Thief: Lock and Key

by CommanderAuri

With every lock out in the world, there is a key fashioned to fill its slot. Baron Elias Northcrest's distant cousin soon arrives at the Eternal City and is kept away within his manor lest she taint his closely manicured reputation. She soon finds her way out into Stonemarket and bumps into a certain Master Thief whom the City Watch can't seem to capture.

1. Chapter 1

p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Come now. What about this one, miss?" the handmaid, Charlotte, asked for the umpteenth time and held up yet another dress styled in the latest fashion. Elizabeth turned from the stack of corsets she'd been idly admiring the last few minutes and scanned the dress Charlotte held in hand before making a face. "What's the matter with this one now?" her handmaid protested. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Lottie, tell me you looked at the neckline. It drops nearly to my navel!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Well, it /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"is/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" all the rage here in Riverside-"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "And /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"I'm/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" set to arrive in the Eternal City before this month's end! I can't be seen walking around in something so scandalous. Could you imagine the amount of heads that would turn? The gossip mill would be set for weeks!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "But it might land you a husband." Charlotte grinned a little but set the dress back in its place before her expression turned sober as she looked upon her lady. "You really don't like any of the other suitors that have reached out? Your father-"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Baron Matteus Northcrest knows better than to stick his nose into my business," Elizabeth shot back in a firm tone, brushing back a few loose brown curls that had escaped her elaborate updo before walking about the shop. "He and Mother have been horrid these last few years about this husband business. I will find one on my /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"own/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;". Come hell or high water."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Language, miss!" Charlotte lightly admonished, lips pursing. It was an effort for Elizabeth to keep from rolling her eyes. "Be that as it may, Miss Elizabeth, no husband wants a wife with a filthy tongue." A disgusting innuendo suddenly came to mind but Elizabeth bit down on her "filthy" tongue. No need to embarrass Charlotte or the other patrons milling about. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Why do you think I keep up to date on my eccentric vocabulary," Elizabeth said instead as she walked over to peruse a glass drawer holding delicate looking jewelry. A particular pair of diamond earrings caught her eye as they glinted in the shop's light. "If my future husband can handle my choice of words then he's more than welcome to try and court me. We will be living together forever anyway. He might as well get used to it before making it final."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "You really did inherit your mother's stubbornness, didn't you?" Charlotte joined her before stopping and examined a string of pearls displayed nearby. "Oh, look at the pink hue! This would go well with your skin tone. You don't have pearls, do you?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Hm?" Elizabeth turned around to look over the necklace herself and held up the bottom half of the string with one hand. "I have earrings in this shade, yes, but not a necklace. Unless I'd be wearing it for a suitor, Mother wouldn't let me get anything like that. Or these diamonds. Anyway, I already have plenty from those courting gifts I've received these last weeks. I think this trip to the City may do me some good. As long as my father's cousin doesn't let it slip that they're looking for a husband for me."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Here's hoping that doesn't happen. Gods forbid they locate a suitable man,," Charlotte replied, sarcasm tinging her voice. At Elizabeth's pointed look, she shrugged. "Perhaps the men in your father's cousin's city may be of a different breed. Who knows? Anyway, I believe we are set here. I have three sets of buttoned down blouses, two sets of trousers - I still don't know how you can wear such things - a waistcoat and the other two tailored dresses will be dropped off at the manor tomorrow afternoon. We best start getting our things packed as well. Your parents will be leaving for the new world for a year, right?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Yes," Elizabeth confirmed with a short nod as they departed from the tailor and set foot onto the cobblestone streets. Merriweather was a small but affluent city but even it had its fair share of doom and gloom. The city's guards kept most of the riffraff pushed to the outskirts, their reserves funded by the Northcrest's retainer. Blackhands still managed to slip past the Watch despite their best efforts. Thankfully, none had managed to break into the family manor. An air current found its way down into the shopping center and past the two women, causing them both to shiver. "Let's hope winter will stay its hand. It's only a few weeks away from the feel of it. The last thing I want is to roll through the snow in a carriage."