The Owl and the Pussycat
by Dahlia Rose
Genre: Historical Interracial Romance
The mark
was set. It was almost too easy and that should have been her clue something
was wrong. But it was too good to pass up, after her meeting with Boone Barnes,
the same son of the man trusted by her mother. Ella knew that to help Diana and
her children, the risk had to be taken. Johnathan Pierre and his wife, Brigitte Au
Clair, were
vastly rich and to be invited into their mansion meant you had the social
status they deemed worthy.
The Au
Clair home sat empty, as its owners were on safari and from there would be
traveling to India and finally China. Everything was covered and the staff cut
to only two people who kept the property tidy and the home clean of dust. It
was ripe for the taking and from it, Ella could have enough to do what was
needed for her friend.
Boone’s
information was directly from a disgruntled ex-employee. The Au Clairs had a
hidden room where they hid part of their wealth. With it was not just jewels,
but gold coins, which were Ella’s focus. They were easily hidden and used as
payment and if Ella could pull this off before they returned she would have
more of their wealth in her grasp.
Low
clouds hung over the waning moon, making the city seem darker at night. It was
perfect for her to move over rooftops and scale the walls that led to luxurious
gardens between some of the larger mansions. Sometimes there were lights in
windows and light laughter could be heard, and at those houses, she kept close
to the ground when necessary. The Graystone mansion was the last house between
her and the mark. Ella moved across it with sure feet while the family played
the piano inside.
Her foot
slipped, sending her body down part of the gabled roof that faced the street.
The special shoes that her mother had created caught the gutter and she dug her
hand into the rough clay tiles. Ella took the risk of glancing below and caught
sight of the black helmets of two constables passing on the street. Their usual
patrol took them through the streets of the wealthy but they rarely went down
to the Devil’s Acre unless there was a body. Then it was just to throw the
corpse in the back of a cart without an investigation.
She
pressed herself against the dark tiles hoping she blended in with the shadows
from the chimney. If they looked up, she may be caught but a slow breath of
relief let her lips as they walked by, oblivious to her presence. Regaining her
footing, the Au Clair house came into sight and a smile crossed her face.
There
was no reason to enter the home from the roof because it was empty. She ran
across the grass at the side of the home and climbed the trellis covered with
flowering vines to a balcony. Using the lock-picking tools of her trade, Ella
made entry and went from the boudoir of the master suite to the hallway and
down the massive marble steps that led down to the lower level.
Her feet
made no sound and she winced when the unoiled hinges of the door made a loud
creak as she opened it. From floor to ceiling were books. Titles filled each
wall of the room and Ella longed to sit in the leather chaise lounge chair to
read every one. It was her passion, one outside her mission to help everyone
she could in the slums of London.
“Fifth
row down, behind the desk,” Ella murmured as his fingers trilled across the
leatherbound covers. “One, two, three, four, five, six… this one.”
She
tilted the book from its position on the shelf and she heard a soft click.
Boone’s information never steered her wrong. She pulled the bookshelf out and
stepped inside, hoping her eyes would get accustomed to the darkness. One soft
click flooded the room with light and Ella was frozen in her steps. Her eyes
widened when she found Richard sitting in a chair facing the secret door, and
he drained the glass that he held in his hand.
“R-Richard?”
she stammered his name.
A small
smile crossed his face. “Hello, Pussycat.”
The Owl
and the Pussycat By Dahlia Rose
[kt1]Is
he also an Au Clair? ‘Johnathan Pierre Au Clair and his wife Brigitte’?
Dahlia Rose is the USA Today best-selling multi-genre author from Urban Fantasy to Romance with a hint of Caribbean spice. She was born and raised on the Caribbean island of Barbados and now currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her life revolves around her five kids, who she affectionately nicknamed "The Children of the Corn and her husband and longtime love who is also a honorable retired Army veteran. She has a love of dark fantasy, sci-fi, and the things that go bump in the night. With over seven dozen books published Dahlia has become a reader favorite. Not only because of her writing but her vivacious attitude in talking to her fans online and at various events. Her books feature strong heroines with a Caribbean or African American culture, that is showcased in the vibrancy of her words. Books and writing are her biggest passions, and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books.
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1 comment:
I liked the excerpt
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