If You Give a Rake a Ruby Read Online Free PDF Page A

murder of Lady Elizabeth, daughter of the Marquess of Nowlund. There were signs the building had been looted, but Fallon wasn’t certain if Scotland Yard or local vagrants were responsible.
    She continued walking, turning down the next alley in order to circle around to the back entrance. It wouldn’t do to be seen entering the abandoned gaming hell, especially if she had to break in. She walked quickly through the alley, wishing she’d thought to bring a lamp with her. The alley was dark and wet, as it had rained earlier that day. She sloshed through a particularly deep puddle and winced, knowing her slippers would be ruined. The damp seeped through, and she curled her toes against the cold.
    Behind her, she heard another splash.
    Fallon was mid-alley, in the darkest recesses, and she kept walking. It was probably Fitzhugh behind her. He was supposed to meet her here.
    She heard another splash.
    But why would Fitzhugh walk through the same puddle twice? And why wouldn’t he call out to her?
    Bloody hell. She sighed. She really did not have time for this.
    Fallon whirled and narrowed her eyes at the two large shadows moving toward her.
    â€œAh, there she is, Tom,” one of the men said. Upper-class accent, Fallon noted. Words a bit slurred.
    â€œWhat are you doing down here alone, sweetheart?” Tom asked, still moving toward her.
    Wonderful. She’d managed to attract two “gentlemen” out on the Town and looking for amusement. Perhaps she could dissuade them with mere words. “Gentlemen,” she began, “I am not a prostitute. If you’re looking for that sort of entertainment, you should seek it elsewhere.”
    â€œOoh! She speaks like a lady, James,” Tom said. They were directly in front of her now, and their watery shadows fell over her.
    â€œCome here, lady.” James made a grab for her. She jumped back and threw her mantle over her shoulders, freeing her arms. Obviously the time for words was past. She was not thrilled about having to fight two men twice her size, but they were foxed, and that worked to her advantage.
    Tom, who was on her right, charged her first. She easily sidestepped and thrust her foot out to trip him. But in the darkness, she misjudged the distance, and he merely stumbled past her. This, of course, did not better her position as now she had James in front of her and Tom behind.
    â€œI think you missed her, old boy,” James said. “Let me show you how it’s done.” He charged. At the same time, Tom—obviously not content to wait for his turn—reached for her. Tom caught her first about the waist. She used his weight and solidity as a lever and kicked up, landing one foot squarely in James’s face. She knew it had hurt him because it hurt her foot.
    That, and he bent over and screamed like a little girl. Not that Fallon had ever screamed like that when she’d been in pinafores.
    â€œWhat the devil—” Tom began before she rammed her head back and collided with his face. He released her, and she whirled around, backing away while keeping the men in her sights. They were injured but far from disabled. If anything, an injured man was more dangerous than one who was unhurt, because the pain made him angry.
    And sobered him up.
    She knew this from very personal experience.
    Tom was the first to recover. She saw him searching the shadows and pinpointed the moment he spotted her. His body went rigid. “You’re going to pay for that, bitch,” he seethed. “I’m going to make sure you don’t walk right for the next month.”
    â€œYou’re welcome to try,” she murmured, still backing away. At the end of the alley stood a short staircase that led down into Lucifer’s Lair. She could run for it, but if it was locked, it would do her no good. She’d be trapped and cornered.
    She could try to escape the alley the way she’d come, but she didn’t think she