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Her hands curled into fists at her hips.

“ What have you done, James ?”

She still wore her half boots. One kick to Sir Percy’s bollocks, and another to her brother’s arse, and then she’d be off.

“Shir Pershy, ma dear, at your shervishe.” The fool leaned closer and leered. “Don’t be shy, Mish Nanshy.”

Simon rushed into the clearing. “Hold there, Percy.” He made a grab for the sot, missing him.

Nancy took one step back.

“Go away, Clayding. Mish Nanshy ish mine.” Sir Percy reached for her, and she dodged back again, outside the circle of lanterns, watching him fight for his balance.

“Are you sure this is Miss Nancy?” Simon asked, coyly.

James had been right; Simon had uncovered their ruse.

Fury seized her. Both reprobates were in perfect range now.

Leaves rustled and Miss Hazelton stumbled in, knocking over a lantern and throwing herself at Simon.

“Your grashe,” she cried and grabbed for him.

Simon’s captured arm flailed, but Miss Hazelton clung to it like a hound clutching a fat bird.

The hussy . Nancy glanced up at the spot of white. She’d give the signal herself if?—

Sir Percy lunged drunkenly. Nancy jumped back, tripped, and plopped onto her bottom, caught awkwardly between her two side hoops.

“ Now .” The shout came from behind the tree.

As Sir Percy staggered again for balance, an egg dropped onto his head. Another hit his shoulder. He swore, brushing at the sticky messes.

More eggs dropped. Sir Percy dodged and swore more, Simon brushed at the shells and grabbed for Sir Percy, and Miss Hazelton screamed curses Nancy had never heard before, not even from one of her brothers.

Laughing, James and Edward appeared on either side of Nancy and hauled her up.

“What did you give them,” she hissed.

“Shhh,” James said. “It was only a bit of Spanish fly.”

She grabbed James’s shoulders and shook him. “I told you?—”

“She’sh mine,” Sir Percy said drunkenly.

“The duke didn’t have any,” Edward whispered. “I swear I saw him hand away the glass without taking a sip.”

“Dear duke.” Miss Hazelton still clenched Simon’s arm. “Make me yoursh.”

With her free hand, the hussy ripped the shoulder of her toga. The gown floated down to her waist. James and Edward both gasped and then erupted into giggles.

“I’m going to thrash the both of you when this is over,” Nancy said.

James choked and caught his breath. “Maybe we should run away with you tonight, Nancy.”

Her breath caught.

“We know,” Edward whispered.

“Get off, both of you,” Simon bellowed. “You’re like dogs in heat.” He was still struggling to shake free of Miss Hazelton and tugging Sir Percy back by his neckcloth.

One more egg plopped, a direct hit on one of Miss Hazelton’s bared breasts. She screeched, tore away from Simon, and turned on Nancy. “You… you… you harpy.”

Nancy’s throat clogged with a mixture of laughter and incipient tears. Miss Hazelton, naked, egg-soaked and lust-filled—if she had the skill to draw a caricature, this one would sell well in the London shops.

Yet she pitied the young woman, throwing herself at Simon, baring herself in front of the men and boys. When the poison wore off, would Miss Hazelton have the sense or the character to be embarrassed?

Or… would Simon have to marry her to save her reputation?

Trembling, Nancy grabbed James and shook him. “Whatever you do, make this right or you’ll shame Mama and Mel.”

“You’ll shame them more with what you’re planning.”

She shook her head, blinking back tears. “I left notes.”

H is arm finally free, Simon brushed an eggshell from his shoulder. Miss Hazelton was as frenzied as Percy. Of course—she’d downed the rest of that poisoned cup.

Simon looked at Puck, he looked at Hermia. He returned to the laughing, carefree blue eyes of Puck, then caught the startled, nay, angry eyes of Hermia. Surely those were tears in her eyes shining in the lanternlight.

He’d got it wrong. It was James who’d dropped something into the drink he’d handed to Percy. Nancy would never doctor his drink; she’d already made it clear she didn’t want him to pursue her.

