Charlotte's tiny
fingers, had her head bent and was trying not to laugh.
Andrew was undeterred. "Still, what he did
tonight tops 'em all. Whoever would've thought Gareth would go and
make a hero of himself, eh, Luce?"
"Indeed, whoever would have thought Gareth
would go and make anything of himself," the duke murmured
cryptically as he drained the rest of his glass. "And now, if
you'll all excuse me, I must go into Ravenscombe to see to the
unfortunate passengers of the coach, as well as the highwayman your
brother should have taken care of but didn't. Pity. I expect
there shall be a hanging. Are your traveling trunks still strapped
to the coach, Miss Paige?
"Yes, but I think I should leave."
"And I think you are distressed and
need to rest before making such a hasty decision," he countered,
with infuriating benignity. "Surely, meeting Charles's younger
brother so unexpectedly, and under such traumatic circumstances,
has not helped matters any." He was smiling, but there was
something she couldn't identify beneath that smile, and his dark
eyes were watching her closely. Too closely. "Lord Gareth
bears a certain resemblance to Charles, don't you think?"
"Your Grace, I don't want to argue with you,
but I would be more comfortable staying someplace in the village
—"
" What?! " cried Andrew and Nerissa in
chorus.
"Are your trunks still outside on the coach,
Miss Paige?" the duke persisted.
"Well, of course, but —"
"Are they emblazoned with your name or
initials?"
"Yes, but —"
"Puddyford!"
The door opened obediently, and a liveried
servant appeared, his face expressionless, his body erect and at
attention.
"Puddyford, I have business to attend to in
the village. Have Miss Paige's trunks brought inside and up to her
rooms. Nerissa, you will see that our guest is made comfortable,
and someone is sent to attend to her needs." He let his gaze sweep
assessingly over Juliet. "You will be happy in the Blue Room, I
think."
"Your Grace , I have no wish to impose
upon your hospitality —"
"Nonsense, my dear girl. You have conducted
yourself admirably, and your answers have satisfied me. Don't look
so put out. Don't you realize I was only testing you with my
studied rudeness?"
Testing me for what ? she all but
cried, not knowing whether to be outraged or humiliated. But he was
already bowing, and without another word, was gone.
Andrew and Nerissa rushed to placate her as
she remained staring at the door through which Lucien had passed.
She could not know that he was a master manipulator. She could not
know that he had plans for her. And she could not know that as the
Duke of Blackheath strode out into the Grand Hall and called for
his hat, his gloves, and his horse, his eyes were gleaming with
cunning delight.
Chapter 6
Unpleasant dukes aside, there was something
to be said for English hospitality.
Andrew, calling a servant aside and
murmuring quiet instructions, made his exit. Beyond the open doors,
footmen hurried past with Juliet's trunks. A matronly servant
breezed in, took Charlotte, and whisked her away to wash and change
her. Several fresh-faced, bright-eyed maids streamed into the
library, lining themselves up for Lady Nerissa's inspection. The
young noblewoman smiled and beckoned one of the girls forward.
"This is Molly," she said, introducing Juliet and the girl. To the
maid she said, "Please draw a bath and lay a fire for Miss Paige.
She is to be our guest."
"Which room, milady?"
Nerissa turned and, thoughtfully tapping a
fingernail against her lip, looked at Juliet. "In Lord Charles's
rooms, I think."
Juliet gasped. After the robbery, meeting
Lord Gareth, and the awful interview through which she'd just been
put, could she possibly endure sleeping in Charles's bed without
falling apart completely? Lady Nerissa gave her no time to think
further upon the matter. Chattering happily, she bade Juliet to
follow her from the library.
"Now, you must not allow Lucien to
upset you," she said, lightly
fingers, had her head bent and was trying not to laugh.
Andrew was undeterred. "Still, what he did
tonight tops 'em all. Whoever would've thought Gareth would go and
make a hero of himself, eh, Luce?"
"Indeed, whoever would have thought Gareth
would go and make anything of himself," the duke murmured
cryptically as he drained the rest of his glass. "And now, if
you'll all excuse me, I must go into Ravenscombe to see to the
unfortunate passengers of the coach, as well as the highwayman your
brother should have taken care of but didn't. Pity. I expect
there shall be a hanging. Are your traveling trunks still strapped
to the coach, Miss Paige?
"Yes, but I think I should leave."
"And I think you are distressed and
need to rest before making such a hasty decision," he countered,
with infuriating benignity. "Surely, meeting Charles's younger
brother so unexpectedly, and under such traumatic circumstances,
has not helped matters any." He was smiling, but there was
something she couldn't identify beneath that smile, and his dark
eyes were watching her closely. Too closely. "Lord Gareth
bears a certain resemblance to Charles, don't you think?"
"Your Grace, I don't want to argue with you,
but I would be more comfortable staying someplace in the village
—"
" What?! " cried Andrew and Nerissa in
chorus.
"Are your trunks still outside on the coach,
Miss Paige?" the duke persisted.
"Well, of course, but —"
"Are they emblazoned with your name or
initials?"
"Yes, but —"
"Puddyford!"
The door opened obediently, and a liveried
servant appeared, his face expressionless, his body erect and at
attention.
"Puddyford, I have business to attend to in
the village. Have Miss Paige's trunks brought inside and up to her
rooms. Nerissa, you will see that our guest is made comfortable,
and someone is sent to attend to her needs." He let his gaze sweep
assessingly over Juliet. "You will be happy in the Blue Room, I
think."
"Your Grace , I have no wish to impose
upon your hospitality —"
"Nonsense, my dear girl. You have conducted
yourself admirably, and your answers have satisfied me. Don't look
so put out. Don't you realize I was only testing you with my
studied rudeness?"
Testing me for what ? she all but
cried, not knowing whether to be outraged or humiliated. But he was
already bowing, and without another word, was gone.
Andrew and Nerissa rushed to placate her as
she remained staring at the door through which Lucien had passed.
She could not know that he was a master manipulator. She could not
know that he had plans for her. And she could not know that as the
Duke of Blackheath strode out into the Grand Hall and called for
his hat, his gloves, and his horse, his eyes were gleaming with
cunning delight.
Chapter 6
Unpleasant dukes aside, there was something
to be said for English hospitality.
Andrew, calling a servant aside and
murmuring quiet instructions, made his exit. Beyond the open doors,
footmen hurried past with Juliet's trunks. A matronly servant
breezed in, took Charlotte, and whisked her away to wash and change
her. Several fresh-faced, bright-eyed maids streamed into the
library, lining themselves up for Lady Nerissa's inspection. The
young noblewoman smiled and beckoned one of the girls forward.
"This is Molly," she said, introducing Juliet and the girl. To the
maid she said, "Please draw a bath and lay a fire for Miss Paige.
She is to be our guest."
"Which room, milady?"
Nerissa turned and, thoughtfully tapping a
fingernail against her lip, looked at Juliet. "In Lord Charles's
rooms, I think."
Juliet gasped. After the robbery, meeting
Lord Gareth, and the awful interview through which she'd just been
put, could she possibly endure sleeping in Charles's bed without
falling apart completely? Lady Nerissa gave her no time to think
further upon the matter. Chattering happily, she bade Juliet to
follow her from the library.
"Now, you must not allow Lucien to
upset you," she said, lightly
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