[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
by her cheek.
Her rich, sable hair spilled luxuriously across her pillow, glistening by the candlelight. Her long, black
lashes lay like the most delicate fans against her creamy, rose-tinged cheeks. Her ruby lips were parted
slightly, her bosom rising, falling so peacefully. He wanted to lay his head there. He slowly lowered
himself to his knees beside her, willing her to wake up.I m weak tonight, Miranda. Please. His
resistance was razor-thin, the hunger and loneliness pressing hard upon him. He knew that if she awoke
and found him here, she would take him into her arms. They would lie together and kiss until they were
on fire, and they would make love.
She slept on.
He did not touch her, yet merely being near her seemed to ease the pain. The demons inside of him
quieted with the lulling rhythm of her breathing, and after a while, he was himself again. He gazed at her
for one moment more, then blew out the candle and left.
They have arrived, my lord, just as you said, Egann reported as Algernon walked into his dimly lit,
oak-paneled office. What would you have me do now?
Algernon had just come home from dutifully taking his wife and insipid daughters to see the quite
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
enjoyable play at Drury Lane. Egann had been waiting anxiously to tell him the news. The viscount sat
down at his desk and stroked his chin in thought.
What an excellent evening he was having. Everything was taking shape precisely as he had hoped. To his
relief, none of his cronies at the club indeed, not even his wife yet suspected that he was on the brink
of financial ruin. He had been able to fool them all, but the pressure he was under was tremendous, and
now, at last, his niece s fortune was in arm s reach. He knew that Knight House with its fences, gates,
and watch dogs was formidably well secured, but she could not stay in there forever; likewise, her
guardian was a man of iron, but the war hero could not spend every waking moment with the girl. That
would hardly be proper.
Go back to Knight House and wait, he ordered coolly. We must keep watch to discover our
opportunity. He paused. Can you do this, Egann? Those four men I sent to Birmingham failed me, but if
you doubt yourself, I ll hire someone else.
Count on me, master.
It will require ruthlessness.
Egann smiled slyly. I can be ruthless, as Your Lordship well knows.
Algernon smiled. Such loyalty and it cost him so little. Now, then, to the task at hand. He sat
forward and interlocked his fingers, resting his elbows on the desk. I want to know every move the girl
makes, whither she goes, and when. Everything hangs upon the chance of finding her without her
guardian by her side. Then we must strike without hesitation and it must look like an accident, Egann.
Do you understand?
Egann gave a malevolent nod.
Algernon read the resolve in his servant s zealous stare and nodded. Go.
Egann bowed and limped out of the study. Algernon watched him leave, his eyes narrowed with
confident satisfaction.
Soon he would have fifty thousand pounds to dispose of as he saw fit and life would go back to normal,
he assured himself. For the moment, it tickled his sense of irony to think that a weak and humble creature
like Egann would thwart the mighty Lord Winterley. A cold smile curved his mouth.
Soon.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
First thing the next morning, the duchess s hairdresser, a haughty little Frenchman, arrived at Knight
House with all the splendor of a visiting dignitary. With the passion of an artist, he cut two inches off of
Miranda s long locks, trimmed her hair around her face, then swept the mass of it up into a topknot and
curled the wispy hairs framing her face into fantastical ringlets. All the while, the duchess s lady s maid
filed and buffed her nails into neat ovals, then used a collection of fine-scented creams to smooth away
her calluses from scrubbing Yardley s floors and cooking pots.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
This done, the duchess and Lady Lucien took Miranda to Bond Street, with young Lady Jacinda and the
agreeable Miss Carlisle in tow. In the well-appointed shops, the women set about equipping her from
head to foot at the milliner's, the corsetier's, the hosier's, the glover's, the linen draper's, and the cobbler s
shops, in turn. Miranda did not at all mind being measured, poked, and prodded, basking in the attention,
for when the duchess of Hawkscliffe sailed into a shop with her entourage, the place practically closed to
all other customers. The staff waited on them hand and foot.
With cool expertise, they ordered up a dozen informal gowns on her behalf: morning gowns, walking
gowns, afternoon and visiting gowns; a smart Skeffington-brown riding habit; a few half-dress
promenade gowns, dinner gowns, and opera gowns in richer, jewel-toned fabrics. Then came the
accessories. Guiding her in her choices, her two benefactresses ordered several varieties and colors of
kid gloves, shoes, dainty silk pumps and delicate dancing slippers, boots, a pair of pattens for inclement
weather; a beautiful pelisse trimmed with ermine to replace her rough, woolen cloak; hats and bonnets of
all shapes and sizes; a generous supply of fine linen underthings and white silk stockings. But the most fun
part of her shopping excursion was ordering the ball gowns. The duchess decreed that Miranda would
need at least two or three formal evening dresses. With their rich satins and velvets, the two ball gowns
cost as much as everything else put together.
For her pride s sake, Miranda desperately hoped that her Uncle Jason had left her a sum of money that
was paying for her new wardrobe, but she could not bring herself to ask. She was slowly learning the
rules of her new world, and it seemed that money was yet another one of thoseverboten topics that a
lady of quality did not discuss. Heaven knew the duchess and Lady Lucien acted as though her fortune in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
by her cheek.
