Dearest Enemy. Nan Ryan

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ an ivory gardenia from a huge bouquet in a tall porcelain vase beside the arched doorway. Then she preceded Ty into the foyer.

      But before they could cross the crowded vestibule, they encountered Matthew.

      “Have you heard the news?” he asked, taking no notice of the fact that they had left the ballroom. “Colonel Robert E. Lee has sent his apology. He will not be attending this evening.”

      “Is Mrs. Lee feeling worse?” asked Suzanna, hoping she didn't look guilty.

      “No, it's not that. Lee's leave has been abruptly canceled. He has been called back to duty immediately.”

      Ty Bellinggrath frowned. “The John Brown raid at Harper's Ferry?”

      “Yes. Our host, Ronald Grayson, just told me that Colonel Lee's been dispatched to Harper's Ferry in command of the United States troops. He received orders from the secretary of war to take the evening train there.”

      “The affair must be more serious than we'd presumed,” said Ty thoughtfully.

      Matthew nodded, sharing Ty's concern. “They're holding a number of citizens hostage and threatening their lives. It's a dangerous situation that could erupt—”

      “I'm sure Colonel Lee will soon have everything under control,” Suzanna interrupted, anxious to get away from her brother, refusing to allow anything to spoil this perfect evening. “You'll excuse me, Matt,” she said. “I was just going to freshen up.”

      “Yes, of course. Go ahead.” Matthew made a move toward the ballroom. “You coming, Ty?”

      “Ah…no…I…You go on,” Ty said, feeling heat rising to his face. “Think I'll step out onto the veranda for a minute. It's growing quite stuffy inside.”

      “Good enough. See you both later,” said Matthew, and left them.

      “That was close,” Ty commented.

      “He doesn't suspect a thing,” Suzanna assured him.

      At the base of the grand staircase, Ty winked at Suzanna and whispered, “Five minutes.”

      “Make it four.” She lifted her bronze taffeta skirts and dashed up the stairs.

      On the landing, Suzanna encountered Cynthia Ann coming out of her bedroom. Suzanna immediately put her finger to her lips, then she drew her best friend close and whispered in her ear, “I'm meeting Ty Bellinggrath in the terraced back gardens!”

      “Suzanna LeGrande!”

      “Shh! Don't tell a soul. We bumped into Matt downstairs and I told him I was going to your room. Should he mention my absence, assure him I am upstairs.”

      Nodding, happy to share her friend's secret, Cynthia Ann asked, “Are you going to let him…kiss you?”

      “Bite your tongue, Cynthia Ann Grayson! Of course not,” Suzanna stated emphatically. Then she grinned and whispered, “But I will make him wish he could kiss me.” Both girls giggled. “I must go,” said Suzanna, hugging her friend. Then she was gone, with Cynthia Ann looking after her.

      

      Unhurriedly, Ty crossed the wide foyer, nodding to acquaintances, exchanging respectful pleasantries with his elders. Once out the front door, he anxiously crossed the veranda and skipped down the wide stone steps. His heart beginning to beat rapidly, he sprinted around the mansion.

      He found Suzanna waiting beneath a decorative marble statue, the moonlight striking her full in the face, the night breeze swirling locks of her hair around her head. In her hand she held the fragrant gardenia she had plucked from the bouquet inside the ballroom.

      Ty approached.

      When he reached her, neither said anything. They stood for a long moment, gazing at each other. Finally, Suzanna lifted the gardenia, carefully tucked it into Ty's lapel, and said, “Next time I do this—put a blossom in your lapel—it will be our secret signal that you will be allowed to kiss me before the evening is over.”

      Ty trembled at the prospect. He reached for her hand and took it in both of his. “Will it be long before you…?”

      “We'll see,” she teased, and knew she'd done just what she had set out to do. Ty Bellinggrath was dying to kiss her and wouldn't rest until she let him.

      “Are you cold? I could lend you my…”

      “No,” she said with a provocative smile, “I'm almost as warm as you.”

      Ty laughed, bewitched. Hand in hand they strolled down a pebbled path that crisscrossed the manicured gardens of the vast estate. At a white settee at the far edge of the property, they paused. Ty took a linen handkerchief from his inside breast pocket and carefully spread it on the bench. Once Suzanna was settled, he took a seat beside her.

      He draped an arm along the settee's high back behind her. Unconcerned with the chill of the autumn night, they sat in the moonlight and talked and laughed and became better acquainted. Suzanna made Ty promise that he would come to Whitehall again for dinner one evening.

      “I will,” he replied.

      “And not some distant date in the future,” she said. “Join us tomorrow night.”

      Again he laughed. “I'll be there,” he said. “And speaking of the future, is it true you can read palms?”

      “It certainly is,” Suzanna proudly assured him. “I've a real talent for it. Shall I read yours?”

      “Have we enough light?” He glanced up at the full white moon.

      “I'm sure we do. Give me your hand and I'll tell you what you can expect in the years ahead,” she said with authority.

      Ty was smiling as he held it out, palm up. Suzanna was smiling, too. She took hold of his large hand, raised it a little closer to her face and studied the open palm for several long seconds. Her eyes widened, then narrowed. Her smile fled. Watching her intently, Ty caught the change of expression and wondered what had caused it. Suzanna lowered his hand, wrapped both of her own around it and pressed it to her waist.

      “Well? What did you see?” Ty was still grinning.

      “Nothing,” she said in clipped tones. “I saw nothing.” She smiled once more and told him, “You were right, there's not enough light.”

      “I'm disappointed,” he said, studying her face. “I was hoping you would tell me…”

      “Ty, I can't actually predict the future. I was teasing you. It's just something I do for fun.” Quickly changing the subject, she said, “We had better get back inside before we're missed and my overprotective brother has you horsewhipped.”

      Five

      The courtship had begun.

      Utterly enchanted with Suzanna, Ty Bellinggrath was ever the gentleman. He treated his beautiful sweetheart with the utmost respect at all times. He waited patiently, hopefully, for the magical moment when Suzanna would step up to him and СКАЧАТЬ