Chapter 2
“Lord Walgrave?” Amanda looked at Elf in mild surprise. “He’s our age, handsome, eligible, and unmarried. I don’t see anything wicked in that.”
“He’s also insufferable and a sworn enemy to my family!
” Elf put down her glass. “Come along. Standing leaning against a tree is a complete waste of time and opportunity.” She dragged Amanda back into the stream of revelers.
“If we go this way we might at least find a good place from which to view the fireworks.”
Amanda hurried alongside. “But isn’t the earl Chastity’s brother? That makes him your brother-in-law in a way.”
Elf might have known mere movement wouldn’t throw Amanda off the scent. “That hasn’t engendered brotherly love, I assure you. We’re all civil, more or less, for the sake of Cyn and Chastity.”
“Goodness! It’s just like Romeo and Juliet!”
Elf stopped dead, causing a group behind to collide with them. When everything was disentangled, she said, “Romeo and Juliet! You are deranged. He despises me. He likes women pliant and pleasing. And I despise him. He’s a rake who has the nerve to preach propriety to me.”
Amanda tugged Elf over to a bench which a couple was just vacating—vacating to head off down one of the wicked walks, Elf noted. She let her friend pull her down onto the seat, knowing she was about to be interrogated.
She wished she’d held her tongue. She’d thought Walgrave a safe topic.
After all, it was true. She did despise him, even if he had cool blue eyes and an aura of energy that she feared was entirely sexual.
He made her nerves tingle, so she sometimes tormented him from the safety of her brothers’ protection.
She thought about him entirely too much, however, and even dreamed of him sometimes. Why, she had no idea. These days, the man never smiled, except cynically, and was bedeviled by a violent temperament.
She was mad.
“Preach propriety?” said Amanda like a prime hunting hound stuck to the scent.
“Perhaps he’s just having trouble settling into his role.
He used to be a carefree young man—something of a rake, I’ll grant you, but not a vicious one—then suddenly he was the earl.
It can’t be easy to step into the shoes of the man called the Incorruptible. ”
“He’s trying, though. Trying to be as insufferably pompous as his father.”
Amanda gave her a look. “And failing, I assume. I don’t see you having fantasies about pomposity.” She thought for a moment. “Didn’t the old earl die at Rothgar Abbey?”
“Yes. A seizure.”
That wasn’t true, but it was the tale told the world.
The earl had in fact fallen into a fit of madness and tried to kill the king’s mother.
Someone had shot him in time. Probably Rothgar.
The current Lord Walgrave certainly seemed to blame Rothgar for his father’s death, and seek out any and all means to harm the Mallorens.
It had been hushed up, of course. After all, attempting to kill a member of the royal family was treason, and that would have meant utter ruin for Walgrave’s whole family. The old earl’s title and possessions would have been confiscated and his two sons and two daughters cast out of decent society.
Amanda tapped her lorgnette against her lips. “You must have had a number of occasions to meet the new earl. The wedding. Doubtless other affairs.”
“Few, but too many, I assure you. Amanda, if you are even thinking of matchmaking, desist. Two less likely partners would be hard to find.”
Amanda did not look discouraged. “Walgrave seems to be handling his responsibilities adequately. Stephen says he’s surprised at the amount of attention the earl is paying to affairs of state and the sensible positions he’s taking in Parliament.”
Elf feigned a yawn. “I’m pleased if it’s so, but do let us talk of something more interesting.”
“Elf! You admitted to having fantasies about him. He is deliciously handsome. Almost as handsome as Bryght.” She stared into the distance and gave a theatrical sigh.
Elf seized the chance to change the subject. “First Rothgar. Now Bryght. Next you’ll be telling me you have heated dreams about Cyn!”
“No,” said Amanda with a laugh. “For some reason, having spent summers in the mud with him catching sticklebacks puts him more in the status of a brother.” She put her arm around Elf. “Perhaps because you are more like a sister, and he is your twin.”
Elf returned the hug, hoping her unwise confidence would be forgotten.
But Amanda did not forget such things. “So,” she said, “why not turn your fantasy into reality? If your brother can marry Walgrave’s sister without the sky falling in, you could marry him.”
Elf pulled free. “You have maggots in your head. I told you. We dislike one another thoroughly, and he seems determined on finding a way to destroy Rothgar. There’d be no comfort by the fireside in such a marriage.”
Amanda grinned. “But think of the bed!”
Elf leaped to her feet. “You are a wicked woman. But no, I can imagine no comfort in the bed either in the midst of such hate.”
