Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (howl and other poems .TXT) 📕

bed,my love, is the only fit place for such understanding."

"But that is not true of everyone," she began seriously. "You have hadmany mistresses, have you not? They have not learned their practice ina marriage bed."

"Quite true, but that is not your destiny, my child. You will be rid ofyour virginity this day, three weeks, and after that will be both wifeand mistress."

Danielle sucked in her bottom lip as that deep frown wrinkled her brow."I suppose, milord, that I must be satisfied with that for now."

"You must indeed," he declared firmly and then his lips curvedslightly. "One thing I have been meaning to mention for quite sometime. I have a name, Danielle. Do you think you could use it?"

"I should call you Justin, or Linton?"

"Either will do, but I think I prefer the former." He smiled.

"We will strike a bargain then." Her dimples peeped mischievously. "Ifyou will refrain from calling me 'brat,' or 'infant,' or 'wretch,' or'vagabond,' or 'my child,' in that toplofty way, I will call youJustin."

"We have a bargain—but you must behave like Danielle to earn the name."

"La, sir! And how else should the future Countess of Linton behave?"She swept him a graceful curtsy totally at odds with the impish gleamin the big brown eyes.

Shaking his head in mock reproof he tucked her hand under his arm andbegan to walk back across the wide sweep of lawn toward the house.

Chapter8

Linton was at his breakfast in Grosvenor Square about ten days laterwhen his cousin was announced. Lord Julian, following hard on the heelsof the footman, was resplendent in a blue satin coat opened over anembroidered waistcoat, pale yellow britches, and silken stockingsembellished with large silver clocks.

"Linton, you're a dog! Indeed you are, 'pon my soul," he declared asgreeting.

"Now what have I done to deserve this, Julian?" the earl asked mildly,putting up his glass to survey his cousin with a degree of politeinterest.

"Why this marriage of yours, of course, to the de St. Varennes. Who isthe chit, m'boy? Where did she come from? It is the outside of enough,y'know, to announce your engagement out of the blue like that, and thendisappear incommunicado for the rest of the summer!"

"I am very sorry to have inconvenienced you, cousin," His Lordshipresponded softly. "Will you join me?" He gestured to the ladenbreakfast table.

The soft tones had the same effect on Lord Julian as they had onDanielle and he instantly recollected himself. It was hardly polite tostorm into a man's breakfast parlor before noon, demanding informationthat could quite reasonably be considered very personal.

"I'll take a tankard of ale with you, coz," he said, seating himself atthe table. "No, really, Justin, it is typical in you to hand the townthe best

on dit

of the yearand then leave everyonetalking."

"If it is so typical, I cannot imagine why you should sound sosurprised," His Lordship observed thoughtfully, sliding into his beef.

"But when we last met you had no thoughts of marriage, I'll lay odds."

"You would lose, Julian," my lord responded calmly.

That effectively silenced his interlocuter who began to have an uneasysuspicion that hiscousin was going to reveal nothing of thisextraordinary circumstance. He tried a different approach.

"You would not believe what the gossips have been makin' of it,Linton." He laughed. "I dare swear Bath this summer was steamier andmore sulfurous than ever! No one has even seen the girl and it'srumored she has everything from a wall eye to a crooked back and is tobe kept in seclusion at Danesbury whilst she provides you with heirs."

"Oh, I do not think that plan would suit Danielle," His Lordship saidconsideringly. "She was not educated to accept the role of brood mare,you see."

"What!" Lord Julian's mouth dropped open and remained that way for someconsiderable time whilst his cousin tranquilly continued with hisbreakfast.

"Do shut your mouth, dear fellow. It is most distracting," he requestedmildly when it seemed that the other was likely to remain in thiscondition indefinitely.

"Beg pardon, but, well. . . Gad, Justin! What manner of girl is she?"

"You will find out in good time, Julian. She is to be presented atCourt this evening and the gossips will,

I am confident, have plenty tofeed upon. Now, tell me, if you please . . ."

But Lord Julian was not to discover what his cousin wished to know.The sound of voices in the passage reached them and Linton, a frown inhis eyes, laid down his fork as the door opened and Bedford, face andvoice expressionless, announced: "Lady Danielle de St. Varennes, mylord."

Danielle, in a swish and flurry of velvet skirts, entered the room andbegan speaking almost before the butler had completed hisdignified announcement.

"Milord, you have to do something about this,

immediatemend

. If you donot speak to

Grandmere

straight away we shall all be in the basket!"

Both men had risen at her entrance, Lord Julian much more hastily thanLinton, who did not immediately respond to this impetuous speech,merely lifted his glass and examined the small figure of his affiancedbride in steady silence. She was looking utterly enchanting in aseverely cut dark green velvet riding habit, heavily adorned withsilver lace and little ragged buttons down the front. The skirt wascaught up over one gloved arm and a tricorn hat of the same materialperched rakishly on top of her head, a long, green feather curling tohershoulder.

Her voice faltered and her eyes dropped as the silence lengthened andhe continued to look at her.

"I suppose, milord, that you are going totell me that I should not be here?"

"I make it a habit never to tell people things that I feel sure theyalready know," he responded levelly.

Lord Julian felt a twinge of fraternal sympathy for this entrancingcreature. He knew from