From Moonlight to Mayhem (Swords, Secrets, and Scandals Book 1)

by Jess Schira

  “Letty.” Her grandfather turned sightless eyes in her direction. “Hold tight to your temper, child. Mister Brice did the job requested of him and has paid us. Now it’s time to return home.”

  Letty bit back the urge to scream. “He’s not providing payment. He's cheating us.”

  “Miss Malleson!” Brice drew himself to his full height and puffed out his chest, the movement reminded Letty of the small rooster she owned. “I’ve done no such thing. The butchers paid market value for your hogs. I took my commission. The amount listed on the banknote is your grandfather’s share.”

  Letty took a deep breath, held it while she silently counted to three, and released it in one long whoosh. “I was assured that, provided they were in good shape after being driven here, the compensation I’d receive for my hogs would be substantial.”

  “Miss Malleson, I must request that you recall I am nothing more than a humble livestock broker. You tasked me with selling your swine to those in need of pork. I did my absolute best to secure a fair price for the beasts, but I’m not a miracle worker. Perhaps the butchers who purchased your hogs didn’t find them to be as high quality as you believed them to be. This is Bath, Miss Malleson, not your small village, it’s reasonable to assume the butchers and cooks here have a higher expectations.”

  Letty’s hands curled into tight fists and her skin seemed to shrink while her insides grew hot with frustration. An overwhelming sense of unfairness swept over her. Not for the first time, Letty wished she’d born a man. If she had she could do something, punch him in the nose or challenge him to a duel, to make him pay for the insult he’d just handed her. The pigs she had transported to Bath were the best she’d ever raised and Mister Brice should have demanded a higher sum for them. However, since she was a girl and her only chaperone was a blind old man, there was little she could do.

  “I was told otherwise. My source promised the butchers here needed to feed some of the most important people in England and would be so happy to have good hogs, they’d pay a kingly price.”

  Brice glanced at her grandfather. The livestock dealer’s body language made it clear he was done dealing with the hysterical woman. “Perhaps the person who offered this insight wished to be kind.”

  “To what purpose? They stood nothing to gain.”

  “Leticia!” There was a note of desperation in Victor Malleson’s voice as he groped for his granddaughters hand. Despite his best efforts, he’d been unable to change the headstrong nature she’d been born with. Past experience had taught him that all he could do was remind her of her manner and pray she checked her temper. “Don’t cause a scene. We’re not at home, the people hear won’t understand you.” Victor turned his face in the direction of the livestock broker and offered his friendliest smile which he hoped would distract the gentleman from his granddaughter’s bad manners. “Mr. Brice sounds like an honest man.”

  Letty ground her teeth together. She and her grandfather were so different from one another she sometimes wondered how they could be related. He always believed the best about people. She never did.

  She waved the banknote under Nathaniel Brice’s nose.

  “Mr. Brice, this is not even close to a fair price. If you cannot increase the amount, then I insist you return the pigs.” With each word her voice rose, attracting the attention of those passing by. Three young women hurried across the street.

  Fingers brushed against her elbow. “Madam, is there a problem?”

  Chapter 3

  Irritation spiked through Letty. The last thing she needed was another person meddling in her business.

  “Do you make a habit of interrupting women when they’re in the middle of a private discussion?” Letty turned to face the stranger and her thoughts scattered.

  The newcomer wasn’t unattractive, but he also wasn’t the type of man who’d cause eligible ladies to swoon and giggle when he walked past. Average height with a slim build. His slenderness didn’t appear to be from physical exertion so much as a tendency to skip too many meals, which, based on the fine cut of his clothes, had been missed by absentmindedness rather than lack of means.

  His features were symmetrical and even, but again, average: a straight nose, straight mouth, cheekbones that were neither too high nor too low, faint cleft in the chin. Gold spectacles magnified a pair of cerulean eyes that were lit with a deep intelligence. His pale, unblemished skin suggested he spent most of his time indoors. Dark blond hair peeked out from beneath his hat, wound into tight curls, and twisted around his one extraordinary feature, a cute pair of jug ears.

  The scent of tobacco, ink, and paper wafted from his clothing.

  He lacked the type of countenance that caused girls to swoon and sigh when men passed them on the street yet there was something about him that Letty found immensely pleasing. The longer she gazed upon him, the more smoothly his features seemed to fit together and the more striking he grew.

  The stranger removed his hat and dipped into a deep bow. “Simon Harper, at your service.”

  Letty shoved aside the quick burst of attraction. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him.

