find out that she could take care of
herself. Louisa straightened her skirt, checked to make sure the marks on her
arm had faded, and then swept back into her box to face her companions. Soon
she would be a Duchess, and no one would dare threaten her again.
The following morning found Emily refreshed and able to
rise from her bed. Allegra seemed relieved by this, and Adam could not resist
gently teasing her over breakfast about her fears. Allegra took it in good
part, and Emily was amazed to see them so civil to one another.
"Maybe I should be ill more often, if it has such an
effect on your relations with one another!" she exclaimed.
A frown creased Allegra's brow. "Don't even jest
about it, Mama. Adam and I will strive to be friendly, if you will strive to be
well."
"What a sweet child you are," said Emily.
"It's kind of you to worry about me, but I think you have no cause. Tell
me, what are your plans for today?"
Before Allegra could respond, Adam spoke. "Perhaps
Allegra would care to drive in the park with me."
Allegra's surprise was apparent, but she covered it
quickly. "Why, I had planned to pay some visits, but to be driven by as
famous a whip as the Duke of Gravesmere is an opportunity not to be denied.
Thank you, Adam."
Adam smiled at her and was about to continue, when the
butler entered with a silver tray on which rested a missive. The Duke opened it
impatiently, then muttered under his breath.
"Our drive will have to wait, Allegra," he
said. "There are some business matters I must attend to."
Allegra dropped her eyes. The scent of lilac wafted quite
noticeably from the letter, and she had few doubts as to who had written it as
Gravesmere's man of affairs was not known to scent his letters.
Emily hurried to fill the silence. "Surely, this
matter can wait, Adam?" she asked. "Can't your business be delayed
until after your drive?"
"I am afraid not, Mama. If you will excuse me?"
He bowed gracefully to the ladies and left the room, looking somewhat grim.
Allegra lifted her chin jauntily and stood up from the
table. "I believe I will have to pay those calls after all. Pray excuse
me, Mama."
Emily was left sitting alone at the breakfast table,
pondering the foolishness of the very young.
A short while later, the Adam strolled into his
mistress's boudoir to find her artfully arranged on the settee. A sleepless
night worrying about Tristan's threats didn't prevent her from presenting a
lovely picture, with her dark curls loosely falling over her shoulders and a
wrapper of violet silk with a profusion of laces and ribbons open over a lace
petticoat. Her beautiful profile was presented to him as she read the book
cradled in her hands. She looked up in pretty surprise, her mouth forming a
tender “o.”
"Adam," she exclaimed extending her hands
joyfully. "How good of you to come so soon. I had no notion you would be
here so quickly."
"Now why would you think that I would delay? Your
letter was most urgent," he answered. "Something about dire
circumstances, I believe."
Louisa smiled apologetically. "I do feel awkward. I
hope that I didn't take you from anything important. I would hate to interrupt
your day."
"Louisa, come to the point. What was so important
that you must take me from my breakfast and my planned drive?"
Lady Manning achieved a blush. "It is just that I
have overspent my allowance, Adam, and the milliner is dunning me. I feel so
helpless and alone when this sort of thing happens. I'm used to having you by
my side to help me."
"Dash it, is that all?" asked Adam.
"Louisa, you know I told my secretary that he was to give you money for
any needs you might have. There was no need to fetch me away from my house for
something this simple."
"I'm sorry, Adam. I just was embarrassed to apply to
your secretary, and indeed, I feel so silly about this. And you didn't come to
me last night and I...I didn't know what to think." As she hung her pretty
head, Louisa shot him an appraising
herself. Louisa straightened her skirt, checked to make sure the marks on her
arm had faded, and then swept back into her box to face her companions. Soon
she would be a Duchess, and no one would dare threaten her again.
The following morning found Emily refreshed and able to
rise from her bed. Allegra seemed relieved by this, and Adam could not resist
gently teasing her over breakfast about her fears. Allegra took it in good
part, and Emily was amazed to see them so civil to one another.
"Maybe I should be ill more often, if it has such an
effect on your relations with one another!" she exclaimed.
A frown creased Allegra's brow. "Don't even jest
about it, Mama. Adam and I will strive to be friendly, if you will strive to be
well."
"What a sweet child you are," said Emily.
"It's kind of you to worry about me, but I think you have no cause. Tell
me, what are your plans for today?"
Before Allegra could respond, Adam spoke. "Perhaps
Allegra would care to drive in the park with me."
Allegra's surprise was apparent, but she covered it
quickly. "Why, I had planned to pay some visits, but to be driven by as
famous a whip as the Duke of Gravesmere is an opportunity not to be denied.
Thank you, Adam."
Adam smiled at her and was about to continue, when the
butler entered with a silver tray on which rested a missive. The Duke opened it
impatiently, then muttered under his breath.
"Our drive will have to wait, Allegra," he
said. "There are some business matters I must attend to."
Allegra dropped her eyes. The scent of lilac wafted quite
noticeably from the letter, and she had few doubts as to who had written it as
Gravesmere's man of affairs was not known to scent his letters.
Emily hurried to fill the silence. "Surely, this
matter can wait, Adam?" she asked. "Can't your business be delayed
until after your drive?"
"I am afraid not, Mama. If you will excuse me?"
He bowed gracefully to the ladies and left the room, looking somewhat grim.
Allegra lifted her chin jauntily and stood up from the
table. "I believe I will have to pay those calls after all. Pray excuse
me, Mama."
Emily was left sitting alone at the breakfast table,
pondering the foolishness of the very young.
A short while later, the Adam strolled into his
mistress's boudoir to find her artfully arranged on the settee. A sleepless
night worrying about Tristan's threats didn't prevent her from presenting a
lovely picture, with her dark curls loosely falling over her shoulders and a
wrapper of violet silk with a profusion of laces and ribbons open over a lace
petticoat. Her beautiful profile was presented to him as she read the book
cradled in her hands. She looked up in pretty surprise, her mouth forming a
tender “o.”
"Adam," she exclaimed extending her hands
joyfully. "How good of you to come so soon. I had no notion you would be
here so quickly."
"Now why would you think that I would delay? Your
letter was most urgent," he answered. "Something about dire
circumstances, I believe."
Louisa smiled apologetically. "I do feel awkward. I
hope that I didn't take you from anything important. I would hate to interrupt
your day."
"Louisa, come to the point. What was so important
that you must take me from my breakfast and my planned drive?"
Lady Manning achieved a blush. "It is just that I
have overspent my allowance, Adam, and the milliner is dunning me. I feel so
helpless and alone when this sort of thing happens. I'm used to having you by
my side to help me."
"Dash it, is that all?" asked Adam.
"Louisa, you know I told my secretary that he was to give you money for
any needs you might have. There was no need to fetch me away from my house for
something this simple."
"I'm sorry, Adam. I just was embarrassed to apply to
your secretary, and indeed, I feel so silly about this. And you didn't come to
me last night and I...I didn't know what to think." As she hung her pretty
head, Louisa shot him an appraising
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