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Anne laughed. “Do I owe these pretty words to too many tankards?”

“The drink loosened my lips. It didn’t plant the idea inside.”

Anne’s hand moved to Letty’s thigh again, and she sucked in a sound of pleasure along with her next oyster. “I wantyouinside,” she said, her hand firm on her leg.

“That can be arranged,” Letty said with a wink, delighted that Anne felt relaxed enough to tease and flirt in public.

A sudden ruckus had Letty on her feet and in front of Anne in an instant, reaching for her walking stick at the same time.

Hell and the devil.

The watchmen were here.

Chapter Twenty-one

Anne gripped the edge of her seat, every sense on high alert as a pair of jeering men clattered down the stairs of the oyster tavern, hauling a young man between them and being none too careful about his person as his head smacked against the doorway to the stairwell.

Her shift was damp with sweat low on her back and her mind whirled. In all of her fretting about the evening before it had started, she had never anticipated the presence of the night watchmen.

“Let this be a lesson to you,” one of the watchmen bellowed. “If you’re looking for a night of pleasure, go visit the lightskirts up the road. Falling in bed with your fellow man will get you naught but endless nights in prison.”

“We run an honest establishment here,” a tall, bearded man called out, shoving people aside as he made his way to the stairs. “You’ve made some mistake, sirs. Let me make it right and you can be on your way.”

The silence that had fallen meant that they could all hear the jangle of silver crossing palms. Anne held her breath. The watchman pocketed the coins but didn’t let go of the pale man that he held in a twist of his arm.

“Alas, I think I know what I saw,” he said, chortling.

Anne felt the punch of fear deep in her belly. She was well aware that sodomy was proven in a court of law by witnessing a man in the middle of committing the act, with proof of the man’srelease. If this man was claiming to have witnessed such things in the upstairs chambers, it meant a death sentence.

She couldn’t let it happen.

Before she could fully comprehend what she was doing, Anne jerked out of her chair and marched to the fray. Her legs felt like rubber, but she was confident that no one would be able to tell as she put every ounce of energy into an effortless glide.

Letty hurried after her. “Anne, don’t do anything rash,” she hissed.

Anne tossed a look behind her. “I cannot stand by and do nothing.”

She stopped in front of the men. “I am the Duchess of Hawthorne,” she said coldly. “Unhand this man.”

He looked surprised for a moment, then looked at his companion over the head of their prisoner. “Duchess?” he repeated. “These actresses get more nervy all the time, I swear. Go on then, sweetheart, you can duchess me all you like in the carriage while we take this miscreant away.”

She dug out a ruby ring from her reticule and thrust it at him. “Unhand him and you may have this.”

“Paste jewels look more real by the day, too.” He dropped the ring back into her hand. “We’ve got business to do, miss.”

“I am a duchess, and you will rue this day.” Fury built in her. How dared this man behave with such insolence?

“Maybe you are, and maybe you aren’t, but I don’t much care either way. In a place like this, whose word has more authority?” He glanced around at the silent crowd. “I think it’s the one with the bully stick. Begging your pardon, Yer Bloomin’ Grace.” He laughed and shoved past them into the night.

The owner clapped a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you for your help, miss. I appreciate it.” He moved away into conversation with other patrons, their voices sober with concern.

“I cannot believe that it accomplished nothing,” Anne said to Letty. It was warm in the tavern, but her blood felt ice cold as it ran through her veins. “The titlemeanssomething. I have always been able to get what I need on the power of my name alone.”

“Not in places like this,” Letty said gently. “Not always.”

“What purpose is rank if it can do nothing when it’s important?”

“Come, let’s get you home.”