Read Online To Surrender to a Rogue by Cara Elliott - Free Book Online
Authors: Cara Elliott
Ads: Link
That Marco was clever—as well as quick and deadly as a cobra in a fight—were skills she would welcome at this moment But even a man known as U Serpente to his friends could not move fast enough to be in two places at the same time.
No, she could not count on her cousin to protect her from trouble. Which brought her full circle back to the cold truth. She was on her own...
"Isn't that marvelous, Alessandra?"
Her head jerked up. "Sorry?"
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" observed Charlotte with a quirk of her lips.
"Sorry," she repeated.
"Charlotte was just reading us the news that Ariel and Sir Henry have propagated a new bloom," piped up Kate.
"Good heavens—at their age!" exclaimed Alessandra.
"Kate was referring to botany, not biology, my dear," replied Charlotte, as Kate dissolved into a fit of giggles. "You know of their interest in exotic flowers. Well, they have succeeded in crossing two rare species of poppies."
"How lovely," murmured Alessandra.
"What's wrong?", demanded Kate after the rustling of the paper faded. "You've been acting queerly all meeting. It's as if your mind is miles away."
"F-forgive me," stammered Alessandra. "I—I suppose I am preoccupied with the upcoming excavation. And with keeping Isabella happy while we are in Bath." Groping for any excuse to change the subject, she quickly added, "By the by, her art lessons are going very well."
"Don't try to muddle the picture," said Kate with her usual bluntness. "I can tell that you're keeping something from us."
Alessandra dropped her gaze, carefully avoiding her friend's eyes. "Nothing to speak of. Just a private family matter." It wasn't exactly a lie, she told herself. "My cousin is upset about a past incident in Italy that he feels is cause for worry."
"All families have a skeleton in the closet," pointed out Charlotte.
Despite her friend's reassuring tone, Alessandra flinched. She quickly turned the tiny movement into a shrug. "Marco has a tendency to be melodramatic, so I'm sure it will turn out to be nothing. Hopefully it will have blown over by the time I am back from Bath." Reaching for her reticule, she put her notebooks away. "Speaking of which, I had better be getting home. We leave tomorrow and I have yet to pack up my tools and reference books."
A tiny frown tugged at Charlotte's lips, but she tactfully dropped the subject "Well, do write often and keep us informed on your progress."
"I promise."
"Remember that Bath is a spa town, a place for relaxation and rejuvenation. So try to have some fun," remarked Kate. "Perhaps you will meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger."
The remark stirred a sudden vision of Black Jack Pierson.
God forbid.
"Perhaps you ought to stop reading those silly novels on love and romance," replied Alessandra dryly. "Besides, even if I did meet a prince in Bath, he would likely be an octogenarian afflicted with gout"
"Mama, are you sure my new paint box is safe?" Isabella craned her neck and tried to observe the packing of the baggage coach.
"Yes, tesoro" said Alessandra. "It was wrapped in lamb's wool before being placed in your trunk." Her own fragile technical materials, including an assortment of acids and special chemicals used to help determine the composition and age of an artifact had also been carefully prepared for travel.
"I wish I could have kept it with me. I should like to practice my brushstrokes during the journey," said her daughter with a flourish of her fingers. The brightly varnished wooden case had hardly been out of Isabella's sight since its arrival from the art shop. Indeed, this morning, Alessandra had found it nestled in the pillows of her daughter's bed.
She gave silent thanks for the little girl's enthusiasm. It was a welcome change from her recent moody sulks. "I'm afraid that bumpy roads, jars of water, and paint do not mix well." She placed several sketchbooks and a box of pencils on the seat. "You will have lots of time in Bath to practice your
No, she could not count on her cousin to protect her from trouble. Which brought her full circle back to the cold truth. She was on her own...
"Isn't that marvelous, Alessandra?"
Her head jerked up. "Sorry?"
"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" observed Charlotte with a quirk of her lips.
"Sorry," she repeated.
"Charlotte was just reading us the news that Ariel and Sir Henry have propagated a new bloom," piped up Kate.
"Good heavens—at their age!" exclaimed Alessandra.
"Kate was referring to botany, not biology, my dear," replied Charlotte, as Kate dissolved into a fit of giggles. "You know of their interest in exotic flowers. Well, they have succeeded in crossing two rare species of poppies."
"How lovely," murmured Alessandra.
"What's wrong?", demanded Kate after the rustling of the paper faded. "You've been acting queerly all meeting. It's as if your mind is miles away."
"F-forgive me," stammered Alessandra. "I—I suppose I am preoccupied with the upcoming excavation. And with keeping Isabella happy while we are in Bath." Groping for any excuse to change the subject, she quickly added, "By the by, her art lessons are going very well."
"Don't try to muddle the picture," said Kate with her usual bluntness. "I can tell that you're keeping something from us."
Alessandra dropped her gaze, carefully avoiding her friend's eyes. "Nothing to speak of. Just a private family matter." It wasn't exactly a lie, she told herself. "My cousin is upset about a past incident in Italy that he feels is cause for worry."
"All families have a skeleton in the closet," pointed out Charlotte.
Despite her friend's reassuring tone, Alessandra flinched. She quickly turned the tiny movement into a shrug. "Marco has a tendency to be melodramatic, so I'm sure it will turn out to be nothing. Hopefully it will have blown over by the time I am back from Bath." Reaching for her reticule, she put her notebooks away. "Speaking of which, I had better be getting home. We leave tomorrow and I have yet to pack up my tools and reference books."
A tiny frown tugged at Charlotte's lips, but she tactfully dropped the subject "Well, do write often and keep us informed on your progress."
"I promise."
"Remember that Bath is a spa town, a place for relaxation and rejuvenation. So try to have some fun," remarked Kate. "Perhaps you will meet a tall, dark, handsome stranger."
The remark stirred a sudden vision of Black Jack Pierson.
God forbid.
"Perhaps you ought to stop reading those silly novels on love and romance," replied Alessandra dryly. "Besides, even if I did meet a prince in Bath, he would likely be an octogenarian afflicted with gout"
"Mama, are you sure my new paint box is safe?" Isabella craned her neck and tried to observe the packing of the baggage coach.
"Yes, tesoro" said Alessandra. "It was wrapped in lamb's wool before being placed in your trunk." Her own fragile technical materials, including an assortment of acids and special chemicals used to help determine the composition and age of an artifact had also been carefully prepared for travel.
"I wish I could have kept it with me. I should like to practice my brushstrokes during the journey," said her daughter with a flourish of her fingers. The brightly varnished wooden case had hardly been out of Isabella's sight since its arrival from the art shop. Indeed, this morning, Alessandra had found it nestled in the pillows of her daughter's bed.
She gave silent thanks for the little girl's enthusiasm. It was a welcome change from her recent moody sulks. "I'm afraid that bumpy roads, jars of water, and paint do not mix well." She placed several sketchbooks and a box of pencils on the seat. "You will have lots of time in Bath to practice your
Similar Books
