ISBN: 9780373305100

London, 1770 Amurky haze hung over the narrow alleyways and squalid, rickety hovels in the secret world of St Gilesa wretched, brutal, frightening place, cramped, dark and noisy, wher… mais…

London, 1770 Amurky haze hung over the narrow alleyways and squalid, rickety hovels in the secret world of St Gilesa wretched, brutal, frightening place, cramped, dark and noisy, where violence and death were an inescapable fact of life. The air was foul, and the humid, sweltering heat pressed down on its inhabitantsa churning crush of people, the flotsam of human life. These were thieves, cutthroats and beggars, painted harlots and scavengers, a ragged, unwashed assortment of men, women and children, most of them prematurely aged by poverty and hunger, their only recourse to be found in the gin shops. This tax-free liquor was in plentiful supply, its consumption endemica perfect antidote for dulling pain, replacing lost dreams and deepening despair. Moving among the jostling crowd, Adam carefully scrutinised every face, searching for one that was familiar, unaware of the youth following him closelya slight, inconspicuous-looking lad in shabby garb and a shapeless hat pulled well down over his ears, who nimbly danced out of his sight whenever he turned about. Adam was so deeply engrossed in his mission that it was a moment before he reacted to the body suddenly thrust against him, and the pull at his watch. Clapping his hand to his chest, a vicious curse exploded from him when he found he had been relieved of his timepiece by somebody with the manual dexterity of a practised thief. He whirled in time to see a ragged urchin dart away. Immediately he gave chase, following him through a network of narrow alleyways. Eventually the lad was delivered up to him by a couple of youths anticipating a reward. Tossing them a shilling apiece, Adam gripped the young thief's arm, ignoring his strangled squawk as he dragged him aside. He grasped the thin arm more tightly as the lad struggled against him, wincing and loosening his hold when he felt a boot rebound against his shin. Slipping from Adam's grasp, in a blur of panic the youth turned to run, only to find a long booted leg thrust out, obstructing his path. Unable to check his momentum, he stumbled and fell, landing on his stomach in a mud puddle. His posterior pointing skywards, he lay for a moment winded and stunned, successfully managing to hold back tears of shame and humiliation that gathered in his eyes. Covered in mud and slime, he was heaved from his ignoble position by the seat of his breeches, and with a string of outraged curses he quickly danced away and whipped a knife from his belt, wielding it in front of him. "I'll have your blood," he snarled, glaring at his abuser as ferociously as a wild animal. Like lightning Adam drew his sword, placing the point at the lad's throat, locking eyesthe youth momentarily mesmerised by the terrible deadly grace of the stranger's swift manoeuvre. "I wouldn't try it," Adam ground out, backing his captive into a corner. "Do not add murder to your crime. Lower your weapon and give it to me," he coolly ordered, "and slowl Fiction Fiction eBook, Harlequin<

ISBN: 9780373305100

Found out! Heloise Edwina Marchant longs for the beauty and comfort of her former life, before she was forced to flee her family home. Coming to London in the guise of a boy, she has le… mais…

Found out! Heloise Edwina Marchant longs for the beauty and comfort of her former life, before she was forced to flee her family home. Coming to London in the guise of a boy, she has learned the hard way how to survive among the hovels and alleyways of St. Giles. There is shame in having to pick the pockets of unsuspecting passersby, and the inevitable happensshe is caught! The gentleman who seizes hold of her is not angry for long. In fact, his firm kindness is almost her undoing. For he has come to St. Giles with a purposeand she will help him if she doesn't want to be reported to the authorities. But how can she agree, when at any moment this good-looking man could find out that he is a she? Fiction Fiction eBook<