“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Gillian said, shaking her head as she stepped over a prone footmen. She grabbed Nick and pushed him up the stairs. “Quickly, Charlotte, before they regroup. Oh, I do hope the mistresses have seduced all the men by now.”

Charlotte panted behind her as they dashed up the steps. “I’m sure it takes more than two minutes to seduce a man, let alone a whole room full of them. Even Lord Weston must take longer than two minutes to be seduced.”

Gillian recalled several occasions when Noble had proved that statement false but kept that bit of news to herself, concentrating instead on how they would stop the ridiculous boxing match. They paused at the top of the second flight of stairs to catch their breath.

“I still don’t understand why you want the mistresses to seduce every man present, cousin. Other than for the sheer pleasure of watching their expertise in action, of course.”

“Charlotte!” Gillian scolded, and tucked several strands of hair back into her chignon. “They are there for distraction. You don’t think we’re just going to be allowed to stroll into Mr. Jackson’s rooms without being questioned, do you?”

Charlotte tugged at her gown and pinched her cheeks. “Certainly I thought so. Why shouldn’t we?”

“Because ladies are not allowed in. Hence the mistresses. Nick, darling, you have a bit of dirt smudged on your chin…yes, thank you, that’s got it. Are you ready?”

Nick squeezed her hand. “I’m ready.”

“Excellent. Char, ready? Oh, blast, that would be Crouch and his reinforcements. Shoulders back, everyone. This is a glorious cause we fight for!”

“Lord Weston?” Charlotte asked as Gillian pushed open the door. “Glorious? Good-looking, I’ll admit, but glorious? I—oh, my! Will you look at that gentleman! He is bare-chested! What a magnificent figure of a man! Beverly, you cannot possibly want that gentleman, he’s much too young for you. I’ll take care of him for you, shall I?”

Gentleman Jackson’s rooms were in an uproar. Several gentlemen of the ton had arrived to watch the battle royal, and they had made themselves quite comfortable as they strolled around the outer room, carrying out loud conversations with each other over the deafening noise of the other gentlemen gossiping, arguing, and wagering over the outcome of the duel. Into that sea of masculinity the mistresses had sallied, flags flying and sails unfurled. The result was utter pandemonium.

“Excellent!” Gillian cried upon viewing the chaos, her hand tight on the back of Nick’s jacket. It wouldn’t do at all to lose him in this crowd of hot bloods. “Look, Char, the mistresses are a smashing success!”

“I’m looking, I’m looking,” Charlotte muttered, quickly donning an expression that pronounced her a shy, frightened, innocent young maiden who suddenly found herself in an unsuitably masculine environment. “Why, Lord Beckman, what a surprise to find you here!”

Lord Beckman looked equally surprised to see two ladies push their way through the crowd. He stuttered an excuse and slunk away.