had said them, a quick rebuke would have sprung to her lips. But she understood the bitterness which had provoked her friend to rudeness. Those who fell in battle became instant heroes. The war-wounded became objects of pity. It was only natural that men such as Dalmar should incite their less fortunate comrades to envy.
The look she turned on Dalmar was eloquently expressive of all that she was feeling. Her smile was sincere. It wavered a little as she caught the surge of something not quite nice that came and went in the depths of Dalmar ' s eyes.
"Lord Dalmar, " began Temple, "may I present … "
"Annabelle! " exclaimed Dalmar, capturing her small hand and holding it firmly. "I came just as soon as I could get away. Forgive me for the delay. "
"You know each other? " asked Temple, his narrowing eyes flicking from Dalmar ' s roguishly taunting smile to Annabelle ' s frozen expression.
"Know each other? " echoed Annabelle, casting frantically around in her mind for a suitable answer. There was nothing to guide her, for in her exhaustive rehearsals of how she would manage the man who was now revealed not as plain Mr. Dalmar but as a titled gentleman, she had never imagined that he would publicly claim an acquaintance with her.
"Know each other? " repeated Dalmar, and his accents deliberately colored the innocent words with a meaning that was far from innocent. "My dear Temple, when a gentleman takes up arms to defend a lady, I think you may safely say that they are more than a little acquainted. Yes, we know each other. "
She gave what she hoped was a convincing laugh, and laying a restraining hand on the stiff-hacked figure of Lord Temple, essayed, "I owe Lord Dalmar a debt of gratitude, Gerry. It was he who very kindly came to my assistance when I was attacked the night before we left Paris. You may remember I mentioned something of the sort to you. " She had given Temple only the sketchiest account of what had happened, and only because her maid had inadvertently let slip that she had been missing all night. As far as Temple knew, it was the British army that had intervened to save Annabelle ' s skin.
Into the charged silence, Temple said, "Permit me to thank you for any trifling service you may have undertaken on Annabelle ' s behalf. You may be sure, Dalmar, that if the opportunity presents itself, the debt shall be repaid in kind. "
Rather wildly, Annabelle interjected, "I don ' t believe either of you has had a chance to meet the guest of honor this evening. He ' s rather a rough diamond, but terribly clever. He ' s a sort of poet-cum-philosop her. His political commentary is biting, but amusing if one has a taste for irony. We ' d better hurry if we want to catch him. He drinks like a fish and is almost always castaway before a party is half over. "
For a moment it looked as if her ploy had succeeded. Lord Temple obligingly offered his arm, and Annabelle wasted no time in placing her fingers upon it.
They had taken only one step when Dalmar threw out, "Forget about the debt, Temple. Annabelle has already paid it in full. "
Annabelle ' s hand tightened along Temple ' s arm, urging him forward. Beneath her fingers, he seemed to turn to stone. She could not move him. She felt a sense of dread wash through her as he gently turned her to face Lord Dalmar.
Temple ' s face was carefully blank as he said, "I beg your pardon. I don ' t think I understand. "
"Ask Annabelle, " said Dalmar, his gray eyes turning silver bright as they surveyed the Viscount.
With her face almost cracking under the strain of appearing totally in command of herself, she looked from one to the other and said, "Lord Dalmar suffered some injury, and I helped nurse him. It was the least I could do under the circumstances. " Her eyes dared Dalmar to reveal more.
He seemed to hesitate, but only a little. His eyes baiting, he said, "Annabelle ' s a wonderful … 'nurse. ' "
Desperation unglued Annabelle ' s tongue from the roof of her mouth.
The look she turned on Dalmar was eloquently expressive of all that she was feeling. Her smile was sincere. It wavered a little as she caught the surge of something not quite nice that came and went in the depths of Dalmar ' s eyes.
"Lord Dalmar, " began Temple, "may I present … "
"Annabelle! " exclaimed Dalmar, capturing her small hand and holding it firmly. "I came just as soon as I could get away. Forgive me for the delay. "
"You know each other? " asked Temple, his narrowing eyes flicking from Dalmar ' s roguishly taunting smile to Annabelle ' s frozen expression.
"Know each other? " echoed Annabelle, casting frantically around in her mind for a suitable answer. There was nothing to guide her, for in her exhaustive rehearsals of how she would manage the man who was now revealed not as plain Mr. Dalmar but as a titled gentleman, she had never imagined that he would publicly claim an acquaintance with her.
"Know each other? " repeated Dalmar, and his accents deliberately colored the innocent words with a meaning that was far from innocent. "My dear Temple, when a gentleman takes up arms to defend a lady, I think you may safely say that they are more than a little acquainted. Yes, we know each other. "
She gave what she hoped was a convincing laugh, and laying a restraining hand on the stiff-hacked figure of Lord Temple, essayed, "I owe Lord Dalmar a debt of gratitude, Gerry. It was he who very kindly came to my assistance when I was attacked the night before we left Paris. You may remember I mentioned something of the sort to you. " She had given Temple only the sketchiest account of what had happened, and only because her maid had inadvertently let slip that she had been missing all night. As far as Temple knew, it was the British army that had intervened to save Annabelle ' s skin.
Into the charged silence, Temple said, "Permit me to thank you for any trifling service you may have undertaken on Annabelle ' s behalf. You may be sure, Dalmar, that if the opportunity presents itself, the debt shall be repaid in kind. "
Rather wildly, Annabelle interjected, "I don ' t believe either of you has had a chance to meet the guest of honor this evening. He ' s rather a rough diamond, but terribly clever. He ' s a sort of poet-cum-philosop her. His political commentary is biting, but amusing if one has a taste for irony. We ' d better hurry if we want to catch him. He drinks like a fish and is almost always castaway before a party is half over. "
For a moment it looked as if her ploy had succeeded. Lord Temple obligingly offered his arm, and Annabelle wasted no time in placing her fingers upon it.
They had taken only one step when Dalmar threw out, "Forget about the debt, Temple. Annabelle has already paid it in full. "
Annabelle ' s hand tightened along Temple ' s arm, urging him forward. Beneath her fingers, he seemed to turn to stone. She could not move him. She felt a sense of dread wash through her as he gently turned her to face Lord Dalmar.
Temple ' s face was carefully blank as he said, "I beg your pardon. I don ' t think I understand. "
"Ask Annabelle, " said Dalmar, his gray eyes turning silver bright as they surveyed the Viscount.
With her face almost cracking under the strain of appearing totally in command of herself, she looked from one to the other and said, "Lord Dalmar suffered some injury, and I helped nurse him. It was the least I could do under the circumstances. " Her eyes dared Dalmar to reveal more.
He seemed to hesitate, but only a little. His eyes baiting, he said, "Annabelle ' s a wonderful … 'nurse. ' "
Desperation unglued Annabelle ' s tongue from the roof of her mouth.
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