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But she dismissed the abigail as soon as possible and then turned back to the depths of her wardrobe.
    From beneath a pile of shawls she pulled a pair of men’s breeches and from under a stack of blankets she removed some boots. She found the jacket where she had stored it inside her large, wooden chest and set to work.
    Within a short while Victoria was standing in front of her dressing glass examining her appearance with a critical eye. She had been quietly gathering the masculine clothing for weeks, and this was the first time she had tried on the entire outfit.
    The breeches fit a bit too snugly, tending to outlinethe flare of her hips and the feminine shape of her calves, but there was no help for it. With any luck the tails of her dark blue coat and the night itself would hide the most obvious hints of femininity. At least her breasts, being rather on the small side, were easily concealed beneath the finely pleated shirt and yellow waistcoat.
    When Victoria set the beaver hat at a rakish angle on her short hair, she was pleased with the overall effect. She was certain that, at least at night, she could safely pass as a young dandy. After all, people saw only what they expected to see.
    Anticipation welled up deep inside her and she realized she wasn’t as excited about the forthcoming expedition to the fair as she was anxious about seeing Stonevale again.
    It was true, as Annabella had said, Stonevale must be a gentleman or Lady Atherton and Bertie Lyndwood would not count him among their acquaintances. But a woman, especially an heiress, could not depend upon any man’s sense of gentlemanly honor. She had learned that lesson well from her stepfather. Still, Victoria knew she would be safe enough tonight so long as she stayed in control of the situation.
    She relaxed, allowing herself a small, assured smile. She’d had a great deal of experience controlling situations that involved men.
    Victoria crossed the deep blue carpet to the yellow velvet armchair near the window and settled in it. In a little while it would be safe to leave the house.
    Tonight there would be no time to worry about the creeping restlessness that frequently threatened her in the long, dark hours of the night; no time to dwell on that sense of something dangerous left unfinished; no time to fret about bizarre notions such as the possibility of bringing the dead back to life with electricity.
    Best of all, it was nearly midnight already. With any luck she would be awake most of the night, so there would be less time for the nerve-shattering dreams that increasingly invaded her nights as of late. She had come to fear those nightmares. A small shiver went through hereven now as she pushed the memory of the last one to the farthest corner of her mind. She could still see the knife in his hand.
    No, there would be little opportunity for those nightmares to strike tonight. With any luck she would not be home before dawn. She could deal with the daylight hours. It was the darkness she had learned to fear.
    Victoria gazed out into the shadowed garden and wondered what Stonevale would think when he saw her dressed as a man.
    The cheerful anticipation of his stunned expression was enough to banish the small, tattered remnant of horror that still hovered at the edge of her mind.
    Lucas leaned forward on the carriage seat and scowled out into the shadows of the dark street. He was not in a good mood. “I don’t care for this nonsense. Why are we not fetching Miss Huntington from her front steps?”
    “I’ve told you,” Annabella Lyndwood protested. “Her aunt is a very understanding person, but Victoria is afraid that even she would have a few doubts about our plans for this evening.”
    “I’m glad somebody besides myself has the sense to have doubts,” Lucas growled. He turned toward the other man in the carriage. “Lyndwood, I think we should have a few contingency arrangements made in case we become separated in the crowd this