Lady Eleanor Mary Cantwell, daughter of the Marquess of Salford, is a proper young lady. With her golden complexion, raven-black hair, and manners befitting a princess, Lady Eleanor has always been deemed a belle. There is just one problem.
Lady Ele...
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'Do you not think this dress is far too opulent for me to wear when out on a heist?' Eleanor whispered into the darkness from the bush she was hiding behind.
'This is not a heist. And, it will suit finely for your task at hand,' Nathan whispered back from the bush right next to her. 'Besides, it was your idea to be the distraction. My idea was that you join us in breaking in. You suggested you play the role of the wealthy aristocratic seductress.'
'I suggested it because you wanted me to dress in trousers!' she refuted harshly. 'It is not that I am opposed to the idea of my wearing it for the task. I am opposed because the trousers are extremely uncomfortable. I cannot fathom how you men wear it all day. But I didn't think you'd make me wear such a fine gown for it,' she argued. 'This is very expensive silk. I do not think I have a dress as fine as this.'
'Well, you need just let me know, darling. Buy as many as you want,' Nathan replied, his mind elsewhere. 'There!' he suddenly exclaimed, pointing his hand to the entrance of the run-down manor where men – Indian and British alike – began to exit from. He motioned to his men and began to give them commands in Hindi, commands which flew off the top of Eleanor's head but made most of the men leave the bushes they were hiding in and begin to scour the perimeter leaving behind only Nathan, Ram and five other men with her.
Nathan then turned to her. 'Eleanor, the goons have left. It is just Hadleigh's proxy now. Do you remember the plan?'
Eleanor nodded. 'Yes. Go and knock on the door. Pretend to be lost. Try and get into the building and distract him for as long as it is needed for you to do your work. And then I leave when you give me the signal.'
'Exactly, love,' Nathan said and stroked her cheek lovingly. 'Now, I know you're going to have to attempt to seduce him but please, do not let him touch you.'
Eleanor laughed. 'Are you jealous? Believe me, husband, I will not fall for his wiles.'
Her husband scoffed. 'I am not jealous of him. Nor do I think you will fall for him. But, I am concerned about what he might do to you. Do you have your gun on you?'
Eleanor parted the folds of the skirt of her gown in answer to reveal a huge pocket from which she withdrew her revolver. 'It is right here. I also have a couple daggers in the thigh holsters.'
Nathan's face blanched till it was as white as a ghost. 'You brought along daggers too? You know how to use them?'
Eleanor shrugged and smiled mischievously. 'I may have tricked Ram into teaching me how to throw one earlier this evening. You won't believe how fast a learner I am!'
At that, he shot a dark look towards his right-hand man who had commenced sweating profusely. 'Your Grace, I swear, Her Grace told me you wanted me to. If I had known –'
'Oh, pish posh!' she interrupted. 'I can learn to throw a dagger if I want to without your consent. Leave the poor, innocent man alone.'
Nathan looked like he wanted to argue, and if he was like other men he would have seeing as none of them would have even allowed their wives to learn to use a revolver. And although Eleanor was hesitant with the gun at first, she had learned to some extent and figured learning to throw a knife might not hurt either.