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "We're in agreement there, miss. Come. Let's get back to the house lest you catch cold." The pair walked past the clock tower which decided then to chime out the hour, startling a flock of birds into the air. The weak autumn sun struggled to push through the haze of clouds as more leaves blanketed the city square. Little did Elizabeth know that her venture into the Eternal City was going to leave a mark on her forever./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"—-/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"It was impossible to think that someone was more oppressive than Matteus Northcrest but Elias Northcrest had proven that statement wrong. Upon Elizabeth's arrival to Northcrest manor in the beginning of the year NRy840, she was hardly let outside unless it was to attend matters of business or galas the aristocrats held every other week. If she needed something down in a shop, Charlotte or one of her other handmaids would be sent to fetch it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" As frustrating as it was, Baron Northcrest hardly deigned to give her an answer. He'd simply tell her she was now living under his roof, despite her nearing thirty and having a full education. Word had gotten out the Baron's niece had moved in and if the men here caught sight of her, they'd descend on her like wolves! Especially so once they heard she was unattached. Not to mention the womenfolk would gossip and that would no doubt tarnish the Northcrest reputation, something that had taken so long to be built up. No, Baron Elias refused to let that sort of thing happen. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" So, Elizabeth Northcrest was confined to the manor grounds. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" In the beginning, it wasn't so bad. As winter rolled in, the brisk weather and snowfall made it miserable to linger outside longer than a few minutes. Elizabeth would curl up in the library before an open hearth with a new book she pilfered from the shelves and read for hours, watching the sun rise and fall as it crossed the heavens. There'd been countless books down here, several shelves blanketed with a fine coat of dust - clearly the Baron hadn't visited his books for many months. Elizabeth, being a voracious reader ever since she was a little girl, settled in and made her nest the coziest thing amongst the pages. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Most texts had been about science, others regarding the heavenly bodies or the mortal realm. Very few held the fictitious worlds she was used to but she made do until Charlotte had located a shop a few streets over in Stonemarket. She had Charlotte immediately scope it out and pick up what tomes Lottie knew her lady would like. After receiving a handful of recommendations, a gift box arrived outside Elizabeth's door one morning packed to the brim with new titles, much to her delight. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" When she grew tired of reading, Elizabeth dabbled with the few tubes of paint she scrounged up along with semi-fresh canvas. Bits of charcoal had marred the white sides, of which she soon located. She was always one to experiment with new media and began to paint the courtyard, the guards patrolling the grounds, the birds that landed on her windowsill after being coaxed by seed. Even Charlotte had sat for her during Elizabeth's charcoal phase. Black smudges coated her cheeks, nose tip and her forearms after she pulled back her day dress's sleeves. Her tongue stuck out the side of her mouth as she sketched her handmaid's profile, carving out the shadows and adding in highlights from the fireplace that played across Charlotte's skin./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" It had been a fine existence but only for a short while. After winter slowly turned into spring, greenery pushed up past the snow and dead leaves, Elizabeth had begun to get antsy. The library no longer felt like the wondrous escape as it had when she first arrived. Her illustrations began to lose that spark she first attained after acquiring a new muse. Even her stitching fell by the wayside. Standing out on the balcony attached to her room did little to quell the restless energy that hummed in her limbs. She wanted to get out and see the City's people rather than observe them from above. So she did. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" After a handful of careful weeks' worth of planning, Elizabeth finally decided to leave during the late afternoon. Elias would be holed up in his study, doing something or other Elizabeth cared not for, and would be in there for hours. There were times he didn't even come out for dinner long after it had been set by his door. Now if she could get Charlotte to cover for her, she'd be set. The townsfolk had never seen her face before and her features were plain enough. If she applied powder in the right places, surely she'd fit right in./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" After a quick stint in the bathroom and a change of clothes, Elizabeth braided back her hair and examined her reflection. Her twenty ninth birthday was coming up and she didn't look a day past twenty. She always hated not looking her age but here she could play it to her advantage. Before she left the mirror behind, Elizabeth paused. The woman staring back at her looked tired, her skin pale from the lack of sun. In fact, the freckles on her face seemed to stand out in contrast to her sallow complexion. