Stages of Desire by Julia Tagan

Entwhistle first.”
    â€œThat’s what I mean.”
    William caught up with Miss Farley inside the barn. She pointed in the direction of several bales of hay, where Miss Entwhistle stood wearing a long purple scarf and swaying side to side, singing a colorful ditty at the top of her lungs. The rest of the troupe had gathered around her, clapping and singing along.
    â€œI think I’ll have no problems with Miss Entwhistle at all, my lord,” said Miss Farley. “In fact, it appears she’ll be able to teach me a few things.”
    * * * *
    It took a half-hour for William to settle Miss Entwhistle down, aided by a large mug of ale handed to him by the old man.
    No wonder Jasper had been so surprised at William’s request. Their former nursemaid had gone quite mad with old age. As a chaperone to a young woman with dangerous proclivities, Miss Entwhistle appeared to be an unfortunate choice.
    One bright spot shone through all this nonsense. Urswick, the apothecary working on the same cure, was located somewhere in Birmingham. In his letter, the man had written that if they joined up and collaborated, a better treatment to the ague was possibly in sight. For now, William would put up with this gang of miscreants in order to put himself one step closer to saving his sister.
    â€œPack your things, Miss Farley, we must be off.” William gently withdrew the mug of ale from Miss Entwhistle’s hands.
    â€œI’m not going anywhere, my lord,” Miss Farley said. “I told you already, I leave for Birmingham at dawn.”
    â€œI understand, and I won’t go back on our agreement.” The other players watched him closely. If this was going to be the least bit tolerable, William had to make it clear he was in charge. “The rest of the players can go by wagon, which will take a couple of days. You, Miss Entwhistle, and I will take my carriage, which will get us to Birmingham much faster. According to my calculations, we should arrive by late tomorrow evening. Once there, I will arrange for a proper chaperone for you during your brief stay as well as your return to London.”
    â€œYou want to go with us to Birmingham?” She raised a suspicious brow.
    â€œIt so happens I have business to attend to in the vicinity.”
    â€œVery well, my lord.” Her tone, for once, was suitably differential. “But then where are we going now? It’s getting dark.”
    â€œWe’ll find lodgings at the inn in town.”
    â€œNo sir, I’m afraid not.” The older man, the one they called Adam, spoke.
    â€œWhat do you mean? I passed two or three establishments on my way through town this afternoon.”
    â€œAye, my lord. But it’s the fair. There’s not a room left. I heard the innkeeper saying so this morning. Your timing’s off.”
    William gave him a sharp look. “Of course. The fair, I should have known. Another excuse to dance around and be merry.”
    Miss Entwhistle began doing some kind of a jig and whistling.
    â€œI’ll take care of Miss Entwhistle.” Miss Farley took the woman’s hands in her own. “You’ll come with me, ma’am, and we’ll bed down in the cottage with Mrs. Kembler.”
    Miss Entwhistle gave her a girlish smile. “I’d like that.”
    â€œAnd where will I sleep?” asked William, to no one in particular.
    â€œYou can sleep with us in the barn, my lord,” offered the young boy. “The hayloft’s quite cozy.”
    â€œThe hayloft? Goodness, no.” William couldn’t imagine anything more awful. And scratchy.
    â€œWhen a traveling company moves from town to town, we bed down wherever we’re offered.” Miss Farley’s look dared him to complain.
    â€œThat’s right,” the boy added. “I’ve slept in a butcher’s shop and in a cowshed. Preferred the cowshed, to be honest. Less blood.”
    â€œRight.” There