Amanda sighed as she rose to join her. “You are doubtless right. It is a shame, though. He’s the right type for you.”
“Mad?” Elf flicked her skirts back into line. “Oh, let’s head back to the boats. If we’re going to share girlish secrets all night, we might as well do it at home in comfort.”
Amanda didn’t protest. “Have I spoiled this for you, Elf?”
“No.” Elf linked arms with her friend. “It was just foolishness. I’ll have to think of a more sensible way to change my life.”
Retracing their steps meant fighting the flow, for most of the crowd were pushing toward the place where fireworks would soon be set off.
At first, Elf thought the obstacle came from the pressure of the crowd, but then an arm slid around her waist, pressing her into a musty woolen uniform.
She looked up and recognized the much-braided captain.
“Monsieur!”
“Still alone, pretty poppy?”
“Je ne comprends pas.”
He switched into clumsy but adequate French. “If your party has lost you, I’d be happy to be escort in their place.”
“I suspect you plan to be a boarding party, sir, rather than an escort.” She pulled against his hold, but made no impression on his mass and strength.
He laughed and squeezed her, squeezed a bit too hard so that she worried he might absentmindedly crush her ribs. But then the hint of danger sparked in her spirit like the first flashing lights from the fireworks.
She smiled at him.
“El . . . Lisette!” hissed Amanda, pulling at Elf’s cloak.
“Hush, Cousin. Can you not see that the gentleman and I are talking?”
The captain grinned, showing large teeth that seemed healthy and whole, even if his lips were rather thick and red. “What a shame I came without a friend, Mademoiselle Lisette. Then your companion would not be so distressed, I’ll go odds.”
Elf decided to play her part and assumed a simper. “You are doubtless correct, Captain. But as you see, she is attached to me in all ways.”
The captain turned and pulled Amanda within the compass of his other strong arm. “I’m a big man,” he declared with a deep, resonant laugh. “I can handle both of you, have no fear!”
“I am sure you can, sir,” Elf purred, rather enjoying the play-acting. She stroked his hairy hand. “I do so like a big man.”
Amanda’s dark eyes were flashing urgent messages from behind her mask, but Elf just smiled. They were both armed. They could handle even such a big man as this if they needed to, and this was an adventure of sorts.
She didn’t want to go home without the tiniest adventure.
The captain steered them through the crowd, ably making a path and protecting them from the crush.
He kept an arm about each, but most of his attention was on Elf.
She didn’t find the situation unbearable, for he had some conversation and talked pleasantly enough of the gardens, the weather, and his recent posting in Holland.
Then, without warning, he squeezed Elf close and kissed her.
Though she swayed back and twisted her head, his lips found their target. Hot onion breath swamped her and she struggled angrily against his hold.
Alarmingly, to no effect.
She had never before been in a strong man’s power, and found she didn’t like it at all.
Her struggles had forced him to release Amanda. To Elf’s horror, she saw her friend pulling out her dagger. Struggling harder, she tried to warn the captain of the disastrous attack, but his wet lips sealed hers. In fact, he was working hard at forcing her mouth open to get his tongue inside.
Gemini, but Amanda would end up in the Roundhouse for murder, and the scandal would be appalling!
With a bellow, the captain jerked back, freeing Elf’s mouth. Clearly, Amanda had struck.
“Aimée, non!” Elf cried, seeing her friend’s hand raised again.
People nearby had paused to stare at the angry captain and the two women. Before someone decided to interfere, Elf flung herself back into his arms, snapping, “Aimée, arrêet!”
Amanda slid the knife away looking exasperated, but also shaken by her own action.
“It is only that she is jealous, monsieur,” said Elf soothingly, switching into heavily accented English and touching the slash in his jacket sleeve. “Are you hurt most terribly?”
The captain stood taller. “A mere fleabite. But I could have the law on the woman for cutting my coat!”
He pulled out a handkerchief, and she helped him tie it tight around his arm to stop the bleeding. Elf couldn’t help but admire his disregard of a wound that must have gone in at least an inch.
“Be merciful, Capitaine. She is so easily excited, you see.”
He grinned and pulled Amanda back to his side. “Now that sounds promising, and may earn you a pardon, my pretty vixen.” He turned back to Elf. “What about you, little poppy? Are you easily excited too?”
Elf realized that now she had to humor him until the nearby crowd lost interest and they could escape. Suppressing a sigh, she snuggled close. “I do not know, monsieur. I am not very experienced at these things.”