While he gripped Percy, Miss Hazelton surged past them, dodged Puck and Bottom, and yanked the wig from Nancy’s head. Hair, rich, thick, and golden, tumbled down to her waist.

“What the devil?” Fitz had appeared. An egg splashed on his coat sleeve and giggling erupted above. “Mary,” he bellowed, “get out of that tree. You too, Benjamin.”

Percy tore out of Simon’s grip and turned on him. Simon ducked just in time, dodging a blow.

“Run, Nancy,” Puck said in a stage whisper.

Nancy disappeared into the night and Percy charged after her, and then sprawled face down in the dirt.

Puck grinned, pulled his foot back, and while the villain tried to rise, Bottom tripped Miss Hazelton.

She staggered, reached out a hand, and collapsed onto Percy, knocking him to the ground again.

Percy’s gaze traveled over her. His eyes flared, and his arms locked around her.

Simon snatched Puck by the arm and pulled off his mask. “You,” he said, “you jackanapes. You tampered with my drink. I ought to thrash you. Do you have an emetic in your bag of tricks?”

James grinned and nodded.

“Then you’d best give Percy and Miss Hazelton some, or you’ll find yourself with a noose around your neck for poisoning them.”

“It’s not?—”

“What did you give them?”

“It’s only the tiniest bit of Spanish?—”

He shook James. “The emetic. Now.”

“Yes, duke.”

“When this is settled, I’ll buy your commission. You can employ your tricks fighting the King’s enemies.”

“I’m too young.”

“I don’t care if you have to go as a drummer boy, you’re ready.”

The two little ones had come down from the tree and stood, mouths gaping, at the couple rolling together on the ground. “Turn around, both of you. You too, Edward,” Fitz growled.

Simon shook James. “Where is Nancy running to?” he asked.

“The folly,” James said, laughter in his gaze. “If you hurry, she may still be there,” he added in a whisper.

And where would she run to next? He dropped the lad’s arm.

“Wait, Simon,” Fitz said. Footsteps crunched as three footmen joined them, and Fitz gave orders.

“Pull those two off each other, one of you give her your coat, and get them back to the house without either of the Ladies Loughton seeing them. James, go with them and dose them with the emetic. Simon, if you’ll take these two back to the nursery before you clean up, I’ll go and retrieve Nancy.

Or perhaps I should just let her stew at the folly all night and bring her back in the morning. ”

“She won’t be there in the morning,” Mary said. “She packed a bag and took it there earlier. She’s running away.”

“She’s going to France,” Benjamin said.

“ France? ” Simon cried.

“Mrs. Simpkins’ tour.” Fitz shook his head. “Mother ought to have…” He crouched down in front of his daughter. “You’ve been spying, Mary. What else do you know?”

“She’s going to Birmingham first, so she can join the troupe. Wasn’t she good? She fooled you all.” Mary glanced over her shoulder. “Except you, duke, so James made her swap places again. Can we turn around now?”

His instincts had been right after all. He’d seen Nancy through the mask.

The thought cheered him. He knew Nancy. Would get to know her better as the years went by, and perhaps, there’d be very few dull moments.

He swiped a drip of egg yolk from his forehead. “I’ll go and find her.”

“Clean yourself up first,” Fitz said. “I’ll send someone to watch the gate and put somebody at the Swan as well. There won’t be a coach until morning.”

Mary shook her head. “You won’t know her. She’ll be in disguise. She took some of Uncle James’s clothing.”

Nancy could change, scale the boundary wall, and walk until she got a lift on a farm cart to another coaching inn. She’d be frightened but she’d do it anyway, the brave girl.

“I’ll go now.” Simon stalked off. Nancy might go downstream to the bridge to cross, or upstream to the rock crossing where the children had been playing in the morning. Either way, it would take her a while.

He needed to wash anyway. At the edge of the lake, he cast off his coats and shoes and dove in.