A Murder at Rosamund's Gate - By Susanna Calkins Page 0,22

said, ‘Nay, good sir! Do not bring the rope too near my throat. For I am,’ says he, ‘so ticklish about that place that I shall hurt myself, laughing so hard, that the rope will like to throttle me!’”

Everyone roared and clinked their pewter mugs. A strumpet snuggled beside Richard, slipping under his arm. When he put his arm around her waist, she smirked at the other girls, for Richard was easily one of the most handsome men there.

Yet a few minutes later, he came over to Lucy and poured more ale into her mug.

“Thank you.” She smiled up at him.

Richard caught her look and seated himself beside her on the long low bench. “Oh, little minx,” he said, taking a hearty swig of ale. “I did not catch your name. I’m Richard.”

Lucy murmured her name, her head beginning to swim from her three cups of ale. Richard covered her free hand with his and spoke in a caressing tone. “Lucy. What a lovely name to match a lovely face. Are you enjoying yourself, my little sweet?”

Not sure what to say, Lucy nodded and managed a tremulous smile. As the man began to whisper things in her ear that made her blush, she felt confused and stood up. The room wavered around her. She put her hand on the wall to steady herself, saying, “I think I’m off, then.”

Moving toward the door, Lucy paused as the room spun around her. Once she was outside, the fresh night air welcomed and soothed her, and she was glad to leave the noisy din behind. Shouts of laughter and music drifted from the house. She saw a man stride out of the main door, a woman following after him. Squinting, she sighed when she saw Adam and Judith Embry.

Lucy stepped quickly into the shadows of a gracious elm tree, so that she would not be seen. A chill breeze blew, reminding her she had left her wrap inside. Not wanting to return to the house just yet, she wrapped her hands around her bare arms.

Judith’s voice carried in the still air, allowing Lucy to catch snatches of their conversation. “Father, you know, believes—” Lucy heard Judith say, but her words were lost in the light wind that had arisen. Although unsure why, Lucy moved closer, keeping care to keep her figure hidden in the bushes.

Adam appeared to pull away slightly. “Yes, I’m well aware of what your father thinks.”

“Oh, Adam,” Judith continued. “You can do anything you want. Father doesn’t think lawyers really are too important.”

Hearing her brittle little laugh, Lucy shuddered.

“Indeed?” Adam asked idly, lazily.

This time, Judith seemed to sense that she had gone too far. “Oh, dear,” Judith said soothingly, caressing his arm. “I’ve made you angry, Adam. Come, let’s have a kiss and make up.”

Lucy watched as Adam regarded Judith. She could not tell what he was thinking. She wondered if he liked what he saw. He paused. “Why not?” she heard him say.

Averting her gaze, Lucy crept away, a deep dismay rising up inside her. Adam deserves better than her, she thought. As if on cue, her nose began to throb, painfully reminding her of the odd encounter with Adam on the stairs.

Suddenly desperate to go home, she stumbled away, only to quickly become disoriented as the fog grew heavier. Without a lantern, she could not find the path. A hand on her arm made her jump.

It was Richard. “Are you lost, my sweet?” he asked, smiling. “I know that I lost you, and I came out here to see if I could find you.”

“I was on my way home.”

“Home? Nonsense! The evening is still young! No one goes home until the morning chores are to be done! ’Tis the night for servants to frolic and play as lords! Come, be my lady, and sit with me a bit.”

Still smiling, Richard began to pull her toward the Embrys’ stable. She did not object when he put his arm firmly around her waist. When she stumbled over a root and his grip around her tightened, she heard him laugh, a deep sound that rumbled from his chest. She laughed, too, suddenly giddy. Richard opened the stable door, kicking aside some straw as they entered. Lucy halted in confusion, but he deftly maneuvered them inside.

For the second time that day, a man held her face in his hands. This time, however, his eyes did not meet hers, and he planted his lips hungrily on her mouth. He pulled the door shut