When a Rogue Meets His Match - Elizabeth Hoyt Page 0,114
the dress fit her perfectly. “Oh, thank you, mortal, for my gift. May I ask why you are tramping through the wood without any shoes?”
“I’m searching for my husband, the fox,” said Bet. “Mistress Squirrel said you might have word of him.”
Mistress Bear snorted. “Long have I told the fox that his tricky ways would someday land him in trouble, and I was quite right. The Wolf holds your husband captive and threatens to kill him ere long. He lives not far from here.” The bear pointed the way.
“Thank you!” cried Bet.
She wore only her thin chemise now, and soon she was shivering, wrapping her arms around herself. How nice a fire would be! But Bet remembered the fox’s face and continued. Miles and miles she walked until at last she came to a clearing in the wood.
There stood a small, neat cottage made of stone. An enormous wolf paced back and forth in the clearing, and in front of the cottage was an iron cage.
The fox was inside.
The wolf snarled when he saw Bet. “Who are you, and why have you trespassed on my land?”
Bet dipped a shivering curtsy. “I am Bet, Sir Wolf, and I have come for my husband the fox.”
“This rogue?” the wolf sneered, waving at the fox trapped in the iron cage. “You’ve come in vain, then, for though you’ve found him, you’ll not have him long. The fox has been my enemy for years, playing tricks and mocking me. I shall cut off his head with an iron knife once the sun sets.”
Bet fell to her knees. “Please, Sir Wolf, stay your hand and show mercy to my husband.”
“Why should I?” growled the wolf.
“Because I love him,” Bet said.
“You love a creature like that?” demanded the wolf as he pointed at the fox. “But he’s sly and secretive and thinks too much of himself!”
Bet smiled despite her shivers and her aching feet. “Love is a wild thing—it goes where it will.”
“Humph,” said the wolf. “Well, I don’t know if I can let him go, no matter your pretty plea. He whispered in my wife’s ear, simply for mischief’s sake, and told her that if I truly loved her I’d give her the gold I was hiding.” He threw up his arms. “I don’t have any hidden gold!”
“That is easily mended.” Bet took her gold earrings from her ears and handed them to the wolf. “Give these to your wife and tell her that you had merely hidden them so as to surprise her.”
The wolf brightened. “You are as clever as your husband, but kinder. For your sake I will let him go.”
He waved his hand, and suddenly the iron cage was gone and the fox stood before Bet.
The fox took her hand and ran with her into the wood. They had only gone a little way before he stopped and turned into the redheaded man.
Then he frowned at her. “I told you never ever to go into the wood.”
Bet nodded. “Indeed you did.”
He looked at her chemise. “You’ve given away your blue dress.”
“Yes, I have.”
He frowned at her bleeding feet. “And your red shoes as well.”
She smiled and kissed him. “You are most observant.”
He sighed. “Not at all, for I never knew how much I loved you.”
“Didn’t you, Husband?” Bet laughed.
“I fear you are much wiser than me, my Bet.” He shook his head and bent to her to whisper in her ear. “And my name is Tom.”
—From Bet and the Fox
One month later
Messalina looked around the crowded ballroom. People were squashed together in their colorful best, the punch was perilously close to running out, and if she wasn’t mistaken, a married viscountess had just disappeared into the garden with a baronet.
In other words, her ball was a smashing success.
“Did you see Lady Hadley-Fields go out into the garden with Sir Simpson?” Lucretia muttered beside her.
“I think everyone saw it,” Messalina returned in a near whisper.
“Well, hopefully not Lord Hadley-Fields,” Lucretia replied. She took a sip of her punch. “I believe Quintus sneaked out while you were in conversation with Lord Chester.”
Messalina sighed. She’d been discussing funding a small boys’ grammar school in St Giles with Lord Chester, who owned suitable property. She wanted Sam to start as soon as possible so he could realize his dream of being a schoolmaster. It was just like Quintus to duck out when her back was turned.
“At least Julian is still here.” She nodded toward the far wall, where their brother leaned against a pillar, ignoring the