A Lady In Disguise

n of Vinge

ause she lost herself quite a few times. She visited the village merely onc

ore beautiful dresses, but she had always refused. A small village modiste had always been sufficient. And the

y and was informed by a tavern worker that she would most likely find one at Marsden, a village five h

e farthest she had been from Theobald was Oakley itself. She was not an expert rider, nor was she experi

the obvious fact that she did not thoroughly plan for this adventure perfectly. Most of it was a product

e guided her horse to the villag

ake her to Wickhurst. From there, she planned to work and s

y as she may be, her father might catc

ct attention. Her back was aching for having been on the horse for hours on end. Her leg

and a tad busier as well. It was not difficult to mix with the crowd of village folks that walked t

ng lady. "'Scuse me, miss!" she called out loudly but the woman ignore

y hell was the tavern? Her horse needed food and rest

avern?" asked a sma

with a smile. She nodded. "Yes. I was hoping to se

frowned at her

iffene

lk lik

e uttered,

o, see? Me mast

e he turned to study her black horse. "Then why

ned in horror

nted to the right and sa

the young boy a smile

k like

blood drained down from he

then!" The boy gave her a wave b

el bag and found the newsboy hat she stole from one of the footmen in Theob

the tavern, guiding the horse to the side of the road. At last, af

f laughter and loud chatters greeted her. A few men pointed at her as they h

m said, whistling as she p

rupted around the hall. The tavern wenches laughed alo

d sought the attention

wooden

said, "I was hopin' you could h

ly pacing behind the counter

kards behind her. Her heart was pounding against her chest, her mind alr

y stopping to stare at her. She looked

ho

ve in mind, she did not voice it. Wiping her hand over her apron, the woman walked

d before she fo

?" she asked when t

nt to her horse but

as g

She felt the blood

awed, exposing

"Ye ought to know better, young lad!" C

at the empty spot where her ho

y tar

horse w

*

as, voice seriously sounding dangerous. "It is quite un

liti

er. "And you wish to have fat

efore he said, "Merely saying it

You now have the skills to investigate such m

what you may, Nick," he said. "I'd

d us our father's life," Nicholas shot back. "The explosion was nothing but

ugged. "If

to believe it is otherwise because you alw

e mines," Maxwell retorted. "By the by, m

nd

ow what tha

icholas said. "I am coming

shook hi

t does t

ha

r head." He shook his

said, a corner of

e force it out

ll said, coming to his

he

r, of

nd

o you m

all you

sence?" Max

whore." Nicholas jumped to his feet and Maxwell wryly utte

teeth. "I am doing th

alph can solve this case.

so do

Which is why I am coming to tha

houted, "Do be sure to smile when you tell that j

*

with the horse, but she had no one to blam

e unattended outside the tavern when there were people wal

hing at her for no apparent reason. The driver had demanded for her to pay in full and she could not very wel

rge man asked before he hicc

ignor

d the other man, kicking Maxine's seat. S

The large man kicke

ne's

lared at them. An

her coat collar. She fought the gasp that threatened to escape her throat when he harshly pulled her closer, baring h

he side when she smelled

on and ye answer!" he

der as Maxine fought the

d his hand, pulling h

ye from

pened her eyes. "T-

ach other. Maxine hoped that the stories about Thorne were true, that w

rshly against her seat. She could not help but glare at the two of them

ger man asked, eyes susp

traightened her coat. "Lord Thorne would'na be happy if he knows of this, see?"

hed, although ra

use ye troubl

l." She let the silence linger for a little while before adding, "And Lord Thorne might

men bl

s," she said in a dramatic, mournful

s in Wic

ad. "Aye. And he is expectin

spiciously. "Thorne does not

es!" she said, fighting off a sta

eve ye," the l

hire a nancy!" th

"Well, whatever y

t not believe her, but she knew that they

f the stories were farfetched gossips, of course, but it was well to be

Maxine said a little prayer for the dark, mysterious estate. Whatever it was

*

ched Wickhurst, she wa

efore they reached the affluent town, daring not to give her another gl

en she did not move out of the way after she climbed out.

indeed a sig

ng the streets wore far better clothes she had only seen during the Theobald parties. The lamps also glowed b

e a carriage drove past her in a rush. Her heart hammered against

was

the help of Thorne, of

was

ust as where she had instructed him to. To her right she saw th

slowly turned around, tilting her newsboy ha

at the sign

lders, Maxine too

is promise because she was now here at