contracted in surprise and she discharged a shot through the roof of the carriage. Visel leapt from the chaise faster than a man in his condition should have been able. Eva launched herself at his back but her fingers slid off the slick satin of his colorful cape and she landed on the edge of the door, clipping her chin and biting her tongue hard enough to draw blood and cloud her vision with pain and stars.

“Not so fast, my good man.”

She blinked her eyes clear in time to see Lord Visel take one of James’s arms and twist it behind his back until the big groom grunted with pain.