Romney Marsh Trilogy: A Gentleman by Any Other Name / The Dangerous Debutante / Beware of Virtuous Women. Kasey Michaels

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СКАЧАТЬ penalty for thievery still the cutting off of a hand? Not here in England but on those islands she was so curious to learn about in more detail?

      What did not amaze her was that Juanita was a part of this very unique household.

      Julia was brought back to attention as Alice tugged on her sleeve. “Is Morgan a flirt, Julia?” the child asked, thankfully quietly. “Callie just said she’s an abomipal flirt.”

      Julia swallowed a laugh, at the same time wishing the inquisitive Alice had held her question until after dinner, when she took the child upstairs to the nursery. “Abominable, dear, and no, she isn’t. She’s merely young.”

      “No she’s not. I’m young.”

      Julia patted Alice’s hand as she reconsidered the wisdom of allowing Alice at table, then whispered, “Later, sweetheart. Look, Callie’s spooning some peas onto your plate for you. Isn’t that nice? You told me you like peas.”

      “I love peas. I just don’t like soup. It’s too dribbly,” Alice corrected and turned back to her plate.

      This finally let Julia free to listen to the conversation taking place as Eleanor, their hostess, allowed Lieutenant Diamond to remain standing—a clear sign that he wasn’t going to be invited to break bread with the family.

      “…unfortunately, we also discovered three fresh graves. Forgive me, I shouldn’t speak of such things in front of you ladies.”

      “Only three?” Spencer whispered out of the corner of his mouth as he picked up his soup spoon, showing himself to be both daring and very young. “Perhaps the other two dug themselves out and ran away.”

      Julia’s stomach did a small flip. Spencer had sounded quite happy. Had she really convinced herself that there was some sort of romance, some dash, in Chance riding out with the smugglers? There was no “romance” in dead bodies. Men most certainly were put together with more of a liking for bloodletting than were women, if she was to be any judge.

      But even more than that, Lieutenant Diamond must be silenced, a thought that hit her only a heartbeat before Eleanor Becket said coolly, “There are children present, Lieutenant, the fact of which it should not be necessary to point out to a gentleman.”

      “And there’s your problem,” Spencer said in between mouthfuls of soup, his unruly black curls half covering his face, and Julia believed she could actually feel the heat radiating from him. “You can put a pig in a scarlet coat. Doesn’t make him a gentleman. Does it, Lieutenant?”

      Julia closed her eyes for a moment, then looked up at Lieutenant Diamond. There were inappropriate times, there were inappropriate questions. Alice had certainly proved both with her innocent questions. But then there was just opening one’s mouth and flat-out sticking one’s head on the block.

      The soldier bowed twice, in both Spencer’s and Eleanor’s directions. “I accept that insult, sir, and offer a thousand apologies, Miss Becket. I only wished to inform your brother and Mr. Becket that these are dangerous times on the Marsh and becoming more so daily. It would appear we have our own war going on here, beyond that of our struggle against Napoleon.”

      Then the lieutenant turned smartly once more, to look at Spencer. “I see you’ve been injured, Mr. Becket. Perhaps you could indulge an officer of the Crown and tell me how you came about that injury? Is it…recent?”

      “I’ll bloody throw you out on your ear, that’s what I’ll do,” Spencer said, lifting his left arm and ruthlessly ripping off his sling. He tossed the black silk on the table, clearly ready to leave his chair so he could put his words into action.

      Julia couldn’t help herself—she gave him a sharp, sideways kick under the table, the side of her shoe landing squarely against his anklebone. Spencer, who was already half out of his chair, abruptly sat down and turned to glare at her.

      The tall, blond-haired soldier lifted his chin, looking down on Spencer. “My, Mr. Becket, guest as I am in this house, I must say your reluctance to cooperate with the king’s representative in this area is most disconcerting. Almost, Mr. Becket, as if you have something to hide.”

      It was now or never, Julia decided. Either she was a part of this family or she wasn’t.

      “Oh, Spence, calm yourself, please,” Julia said, laying a hand on his forearm. “There’s no need to be so gallant in my defense.”

      Spencer frowned in obvious confusion. “I…but I want to—”

      “Yes, dear, I know,” Julia continued quickly. “I had only begged your promise not to tell Chance, that’s all. I never meant to have you come under improper suspicion just to save my embarrassment.”

      “But I—”

      “Spence, let Julia speak,” Eleanor said from the end of the table. “It is, after all, her story to tell. Go on, please, Julia.”

      Julia’s mind had been working nineteen to the dozen inventing a story that would completely protect Spencer, and now she took a steadying breath and looked at the lieutenant, whose fine English coloring was already, she noticed, going a little green.

      “Miss Carruthers,” Lieutenant Diamond said hastily, “I assure you, I would not wish to embarrass you in any way or ask Mr. Spencer Becket to break a confidence. Mr. Chance Becket would be—”

      “My fiancée would be extremely put out with me if I did not answer questions put by you, sir,” Julia told him, cutting him off, because this had to be said. “I was out walking by myself today—such a fine day, you’ll agree—and foolishly believed the handsome bay horse inside the stable yard fence wouldn’t mind if I stepped inside the fence to pet it. Well, it appears, sir, the horse did very much mind, and if it weren’t for Spencer’s timely arrival, I might well have been trampled. I have so little experience with horses, you see. I was very naive. They aren’t like puppies, are they?”

      “Oh, Julia, that’s awful!” Alice exclaimed, and Cassandra quickly put her arm around the child and pulled her tight against her chest, effectively quieting her.

      These Beckets worked well together, Julia thought quickly before continuing her enormous fib. “Well, sir, I came away with nary a scratch, but Spencer bruised his arm badly, and that poor horse suffered a nasty scratch against the fence.”

      She patted Spencer’s arm, then folded her hands on the edge of the table as she smiled at the lieutenant. “I should have known I couldn’t hide my reckless action from Chance and I will confess all to him when he returns. But if you could please, Lieutenant, be discreet if you should happen to see him as he is out and about on the king’s business, I would greatly appreciate that kindness. Chance worries so over me, you understand.”

      Their food grew cool as Lieutenant Diamond apologized for a good five minutes and then finally took his leave.

      In the silence that followed, Julia nervously counted to fifteen inside her head before anyone spoke. And then everyone spoke at once.

      “Callie pinched me when I tried to talk. That wasn’t nice,” Alice complained, and Cassandra quickly apologized.

      “That was brilliant, Julia. Diamond all but ran out of here, fearing for his commission and seeing himself in the mud on the Peninsula, going toe-to-toe with the French like a real soldier,” Fanny exclaimed as she used a large СКАЧАТЬ