Civilizing Frances
The Mad Hatterlys

Excerpt

Frances stepped back, hands on hips to study the windows. They were too high and inconveniently small. She might be able to fit through the middle one, if only she could reach.

"Here. Push that here," she commanded, pointing at the chest containing her soiled pelisse.

Ainsley raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to hide in it, Miss Hatterly?"

"I need something to stand on. I'm not tall enough to reach those windows."
He rose up to push the chest against the wall. She had a moment to admire his tight breeches. What an admirable physique he had with his broad shoulders and the muscular calves of a Corinthian. Such a waste for a man to be that graceful and that horrid.

She stepped up onto the chest and nearly wobbled off. It wasn't as secure a position as she'd hoped.

He steadied her with his hand. "You're not to fall and injure yourself."
"Thank you, I won't."

"That would be infinitely worse than being locked in, for even if we escaped, I'd need to seek assistance for you and everyone would know we had been sequestered together."

She scowled. "Horrid man. Hoist me up, then. I'm still not tall enough for this blasted window."

"Hoist you how?"

She flung her hands up in the air. "I cannot believe I'm saying this, but I would actually prefer to be locked in here with one of my brothers. At least they'd assist in trying to get us out. Hoist you how indeed! Lift me up, you nodcock!"

"You mean touch you?"

"Yes, unless you have a rope and winch hidden upon your person. Put your hands on me and lift me up like you were putting me on a horse."
"I knew you were fast. From the moment you came in here, I knew you were that way. You're trying to trap me."

She glared down at him from her perch. "If I wanted to trap you, I'd be doing everything in my power to keep us both in this room. Do you imagine I want to be ruined by the likes of you? What do you think will happen when they find us?"

"Oh, dear God."

"Exactly," she said grimly. "Now unless you want to find yourself yoked to me for life, put your hands on my waist and lift me up, fool."

"Very well. But I'm doing this under protest."

She rolled her eyes. "Noted." She was startled at the breadth of the large hands spanning her waist.

"On three," he said.

Frances counted to three and jumped as high as she could. At the same moment, Ainsley thrust her into the air.

She caught the edge of the window with her fingertips. "Got it," she crowed. "No, hold me up. I've only barely…almost…got…it."

Ainsley grunted and held her suspended. "Are you sure? Doesn't feel like you're holding your weight." He staggered.

"Be still! I'm trying to unlock…there!" She swung the window open. "Now lift me higher."

"What? Oof. Stop that. You almost kicked me in the face and you're stepping on my jacket."

"Sorry," she said sweetly and took another swipe at his head with her slipper.

"You're crushing my coat. For a small girl, you’re very heavy. Aren't you out yet?"She'd managed to get herself up onto her forearms and began wriggling forward.

"What in God's name are you doing with that girl, Ainsley?" a horrified voice cried out.

"Aagh!" With a shriek, Frances fell taking Ainsley with her.