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humbly suggest you tell this hoyden what it is she wants to know, else I toss you both
in the lake.
In that moment, before looking to see who spoke, I became aware of two things.
First, the stranger s resonant voice struck a chord within my mind. Second, the Marquis,
at the sound of it, developed the lump in his breeches that had eluded him earlier.
 Upon closer examination, I see the wench has already been into the lake, the man
continued. The distaste in his voice made me cringe. I withdrew myself from the
Marquis grasp and sat up to face my accuser.
A pair of green eyes gazed on me with scorn. I recognized him immediately. He
was a tall man, tall and straight and strong and handsome, with hair the brown of
roasted chestnuts, eyes the green of the meadow around me. Those very eyes had
appeared to me during my moments of ecstasy.  You, I said.
But he did not appear to recognize me. The frown on his face deepened. It seemed
the product not only of this present irritation, but of many preceding burdens. He had a
commanding presence, even more so than the Marquis. The Marquis was like a snake
that bore constant watching. This man was more like a king. And now this king was
gazing at me from on high with deepest disapproval.
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Juniper Bell
I leapt to my feet.  How dare you intrude on our privacy without so much as a by
your leave!
He looked taken aback, but only for a moment.  Who the devil are you? Beaumont,
explain, if you please.
The Marquis rose lazily to his feet. I wondered if the lump was still visible, and
made a mental note to pursue that interesting matter further.  My dear Warrington, I
owe you no explanation. This is my home. You are welcome, of course, as you always
are. But I need explain nothing.
Warrington? This was the famous Duke of Warrington? Mortification overcame me.
I swayed as dizziness took hold. Was this what an impending faint felt like? Faint I
would not, no matter the circumstances. Not after I d declared such a thing impossible
to this very green-eyed man.
The Duke seemed not to notice my struggle to retain my wits. He focused his
disapproval on the Marquis.  I beg your pardon. I merely came to offer my best wishes
to my friend, and to make sure that the bridal journey was proceeding smoothly, but I
see that you sent the newlyweds on their way and stayed behind to& cavort.
 Not at all. This, my dear Warrington, is Lady Alicia Dorchester, a relative of mine
and our young Earl s new Countess. My dear, this is the Duke of Warrington. He too is
a cousin of some kind.
Head high, I performed the most perfect curtsey I could manage given that I stood
barefoot on a cloth and the hem of my gown was wet.
The Duke inclined his head into an equally proper bow, but not before I witnessed a
strange expression cross his face. Perhaps it s more accurate to say a rapid series of
expressions appeared and disappeared too quickly to be deciphered.  My lady. I offer
you my best wishes for your future happiness.
 Thank you, Your Grace.
By the time he straightened up, his handsome features held no expression other
than weariness.  Where is the bridegroom in question?
73
My Three Lords
 He took Galahad for a gallop, answered the Marquis.  He requested that I
entertain his bride.
 I see.
Those two simple words produced in me a sudden desire to plunge into the lake, or
perhaps into a hole in the ground that would magically appear for my convenience.
 The Marquis de Beaumont, an old friend of my family, was counseling me on the
demands of the married state. That didn t sound like an improvement.  That is, he was
advising me on how best to conduct myself now that I am a Countess  I snapped
shut my mouth, realizing there was nothing I could say that would ameliorate the
situation. I scrambled for a way to explain my wet gown.  I must tend to my
appearance after that unfortunate slip on the lakeshore.
 A slip, eh? The Duke now looked more amused than affronted.  I m relieved to
hear it was nothing more. I feared perhaps you fell into a faint.
A faint. My eyes flew to meet his, and I saw by their gold-glinting amusement that
he had, at long last, recognized me. Or perhaps he d recognized me from the start.
The Marquis must have been astonished to see me tongue-tied, certainly not my
usual state.  Perhaps, my dear, you should retire before the sun becomes too much for
one of your delicate constitution.
I refused to respond to his teasing. The Marquis knew very well I was anything but
delicate.  I believe I shall do so. I bid you both good day. Executing a dignified bow, I
directed my steps toward the house. All I desired was to reach my bedchamber and
close the door behind me so no one, not the Earl, the Marquis, or even Annie, could
disturb my thoughts.
But the closed door did nothing to keep out the disturbance created by the Duke of
Warrington. For the next few hours, my thoughts were composed of one thing only, the
reliving of each moment of my encounters with the Duke in merciless detail.
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Juniper Bell
Chapter Six
The Duke, mounted on a sleek bay gelding, and the Marquis, on a white mare
whose color seemed meant as an ironic comment on the state of his soul, trotted into the
woods in search of the Earl.
 What news? the Marquis asked in an uncharacteristically subdued voice.
The Duke shook his head.  Not yet. I will not repeat myself.
They rode in silence through the dappled light cast by fluttering birches and mighty
oaks.
The Marquis adopted a lighter tone.  Is the new Countess not everything I
suggested?
 You never mentioned that I d find her in your lap, dripping with water.
 You must admit her tousled condition interfered in no way with her appeal. The [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]