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"That's a first/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;", she thought. Elizabeth quickly checked her ears and fingers for any jewelry as she normally went about with one or the other before finally leaving her washroom behind-/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" To nearly run smack dab into her handmaid./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Both women let out surprised yelps as Charlotte dropped the laundry basket she'd been holding. Elizabeth quickly apologized only to have Charlotte dismiss her. Charlotte's demeanor, typically straightlaced and formal when around Elizabeth, was loose and short. The handmaid fixed the bonnet holding her long waves of black hair back and quickly tidied up the mess on the floor. When Charlotte went to wave off her lady the second time did she do a double take./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Miss Elizabeth?" Charlotte blinked at her for a heartbeat, taking in her plain attire and cloak. "What are you-? Where are you going?" her handmaid demanded as she shoved the remaining errant clothes back in the basket before standing up. Both women were close in height but Elizabeth was a half inch taller./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Outside," Elizabeth replied simply./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Outside?" Charlotte repeated, staring at her before glancing about them. "You can't- You /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"know /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"the Baron's rules, miss!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "All due respect, Lottie, /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"fuck /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"the Baron's rules." Elizabeth stepped around the other woman as Charlotte let out a sharp gasp. Elizabeth whipped around before her handmaid could scold her. "Lottie, I've done everything that man has asked of me since we got here. I haven't stepped foot past the courtyard, I've entertained his guests, taken care of whatever tasks he's asked me these last four months. I've earned a little bit of freedom. At least you're able to come and go when you please." That last was added bitterly as Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest, face red from her outburst. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Charlotte's expression softened a bit and she set down the laundry basket to tend to her lifelong friend. "I hadn't realized…" she began before her sentence petered off. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "What? That I've become a bird in a not so gilded cage?" Elizabeth joked lamely as Charlotte hugged her. Elizabeth returned the gesture, squeezing her friend and confidant tightly./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Why didn't you say anything?" Charlotte asked, holding her friend at arm's length. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "I don't know. You were enjoying being free to walk the grounds and flirting with the guards. Don't think I haven't noticed how Jonathan's been staring at you lately." Charlotte released her lady's arms and flapped her hands, looking flustered as Elizabeth continued. A smile threatened to break out on her face. "I didn't want to be a burden. And I was dealing with it… until I reached my breaking point."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Gods, Lizzie. I wish you would've said something sooner. Had I known, I would've done something. Oh, your mother would be so disappointed in me." Charlotte placed a hand over her mouth and cast a forlorn look out the window across from them. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "You can do something /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"now/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;", Lottie." Elizabeth grabbed her friend's free in hers, pulling Charlotte's attention back to her face. "If Jonathan's on watch, see if you can lean on him to look the other way for me. I've got the coin to bribe him if all else fails. I have also noticed there's a large enough gap in the East facing gate. I can slip out through and back in and nobody will be the wiser. Please, Lottie. Please? I've been going stir crazy here." Charlotte's mouth thinned into a pale line and she soon let out a heavy sigh. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "All right, Elizabeth, all right. But first, turn your coin purse like so. Keep it close. Stonemarket's got a fair amount of blackhands running about. One of them's gotten the Watch in such a tizzy lately. And don't walk around too ladylike and formal. Well, if you do and someone says something, say you used to be a handmaid. Your clothes look okay enough that they'll be overlooked. And-"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "And I've got that dagger Father reluctantly gave me a few birthdays back. I've had plenty of time to use it though it was only on a straw dummy."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Well, it should give most pause. If all else fails, run like the dickens back here if you can or hide out in a tavern. The Crippled Burrick is not too far from here. Food's warm and ale's aplenty. Just… avoid the home stew. Whatever was in it last I ate there played havoc with my stomach." Charlotte scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue in emphasis./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Noted. I'll only be out for maybe an hour. Two at the most. The sun's still out so I've got plenty of light to see by."