Page 111 of Notorious

“She wanted me to bring Samir to live with her, but eventually came to accept that would not happen.”

Drusilla nodded, her smile wry. “I imagine she possesses quite a temper.”

Gabriel snorted. “You have no idea.”

Drusilla glanced out the window, and Gabriel realized the carriage hadn’t moved for several minutes.

“We have not moved even a foot. Shall we walk?” She looked at him and then raised her hand to her mouth to hide her grin. “Or perhaps not. It will be easy for me—but you?”

Gabriel wore a huge wig and more clothing than he’d ever donned at one time. The heavy velvet and ermine-trimmed cloak was stifling.

“Perhaps if I remove my—”

“Oh no.” She shook her head. “You mustn’t remove even a stitch—not until everyone has seen you.”

“But, darling, they won’t know me because I will be wearing this.” He lifted the mask Drake had given him.

“They will know you,” she assured him.

“What does that mean, Miss Clare? Are you referring to my nose?”

She giggled. His serious wife giggled.

Gabriel heaved an exaggerated sigh. “Very well, we shall suffer in all our court finery. Come. It will be better to walk than swelter in here.”

The streets were full of costume-clad guests with the same idea.

“There seem to be an unprecedented number of Cleopatras,” he murmured in her ear as they approached the head of the receiving line.

She shivered.

“What, are you cold?”

“No, only thinking of all those asps.”

He chuckled as they reached the head of the stairs.

“My goodness,” she said, her eyes wide as they handed their cloaks over to the footman and looked at the scene below.

There were Greeks, Romans, figures from all eras of English royalty, explorers, and other, less recognizable characters milling around the packed ballroom dance floor.

“You were right about the Cavaliers,” she said, adjusting the basket on her arm before pointing to a clutch of Royalists in a far corner.

“Good God,” Gabriel muttered. “It is sweltering in here. Why are all the windows closed?”

“I understand it is not unusual for the Regent to attend. He is great friends with the duke.”

Gabriel doubted the rotund monarch would be up for such an arduous trek as they had just taken.

A tall, uncharacteristically blond Cromwell approached them and pointed at Gabriel. “Seize him! And bring him to the tower,” he ordered nobody in particular.

Gabriel cut him a haughty look. “I’m the other Charles— or can’t you tell? Besides, it would appear your men have deserted you.”

Byer glanced over his shoulders and frowned. “What the devil happened to them?”

“How did you know it was me? Oh, never mind—it was Drake, wasn’t it?”

“I will not reveal my sources.” He cut a glance at Drusilla and bowed low. “And how arrogant we are to assume it was Your Highness I knew. It was your lovely companion I recognized.”