embarrassing her uncle.
When something solid brushed against the back of her skirt, Elizabeth spun around. Looking down, she saw one of the largest, woolliest dogs she had ever seen.
He sat down and whined imploringly.
“Why, are you hungry?” she asked.
Two loud barks answered her question.
She reached out and patted his grey coat, sending up a puff of dust to the air. “Where is your master?” Elizabeth glanced about but could see no one paying any attention to the beast.
“I suppose I could buy you a loaf,” she mused, and began walking towards the street where vendors hawked wares of every conceivable sort. Buying bread, she tore a piece from it and tossed it to the dog.
The animal which had stayed a short distance from the vendor’s cart now bounded forward to catch the bread. He swallowed the piece in one gulp.
“My, you are hungry,” Elizabeth laughed, tossing another hunk. Walking slowly, she turned back towards the centre of the park. The dog ran ahead her, circled her, and paused to bow to her every few paces and beg another piece.
Comte de Cavilon spied Elizabeth at the vendor’s cart and ordered his coach to halt. He smiled as he watched her play with the huge dog. With a command for his coachman to wait, he stepped down and slowly gyrated towards her.
Tossing the last piece of bread, Elizabeth laughed as the dog still pranced about her barking. “That is all there is,” she told him, holding out her empty hands as proof.
A sharp gasp replaced the laughter when the beast gave a low growl. Suddenly he leapt at her but, instead of attacking, sank his teeth into her reticule, which hung from her wrist by two cords. A tug of war ensued.
“Let go of it,” Elizabeth commanded, but was unsuccessful in tugging it free. The large dog shook its head, threw her off balance, and came away with the reticule in its jaws. It bounded towards a clump of shrubbery in the distance.
When Cavilon saw the dog lunge, he, too, thought the beast meant to attack Elizabeth. Dropping all affectation, the comte sprinted towards her. When the dog loped off with the reticule dangling in its jaw, he realized what was happening and slowed his steps. He could only chuckle when Elizabeth gave chase.
The dog disappeared into the shrubbery. Miss Jeffries entered on its heels. Shouts and cries as well as vociferous barking bespoke an encounter involving more than the young woman and the animal.
Easing his way through the shrubs, Cavilon released a bark of laughter at the scene before him.
The dog’s master, a young lad of ten or eleven, had been snared by Elizabeth. She was attempting to regain possession of her reticule while the dog nipped at her ankles and pawed at her skirt. In desperation she pushed the lad to the ground and sat upon him. The huge woolly dog jumped astride Elizabeth, effectively pinning her to the ground.
“Get off me,” the lad complained. “Ye be crushin’ the very life from me.”
“Order your beast from my back,” Elizabeth retorted angrily. “And let go of my reticule. What do you mean by sending this monster against poor defenceless women?” she demanded, twisting about and trying to push the dog off.
The huge beast yawned, ignored her efforts, and laid its head upon its gigantic paws.
Ceasing the struggle for a moment, Elizabeth looked straight ahead and saw an immaculate pair of white silk hose. Her eyes travelled up sky-blue satin breeches.
“Sir, please remove this animal...” She stopped speaking as soon as she recognized the comte. My lord Cavilon,” she murmured with sinking heart.
“La, my dear.” He daubed at his forehead with his kerchief. “I am quite fatigued by the walk. I do seem to encounter you in the most unusual places and in the most extraordinary poses.”
“Would you please find someone who would be able to help me? These are a pair of thieves.” Elizabeth tried to control the anger welling within her.
“Rather, ma petite , I would say they have
When something solid brushed against the back of her skirt, Elizabeth spun around. Looking down, she saw one of the largest, woolliest dogs she had ever seen.
He sat down and whined imploringly.
“Why, are you hungry?” she asked.
Two loud barks answered her question.
She reached out and patted his grey coat, sending up a puff of dust to the air. “Where is your master?” Elizabeth glanced about but could see no one paying any attention to the beast.
“I suppose I could buy you a loaf,” she mused, and began walking towards the street where vendors hawked wares of every conceivable sort. Buying bread, she tore a piece from it and tossed it to the dog.
The animal which had stayed a short distance from the vendor’s cart now bounded forward to catch the bread. He swallowed the piece in one gulp.
“My, you are hungry,” Elizabeth laughed, tossing another hunk. Walking slowly, she turned back towards the centre of the park. The dog ran ahead her, circled her, and paused to bow to her every few paces and beg another piece.
Comte de Cavilon spied Elizabeth at the vendor’s cart and ordered his coach to halt. He smiled as he watched her play with the huge dog. With a command for his coachman to wait, he stepped down and slowly gyrated towards her.
Tossing the last piece of bread, Elizabeth laughed as the dog still pranced about her barking. “That is all there is,” she told him, holding out her empty hands as proof.
A sharp gasp replaced the laughter when the beast gave a low growl. Suddenly he leapt at her but, instead of attacking, sank his teeth into her reticule, which hung from her wrist by two cords. A tug of war ensued.
“Let go of it,” Elizabeth commanded, but was unsuccessful in tugging it free. The large dog shook its head, threw her off balance, and came away with the reticule in its jaws. It bounded towards a clump of shrubbery in the distance.
When Cavilon saw the dog lunge, he, too, thought the beast meant to attack Elizabeth. Dropping all affectation, the comte sprinted towards her. When the dog loped off with the reticule dangling in its jaw, he realized what was happening and slowed his steps. He could only chuckle when Elizabeth gave chase.
The dog disappeared into the shrubbery. Miss Jeffries entered on its heels. Shouts and cries as well as vociferous barking bespoke an encounter involving more than the young woman and the animal.
Easing his way through the shrubs, Cavilon released a bark of laughter at the scene before him.
The dog’s master, a young lad of ten or eleven, had been snared by Elizabeth. She was attempting to regain possession of her reticule while the dog nipped at her ankles and pawed at her skirt. In desperation she pushed the lad to the ground and sat upon him. The huge woolly dog jumped astride Elizabeth, effectively pinning her to the ground.
“Get off me,” the lad complained. “Ye be crushin’ the very life from me.”
“Order your beast from my back,” Elizabeth retorted angrily. “And let go of my reticule. What do you mean by sending this monster against poor defenceless women?” she demanded, twisting about and trying to push the dog off.
The huge beast yawned, ignored her efforts, and laid its head upon its gigantic paws.
Ceasing the struggle for a moment, Elizabeth looked straight ahead and saw an immaculate pair of white silk hose. Her eyes travelled up sky-blue satin breeches.
“Sir, please remove this animal...” She stopped speaking as soon as she recognized the comte. My lord Cavilon,” she murmured with sinking heart.
“La, my dear.” He daubed at his forehead with his kerchief. “I am quite fatigued by the walk. I do seem to encounter you in the most unusual places and in the most extraordinary poses.”
“Would you please find someone who would be able to help me? These are a pair of thieves.” Elizabeth tried to control the anger welling within her.
“Rather, ma petite , I would say they have
Similar Books
