Read Online Lady Merry's Dashing Champion by Jeane Westin - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jeane Westin
Ads: Link
Felice's betrayal spoken aloud still had the power to twist his insides like a powerful colic. And yet, some new gentleness in Felice's face, something that felt like an effort to reach for him had touched him. He had almost made a fool of himself with this woman whom he could never again love, nor as yet divorce. "I will not take more of your precious time, my lady. I came merely to ask that you join me on His Majesty's walk in St. James Park on the morrow morning. He has particularly requested your presence, and so I am obliged to relay it."
Meriel clamped her lips together before she could say, Hey, well, I wager His Majesty has.
Then the full import of all that Giles had said hit her body like a foul blow, and she struggled mightily to keep the shock from invading her face. 'Od's grace! The countess had not revealed such infamy under questioning. What more had she hidden? Meriel could scarce imagine worse than aborting one's own son, though something told her there probably was worse, since Lady Felice had mentioned several lovers by name. Had she named them all?
Meriel felt rooted to her chair. "Please, Giles .. . stay the while." Somehow she could not allow him to leave believing such a terrible thing of her, a thing not only against man's law, but God's law, though she knew this sudden desire for Giles's esteem was wildly dangerous in a spy who only pretended to be his wife and in a short time would be gone, never again to see him.
He bowed, stiffly formal. "My apologies, your ladyship. I have a late ... appointment." As soon as the insinuating words were spoken, he regretted them. Although Felice flaunted her lovers, it was not his way to allude to his mistress with his wife, though she was little wife to him. And was that disappointment on her face? He could not believe what he saw. Felice was a consummate betrayer and liar. Yet. .. ?
"I'll remain for a moment, since you wish it," he said, sitting again before he could stop himself, bringing his sword to the front and leaning on its basket-weave hilt. "To what do I owe this desire for my company? Is it a debt to your booter or seamstress you want paid, or you wish to argue for more of a pension than what I grant you.. .."
Meriel scrambled about in her head for a reason to keep him by her. She had not done with memorizing his features, comparing them to the hero she'd adored, hearing that hero speak with the deepest of commanding voices.
He made a move as if to rise.
She glanced desperately about the room and then at the chess set, gleaming in the firelight. "Giles, we could play a game," she said, motioning to the pieces laid out upon the board.
"You continue to surprise me, Felice. I thought you despised chess in favor of cards.... Basset, if I do remember the debts I've paid to my lady Castlemaine, that notorious cheater." Giles heard his wife laugh, and it was sweeter than he remembered. But it had been some time since he had heard that laugh, and perhaps time had made it more musical. He determined to close his ears and eyes and notice no more, else every little thing he would take with him and play hell to be rid of.
"You fear a match, my lord earl," Meriel said, need making her bold. She arranged the pieces, moving her queen to challenge him.
Giles stared at the board. "The queen's gambit, I see. So Buckingham has been teaching you."
"Nay, my lord. I had a far better teacher than the duke. But beware, or I will capture your king."
"Will you, now!" He laughed before he could stop himself.
Meriel watched his long, lithe fingers with trimmed, clean nails as they danced about the board. They moved the pawns and rooks deliberately and with artless grace, although he must have seen she stared. Meriel forced her gaze away. These were the hands she was supposed to know by sight and by touch, two hands that had made love to her. Despite the fire, she shivered.
They played with concentration for some time, and although he took her king at last, he bowed to
Meriel clamped her lips together before she could say, Hey, well, I wager His Majesty has.
Then the full import of all that Giles had said hit her body like a foul blow, and she struggled mightily to keep the shock from invading her face. 'Od's grace! The countess had not revealed such infamy under questioning. What more had she hidden? Meriel could scarce imagine worse than aborting one's own son, though something told her there probably was worse, since Lady Felice had mentioned several lovers by name. Had she named them all?
Meriel felt rooted to her chair. "Please, Giles .. . stay the while." Somehow she could not allow him to leave believing such a terrible thing of her, a thing not only against man's law, but God's law, though she knew this sudden desire for Giles's esteem was wildly dangerous in a spy who only pretended to be his wife and in a short time would be gone, never again to see him.
He bowed, stiffly formal. "My apologies, your ladyship. I have a late ... appointment." As soon as the insinuating words were spoken, he regretted them. Although Felice flaunted her lovers, it was not his way to allude to his mistress with his wife, though she was little wife to him. And was that disappointment on her face? He could not believe what he saw. Felice was a consummate betrayer and liar. Yet. .. ?
"I'll remain for a moment, since you wish it," he said, sitting again before he could stop himself, bringing his sword to the front and leaning on its basket-weave hilt. "To what do I owe this desire for my company? Is it a debt to your booter or seamstress you want paid, or you wish to argue for more of a pension than what I grant you.. .."
Meriel scrambled about in her head for a reason to keep him by her. She had not done with memorizing his features, comparing them to the hero she'd adored, hearing that hero speak with the deepest of commanding voices.
He made a move as if to rise.
She glanced desperately about the room and then at the chess set, gleaming in the firelight. "Giles, we could play a game," she said, motioning to the pieces laid out upon the board.
"You continue to surprise me, Felice. I thought you despised chess in favor of cards.... Basset, if I do remember the debts I've paid to my lady Castlemaine, that notorious cheater." Giles heard his wife laugh, and it was sweeter than he remembered. But it had been some time since he had heard that laugh, and perhaps time had made it more musical. He determined to close his ears and eyes and notice no more, else every little thing he would take with him and play hell to be rid of.
"You fear a match, my lord earl," Meriel said, need making her bold. She arranged the pieces, moving her queen to challenge him.
Giles stared at the board. "The queen's gambit, I see. So Buckingham has been teaching you."
"Nay, my lord. I had a far better teacher than the duke. But beware, or I will capture your king."
"Will you, now!" He laughed before he could stop himself.
Meriel watched his long, lithe fingers with trimmed, clean nails as they danced about the board. They moved the pawns and rooks deliberately and with artless grace, although he must have seen she stared. Meriel forced her gaze away. These were the hands she was supposed to know by sight and by touch, two hands that had made love to her. Despite the fire, she shivered.
They played with concentration for some time, and although he took her king at last, he bowed to
Similar Books