Her rich, sable hair spilled luxuriously across her pillow, glistening by the candlelight. Her long, black
lashes lay like the most delicate fans against her creamy, rose-tinged cheeks. Her ruby lips were parted
slightly, her bosom rising, falling so peacefully. He wanted to lay his head there. He slowly lowered
himself to his knees beside her, willing her to wake up.I m weak tonight, Miranda. Please. His
resistance was razor-thin, the hunger and loneliness pressing hard upon him. He knew that if she awoke
and found him here, she would take him into her arms. They would lie together and kiss until they were
on fire, and they would make love.
She slept on.
He did not touch her, yet merely being near her seemed to ease the pain. The demons inside of him
quieted with the lulling rhythm of her breathing, and after a while, he was himself again. He gazed at her
for one moment more, then blew out the candle and left.
They have arrived, my lord, just as you said, Egann reported as Algernon walked into his dimly lit,
oak-paneled office. What would you have me do now?
Algernon had just come home from dutifully taking his wife and insipid daughters to see the quite
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
enjoyable play at Drury Lane. Egann had been waiting anxiously to tell him the news. The viscount sat
down at his desk and stroked his chin in thought.
What an excellent evening he was having. Everything was taking shape precisely as he had hoped. To his
relief, none of his cronies at the club indeed, not even his wife yet suspected that he was on the brink
of financial ruin. He had been able to fool them all, but the pressure he was under was tremendous, and
now, at last, his niece s fortune was in arm s reach. He knew that Knight House with its fences, gates,
and watch dogs was formidably well secured, but she could not stay in there forever; likewise, her
guardian was a man of iron, but the war hero could not spend every waking moment with the girl. That
would hardly be proper.
Go back to Knight House and wait, he ordered coolly. We must keep watch to discover our
opportunity. He paused. Can you do this, Egann? Those four men I sent to Birmingham failed me, but if
you doubt yourself, I ll hire someone else.
Count on me, master.
It will require ruthlessness.
Egann smiled slyly. I can be ruthless, as Your Lordship well knows.
Algernon smiled. Such loyalty and it cost him so little. Now, then, to the task at hand. He sat
forward and interlocked his fingers, resting his elbows on the desk. I want to know every move the girl
makes, whither she goes, and when. Everything hangs upon the chance of finding her without her
guardian by her side. Then we must strike without hesitation and it must look like an accident, Egann.
Do you understand?
Egann gave a malevolent nod.
Algernon read the resolve in his servant s zealous stare and nodded. Go.
Egann bowed and limped out of the study. Algernon watched him leave, his eyes narrowed with
confident satisfaction.
Soon he would have fifty thousand pounds to dispose of as he saw fit and life would go back to normal,
he assured himself. For the moment, it tickled his sense of irony to think that a weak and humble creature
like Egann would thwart the mighty Lord Winterley. A cold smile curved his mouth.
Soon.
CHAPTER
EIGHT
First thing the next morning, the duchess s hairdresser, a haughty little Frenchman, arrived at Knight
House with all the splendor of a visiting dignitary. With the passion of an artist, he cut two inches off of
Miranda s long locks, trimmed her hair around her face, then swept the mass of it up into a topknot and
curled the wispy hairs framing her face into fantastical ringlets. All the while, the duchess s lady s maid
filed and buffed her nails into neat ovals, then used a collection of fine-scented creams to smooth away
her calluses from scrubbing Yardley s floors and cooking pots.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
This done, the duchess and Lady Lucien took Miranda to Bond Street, with young Lady Jacinda and the
agreeable Miss Carlisle in tow. In the well-appointed shops, the women set about equipping her from
head to foot at the milliner's, the corsetier's, the hosier's, the glover's, the linen draper's, and the cobbler s
shops, in turn. Miranda did not at all mind being measured, poked, and prodded, basking in the attention,
for when the duchess of Hawkscliffe sailed into a shop with her entourage, the place practically closed to
all other customers. The staff waited on them hand and foot.
With cool expertise, they ordered up a dozen informal gowns on her behalf: morning gowns, walking
gowns, afternoon and visiting gowns; a smart Skeffington-brown riding habit; a few half-dress
promenade gowns, dinner gowns, and opera gowns in richer, jewel-toned fabrics. Then came the
accessories. Guiding her in her choices, her two benefactresses ordered several varieties and colors of
kid gloves, shoes, dainty silk pumps and delicate dancing slippers, boots, a pair of pattens for inclement
weather; a beautiful pelisse trimmed with ermine to replace her rough, woolen cloak; hats and bonnets of
all shapes and sizes; a generous supply of fine linen underthings and white silk stockings. But the most fun
part of her shopping excursion was ordering the ball gowns. The duchess decreed that Miranda would
need at least two or three formal evening dresses. With their rich satins and velvets, the two ball gowns
cost as much as everything else put together.
For her pride s sake, Miranda desperately hoped that her Uncle Jason had left her a sum of money that
was paying for her new wardrobe, but she could not bring herself to ask. She was slowly learning the
rules of her new world, and it seemed that money was yet another one of thoseverboten topics that a
lady of quality did not discuss. Heaven knew the duchess and Lady Lucien acted as though her fortune in [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]