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "All right. Let me drop this bunch off and I'll see you outside."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Sometime later found Charlotte speaking closely outside with her lovesick guard and slipping a gold piece into his gloved hand and Elizabeth was home free. Jonathan was sure to help station a loyal friend of his to watch this hole and report back if Elizabeth hadn't returned in her allotted time. The Baron would be none the wiser and the guards assisting them would be earning a few extra untaxed gold coins on the side on top of their normal wage. Unless someone squealed for gods' knew what, they'd be set. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; text-align: center; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"—-/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"After a few heart pounding moments, Elizabeth finally slipped free from the manor's grounds and quickly made her way into Stonemarket. Granted it wasn't much to behold but her bit of freedom put it into a brighter light. There was an open market surrounding the base of the massive clock tower that seemed to pierce the sky. The bells inside clanged loudly to ring out the hour. Keeping an eye on the time, Elizabeth began to meander about the place, taking note of different points of interest. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" The Cripled Burrick wasn't hard to pinpoint. It was mainly due to the patrons frequenting the place. Elizabeth surmised she'd visit the tavern last if only to wait out its customers. It seemed packed to the brim enough as it was. The outdoor market held little of interest so the lady turned common folk made her way over to another shop, laughing quietly to herself when she realized it was yet another jeweler's store. Shrugging to herself, Elizabeth stepped inside and mingled with Serendi Jewellers' other customers. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" As she passed by the displays, she overheard the store owner announcing to one client about a mask that was supposed to arrive in the near future. It was being custom made and only the highest quality of gems would be added to it. Elizabeth rolled her eyes. As much as she did enjoy a good masque, having something like that would be beyond gaudy of the shiny pieces she was currently examining had anything to say about it. She left the jeweler behind after purchasing a pair of modest earrings as a thank you gift for Lottie. She was going to owe her handmaid big if these outings became a frequent thing, something of which Elizabeth hoped for. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" She tucked the earrings away in a hidden skirt pocket as she stepped outside and meandered across the square. The clock tower decided then to ring out the quarter hour, drawing her attention skyward. As another flock of black birds took flight, Elizabeth could've sworn she spied… something moving carefully along the external beams but, once she blinked, it was gone. Dismissing it as nothing more than her overactive imagination, she headed for the next shop. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" The next forty five minutes had her clearing the square, a new serial romance novel in hand. With her nose buried deep into the pages, Elizabeth left the Stonemarket square behind her and stepped down another path. She glanced up every so often as to avoid bouncing off of a support beam or a wall that had suddenly just appeared. She'd been so engrossed in her new finding that she hadn't taken notice of her surroundings until a cloud passed over the face of the sun, cloaking the area in semi darkness. Elizabeth squinted against the page as she neared the bottom and huffed in annoyance, finally tearing her gaze away from the tome only to have her stomach drop. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" She'd somehow wandered down a narrow alley that snaked behind various rundown shops and homes stationed above them. Bleak looking, rusty sconces mounted on the walls every few yards crackled with dying flames, throwing shadows everywhere. The smell finally hit her then. It was a sickly stench of urine, feces and vomit all mixed together. A wet hacking cough could be heard a few meters away, the owner hiding in the darkness./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"Hells. Where am I? Shit, what did I just step- Okay, okay. Okay. Clean it off later. Don't panic, don't panic. /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"She hurriedly tucked the book into another pocket, made sure she had easy access to her dagger and that it was also hidden out of sight then turned back around the way she came. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Stride confidently. Don't show weakness. Head up. Look like you know where you're going. You'll be fine/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;". Elizabeth repeated that mantra in her head a hundred times over until even she believed it. She didn't remember taking any turns but she was also so deep in that novel that she wasn't terribly sure. Her bottom lip had started to hurt something awful after being clenched between her teeth for long before screaming with relief upon release. She loosed a sigh after hearing the first few notes of a song about Red Jenny nearby. Taking a left there spilled her out into a fish hawkers market that was strangely vacant save for a trio of guards bearing the Watch's sigil on their chest pieces. As if sensing her presence, the men glanced up./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" The looks on their faces were anything but kind. Elizabeth halted in her tracks immediately, a question dying instantly on the tip of her tongue. She tasted copped in her mouth and forced a strained smile on her face. "Apologies. I must've taken a wrong turn, gentleman." The word sounded flat to her ears. "I didn't mean to interrupt y-your card game and that, ah, lovely song. I'll-I'll be going now." With that said, Elizabeth turned quickly on a mud covered heel and made to disappear back the way she came when a large hand wrapped none too gently around one of her elbows and steered her back into the fish market. