Read Online Ravishing in Red by Madeline Hunter - Free Book Online
Authors: Madeline Hunter
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met Captain Joyes and left my situation.”
There had been no talk in the town of any man at this house. “Is your husband in the naval service?”
“He was in the army. He died in the Peninsular War.” The question did not alter her graceful manner, but her eyes darkened enough to suggest the subject still brought her sorrow. “If you will excuse me again, I will go and see what is keeping Audrianna. She should have returned by now.”
A udrianna stared at the card Daphne had left with Celia. Lord Sebastian Summerhays was here.
Why? And how had he even found her?
The answer came to her within an instant of the question. He must have gone to her mother’s house first. Mama would be writing to her soon, wanting to know what had provoked her father’s persecutor to notice them again.
“Sit, please, Audrianna. I can barely reach even standing on my toes,” Celia said.
Audrianna sank into a chair so Celia could fuss with her hair. Celia was the best among them with dressing hair. She presented her own blond locks in an endless variety of styles.
“She did say right away.” Audrianna reminded Celia of the message she herself had given upon Audrianna’s return to the house.
“Daphne is not going to object if you take a minute to set yourself to rights,” Celia said while her hands deftly worked their magic. “That is the brother of a marquess in the greenhouse. An MP too. That is right on his card.”
Since Celia did not know that Lord Sebastian was no stranger to her, Audrianna decided that silence was the best response.
“He is of great consequence and his name is in the newspapers all the time. You can’t receive him looking as if you stood on a ship’s deck all afternoon.”
Audrianna did not want to receive him at all. She prayed he had not brought bad news about that justice of the peace. What if Sir Edwin had decided that she needed to stand at the quarter sessions after all?
“It is the best I can do, unless I take it all down. It is your own fault for removing your bonnet as you walked home,” Celia said, stepping back. “We should start all over and fix it properly.”
“You will do no such thing,” Daphne’s voice responded.
Audrianna looked up. Daphne stood at the door of the sitting room, the one that opened on the corridor that led to the greenhouse. She still wore her soiled work apron and her oldest cap, but she appeared ethereal and stunning. Daphne could wear rags and look beautiful.
“You must come with me at once, Audrianna. He is determined to see you,” Daphne said.
“Did he say why he is here?”
“He only said that he has brought you something that you lost.”
“I have lost nothing.”
“It is in an oblong box. Like a glove box. A rather large glove box.”
The pistol!
Audrianna felt her face flush. Daphne leveled those gray eyes on her.
“How would Lord Sebastian Summerhays even come upon something of yours?” Celia’s sweet face puckered with a frown as she suddenly recognized the oddity of this caller.
“I have no idea,” Audrianna mumbled.
Daphne remained serene. “Has anyone seen Lizzie?”
“She was here just a few minutes ago,” Celia said.
“She has a talent for disappearing when it is least helpful. Come along, Audrianna. Your gentleman waits.”
“He is not my gentleman,” Audrianna said as they marched down the corridor.
Daphne’s eyelids lowered a tiny, eloquent fraction.
D aphne paused partway down the aisle that ran between the two rows of tables that held armies of pelagoriums, forced lilies, and hyacinths. Audrianna was only too happy to take a moment to collect herself.
From their vantage point they could see Lord Sebastian. He sat in one of the chairs at the stone table, beneath the grape arbor. His handsome profile faced them while he gazed at something on the other side of the greenhouse. Relaxed and confident, he proved as remarkable a presence in this interior garden as he had in that
There had been no talk in the town of any man at this house. “Is your husband in the naval service?”
“He was in the army. He died in the Peninsular War.” The question did not alter her graceful manner, but her eyes darkened enough to suggest the subject still brought her sorrow. “If you will excuse me again, I will go and see what is keeping Audrianna. She should have returned by now.”
A udrianna stared at the card Daphne had left with Celia. Lord Sebastian Summerhays was here.
Why? And how had he even found her?
The answer came to her within an instant of the question. He must have gone to her mother’s house first. Mama would be writing to her soon, wanting to know what had provoked her father’s persecutor to notice them again.
“Sit, please, Audrianna. I can barely reach even standing on my toes,” Celia said.
Audrianna sank into a chair so Celia could fuss with her hair. Celia was the best among them with dressing hair. She presented her own blond locks in an endless variety of styles.
“She did say right away.” Audrianna reminded Celia of the message she herself had given upon Audrianna’s return to the house.
“Daphne is not going to object if you take a minute to set yourself to rights,” Celia said while her hands deftly worked their magic. “That is the brother of a marquess in the greenhouse. An MP too. That is right on his card.”
Since Celia did not know that Lord Sebastian was no stranger to her, Audrianna decided that silence was the best response.
“He is of great consequence and his name is in the newspapers all the time. You can’t receive him looking as if you stood on a ship’s deck all afternoon.”
Audrianna did not want to receive him at all. She prayed he had not brought bad news about that justice of the peace. What if Sir Edwin had decided that she needed to stand at the quarter sessions after all?
“It is the best I can do, unless I take it all down. It is your own fault for removing your bonnet as you walked home,” Celia said, stepping back. “We should start all over and fix it properly.”
“You will do no such thing,” Daphne’s voice responded.
Audrianna looked up. Daphne stood at the door of the sitting room, the one that opened on the corridor that led to the greenhouse. She still wore her soiled work apron and her oldest cap, but she appeared ethereal and stunning. Daphne could wear rags and look beautiful.
“You must come with me at once, Audrianna. He is determined to see you,” Daphne said.
“Did he say why he is here?”
“He only said that he has brought you something that you lost.”
“I have lost nothing.”
“It is in an oblong box. Like a glove box. A rather large glove box.”
The pistol!
Audrianna felt her face flush. Daphne leveled those gray eyes on her.
“How would Lord Sebastian Summerhays even come upon something of yours?” Celia’s sweet face puckered with a frown as she suddenly recognized the oddity of this caller.
“I have no idea,” Audrianna mumbled.
Daphne remained serene. “Has anyone seen Lizzie?”
“She was here just a few minutes ago,” Celia said.
“She has a talent for disappearing when it is least helpful. Come along, Audrianna. Your gentleman waits.”
“He is not my gentleman,” Audrianna said as they marched down the corridor.
Daphne’s eyelids lowered a tiny, eloquent fraction.
D aphne paused partway down the aisle that ran between the two rows of tables that held armies of pelagoriums, forced lilies, and hyacinths. Audrianna was only too happy to take a moment to collect herself.
From their vantage point they could see Lord Sebastian. He sat in one of the chairs at the stone table, beneath the grape arbor. His handsome profile faced them while he gazed at something on the other side of the greenhouse. Relaxed and confident, he proved as remarkable a presence in this interior garden as he had in that
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