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

"No, not at all, milord," she returned with a bland smile. "I hadalways intended to take Molly up behind me. We will make better speedin that manner, anyhow."

At this news, Molly's expression lightened considerably and Justinturned to find a clean shirt in his portmanteau, hiding the amusementin his eyes. As he stripped off his shirt, Molly made a strange littlemewling sound and he swore under his breath. Thegirl, of course, would be horrified at the prospect of her lord's barechest. "Would you return to your cabin, Molly," he said calmly, keepinghis back to her. "You will find a nuncheon there and I suggest you eatheartily. We shall not dine until late this evening. Afterward, if youwish you may go on deck. You will not be molested."

Molly bobbed to My Lord's back and fled in relief, while Daniellepouted crossly. By dinnertime she would have been without food sincethe noon of the previous day—a fact that her heartless husband seemednot to consider.

"Do you not care to bathe, also, milord?"

"I have done so already, on deck," he replied.

"In the open air?" Danny forgot her hunger for the moment at thisdiverting prospect. "I wish I could do so."

"I do not think, brat, that you would enjoy having buckets of coldwater thrown over you by a group of seamen."

"No, I daresay you are right," she agreed, stepping from the tub. "Haveyou sent someone to find horses?"

"I have." He turned to look at her and Danielle deliberately let thetowel fall.

"Do I please you, sir?" Her eyes twinkled.

"On the contrary," he said in a blighting tone. "At the moment, youdisplease me enormously."

"Oh." Crestfallen, Danny made haste with her dressing, thankful thatthe riding habit was a relatively simple garment and she had no need toask for help. She was beginning to develop the unpleasant suspicionthat this eagerly awaited journey was not going to be as amusing as shehad anticipated—not with an empty belly and in the company of Linton inhis present mood.

"You will wait here," Justin told her, once he had pulled on his topboots and shrugged into his coat.

"Will it be necessary for me to turnthe key on you?"

Danny shook her head and returned to her perch on the window seat whereshe picked up her book again, biting her lip hard. Justin almostrelented but her earlier look of triumph still rankled and he

decidedhe was not yet ready to give up his little game.

He left the cabin and went in search of Forster and information aboutthe horses. When he returned it

was in the company of the cabin boystaggering under the weight of a laden tray that Danielle regarded withnaked relief. But she kept her seat until the boy had left andpretended to read with feigned indifference to the unmistakable Frenchsmells of fresh-baked bread, garlicky sausage, and ripe cheese.

"You may cease your pretense, infant. I know full well that you areravenous. Come to the table; we

have little time to waste." He filled aglass with milk from a copper pitcher and handed it to her.

Danielle drank deeply and then caught Linton's pained frown. "Oh, do Ihave .. . ?"

"Yes, you do," he interrupted. She wiped the milky mustache from herlips with a checkered napkin

and decided to take the bull by the horn.

"My lord, may I please ask a question?"

Linton propped his elbows on the table and rested his chin in a cuppedpalm as he looked at her quizzically. "Now, I wonder why you are askingmy permission," he mused. "What possible difference would it make if Isaid no? Since that little word appears not to exist in your otherwiseextensive vocabulary."

"Oh, pray do not be odious," she begged. "I may deserve it, but it ismost unpleasant. Could you not instead just be furious as I thought youwould be and then it would be all over?"

"Make no mistake, Danielle, I an furious," the earl said grimly, "and Iexpect to remain so indefinitely. If you do not care for theconsequences of your actions, you should have thought a little moreclearly before."

It was pointless, then. If he would not respond to her in any wayexcept for this frigid near-indifference, she would have done better tohave stayed at home. If he saw her only as a troublesomeresponsibility, then there was no hope for the partnership that wouldhave made all right.

"I will not accompany you to Paris," she said, fighting back the tears.

"You most certainly will! You do not suppose that I would trust you outof my sight after this?"

"You need have no fear." Cold anger came to her aid. "I understand fullwell what you want of your marriage. I'll not interfere with yourpleasures again, my lord."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Justin pushed back his chair,completely nonplussed by this attack that seemed to come from nowhere.

Danielle shrugged. There was nothing left to lose. "I had thought,since I do not appear to be sufficient satisfaction in the bedchamber,that maybe we could at least share danger together. I am perhaps tooyoung and unsophisticated for you in some areas, sir, but I have muchexperience of this present business. Since you do not acknowledge that,we will settle for the sham marriage of convenience. I will beperfectly discreet, I assure you."

Justin had allowed this dignified speech to run its course only becausehe was quite dumbfounded. He

had intended to punish her with hissimulated annoyance for just a few more minutes before bringing thecharade to an end, and now she was talking apparent nonsense. Exceptthat she wasn't, because Danielle never talked nonsense.

"You have been keeping something from me, have you not?" He rose fromhis chair and came to stand, towering over her. "I warned you the lasttime that I would not be so tolerant again."