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

since I have no desire to spoil our reunion tonight, you shalltell me the whole some other time.

For now, you will greet your

belle-mere

with due decorumand we will make our farewells. I growimpatient, wife."

"I, also, husband," Danielle murmured, meeting his gaze with suchcandid sensuality that Justin inhaled sharply. Whatever she had done tooffend his mother was of no importance—this glorious, uninhibitedcreature who brought him such pleasure would inevitably offend, onoccasion, such a high stickler as the dowager countess, but Justin wasin no wise prepared to curb a nature so freely loving, not if it wouldmean, as it surely would, tbe loss of his beloved wild mistress.

He steered her back to the drawing room and watched with quivering lipDanielle's meek obeisance to her mama-in-law and that lady's stiffresponse. His mother greeted him with the request that he wait upon heron the morrow. "I am at your service, ma'am." Justin bowed and turnedto the duchess. "Your grace, I regret that we must take our leave."

"I am sure that you do," Amelia said with a tranquil smile. "Danielle,my dear, you must call upon me. I understand that you no longerpatronize Lutece, and I insist upon being the first to follow in yourfootsteps. There is something most distinctive about that gown, do younot agree, Matilda?"

Matilda had never been able to fault her daughter-in-law's attire andacceded with a small sniff.

"I was unaware, my love, that you had ceased to patronize Lutece,"Justin remarked, handing his wife into the light chaise. "How long agowas this?"

Danielle shrugged. "Some weeks, my lord. I do not recall exactly."

"Another

emigre

, Danielle?"He sat beside her on the blue squabbed seat.

Since last October and the attack on Versailles when the king and hisfamily had been forced by the people to take up residence in the oldParisian palace of the Tuileries and the National Assembly hadfollowed, Parisian life had become a hotbed of excitable politickingand rough justice. Merchants had been leaving the city in droves,taking with them only what they could secrete about their persons,abandoning their houses and businesses and leaving their employees anddomestic servants to roam the streets. Many of them had come to London,where they found themselves frequently in financial circumstances soreduced that they were hard pressed to put bread in their mouths. Butthey were skilled at many trades and Danielle had kept her ears open.Her hairdresser was a case in point and now, apparently, herdressmaker—a lady who, no doubt, had once presided over a sizableParisian establishment but now had only her own skills to sell.

"Do you object, Justin?"

"Not a whit." He smiled. "But I am inclined to play outraged husbandwhen my wife's decolletage leaves so little to the imagination."Stretching a lazy finger he removed one breast from the bareconcealment of her neckline. "A little higher, in future, my love—ifyou please."

Danielle made no response except for a small sigh as his long fingersmoved over the exposed nipple. The chaise drew to a halt and Justinswiftly tucked the smooth globe back into her gown. "You may be amarried lady, Danny, but I do not care for the ease with which thatexposure was accomplished. You

will instruct your new dressmaker so,will you not?"

"Bien sur,

milord," shemurmured, shooting him an underlash look ofpure mischief before alighting from the chaise on the footman's waitingarm. It seemed an aeon ago that theurchin Danny had first seen Linton House and had clung for an instantto her protector's shadow. She was now undisputed mistress

of this hugeestablishment and most definitely the undisputed mistress of its master.

Danielle skipped up the steps to the opened door where Bedford stoodbowing in the light flooding from the hall. "Thank you, Bedford. Is itnot wonderful that My Lord was able to conclude his business sorapidly?" She stripped off her elbow-length satin gloves.

"Just so, my lady." Bedford looked over her head to direct a witheringlook at the new footman who was not accustomed to the candid waymatters were conducted these days in the house of Linton. The footman'ssmile died in embryo.

"You had a pleasant evening, my lord?" Bedford bowed again as Lintonstepped into the hall behind his wife.

"Thank you, yes. You may send the household to bed now, Bedford."

"Yes, my lord. There is a message for you, in your bookroom." Thebutler lowered his voice and Justin looked at him sharply beforeinclining his head in brief acknowledgment.

Danielle registered both the lowered voice and the sharp look. Shewalked down the corridor toward the bookroom. "We should take a glassof port, Linton, before we retire."

Justin followed her swiftly. Danielle cast only the briefest glance atthe missive resting on the silver salver on the desk before going overto the decanter. "Will you take a glass, sir?"

Linton recognized the handwriting instantly and chose to ignore theletter. He went to his wife, removing the decanter from her hand. "Youwill oblige me, Danielle, by going to your bedchamber and telling

Mollythat she may go to bed." His lips nuzzled her neck. "I wish to unwrapyou myself, this night."

"Will you not read your message, milord?" She leaned backward ashishands slipped again to her bosom. "There must be some urgency;

n'est-cepas?

The messengerarrived so late."

Justin sighed. Danielle's sharp eyes rarely missed things. "Open it andread it for yourself, Danielle, if you are so anxious to know itscontents." He released her, picked up the letter,and handed it to her, together with the silver paper knife. Hisconscience was quite clear on the subject of | Margaret Mainwairing,and Danielle had never evinced anything but a sophisticated acceptanceof his premarital existence.

However, she shook her head. "I have no desire to read your personalcorrespondence, Justin. We shall exchange confidences in the morning. Ishall tell you how dreadfully I upset your

maman

and you shall tell meall about the lady who sends you mysterious messages late at night whenyou are supposed to be out of town