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father’s asked, What had Anthony been thinking of to give Christian the task of appropriating something of such obvious value?
    Christian pushed the voice away with a snarl and a second swig of bitter ale. Great. That was all he needed, the sound of his father’s condescending voice echoing in the void. He’d just visit his father at Rosewood Manor if he felt like punishing himself.
    Christian watched a scuffle break out among the patrons at two of the large benched tables in the middle of the room. One of the men lunged, and a brawl began in earnest. Probably a fight over some woman or someone’s pride or honor.
    The fight mirrored his sudden change in mood.
    He leaned back, shifting to keep the front of the hard chair from digging into his backside. He had at least an hour or two more before Freewater would show for supper. Plenty of time to drink a few pints and indulge in a bit of mischief if hewanted to join the fray or banter with his roommate.
    A swatch of brown caught his attention. His eyes followed Kate as she picked up two empty mugs on a table. It still amazed him that no one seemed to realize she was female. She blended into the background so well that most of the patrons barely spared her a glance.
    What did she look like beneath the oversized men’s garments? He wanted to strip her of her outer coverings and get rid of that damn cap and head wrap thing. She would never be a showy beauty, but she had a quiet prettiness. And there was a spark to her that vied with her demure looks. A zest—the real kind, not the type expertly faked by a courtesan trying to catch a man’s eye.
    Yes, a tumble between the sheets with the fey lady would be quite an adventure. More so than with some practiced barmaid, no matter how lusciously endowed. Now if only he could get past the outrage and propriety she had shown. All it took was the right phrase or words of encouragement to get most women beyond proper…and properly out of their clothes.
    He was on a time constraint, but that only made it more of a challenge. Kate bent over to assist a man on the floor, providing Christian with anexcellent view of her backside. Yes, the challenge was definitely going to be worth the effort. Now to figure out how to remove those nicely clinging breeches…
    Stuck in his musings over Kate’s shapely backside, Christian barely had time to register the fist flying toward his face.

Chapter 4
    I don’t care if your brother hit you first. I’m sure you deserved it.
    The Marquess of Penderdale
to Christian, age six
    C hristian ducked just in time to avoid a burly fist headed straight for his nose. The fist connected with the mortared wall behind him and a howl of pain issued forth from its owner. Christian half rose and used the man’s forward momentum to thrust his head into the wall as well. The fighter crumpled like a wet rag to the floor, and Christian stood to join the melee.
    After everything that had happened to him during the past week, a bit of exercise might go a longway in releasing some pent-up tension. From experience he knew it would be only a matter of moments before another person tried to engage him in a fight.
    Benches and chairs overturned, tables jostled, and liquid splashed as mugs were thrown. Off to his side a flash of wide blue eyes and a brown cap caught his attention. What the devil was Kate still doing in here? Christian stepped forward, grabbed her wrist, and unceremoniously pulled her behind him, pushing her shapely backside into the protected wall.
    She made a slight mew of protest that barely registered over the din of angry words, bones crushing bones, and bodies hitting the floor. But she didn’t resist.
    She was such a tiny thing that one flying elbow would take her down. A dark blur entered his vision on the right, close to Kate. A wave of fury swept through him at the image.
    Christian moved in front of her and allowed the man’s fist to glance off his jaw. The movement left the man’s entire side