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Now, now, miss. Where'd ya think yer goin'?" The guard's grip tightened on her captured limb and pulled her closer to his compatriots. Elizabeth could do nothing but reluctantly follow, her sodden footsteps echoing dully off the stone. The place reeked of spoiled fish and fish guts which didn't help with the queasy feeling rolling around in her own gut. "Come on then. Take a seat, put yer feet up." The man yanked her over toward a nearby crate while his friends leered at her. The one closest to her leaned in for a better look, a big, bushy crop of hair springing out over his top lip. Elizabeth quickly pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders to cover her chest and glared back at him./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Ease up, Roberts. Yer mustache frightens all the girls. I told ya ta shave," the first man said with a laugh./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Hm. I think I like her a bit more when she's scared," Roberts replied, his grin widening further. "She's got a bit of spunk in her. Most dockfrocks don't have that fire. It's all fake."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Well, no shit, man. What woman in her right mind would shack up with you?" the first quipped and let out a booming laugh. Elizabeth felt like her tongue was glued to the roof of her mouth, she couldn't speak. What /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"could /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"she say that wouldn't speed up this interaction or otherwise offend these men? They hadn't quite put their hands on her really just yet but she knew full well that her time was running out. She was kicking herself hard for not taking up with those self defense lessons as the basics were completely wiped from her mind. If the gods, old or new, answered her prayers she was silently screaming in her head, she'd begin them again. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "All right, gents. Who's going first? I know she ain't Lydia but at least this one doesn't have a six month long waiting list. I'm also sure she doesn't have crabs," the second guard remarked as he stood up to his full height; he was at least nearly two heads taller than her. Elizabeth gritted her teeth hard enough she was sure a molar cracked under the pressure. She took an inadvertent step backward as the man straightened up. The guards didn't miss the movement. And he seemed to enjoy it. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" The second guard's hands quickly shot out to grip her biceps tightly and leered at her again. "Where you goin', love? If you don't scream, we'll make this enjoyable for ya."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Now, that would be a feat in and of itself," rumbled another man's voice behind her. It wasn't nearly as deep as the other man's and had a sort of sarcastic lilt to it. The second guard released her arms but only out of shock rather than complete willingness and a gentle hand quickly wrapped about her waist, tugging her back a few steps. Elizabeth didn't dare take her eyes off the men in front of her but she so desperately wanted to given the looks of anger mixed with surprise and a little fear on the Watchmen's faces. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "You." The word was growled out with such malice and outrage that it nearly stilled Elizabeth's heart. At least the anger wasn't directed at her this time. The guard in front of them grinned an animosity filled smile as if a plan was hatching inside his head. "Well, men. It looks like the Master Thief has decided to grace us with his presence. We should be honored."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"Master Thief? Gods, this day just keeps getting better and better. /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"Elizabeth quickly threw her gaze skyward with a pleading look. They sent a /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"thief/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" to save her? There were three heavily armed and armored individuals before the two of them and thieves normally sported light armor. They would easily get run through, if they got caught by the Watch. The other guards seemed to be following that train of thought as the other two spread out in a loose triangle formation in the square to head the thief and their quarry off. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "What's it going to be, Child of the Shadows?" the guard taunted as he advanced on the pair. Elizabeth only noticed now that she and the thief had moved closer to the alleyway she'd just exited only minutes ago. This thief had been inching them ever so slowly backward towards a means of escape. "There's three of us and only one a' you. You let the girl go and we might just give ya a good head start on getting outta here."