Blood for Ink (The Scarlet Plumiere Series #1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

her away.
    He stood and headed for the kitchens, to search for Callister while he ruminated.
    If the lottery had frightened her, she would not have responded to it the morning after the event. Unless she had suffered a change of heart after his first public assault. If so, she might have gone into hiding and his quest might take a very long time indeed. In addition, he would very much miss a lively repartee.
    He found his staff huddled over a table, listening as Chester read to them. The boy had only recently confessed he could not read and so the staff had vowed to teach him. But this was no lesson book from which he read.
    “Dear Lott,” Chester read, pronouncing carefully, if haltingly, leaving his audience to strain forward as they simultaneously listened and urged him on. Not a soul noticed their employer’s presence.
    “I...suppose...you meant...that last as a pun. Marry, as...opposed...to merry. Does this mean you plan to...elude...the...agreement...of the...gentlemen’s...lottery...and not marry your...quarry? If you find her, that is. She will not run, hide, nor...faint...at your feet...and still you will...never catch her. I also...hear...you did not get a...chance...to show...off your new...ward...robe last even...ing. Pity. The Scar...let Plum...oh, Plumiere.”
    The staff erupted in a dissonant chorus of outrage and laughter.
    “How the devil did she know about his red drawers?”
    “Mary! It weren’t his drawers they made red, it were his cravats and shirts.”
    “Sarah, do not be ridiculous,” Callister snapped. “Of course His Lordship did not order red shirts.”
    “No more ridiculous than—Cor! Forgive me, Yer Lordship!”
    By the time Sarah’s outburst stopped echoing around the room, his staff had lined up, sealed their lips, and turned red, in that order. If they had not re-arranged themselves, he might have been able to separate the outraged persons from those highly entertained so he might give the former a nice bonus for their sympathy. But the thought of disappointing half of them never sat well. He always ended up paying everyone.
    But that gave him an idea.
    “Well, Chester?”
    The lad stammered and shook. If he did not stop his teasing, he would put the boy off reading altogether.
    “Do you have an opinion, Chester, as to how I should respond to The Scarlet Plumiere this time?”
    Chester’s shaking finally reached his head.
    North looked to the rest. "Well?”
    Callister came forward and stood like a shield between himself and the nervous staff. "Well what, sir?”
    “Well, what do you suggest I write in my reply?”
    A woman stepped forward. Cookie. She was likely the person to blame for his cold breakfast.
    He encouraged her with a nod.
    “I would tell her you were in conference all night with your band o’ spies, that you are closin’ in, like.” Cookie opened her mouth again, then shut it tight.
    “Go on. I insist.”
    Mary, the maid to her right stepped on her toe, but brave Cookie shook her off.
    “I would give ‘er the thumb to the nose, sir.”
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “I would put on all my red finery and gad about town in them all day, no matter how many folks laugh at me.”
    “You would?”
    Cookie blushed. “Oh, no sir. I would never!”
    North laughed. “That’s all right, Cookie. I think it is a fine idea. I like that a bit better than the spy idea.” That band of spies was a little too close to home. In fact, he was hoping to have a few reports before his friends arrived that evening. The tables had turned from the night before. He was now mindful of keeping his friends distracted instead of the other way ‘round. If he failed to do so, Ash might get the daft notion to relieve him of his writer—or rather, his duty.
    His staff fidgeted and stole glances at one another. Clearly, they were uncomfortable having him in their quarters.
    “You know, I do expect perfect loyalty in my staff.”
    “Yes, my lord, we are aware,” Callister said.
    “I