with something speculative . . . almost cunning.
Celsie took advantage of his momentary indecision, the lowering of his defenses. "Andrew, in case you doubt Eva's ability to do exactly what she says, it was she who scaled the tower of Blackheath Castle, broke into Lucien's chambers, and stole the real aphrodisiac."
" You ?"
Eva merely smiled and shrugged.
Andrew looked at Celsie. Celsie returned the look with a scheming grin of her own.
"Very well, then," the young lord finally consented. "But, you realize I'm only doing this for Celsie's sake. If you cause me any grief whatsoever, you're out of here on your ear, do you understand?"
"Perfectly," said Eva. "And thank you." She rose to her feet, determined to show civility to her host even if he was too stubborn, and still too angry, to reciprocate. He merely gave her a black look and turned to go.
But Eva couldn't resist.
"Do tell me one thing, my lord. . . ."
He turned and shot her a quelling glare.
"Whatever has happened to your eyebrows?"
Chapter 9
Lady Nerissa de Montforte had no desire to leave her bed.
She had no desire to leave Blackheath Castle.
And she had absolutely no desire to go to Celsie's New Year's Eve ball, but Lucien was insistent.
"My dear girl, I cannot bear to see you languishing in that bed another instant. I suggest you get up, break your fast, and prepare yourself for travel." He pulled open the drapes, a dark angel in immaculate burgundy velvet come to drag her from her refuge from pain. "The preparations have already been made."
"I'm not going."
"You are going." He yanked open another drape. "I can think of no better way to restore you to proper health and spirits than spending some time with your family."
"Having Perry back is the only thing that will restore me to proper health and spirits." She blinked back the tears that always lingered near the surface. "I cannot go to Rosebriar, Lucien. Do not ask me."
"I'm not asking, I'm ordering. It will do you good." He raised his voice and called, "Martha? Prepare a bath for Her Ladyship, and lay out warm clothes suitable for travel. We leave this afternoon for Rosebriar Park."
" I-am-NOT-going ," Nerissa ground out, sitting up in bed.
"Really, my dear, you should know after all these years that it is pointless to argue with me. I have decided that you need to get away from the castle for a while. And since I must go to France to follow up on a lead about Perry, I don't want you here languishing all alone."
"France?" she asked anxiously. "When are you departing?"
"Immediately after I make sure you attend tomorrow night's ball."
"I'm going with you."
"No, you're not."
"But Lucien —"
"I do believe I have made up my mind on the matter," he murmured, and bowing, left the room.
Damn him! Nerissa lay there in bed, seething. How could he be so heartless? So insensitive? She was fed up with his high-handedness! She yanked the covers over her head, shut her eyes, and stared into the close darkness.
Lucien could go to hell. He really could.
"I'm not going Rosebriar," she vowed.
But in the end, of course, she did go, because her brother always got his way — no matter what the expense to others. Several hours later, Nerissa was bundled into the ducal coach and heading east toward Rosebriar Park, the duke astride Armageddon just outside.
She blinked back tears as they passed Perry's lands. There was the house of mellow stone where he had lived. Where they both would have lived. Raised their children. Grown old together.
Oh, God help me, this hurts so very, much. . . .
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let the tears fall. She didn't want to go to Rosebriar and pretend to be happy. She didn't want to mix with others, paste a smile on her face, when all she wanted to do was cry, fend off the attentions of men who were not Perry, and try to fool her family into thinking she was coping just fine. She
Celsie took advantage of his momentary indecision, the lowering of his defenses. "Andrew, in case you doubt Eva's ability to do exactly what she says, it was she who scaled the tower of Blackheath Castle, broke into Lucien's chambers, and stole the real aphrodisiac."
" You ?"
Eva merely smiled and shrugged.
Andrew looked at Celsie. Celsie returned the look with a scheming grin of her own.
"Very well, then," the young lord finally consented. "But, you realize I'm only doing this for Celsie's sake. If you cause me any grief whatsoever, you're out of here on your ear, do you understand?"
"Perfectly," said Eva. "And thank you." She rose to her feet, determined to show civility to her host even if he was too stubborn, and still too angry, to reciprocate. He merely gave her a black look and turned to go.
But Eva couldn't resist.
"Do tell me one thing, my lord. . . ."
He turned and shot her a quelling glare.
"Whatever has happened to your eyebrows?"
Chapter 9
Lady Nerissa de Montforte had no desire to leave her bed.
She had no desire to leave Blackheath Castle.
And she had absolutely no desire to go to Celsie's New Year's Eve ball, but Lucien was insistent.
"My dear girl, I cannot bear to see you languishing in that bed another instant. I suggest you get up, break your fast, and prepare yourself for travel." He pulled open the drapes, a dark angel in immaculate burgundy velvet come to drag her from her refuge from pain. "The preparations have already been made."
"I'm not going."
"You are going." He yanked open another drape. "I can think of no better way to restore you to proper health and spirits than spending some time with your family."
"Having Perry back is the only thing that will restore me to proper health and spirits." She blinked back the tears that always lingered near the surface. "I cannot go to Rosebriar, Lucien. Do not ask me."
"I'm not asking, I'm ordering. It will do you good." He raised his voice and called, "Martha? Prepare a bath for Her Ladyship, and lay out warm clothes suitable for travel. We leave this afternoon for Rosebriar Park."
" I-am-NOT-going ," Nerissa ground out, sitting up in bed.
"Really, my dear, you should know after all these years that it is pointless to argue with me. I have decided that you need to get away from the castle for a while. And since I must go to France to follow up on a lead about Perry, I don't want you here languishing all alone."
"France?" she asked anxiously. "When are you departing?"
"Immediately after I make sure you attend tomorrow night's ball."
"I'm going with you."
"No, you're not."
"But Lucien —"
"I do believe I have made up my mind on the matter," he murmured, and bowing, left the room.
Damn him! Nerissa lay there in bed, seething. How could he be so heartless? So insensitive? She was fed up with his high-handedness! She yanked the covers over her head, shut her eyes, and stared into the close darkness.
Lucien could go to hell. He really could.
"I'm not going Rosebriar," she vowed.
But in the end, of course, she did go, because her brother always got his way — no matter what the expense to others. Several hours later, Nerissa was bundled into the ducal coach and heading east toward Rosebriar Park, the duke astride Armageddon just outside.
She blinked back tears as they passed Perry's lands. There was the house of mellow stone where he had lived. Where they both would have lived. Raised their children. Grown old together.
Oh, God help me, this hurts so very, much. . . .
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying not to let the tears fall. She didn't want to go to Rosebriar and pretend to be happy. She didn't want to mix with others, paste a smile on her face, when all she wanted to do was cry, fend off the attentions of men who were not Perry, and try to fool her family into thinking she was coping just fine. She
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