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "I think I'm going to have to decline that lovely proposition, Captain, as tempting as it may be," the thief quipped. Something in his voice told them all he was smiling beneath that dark half mask covering his face. "Go seek a dockfrock over in the skin market. This girl's not a part of their ledgers." His fingers dug into her side as she was pulled closer. "You let /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"us/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" both go without a fuss and I'll make sure this doesn't get back to the man in charge of your sorry asses."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" The guard, the captain, let out a short bark of mirthless laughter and bared his teeth in some semblance of a smile. "Now who would believe the word of a thief, hm?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Maybe we should listen to 'im, Cap'n," piped up the young guard who'd been quiet until this point. "I mean, if the Baron or fore-"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Shut your lid, Private," the captain snapped, ripping his gaze away from the pair in front of him as he tore into his subordinate who blanched at the reprimand. "If I gave a shit about every little opinion that came outta your pissing mouth, we'd never get anywhere!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "But sir-" The poor lad was quickly cut off. With their attention diverted, the thief kept working both himself and Elizabeth back to the alley. She felt coarse fabric scratch the shell of her right ear as the thief leaned in close. This near to him she could smell the leather he wore, a soft scent that had been overpowered by the rotting fish around them. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you," she heard him whisper. "All right?" Elizabeth sucked in a worried breath and dipped her head once in a nod after a heartbeat. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "That's my girl." She was ever so thankful she wasn't facing this Master Thief at that point in time as her face turned a bright shade of pink at his choice of words. Remembering he was about to unleash his plan, Elizabeth quickly shut her eyes and not a moment too soon. A bright flash illuminated the insides of her eyelids and she felt her body being scooped up and pressed against the thief's chest, the belts and sheathed blades digging into her torso as he ran. The guards fumbled about themselves, cursing profusely and, just as they rounded a corner, Elizabeth could've sworn she heard the sound of a distant splash as one of them took a tumble into the murky water. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "All right. You can open your eyes now," the thief said some time later. Elizabeth did so and her shoulders sagged with relief upon hearing the familiar sounds of the hustle and bustle of Stonemarket trickling down to them. She was then intensely aware the man was still holding her. Elizabeth had been certain the rogue's hands had never strayed into unwanted territory but if he was truly a Master Thief… /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" His arm beneath her knees gave way suddenly and her boots smacked the wet stone. The thief's other arm steadied her briefly before letting go and that's when she finally got a good look at him. Elizabeth tried not to peer at the rogue too closely for fear of him disappearing into the gloom but her hands itched for a bit of charcoal and clean paper. He wasn't dressed like the other thieves she'd borne witness to, which weren't many, but he had an air of maturity and professionalism about him. He knew when to pull back from a heist or so Elizabeth assumed. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "You mind telling me what possessed you to wander down Glimmer Lane by yourself?" His low voice snapped her out of her musings and her face heated slightly at the scolding in his tone. "Most folk around here know better than to head that way alone. If pressed, they go armed and don't linger long."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Elizabeth glared at him but his words hit home. "I /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"was /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"armed, Master Thief," she countered, crossing her arms over her chest as she hit him with a look of sheer annoyance./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Yes, a small dagger and boring holes into their heads with that fierce gaze of yours count as proper weaponry. Just do us all a favor and don't head that way unless you're looking for trouble."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "I-you- Why did you intervene? You were clearly outnumbered and could've been run through," Elizabeth countered as the thief, clad head to toe in leathers, multiple daggers and a dark cloak that billowed out behind him, walked past her. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Eh, call it good timing," he replied plainly as he neared a rickety old, metal ladder, a gloved hand resting on a lower rung. "Any chance I get to stir up a little trouble with the Watch I call a win in my book. Thanks for the extra coin by the way." He seemed to smile a bit beneath that mask of his as he vaulted up the ladder with catlike grace. Elizabeth took her eyes off him and fumbled with her coin purse. Sure enough, it was just a bit lighter than when she'd gone down that alley. She glanced up where she'd last seen the thief and let out a huff, placing her hands on her hips. At least that was all that had been stolen from her. