[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
voice.
"What?" Jack snarled.
The woman was short and plump and gaudily dressed in a striped gown
that revealed a great amount of ample breast. Even in the dim light,
Claire could see her face was heavily painted. The woman clutched
Jack's arm.
"How could you? When last night you were with me and now... now I find
you with this creature!" He shook her arm off.
"What the devil are you talking about?" She gave a loud sniff. Tears
gleamed in her eyes.
"All the promises you made me! Do they mean nothing, my lord?"
"I have no idea who you are. I fear you are mad or drunk."
ABC Amber Text Converter Unregistered, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/
"Oh, no!
Dear Rotham! How can you be so cruel? " She flung herself at him and
then appeared to collapse in a swoon. He caught her as she slid down
his front. She opened her eyes and clutched at the lace on the front
of his shirt.
"I knew you would not leave me." Her eyelids fluttered shut.
Claire stared at them, her mind numb. She backed away. Jack, his arms
full of flesh and silk, looked as if he'd been struck.
"I... I'd best go," Claire said.
"No, wait! Damn it!" He struggled to pry the woman's hands from his
shoulders.
"Oh, dear!" The Duchess suddenly appeared behind Claire.
"Now what has gone wrong?"
ABC Amber Text Converter Unregistered, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/
Chapter Seven
Q^V^Q
Jack had just finished dressing when his footman appeared.
"A message for you, my lord."
Jack took the note and quickly scanned the contents. A scowl appeared
on his brow.
"I have a call to pay."
"My lord, I believe Lady Rotham and Miss Snowden are to arrive
shortly," Hobbes said. He brushed a fleck of dust from the sleeve of
Jack's morning coat.
"They can occupy themselves until I return." Jack strode to his
dressing-table and retrieved Claire's fan before leaving the room.
Twenty minutes later he was shown into Lady Dun- ford's drawing-room.
Claire and Lady Dunford sat together on a sofa, a copy of a periodical
opened on a table in front of them.
Claire's eyes widened in surprise as he entered the room. She looked
fresh and lovely in a soft pink gown, a locket hanging from a ribbon
about her neck.
Jane rose from the sofa, a smile of welcome on her face.
"Lord Rotham, how kind of you to call."
He bowed over her hand.
"Thank you."
"Will you be seated? We have just received a new La Belle Assemblee.
There are some delightful new fash long. Do you not think Claire would
look well in a gown of sea-green crepe? "
He glanced over at Claire, who looked as if she wanted to vanish. His
ABC Amber Text Converter Unregistered, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/
mouth curved in a slow smile.
"Most charming, although she looks lovely in anything she wears."
He was delighted to see her flush, despite the angry look she shot
him.
He turned back to Jane, who watched them with a pleased little smile on
her face.
"I cannot stay long, but I wondered if I might speak to Mrs. Ellison
alone? I have some business to discuss with her." Jane's blue eyes
widened slightly.
"Why, of course." She suddenly beamed at him and left the room.
He watched her go, hit by the surprising revelation that Lady Dunford
actually thought he planned to make Claire an offer. More astounding,
she actually approved.
"My lord, is there something you wished to speak to me about?" Claire
had risen from the sofa and was standing near him. Even if he had
planned to propose marriage, her frosty expression would have given any
sane man pause.
"Your note." He raised a sardonic brow at her expression.
"You did command me to return your fan, I believe."
"Yes, but I thought you would send it back."
Her cool voice had the effect of irritating him. He'd no doubt she
intended to retrieve her fan and then never see him again. He folded
his arms across his chest.
"And I thought I would deliver it in person. Particularly since you
discourteously ran off with Devlin." A faint blush rose to her cheeks.
She lifted her chin.
"I did not run off with him. He offered to take me home and the
Duchess agreed. Under the circumstances, I
could not see what else I was to do. You were occupied with that.
ABC Amber Text Converter Unregistered, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/
that. "
"Doxy? Trollop? I assure you I have never seen the woman in my
life."
Claire sniffed.
"She certainly seemed to know you."
"She claimed to know me. There is a difference."
"Then why were you embracing her?"
He scowled.
"I was hardly embracing her. After nearly strangling me, she fainted
in my arms. Trying to disengage her was worse than an attack by a
litter of kittens." He gave a short laugh.
"Do you really think I would come from her bed to you?"
"I ... I don't know."
"As soon as you were out of sight, she made an amazing recovery and
scampered off."
"Oh." Claire wrinkled her brow.
"But why would she do that?"
"You might ask Devlin."
"Harry? But why?"
"Never mind." His mouth quirked.
"Do you believe me, Claire? That I did not know the woman?"
"I suppose." She still looked doubtful.
"It is true." He smiled at her, his humour restored. She was
beginning to look less haughty and rather adorably confused.
ABC Amber Text Converter Unregistered, http://www.thebeatlesforever.com/processtext/
"Should we try another outing? Perhaps to someplace more staid such as
St. Paul's." A smile touched her lips.
"I would hope nothing so peculiar would happen there." Her face
sobered.
"But I would like my fan, if you please. It was my mother's."
His eyes strayed over her soft mouth. Almost without thinking he said,
"Of course. But since our evening ended so abruptly last night I have
one more condition."
"One more condition? What?"
He moved towards her.
"A kiss."
She stood very still, her face growing pale.
"No! That is not fair!"
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
