children's
mounts in his famous stables?"
He gave her an innocent look. "I couldn't very well promise and then
disappoint, now could I?" He raised an eyebrow. "Should I have
brought you a pony as well?"
"I am not as easy to win over as the twins, my lord," she
responded, feeling she had scored a hit.
"And the greater the challenge, the greater the reward," he
murmured, flashing his wicked grin at her, "my lady."
She blushed, which would have been entirely too silly except that her
parents had to have noticed.
Simon approached, smiling. "You look radiant, Angel," he said,
taking her hand. "How was your journey?"
"Thank you, Simon," she said warmly, shooting an annoyed look
over his head at Abbonley, who had the bad manners to chuckle. "It was
quite pleasant."
The marquis turned to her father again. "Shall we go inside?" he
suggested. "As it's so warm today, I'm having luncheon set out in the
courtyard, but I thought you might like to go to your rooms first." This
last was directed at Angel's mother, who nodded gratefully.
Angelique was more than curious to see inside Abbonley. As they reached the
door she felt an inkling of uneasiness, for the butler was quite possibly the
sternest, most dour-looking personage she had ever set eyes on. What she saw
inside, however, surprised her. It was dark and elegant, but the curtains were
open and there were fresh flowers everywhere, making the rooms smell like
springtime and giving the manor a cozy warmth. She couldn't help smiling.
Simon escorted her to one of the rooms in the west wing, while the marquis
showed her parents and siblings to neighboring bed chambers. "James and I
are in the east wing," Simon explained, motioning along the curving
balcony behind them, "but Grandmama is two doors down from you, for she
doesn't like the morning sun. When Lily arrives she'll be next to you,
here."
"Lily?" Angel queried, trying to hide her sudden surprised
dismay.
"Oh, yes. James didn't tell you? He's invited the Stanfreds along, as
well. Thought you might enjoy the company."
Angelique forced a smile. "That was kind of him." Simon smiled as
well. "Yes, I thought so. He's being rather more cooperative than I'd
expected." He kissed her knuckles again. "Someone shall be by to
bring you down to the courtyard."
She stepped into the room, and wasn't surprised to see more flowers sitting
on the stand by the bed. The chamber was decorated in gold and peach, and she
liked it immediately. Fleetingly, she wondered if James had chosen which room
she would occupy. From the window she had a splendid view of the south end of
the lake and of the woods beyond, and until Tess came in to help her freshen up
she sat in the sill and looked out at the water, a blue reflection of the sky.
Outside in the courtyard a long table had been set with fresh fruit, sliced
ham and chicken, and several desserts that immediately had her mouth watering.
She wasn't the only one impressed with the confections, either, for when Henry
and Helen appeared a moment later they bolted for that end of the table.
"Luncheon first, you two," she said, wishing she could head
straight for the strawberry creams resting tantalizingly on a silver platter.
The marquis was already present, listening to a report given by the head
footman. After a moment he nodded and strolled over to her. "Are you pleased
with your accommodations?"
She nodded. "Quite," she answered, wondering why the more at ease
he seemed, the more unsettled she became. London might have been her territory
but Abbonley was definitely his.
"Lord James?" Henry said hesitantly, and the marquis turned.
"Master Henry?"
"Do you
boat on the lake?"
The marquis looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, we used to have
several rowboats," he answered slowly, "but this end of the lake's
become a bit swampy, and I can't for the life of me remember what's happened to
them. I'll check with Simon, and see if there isn't something we can't do. I
haven't been fishing in quite
mounts in his famous stables?"
He gave her an innocent look. "I couldn't very well promise and then
disappoint, now could I?" He raised an eyebrow. "Should I have
brought you a pony as well?"
"I am not as easy to win over as the twins, my lord," she
responded, feeling she had scored a hit.
"And the greater the challenge, the greater the reward," he
murmured, flashing his wicked grin at her, "my lady."
She blushed, which would have been entirely too silly except that her
parents had to have noticed.
Simon approached, smiling. "You look radiant, Angel," he said,
taking her hand. "How was your journey?"
"Thank you, Simon," she said warmly, shooting an annoyed look
over his head at Abbonley, who had the bad manners to chuckle. "It was
quite pleasant."
The marquis turned to her father again. "Shall we go inside?" he
suggested. "As it's so warm today, I'm having luncheon set out in the
courtyard, but I thought you might like to go to your rooms first." This
last was directed at Angel's mother, who nodded gratefully.
Angelique was more than curious to see inside Abbonley. As they reached the
door she felt an inkling of uneasiness, for the butler was quite possibly the
sternest, most dour-looking personage she had ever set eyes on. What she saw
inside, however, surprised her. It was dark and elegant, but the curtains were
open and there were fresh flowers everywhere, making the rooms smell like
springtime and giving the manor a cozy warmth. She couldn't help smiling.
Simon escorted her to one of the rooms in the west wing, while the marquis
showed her parents and siblings to neighboring bed chambers. "James and I
are in the east wing," Simon explained, motioning along the curving
balcony behind them, "but Grandmama is two doors down from you, for she
doesn't like the morning sun. When Lily arrives she'll be next to you,
here."
"Lily?" Angel queried, trying to hide her sudden surprised
dismay.
"Oh, yes. James didn't tell you? He's invited the Stanfreds along, as
well. Thought you might enjoy the company."
Angelique forced a smile. "That was kind of him." Simon smiled as
well. "Yes, I thought so. He's being rather more cooperative than I'd
expected." He kissed her knuckles again. "Someone shall be by to
bring you down to the courtyard."
She stepped into the room, and wasn't surprised to see more flowers sitting
on the stand by the bed. The chamber was decorated in gold and peach, and she
liked it immediately. Fleetingly, she wondered if James had chosen which room
she would occupy. From the window she had a splendid view of the south end of
the lake and of the woods beyond, and until Tess came in to help her freshen up
she sat in the sill and looked out at the water, a blue reflection of the sky.
Outside in the courtyard a long table had been set with fresh fruit, sliced
ham and chicken, and several desserts that immediately had her mouth watering.
She wasn't the only one impressed with the confections, either, for when Henry
and Helen appeared a moment later they bolted for that end of the table.
"Luncheon first, you two," she said, wishing she could head
straight for the strawberry creams resting tantalizingly on a silver platter.
The marquis was already present, listening to a report given by the head
footman. After a moment he nodded and strolled over to her. "Are you pleased
with your accommodations?"
She nodded. "Quite," she answered, wondering why the more at ease
he seemed, the more unsettled she became. London might have been her territory
but Abbonley was definitely his.
"Lord James?" Henry said hesitantly, and the marquis turned.
"Master Henry?"
"Do you
boat on the lake?"
The marquis looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, we used to have
several rowboats," he answered slowly, "but this end of the lake's
become a bit swampy, and I can't for the life of me remember what's happened to
them. I'll check with Simon, and see if there isn't something we can't do. I
haven't been fishing in quite
Similar Books
