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Eleanora broke free from Jack’s arms. ‘What are you laughing at, Nancy?’
‘I’m sorry. I was imagining Lady Carey’s expression if she could see us now. She would be shocked to the core.’
Gervase laid his hand on her arm, his fingers stroking the tiny area of exposed skin between her gloves and her shawl. ‘But she is not here now, Nancy.’
Nancy slapped his hand. ‘No, Gervase, but that’s not the way to behave and you know it. I’m not a naïve country girl, as you might think, so don’t treat me like a simpleton.’
He withdrew his hand. ‘I’m sorry, Nancy. I will try to resist your charms. No doubt you will put me in my place if I forget myself.’
She nodded. ‘Yes, Gervase. You may count on that.’
They dined at The George on the Strand but the company grew rowdy as the evening progressed. Gervase and Jack had been drinking heavily and Eleanora was quite tipsy, but Nancy had only sipped her wine. She was growing anxious and beginning to regret her rash decision to accompany them. An evening at Poppleton’s ball was not the most exciting prospect but at least she would have been chaperoned and seen back to the Academy at a reasonable hour. The clock on the wall showed that it was nearly midnight but Gervase ignored her repeated pleas to be taken back to Miss Maughfling’s.
‘If you want to stay here, will you at least get a cab to take us to Regent’s Park?’ Nancy demanded, in a last attempt to get some sense from either Gervase or Jack.
‘Don’t be a spoilsport,’ Eleanora said, giggling. ‘You are beginning to sound like old Sharp.’
Gervase slipped his arm around Nancy’s waist and drew her to him. She struggled but he tightened his grasp and his lips claimed hers in a drunken kiss. She twisted free and leaped to her feet. ‘Take me home now, Gervase.’
He looked up at her, grinning foolishly. ‘You can’t walk that far, sweetheart. You wouldn’t get two steps along the Strand without someone snatching you up for their pleasure.’
She raised her hand and slapped his face. He rose to his feet, his face contorted with anger.
‘That was a foolish thing to do, my love.’ He seized her in his arms but she struggled to free herself.
‘Let me go!’
‘Here, mister, do as the young lady says.’ A large hand clamped on Gervase’s shoulder. ‘Are you listening to me, cully?’
Gervase released her so suddenly that Nancy staggered backwards, saving herself from falling by clutching at a table. ‘Jedidiah?’
The burly butcher gazed at her in surprise. ‘Miss Nancy?’
‘You remember me?’
A wry smile curved his lips. ‘I never forget a face, nor a voice. Your lady had a fine voice, as I recall, and you was with her in Clare Market.’
‘Yes, I was, and you saved us from being pelted with rotten fruit and tomatoes.’
Gervase shook himself and squared up to Jedidiah. ‘What business is this of yours, my man? This is between the lady and myself.’
‘She don’t seem that enamoured of you, cully.’ Jedidiah placed Nancy behind him. ‘You ain’t no gent if you try to force yourself on a young girl.’
‘You should try minding your own damn business.’
‘I’m making it my business.’ Jedidiah fisted his large hands. ‘Want to come outside?’
Jack released Eleanora from a passionate embrace. ‘What’s going on here, Gervase? Is this fellow causing trouble?’
‘Mr Wilkins, I think you’d better leave us,’ Nancy said in a low voice. ‘I don’t want any unnecessary fuss.’
Jedidiah shook his head. ‘Looks like you got it anyway, Miss Nancy. I got me cart out the back. It ain’t no fancy wagon but my old horse will get you home, wherever that is now.’
‘I’m at Miss Maughfling’s Academy in the Outer Circle of Regent’s Park, Jedidiah. It’s a long way from Clare Market.’
‘I’ll see you safely there, and the other young lady, too. If she’s a mind to sit in the back of a butcher’s cart.’
Eleanora waved him away. ‘I’d sooner walk. Jack will take care of me, won’t you, my love?’