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" With her unexpected savior now gone back into the shadows, Elizabeth made for the Burrick for a hot meal and a pint of ale. She wanted to leave that whole fish market business behind her. The guards' looks were burned into her memory and, each time she relived that moment, a shudder ran down her spine. She'd come close to something horrific and escaped by the skin of her teeth. Had that rogue not appeared at her side when he did… Elizabeth mentally shook herself. She did /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"not /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"want to continue that line of thought. Scarfing down a meal of potatoes, burnt meat and pisspoor ale, she left the Burrick and made for the manor, knowing her two hours was nearly up. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" It very much was given the panicked look on Jonathan's face as he stood near the hole in the courtyard gate. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Where have you been?" The guard practically hissed like a snake as Elizabeth stepped through the bent bars. "Lottie's been worried out of her mind for the last twenty minutes!"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Sorry. Got held up the Burrick," Elizabeth replied, as she gathered her skirts up to avoid them catching on the metal. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Well, don't let it happen again."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Did the Baron notice my absence?" /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "No, miss. Like always, he's been shut up in his study. Don't think he's left it since mid morning."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Just like I thought," Elizabeth muttered to herself then placed a hand on Jonathan's shoulder. Looking at the man, he wasn't that much older than her, perhaps a few years her junior. A bit of stubble graced his cheeks and he had a ragged scar poking out from the side of his helmet by his jawline. She could see what Lottie saw in him. He had kind eyes and a good disposition. "Thank you for keeping a look out here. Now that I know what to expect, next time should be a bit easier."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Next time," the guard sputtered after her as Elizabeth made for the courtyard door. She tossed him a wave before slipping inside, hardly containing a giggle at the look of exasperation plain on his face. Once inside, the manor didn't feel quite as oppressive. It was still there, that much she could tell, but it wasn't as overwhelming as it was only a few hours ago. Before she'd gone any further, Elizabeth kicked off her boots, wincing a little at the smell. She needed to dispose of any and all evidence that she'd gone off the manor grounds. She also didn't need to cause any additional havoc with the manor's house staff. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" After pilfering the downstairs linen closet, Elizabeth found an old pillow case that had been stuffed into the far back and bagged up her shoes before tiptoeing upstairs. She wanted to remain a ghost just long enough to get back to her room and change out of her sodden skirts. Just as she slipped into her room, Charlotte had entered from another entrance by the washroom. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Jonathan wasn't lying!" her friend exclaimed as she rushed to her lady's side. "You /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"are /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"back! Lizzie, you had me worried out of my mind when you weren't back at the allotted time. What happened? Jonathan said something about the Burrick being overcrowded? And what is that awful stench? It smells like an outhouse!" Elizabeth held up the sack holding her shoes and Charlotte quickly took it away, placing it in the copper bathtub. Shutting the door kept the smell from further tainting the room./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Lottie, what do you know about this Master Thief everyone's been going on about?" Elizabeth asked, quickly derailing another tirade of questions her handmaid was about to toss her way. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "I-What? The… Master Thief?" Charlotte slowly repeated before lacing her hands together in thought. "I… I only know what little Jonathan has bestowed upon me. This rogue is very cunning. Clever. Certainly is not your average man. Most of the Watch seem to think him a ghost given they haven't been able to catch him." Charlotte shrugged, shaking her head as she paced Elizabeth's bedroom, her heels softly tapping against the old wood floors. "I mean, how does one catch a ghost?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Has anyone ever gotten close enough for a look?" Elizabeth pondered as she walked to her four poster bed and began to shimmy out of her stained clothes until she was only in her chemise. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "None who've lived to tell about it. He seems to only be interested in stirring up trouble for affluent society. An opportunistic sort," Charlotte answered, her hands spreading wide. Her handmaid then tilted her head to the side, studying her friend. "Why the sudden interest? Wait, did you run into him? Did he rob you?