  “You’re perfectly correct to draw attention to my ill manners. Please accept my heartfelt apology,” Simon continued, humor thickening his voice. “The next time I happen upon a young woman yelling in the street, I shall endeavor to cover my ears and walk on past. My only excuse is that I'm a business man.”

  Letty firmly reminded herself she was a lady and that ladies did not kick gentleman in the shins, no matter how tempting the action might be. “I fail to see how that’s any concern of mine.”

  “I am the owner of the shop just across the street.” Simon gestured towards a building on the opposite side of the street. Several elegant hats were displayed in the window.

  “I'm sure you sell many fine hats, but-”

  “I do. Or at least I hope to.”

  Letty tapped the toe of her shoe against the ground. She scowled but motioned for him to continue. In her experience, the best way to handle people who seemed a little shy of normal, like this bloke, was to let them speak their piece. Then, they usually moved on.

  “My patrons have certain expectations. One of those expectations is that they’ll enjoy a nice, quiet environment, while selecting a new hat. Something they can’t do when a charming young woman such as yourself is dressing down,” Simon transferred his gaze to Nathaniel Brice and appraised him, “A gentleman,” Simon emphasized the word, “such as this good man here. So, with the hope of keeping my customers happy, I thought I’d see if I can help you resolve this dispute in a timely fashion.”

  Letty’s lip curled. Typical. He didn’t give a fig about her problems and assumed the situation could be fixed with nothing more than a kind word or two.

  She drew a breath, prepared to give him a piece of her mind but her grandfather grabbed her elbow. “Letty,” he hissed, “be still child. The man is a merchant and sounds quite pleasant. He's done nothing to deserve your ire.”

  Simon chewed on his lip and considered the situation. “Sir, he finally said, “It’s very likely your words carry a great deal of truth, but at the same time, I fear I can’t ignore the young lady’s agitation. She believes the situation to be grave.”

  Letty’s frowned and she swallowed her instinctive protest. She hated the need to rely on someone else. She worked hard to be independent, but it didn’t matter. She’d been born a woman, and as such was expected to conform to certain social standards. And despite her best efforts, she always seemed to forget herself and speak her mind when she should remain silent. Still, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to try her feminine wiles and learn if they really could be useful.

  She tilted her head to one side and blinked, striving for the same beguiling expression she’d noticed the girl’s back home use whenever they wanted a man do their bidding. She felt ridiculous but if the way the light in Simon’s eyes softened and how he leaned a smidgen closer were any indication, it was effective. She
passed the banknote to him, stiffening when his fingertips brushed hers and a wave of warmth spread all the way from her fingers to her toes.

  Startled, Letty drew back and looked up at Simon Harper. Nothing in his expression indicated he’d experienced a similar reaction to her touch.

  Simon’s brow furrowed as he studied the bank note. “I'm afraid I don't understand?”

  “My granddaughter feels the amount Mr. Brice has offered us to be incorrect,” Letty’s grandfather explained. “Mr. Brice has never given us any reason to believe him to be anything other than an upstanding and honest young man, which leads me to agree with his conclusion that the hogs he sold for us weren’t quite as fine as my granddaughter believed.”

  Simon’s gaze shifted from Letty to the man who’d been silent since his approach. “The bank named on this note, I’m unfamiliar with it.”

  “It’s a small establishment, on the other side of town.”

  Simon nodded and returned the banknote to Letty. He noted the bluish cast of her lips, the dark smudges beneath her eyes, and her scared expression and said the first words that sprang to mind. “I’m unfamiliar with the sale of pigs and how butcher shops acquire animals. However, as a businessman in this town, I feel a certain responsibility to make sure you have received the money you’re due.” He pulled out his pocket watch and checked the time. “I’m afraid I have an unavoidable appointment coming up, but if you and your grandfather will accompany me, I can bring you to a place where you’ll be able warm up and tell me your story.”

  Letty ground her teeth together. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted to force Brice into giving her the proper price for her pigs.

  “Leticia,” her grandfather's voice was heavy with warning. Cataracts might have robbed him of his vision, but his other senses remained strong. No one knew his hot headed, short tempered granddaughter better than he did and right now he sensed her preparing for a fight. “This gentleman has made a very wise suggestion. We should take him up on it.”

  “As you wish. Let us have a discussion about Mister Brice’s low moral character and unscrupulous business practices.” She shot Simon a suspicious look. “I hope his behavior is the exception and not an example of how the business is conducted in this town. I expected a stronger code of ethics.”

  “Miss Malleson, I can assure you, I am a man of the highest scruples,” Simon Harper said with a grin.

  PIG IN A POKE is part of The Chocolate House-All for Love-Anthology and is currently available now via Amazon. Be sure to pick up your copy today!