people might truly believe that I would do such a thing.”
“The ones who suffered so foully at my club the other night, thanks to your poisoning, would have no trouble believing—”
Prudence cut him off by grabbing his arm, jerking him away from the table of refreshments and toward the balcony doors. She had no delusions about her strength. The only reason she managed to drag him out of the ballroom was because he let her. Since it suited her needs at the moment, she could only be grateful for his docility.
Prudence pulled him outside, shivered as the winter chill struck her skin, then led him along the wall of glass doors until they reached those leading into Lord Kindersley’s office. Ellie’s father didn’t like anyone in there, but it was too cold to stay outside, and she needed privacy for this confrontation.
“So, what plans have you for tonight?” Stephen asked as she entered the gloomy room and turned to face him. “You have already both started a riot and poisoned a large crowd. Perhaps you intend to start a fire to roast all of—”
“Please stop,” Prudence said wearily. She was not surprised by his irritation, but with all the troubles plaguing her, did not have the energy to fend it off. “I did not intend to start that riot. I was attempting to protect one of your serving women from a rather nasty client of yours.”
“I know.” Stockton’s mouth was a bit tight, but some of the tension had left his body. Prudence felt some relief at that. She was even happier to see the last of that tension leave him as she explained, “Neither did I intend to poison your patrons. The bottle of emetic must have fallen into the barrel while I was searching about for the lid on the floor. I did not realize that it had or I would have warned someone… Probably,” she added, because she wasn’t at all sure she would have. She had been so determined to see her father out of Ballard’s. She still was, for that matter.
“Emetic?” He grimaced with distaste at the realization of what had forced him to hang out his office window. “I take it the emetic was meant for your father?”
“Aye. Ellie suggested that perhaps getting him to refrain from imbibing would put an end to his gambling as well. It seemed plausible, so…” She shrugged.
“Ellie? Eleanore Kindersley?”
“Aye.” She brightened slightly. “Do you know her?”
“She is the daughter of our host,” he pointed out gently. “And I do know that she is your friend.”
“Oh.” Prudence accepted the information, then, recalling a suggestion Eleanore had made earlier that day, managed a pleasant smile and raised her hand. “Well, I vow here and now, my lord, that you need no longer fear my disrupting the workings of Ballard’s. I will not attempt to gain entrance again.”
“Hmmm.” He considered her doubtfully. “Never again, eh?”
“Never
ever
,” Prudence teased lightly, mimicking Plunkett’s deep voice, and felt optimism rise within her when a reluctant smile began to pull at the corners of his mouth. Then he forced it away, a scowl coming in its place.
“You do realize that you have caused me a good deal of trouble?”
“I am sorry for that.”
“That may be, but my clientele has taken a dip.”
She peered repentantly down at her feet and waited, relieved when at last he sighed.
“Well, I am sure business will pick up again soon enough. And I realize that you did not mean the harm you caused. At least not on the scale you managed. Besides, I tried a similar trick or two on my own father when he was gambling us to ruin. But I feel I should tell you that such tricks will not work. Your energy would be better spent picketing to get the laws changed and all gambling establishments closed dow—”
“Your father?” Prudence interrupted him.
His mouth turned down in displeasure and he moved away. Realizing that it was likely a sensitive issue, Prudence gave him a moment to compose his thoughts and glanced around
“The ones who suffered so foully at my club the other night, thanks to your poisoning, would have no trouble believing—”
Prudence cut him off by grabbing his arm, jerking him away from the table of refreshments and toward the balcony doors. She had no delusions about her strength. The only reason she managed to drag him out of the ballroom was because he let her. Since it suited her needs at the moment, she could only be grateful for his docility.
Prudence pulled him outside, shivered as the winter chill struck her skin, then led him along the wall of glass doors until they reached those leading into Lord Kindersley’s office. Ellie’s father didn’t like anyone in there, but it was too cold to stay outside, and she needed privacy for this confrontation.
“So, what plans have you for tonight?” Stephen asked as she entered the gloomy room and turned to face him. “You have already both started a riot and poisoned a large crowd. Perhaps you intend to start a fire to roast all of—”
“Please stop,” Prudence said wearily. She was not surprised by his irritation, but with all the troubles plaguing her, did not have the energy to fend it off. “I did not intend to start that riot. I was attempting to protect one of your serving women from a rather nasty client of yours.”
“I know.” Stockton’s mouth was a bit tight, but some of the tension had left his body. Prudence felt some relief at that. She was even happier to see the last of that tension leave him as she explained, “Neither did I intend to poison your patrons. The bottle of emetic must have fallen into the barrel while I was searching about for the lid on the floor. I did not realize that it had or I would have warned someone… Probably,” she added, because she wasn’t at all sure she would have. She had been so determined to see her father out of Ballard’s. She still was, for that matter.
“Emetic?” He grimaced with distaste at the realization of what had forced him to hang out his office window. “I take it the emetic was meant for your father?”
“Aye. Ellie suggested that perhaps getting him to refrain from imbibing would put an end to his gambling as well. It seemed plausible, so…” She shrugged.
“Ellie? Eleanore Kindersley?”
“Aye.” She brightened slightly. “Do you know her?”
“She is the daughter of our host,” he pointed out gently. “And I do know that she is your friend.”
“Oh.” Prudence accepted the information, then, recalling a suggestion Eleanore had made earlier that day, managed a pleasant smile and raised her hand. “Well, I vow here and now, my lord, that you need no longer fear my disrupting the workings of Ballard’s. I will not attempt to gain entrance again.”
“Hmmm.” He considered her doubtfully. “Never again, eh?”
“Never
ever
,” Prudence teased lightly, mimicking Plunkett’s deep voice, and felt optimism rise within her when a reluctant smile began to pull at the corners of his mouth. Then he forced it away, a scowl coming in its place.
“You do realize that you have caused me a good deal of trouble?”
“I am sorry for that.”
“That may be, but my clientele has taken a dip.”
She peered repentantly down at her feet and waited, relieved when at last he sighed.
“Well, I am sure business will pick up again soon enough. And I realize that you did not mean the harm you caused. At least not on the scale you managed. Besides, I tried a similar trick or two on my own father when he was gambling us to ruin. But I feel I should tell you that such tricks will not work. Your energy would be better spent picketing to get the laws changed and all gambling establishments closed dow—”
“Your father?” Prudence interrupted him.
His mouth turned down in displeasure and he moved away. Realizing that it was likely a sensitive issue, Prudence gave him a moment to compose his thoughts and glanced around
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