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Well, yes and no," Elizabeth rubbed the back of her neck before playing with the end of her braid. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "'Yes and no'. What in the hells does that mean?" Charlotte demanded sharply as she walked to her lady's side. "Elizabeth, did this man rob you? He didn't hurt you, did he?" Charlotte was already beginning to turn her friend this way and that, searching for any sign of an attack. Elizabeth grabbed her handmaid's hands and stilled her movements./span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "No, /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"he /spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"didn't but… a small contingent of the Watch nearly did," Elizabeth said softly. Charlotte's eyes widened in disbelief and she blinked. She remained quiet as Elizabeth recounted her trek through Stonemarket then her absentminded walk down Glimmer Lane which dropped her off into the fish hawker's square. Charlotte had turned an even paler shade as Elizabeth recalled the guards' filthy words and their even filthier intentions when the thief had made an appearance. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "He /spanspan style="font-family: Arial-ItalicMT; font-style: italic; font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;"saved/spanspan style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" me, Lottie. Why in the name of the gods would a thief risk his neck for me?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Charlotte squeezed her lady's palms once before letting go. "I wish I had an answer for you, miss. Why do rogues do anything? You did say he stole from you so perhaps he saw it as an opportunity to make a quick bit of coin."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "He could've stolen the whole purse, Lottie, but he didn't. It was like he just took a small fee. Oh!" Elizabeth scooped up her skirts and began rifling through the fabric fold until she located the right pocket. "That reminds me! I got you these." She held out the pair of sapphire earrings she purchased earlier for her maid to take. "I hadn't noticed he pilfered a handful of coins from my purse. I likely wouldn't have noticed these were gone until now."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" "Oh, miss, these are just lovely!" Charlotte took the pair from Elizabeth's hands and held them up to the lamp where they caught in the light. Small, colorful prisms were thrown against the nearby wall and danced as Charlotte turned her new piece this way and that. As Charlotte looked back at her friend, she sighed. "I can't be mad at you now. Especially at this. And knowing you, you're planning another outing, aren't you?"/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Elizabeth sheepishly smiled. "I'm also considering reaching out to Jonathan and asking him if he could walk me through a few moves. Basic disarming and the like. Something to help me hold my ground and prove I'm more of a threat than an easy target."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" Charlotte pocketed the jewelry and her mouth thinned but she eventually nodded. "You might need some more coin to convince but I think he'll help. As much as I don't like the image of you fighting, I detest the thought of you being hurt even more. Just promise me that you won't take any risks."/span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" While she couldn't guarantee it, Elizabeth nodded and promised her friend. Satisfied, Charlotte gathered up her lady's sodden clothes and drew her a hot bath. Elizabeth insisted on cleaning her boots first, if just to get rid of the horrid smell quicker, before rinsing out and entering the tub herself. Charlotte tossed the stained clothes down a laundry chute and laid out fresh linens for Elizabeth to slip into for dinner. The rest of the night, the rogue who spirited her away from trouble remained in Elizabeth's thoughts well into the late evening and into the following week. Sketching the man hadn't helped much. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" She wanted to see him again if just to demand answers from him. She had enough coin to perhaps persuade him that way but that meant finding him again. Elizabeth didn't fancy another meeting with that guard trio so she kept her head down. She remained indoors for the rest of the week until she decided enough time had passed that she was sure they weren't searching for her. Still, she kept clear of the so-called Glimmer Lane. A few days after her second romp around Stonemarket, she visited the book sellers to pick up the next few volumes of her latest serial. After loaning the first in the series to Charlotte, Elizabeth needed to locate the next few as her handmaid tore through the book right quick. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; font-size: 14.7px; line-height: normal; font-family: Arial; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000;"span style="font-size: 14.67px; font-kerning: none;" She also nabbed a book that gave the reader an in-depth overview of close quarters combat and sword play. She'd be damned before getting caught unawares again. /span/p
p style="margin: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size-adjust: none; font-kerning: auto; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant-emoji: normal; font-feature-settings: normal; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-variation-settings: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-color: #000000; min-height: 13.8px;" /p