conversations.
The jockey looked into his pot as if seeking guidance. 'Five ponies.'
'Five?' The contact jeered. 'You're a mite full of yourself, me lad.'
The jockey's expression hardened. 'Five. I'm the one on Rowena's back that race, and she'll start it prime favorite. The bets'll be heavy-real heavy. If you want her out of the winner's circle, it'll cost you five.'
'Hmm.' It was the contact's turn to seek inspiration from his ale. 'Five? If you want five, you'll need to keep her out of the places altogether.'
'Nah.' The jockey shook his head. 'Can't do it. If she finishes outside the places, the stewards'll be on my tail, and a whole monkey wouldn't be worth that. I ain't about to blow my license for you. Even bringing her in second… well, I can do it, but only because Cynster's got a prime filly in the race. Rowena's better, but I can slot her behind the Cynster filly and it'll look all right. But unless there's another runner we ain't seen yet, they're the only possible winners. No way I can drop Rowena out of the places.'
The contact frowned, then drained his pot. 'All right.' He looked the jockey in the eye. 'Five ponies for a no win-is it a deal?'
The jockey hesitated, then nodded. 'Deal.'
'
And it was on.
Everyone leapt to their feet; chairs crashed, pots went flying. Bodies ricochetted off each other; some thudded on the floor. The melee expanded by the second as more and more patrons launched themselves into the fray.
Demon swung back. Flick, eyes huge, was on her feet in the corner. With an oath, he swept the pots from their table and set it on its side. Reaching across, he grabbed her shoulder. 'Get down!'
He forced her down behind the makeshift barricade. One hand on her cap, he pushed her fully down. 'Stay there!'
The instant he removed his hand, her head popped up. He swore and reached for her; her already-wide eyes dilated.
He swung around just in time to weave back from a hefty fist. It grazed his jaw-and ignited his temper. Regaining his balance, he plowed a fist into his assailant's gut, then followed with a solid right to the jaw.
The huge walloper teetered sideways, then back, then crashed onto his back amid the ongoing brawl.
'Demon!'
Ducking, he threw his next attacker, managing to shift his feet enough so the bruiser landed against the wall beyond Flick, rather than on top of her.
A jarvey staggered free of the central melee and swung his way. The man met his eyes and stopped, swaying on his feet, then turned and charged back into the heaving mass of bodies and nailing fists.
'Stop it, yer mongrels!' The barman jumped up on the counter, laying about him with a besom. To no avail. The brawlers were well away, enjoying themselves hugely.
Demon looked around. The only door from the snug was diagonally across from their corner, beyond the heaving mass of the fight. The wall to their left hosted two grimy sash windows; thrusting aside tables and chairs, he reached the nearest, forced the catch free, then heaved. After an initial resistance, the sash flew up.
Turning back, he grabbed Flick by the collar, unceremoniously dragged her from her hiding place, then manhandled her out of the window. She tried to climb daintily out; he grabbed her and pushed. She hissed and batted at his hands-he kept grabbing and pushing. She hesitated halfway out, deciding which foot to place where; he slapped a hand beneath her bottom and shoved.
She landed in an inelegant sprawl on the grass.
Flick dragged in a breath; curses burned her tongue, but she didn't have breath enough to utter them. Her bottom burned, too; her cheeks were aflame. Both sets. She glanced back. Demon was halfway through the window. Swearing weakly, she scrambled to her feet, dusting her hands on her thighs-she didn't dare touch her posterior.
The other sash window flew up, and more patrons piled out. Demon appeared beside her; grabbing her elbow, he shoved her away from the inn as others started using their escape route. An orchard rolled down an incline away from the inn-with Demon at her heels, Flick slipped between the trees. The twilight was deepening. Behind them, through the now open windows, they heard shouts, then the piercing whistles of the Watch. Glancing back, Flick saw more of the inn's customers scrambling through the windows, hurrying to disappear down the orchard's slope.
'Come on!' Demon grabbed her hand, taking the lead, lengthening his stride so she had to scurry to keep up. She tried to wriggle her hand free; he flung her a scowl, tightened his grip, and strode on even faster. She cursed; he must have heard but gave no sign. He dragged her, skipping, half-running, to the end of the orchard, to where a seven-foot wall blocked their way.
He released her as others joined them and immediately started climbing the wall. Flick eyed the wall, then edged closer to Demon. 'Is there a gate anywhere?'
He glanced at her, then nodded to the others scrambling up and over. 'Doesn't look like it.' He hesitated, then stepped to the wall. 'Come on-I'll give you a leg up.'
Bracing one shoulder against the wall, he formed a cup with his hands. Balancing one hand on the stones, the other on his shoulder, Flick placed her boot in his hands.
He pushed her up. It should have been easy; The Flynn's back was nearly as high as the wall. But the top of the wall was hard and narrow, not smooth and slippery like a saddle. She managed to get half over, with the wall digging into her middle, but her legs still dangled down.
Blowing out a breath, she braced her arms, straightened her spine, and searched with her boots for purchase. But with her hips on the wrong side of the wall, if she straightened too much, she risked falling back down. And if she didn't straighten enough, she couldn't reach any toehold. She teetered, like a seesaw, on the top of the wall.
From beneath her came a long-suffering sigh.
Demon's hand connected with her bottom again. He hefted her up; in the most flustered flurry of her life, cheeks all flaming again, she quickly swung one leg over the wall and sat.
And tried to catch her breath.
He grabbed the wall beside her and hauled himself up. Easily. Astride the wall, he raked her with a glance, then swung his leg over and dropped into the lane.
Flick dragged in a breath and swung her other leg over, then wriggled around and dropped down-before he felt compelled to help her again. She picked herself up and dusted her hands, aware to her toes of the assessing gaze that passed over her. Lifting her head, she met his eyes, ready to be belligerent.
He merely humphed and gestured down the lane.
She fell in beside him, and they strolled to the road. There were too many others about to risk any discussion. When they reached the road, Demon nudged her elbow and nodded up a lane leading to the High Street. 'I left my curricle at the Jockey Club.'
They changed direction, leaving the others behind.
'You were supposed to send word to me the instant you learned anything.'
The words, deathly soft, lethally restrained, floated down to her.
'I would have,' she hissed back, 'once I had a chance. But who could I send from your stable? Carruthers?'
'Next time, if there's no one to send, bring the message yourself.'
'And miss the chance of learning more-like today?'
'Ah, yes. Today. And just how do you imagine you would have survived if I hadn't arrived?'
She studied the small houses lining the road.
'Hmm, let's see.'
His purr sank deeper, sliding beneath her skin. Flick resisted an urge to wriggle.
'First we have the question of whether, quite aside from the brawl, you would have escaped notice, given you'd bought a pint and couldn't drink it. Your disguise would have disintegrated rather quickly, revealing to all the
