"You believe that Mr. St. Ives kissed me?
Wherever did you get such a
crazed notion?"
"When I came to your bedchamber last night to inquire into your adventures you looked . . ." Ariel
hesitated, clearly searching for the right word. "Different." "Different?" "Overheated. Very bright.
Practically glowing." Ariel waved one hand in a vague gesture. "A little disheveled, too. There was an
odd look in your eyes." "Really, Ariel, this is too much. I had just had a very disturbing
, -A
--A
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75
h an extremely violent villain. How the devil encounter wit i is one
1upposed to look after such an occasion?"
"I don't know how the average lady looks after she has had a
near miss with a villain but I know how you look." "What on earth do you mean? I have not had any
other direct encounters with villains."
-You have had one that I recall quite distinctly." Ariel put her cup down gently on its saucer. "Five years
ago. The night before WinterbOUrne got his throat slit by a footpad. I heard you in the hall that night.
You used Papa's pistol to drive Winterbourne and one of his gaming cronies from the house."
Charlotte stared at her. "I did not realize that you understood what had happened that night." "I did not
comprehend matters entirely until I was much older. But even then I understood that you had dealt with a
very dangerous situation. And I saw the expression in your eyes afterward. It was not the same look I
saw there last night." "I'm sorry. I did not mean for you to ever' learn just how evil Winterbourne was."
"His companion was infinitely worse, was he not?"
Charlotte shuddered at the memory. "He was a monster. But that was a long time ago, Ariel. And we
both came through it safely. "
I IThe point is, I recall your demeanor on that night quite clearly. You were cold to the touch. Your eyes
were stark."
Charlotte rubbed her temples. "I do not know what.to say. I was terrIfied. I do not recall anything else
about my emotional state."
11 Last night you had a scare, too. But you were not cold. Your ,yes were anything but bleak. Indeed,
you were excited and ani-,ated and almost exuberant." "Get to the point, Ariel." "The point is, I believe
that Mr. St. Ives kissed you." Charlotte groaned and threw up her hands. "Very well, he kissed
76
__t!@
Amanda Quick
me. We were both overwrought and somewhat overstimulated by the night's events. Danger sometimes
has that effect on the sen4,,,,, you know." "It does?"
"Yes," Charlotte said very firmly. "The poets are always writing about the problem. Even the senses of a
person who is cool
clearheaded and not inclined toward strong passions can be civercome by a thrilling experience." "Even
a person such as Mr. St. Ives?"
"Actually, I was referring to myself." Charlotte smiled ruefully. "Mr. St. Ives is cool and clearheaded
also, of course, but it is obvioUs that he must employ a fine degree of self-discipline in order to
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achieve that serene state."
Ariet's tips parted in astonishment. "I beg your pardon?" "Underneath that stern, steady exterior, be is a
man of dangerously strong passions." "Strong Passions? Mr. St. Ives?" "I know that I expressed some
concerns in the beginning but I no longer believe his temperament will present any great difficulties for us,"
Charlotte said with a false heartiness. "I am convinced lie
will do very well in his position." "I'm glad you're satisfied, but I'm beginning to have a few
qualms. Charlotte, if Mr. St. Ives has kissed you, things have taken on a whole new aspect. How much
do you really know about him @ " "What do you mean?" Charlotte gave her a searching look. "Mr.
Marcte sent a glowing letter of reference." "Yes, but we have not done any research on St. Ives
ourselves.
We have not even made the sort of inquiries that we would have
made
Wherever did you get such a
crazed notion?"
"When I came to your bedchamber last night to inquire into your adventures you looked . . ." Ariel
hesitated, clearly searching for the right word. "Different." "Different?" "Overheated. Very bright.
Practically glowing." Ariel waved one hand in a vague gesture. "A little disheveled, too. There was an
odd look in your eyes." "Really, Ariel, this is too much. I had just had a very disturbing
, -A
--A
Page 63
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
75
h an extremely violent villain. How the devil encounter wit i is one
1upposed to look after such an occasion?"
"I don't know how the average lady looks after she has had a
near miss with a villain but I know how you look." "What on earth do you mean? I have not had any
other direct encounters with villains."
-You have had one that I recall quite distinctly." Ariel put her cup down gently on its saucer. "Five years
ago. The night before WinterbOUrne got his throat slit by a footpad. I heard you in the hall that night.
You used Papa's pistol to drive Winterbourne and one of his gaming cronies from the house."
Charlotte stared at her. "I did not realize that you understood what had happened that night." "I did not
comprehend matters entirely until I was much older. But even then I understood that you had dealt with a
very dangerous situation. And I saw the expression in your eyes afterward. It was not the same look I
saw there last night." "I'm sorry. I did not mean for you to ever' learn just how evil Winterbourne was."
"His companion was infinitely worse, was he not?"
Charlotte shuddered at the memory. "He was a monster. But that was a long time ago, Ariel. And we
both came through it safely. "
I IThe point is, I recall your demeanor on that night quite clearly. You were cold to the touch. Your eyes
were stark."
Charlotte rubbed her temples. "I do not know what.to say. I was terrIfied. I do not recall anything else
about my emotional state."
11 Last night you had a scare, too. But you were not cold. Your ,yes were anything but bleak. Indeed,
you were excited and ani-,ated and almost exuberant." "Get to the point, Ariel." "The point is, I believe
that Mr. St. Ives kissed you." Charlotte groaned and threw up her hands. "Very well, he kissed
76
__t!@
Amanda Quick
me. We were both overwrought and somewhat overstimulated by the night's events. Danger sometimes
has that effect on the sen4,,,,, you know." "It does?"
"Yes," Charlotte said very firmly. "The poets are always writing about the problem. Even the senses of a
person who is cool
clearheaded and not inclined toward strong passions can be civercome by a thrilling experience." "Even
a person such as Mr. St. Ives?"
"Actually, I was referring to myself." Charlotte smiled ruefully. "Mr. St. Ives is cool and clearheaded
also, of course, but it is obvioUs that he must employ a fine degree of self-discipline in order to
Page 64
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
achieve that serene state."
Ariet's tips parted in astonishment. "I beg your pardon?" "Underneath that stern, steady exterior, be is a
man of dangerously strong passions." "Strong Passions? Mr. St. Ives?" "I know that I expressed some
concerns in the beginning but I no longer believe his temperament will present any great difficulties for us,"
Charlotte said with a false heartiness. "I am convinced lie
will do very well in his position." "I'm glad you're satisfied, but I'm beginning to have a few
qualms. Charlotte, if Mr. St. Ives has kissed you, things have taken on a whole new aspect. How much
do you really know about him @ " "What do you mean?" Charlotte gave her a searching look. "Mr.
Marcte sent a glowing letter of reference." "Yes, but we have not done any research on St. Ives
ourselves.
We have not even made the sort of inquiries that we would have
made
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