Gabriel said, his deep blue eyes mild. “I gave him a handsome tip to
run the errand.”
“But so late at night!” Psyche was
still outraged. “Don’t you know that the streets of London are always
dangerous? There are footpads and robbers and–and–I don’t know what.”
“And you shouldn’t,” Percy
interrupted, frowning at his cousin. “A lady should have no knowledge of such
things!”
“Oh, don’t be a fool,” Psyche shot
back, irritated at him, too. “I’m not a half-wit, Percy.”
Gabriel spoke at almost the same
time. “I have lived abroad in much more dangerous climes; I suppose I didn’t
think. If your servant has been injured, I certainly regret the fact.” He
sounded concerned, for the first time, and a little of Psyche’s anger faded.
Percy shook his head as if to
dismiss such insignificant concerns as a lowly footman.
“You’ve explained away your lack
of proper attire glibly enough.” Percy bristled about, reminding Psyche of
nothing so much as an angry hedgehog, “but I should like to hear you explain
away this!”
Gabriel looked around him as if
expecting something to magically appear. He smiled. “I’m afraid I am at a
disadvantage. I don’t know to which this you are referring.”
Percy
colored and fisted his pudgy hands.
“This, my lord, if indeed you may
be called by that honorific, refers to the fact that you are a fraud! No one
has ever heard of you. Your title is nonexistent, your name is unknown, you are
a complete mystery.”
He sounded even more pompous than
usual, but Psyche found herself holding her breath to hear the actor’s
response.
But Gabriel appeared delighted. “How
lovely.”
“L-lovely?” Percy stammered.
“Yes, everyone will appreciate the
novelty, and I shall be all the crack. Soon, all the young bucks will be
pretending not to know one another. We shall all be mystery men.”
Psyche could not stop the giggle
that escaped her trembling lips. Too late, she clamped her hand over her mouth.
Percy stared at her, aghast. Really, she could not feel more annoyed with
herself than he was. Ruthlessly, she squashed down the glimmer of admiration
for the actor’s audacity.
“I demand that you leave this
house at once, Sir!” Percy swung back to confront the impostor once more. “Sitting
around in the–in the–without any proper garments at all! I will not have you
compromising a lady of quality whose reputation is unblemished.”
“Really?” Gabriel’s deep blue eyes
focused on Psyche, and she hoped that she was not blushing. “Not a glimmer of
blemish, not even the tiniest blot? My dear, I fear you must have led a sadly
tedious existence up to now. I’m so glad I came into your life to add that
spark of controversy without which we should all perish of boredom.”
“I beg your pardon–” Percy
sputtered, but the actor transferred his gaze to her cousin, and Gabriel’s blue
eyes seemed to turn a steely gray.
“Besides, I rather think that I am
the one who should be concerned about protecting my fiancé, her person and her
reputation, against any danger, imagined or real.” His tone was cool, and Percy
seemed to wilt slightly, his narrow shoulders drooping.
But Psyche felt a surge of warmth
that took her by surprise. She had been alone for so long. Despite the presence
of her extended family, her life had never been the same since the death of her
parents. Since the accident she had felt unprotected, vulnerable to all of
fate’s twists and turns. She had been forced to face the world on er own, to
fend off Percy’s unwanted advances and her uncle’s mercenary
run the errand.”
“But so late at night!” Psyche was
still outraged. “Don’t you know that the streets of London are always
dangerous? There are footpads and robbers and–and–I don’t know what.”
“And you shouldn’t,” Percy
interrupted, frowning at his cousin. “A lady should have no knowledge of such
things!”
“Oh, don’t be a fool,” Psyche shot
back, irritated at him, too. “I’m not a half-wit, Percy.”
Gabriel spoke at almost the same
time. “I have lived abroad in much more dangerous climes; I suppose I didn’t
think. If your servant has been injured, I certainly regret the fact.” He
sounded concerned, for the first time, and a little of Psyche’s anger faded.
Percy shook his head as if to
dismiss such insignificant concerns as a lowly footman.
“You’ve explained away your lack
of proper attire glibly enough.” Percy bristled about, reminding Psyche of
nothing so much as an angry hedgehog, “but I should like to hear you explain
away this!”
Gabriel looked around him as if
expecting something to magically appear. He smiled. “I’m afraid I am at a
disadvantage. I don’t know to which this you are referring.”
Percy
colored and fisted his pudgy hands.
“This, my lord, if indeed you may
be called by that honorific, refers to the fact that you are a fraud! No one
has ever heard of you. Your title is nonexistent, your name is unknown, you are
a complete mystery.”
He sounded even more pompous than
usual, but Psyche found herself holding her breath to hear the actor’s
response.
But Gabriel appeared delighted. “How
lovely.”
“L-lovely?” Percy stammered.
“Yes, everyone will appreciate the
novelty, and I shall be all the crack. Soon, all the young bucks will be
pretending not to know one another. We shall all be mystery men.”
Psyche could not stop the giggle
that escaped her trembling lips. Too late, she clamped her hand over her mouth.
Percy stared at her, aghast. Really, she could not feel more annoyed with
herself than he was. Ruthlessly, she squashed down the glimmer of admiration
for the actor’s audacity.
“I demand that you leave this
house at once, Sir!” Percy swung back to confront the impostor once more. “Sitting
around in the–in the–without any proper garments at all! I will not have you
compromising a lady of quality whose reputation is unblemished.”
“Really?” Gabriel’s deep blue eyes
focused on Psyche, and she hoped that she was not blushing. “Not a glimmer of
blemish, not even the tiniest blot? My dear, I fear you must have led a sadly
tedious existence up to now. I’m so glad I came into your life to add that
spark of controversy without which we should all perish of boredom.”
“I beg your pardon–” Percy
sputtered, but the actor transferred his gaze to her cousin, and Gabriel’s blue
eyes seemed to turn a steely gray.
“Besides, I rather think that I am
the one who should be concerned about protecting my fiancé, her person and her
reputation, against any danger, imagined or real.” His tone was cool, and Percy
seemed to wilt slightly, his narrow shoulders drooping.
But Psyche felt a surge of warmth
that took her by surprise. She had been alone for so long. Despite the presence
of her extended family, her life had never been the same since the death of her
parents. Since the accident she had felt unprotected, vulnerable to all of
fate’s twists and turns. She had been forced to face the world on er own, to
fend off Percy’s unwanted advances and her uncle’s mercenary
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