like Hawk.
Hawk was everything she’d ever desired in a man—compassionate, kind, generous, courageous…
The heroic images she conjured in her head at the thought of him made her shiver slightly.
They claimed he was tall, nearly six-foot-eight, and that he had once single-handedly killed six men. Chloe wondered if it were true. If so, she was certain he’d had good cause, as he’d yet to harm a hair upon the heads of his victims. The men he might leave rankled, but the women were left in a swoon of admiration. Indeed, he was fodder for bed tales, and mothers recanted his stories to children as they closed their eyes at night. Sometimes, come morning, there would appear a brimming basket of goods upon the hearth…and lying beside the anonymous gift was the single, tiny white feather of a hawk. Children strung them and wore them as trophies about their necks.
No one knew what he looked like, because he wore a black hooded mask to hide his face. But a prostitute Chloe had once treated who worked at the Pale Ale had encountered him more than once and swore she’d spied him bareheaded. She’d said that his smile was like a string of shimmeringpearls and that his eyes were like gentle blue moons, bright and glowing with kindness.
Chloe sighed softly.
She’d come to fear there were no heroes left in the world. They were all Lord Lindales.
And she was a silly fool to hope for anything else.
He’d stood her up.
And worse, he’d sent his mother in his stead, Chloe thought as she descended the steps and saw Ian wasn’t there. It was just like the cad to do something so vile. Was this the way he intended to punish her for yesterday’s insolence? She took a step downward, trying to mask her flare of temper. As she made her way down, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, denying herself even the smallest sliver of self-pity.
What had she expected?
God help her, she was ashamed to admit that she had actually been anticipating the evening. What a silly chit she’d been. She was acutely aware that Aggie had gathered the servants; they were all peeking at her from behind their various hiding spaces. Even Edward, who was standing at the front door, was present to witness her foolishness.
“Before you go on cursing him,” Lady Fiona said, smiling serenely. She put up a hand to silenceChloe when Chloe opened her mouth to deny it. “You must know that Ian has quite a design for this evening.”
He did?
Chloe’s eyes must have revealed her doubt.
“It’s true,” Fiona insisted with a smile. “In fact, you should feel quite special, my dear. My son has gone through quite a lot of trouble to impress you.”
Chloe didn’t know how to respond. She couldn’t imagine Lord Lindale worrying to impress anyone. And she had been cursing him; she felt both duly chastised and a little disarmed by the revelation. She blinked. “Where is he?” Her voice sounded entirely too breathless even to her own ears.
“Never you mind,” Lady Fiona snapped pleasantly. “You’ll need a pelisse,” she added matter-of-factly. “It’s quite nippy outdoors.”
Chloe’s heart beat erratically as she descended the staircase. She knew everyone was watching and she hoped she wouldn’t trip over her dress.
“Come, my dear,” she commanded of Chloe, crooking a finger at her when Chloe hesitated.
Chloe’s cheeks warmed under so much scrutiny. She felt a little as though she were on the fringes of a fairy tale as she completed the descent down the stairs.
At last she stood before Lady Fiona. With a critical eye, Lady Fiona assessed her gown. It washardly anything worth fussing over, but Aggie had pressed it perfectly and the airy fabric hung like whispers upon her slim figure. Delicate ivory lace spilled from her cuffs and peeked from beneath the hem. The blue of the gown was still as vivid as it had been when new. It was the finest dress Chloe owned. It was the best she could do. She had a sudden fear that Lady
Hawk was everything she’d ever desired in a man—compassionate, kind, generous, courageous…
The heroic images she conjured in her head at the thought of him made her shiver slightly.
They claimed he was tall, nearly six-foot-eight, and that he had once single-handedly killed six men. Chloe wondered if it were true. If so, she was certain he’d had good cause, as he’d yet to harm a hair upon the heads of his victims. The men he might leave rankled, but the women were left in a swoon of admiration. Indeed, he was fodder for bed tales, and mothers recanted his stories to children as they closed their eyes at night. Sometimes, come morning, there would appear a brimming basket of goods upon the hearth…and lying beside the anonymous gift was the single, tiny white feather of a hawk. Children strung them and wore them as trophies about their necks.
No one knew what he looked like, because he wore a black hooded mask to hide his face. But a prostitute Chloe had once treated who worked at the Pale Ale had encountered him more than once and swore she’d spied him bareheaded. She’d said that his smile was like a string of shimmeringpearls and that his eyes were like gentle blue moons, bright and glowing with kindness.
Chloe sighed softly.
She’d come to fear there were no heroes left in the world. They were all Lord Lindales.
And she was a silly fool to hope for anything else.
He’d stood her up.
And worse, he’d sent his mother in his stead, Chloe thought as she descended the steps and saw Ian wasn’t there. It was just like the cad to do something so vile. Was this the way he intended to punish her for yesterday’s insolence? She took a step downward, trying to mask her flare of temper. As she made her way down, she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin, denying herself even the smallest sliver of self-pity.
What had she expected?
God help her, she was ashamed to admit that she had actually been anticipating the evening. What a silly chit she’d been. She was acutely aware that Aggie had gathered the servants; they were all peeking at her from behind their various hiding spaces. Even Edward, who was standing at the front door, was present to witness her foolishness.
“Before you go on cursing him,” Lady Fiona said, smiling serenely. She put up a hand to silenceChloe when Chloe opened her mouth to deny it. “You must know that Ian has quite a design for this evening.”
He did?
Chloe’s eyes must have revealed her doubt.
“It’s true,” Fiona insisted with a smile. “In fact, you should feel quite special, my dear. My son has gone through quite a lot of trouble to impress you.”
Chloe didn’t know how to respond. She couldn’t imagine Lord Lindale worrying to impress anyone. And she had been cursing him; she felt both duly chastised and a little disarmed by the revelation. She blinked. “Where is he?” Her voice sounded entirely too breathless even to her own ears.
“Never you mind,” Lady Fiona snapped pleasantly. “You’ll need a pelisse,” she added matter-of-factly. “It’s quite nippy outdoors.”
Chloe’s heart beat erratically as she descended the staircase. She knew everyone was watching and she hoped she wouldn’t trip over her dress.
“Come, my dear,” she commanded of Chloe, crooking a finger at her when Chloe hesitated.
Chloe’s cheeks warmed under so much scrutiny. She felt a little as though she were on the fringes of a fairy tale as she completed the descent down the stairs.
At last she stood before Lady Fiona. With a critical eye, Lady Fiona assessed her gown. It washardly anything worth fussing over, but Aggie had pressed it perfectly and the airy fabric hung like whispers upon her slim figure. Delicate ivory lace spilled from her cuffs and peeked from beneath the hem. The blue of the gown was still as vivid as it had been when new. It was the finest dress Chloe owned. It was the best she could do. She had a sudden fear that Lady
Similar Books
