The Rise And Fall Of Reginald Everheart. Victoria Alexander

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СКАЧАТЬ he would require a book on the far side of the room and would inevitably pass by her table where her work would be spread out for all to see. He knew nothing about artistic endeavors but anyone could see her work was good. Very good. With pen and ink and paint she made the bits of ancient pottery or rare Roman coins or artifacts from long dead civilizations come alive.

      Keeping his distance from her was perhaps the hardest thing he had ever done. He had known it would be difficult from the moment he had first walked into this room three months ago. She had been sitting where she was now but the time of year and time of day had conspired to bathe her in a ray of sunlight, gilding her dark hair and casting a glow around her. As if she were an ethereal being composed entirely of light and beauty. Or a goddess sent to tempt unsuspecting mortals. A man of less practical sensibilities would have thought it a sign of divine intervention and not simply the angle of the sun and the placement of the windows. Michael’s plans for the foreseeable future did not include falling head over heels for anyone, let alone the daughter of a viscount and an influential member of the Explorers Club.

      Dulcie Middleworth was not making his resolve any easier.

      For one thing, she might well be every bit as attracted to him as he was to her, although he was grateful she had never said or done anything to confirm his suspicions. It was far easier to ignore any foolish feelings he might have if he pretended there was nothing between them. But aside from the fact that she stared at him rather frequently, just as he stared at her, there had been any number of times their gazes had met for longer than a fleeting instant. Understandable really. When he was in the midst of a heated discussion with other club members about a past discovery or some as yet unknown find, he forgot his determination to avoid any connection with her. The first time his gaze had caught hers in the midst of an impassioned debate about something he couldn’t even remember now, he was stunned to note she was not only listening but appeared to be quite interested. But then why wouldn’t she be? After all, her father was an ardent supporter of the club and known for inviting promising younger members, as well as those well-known experienced explorers, to his home for dinner and stimulating conversation. Michael had never been fortunate enough to receive such an invitation and wasn’t entirely sure he would be comfortable accepting as Dulcie would surely be in attendance.

      Her obvious intelligence only made her more intriguing. It was his understanding that women were not, as a rule, particularly interested in matters of this sort. The next time he had been engaged in a rousing discussion, he couldn’t help but glance her way, only to find her nodding in agreement with him. His heart—which apparently had a mind of its own—had clenched at her approval. Utter nonsense of course and yet he found himself catching her gaze more and more when he was in the midst of a discourse. On occasion, it was obvious she did not agree with whatever point he had made, and while her disagreement was annoying it was also rather amusing and it was all he could do to ignore the desire to continue the debate with her alone after his companions had gone. But who knew where that might lead? He suspected a talk of an intellectual nature would never suffice.

      Aside from the fact that his plans did not include a female, there was the very practical matter of their respective stations in life. Regardless of his family’s impressive wealth, his was a family of merchants and she was the offspring of a viscount. His father and two older brothers ran the small empire his grandfather had built. A union between a daughter of society and a man of ambition would be awkward at best. Michael was a man of principle but he was not blind. He was well aware that position and favor in the Explorers Club was based as much on social standing as abilities. He did not want any attention he might direct toward Dulcie to be construed as trying to curry favor with her father.

      The door to the library opened and Preston Drummond strode into the room. Michael’s jaw clenched.

      “Shepard.” Drummond nodded as he passed Michael on his way to Dulcie’s table.

      Beyond everything else, Dulcie was apparently about to be married. To an idiot no less. Perhaps she was not as intelligent as he thought. Preston Drummond was universally considered an ass and a pretender. It was widely suspected that Drummond’s desire lay more toward the ultimate directorship of the organization rather than any exploration of his own. There was serious money currently in a pool as to whether or not he would ever actually venture beyond the safety of London for the deserts of Asia Minor or anywhere else for that matter. Drummond was one of those men who liked the idea of adventure, if only it wasn’t quite so inconvenient and dangerous. Unfortunately, his father too was a patron of the Explorers Club.

      According to rumor, put out by Drummond no doubt, he was looked favorably upon by Viscount Middleworth and was about to ask for Dulcie’s hand in marriage. Drummond had no particular qualms about currying favor with her father. Michael was not one to put credence in unsubstantiated gossip, but on several occasions Drummond had appeared in the library to chat with her or escort her home, apparently at the request of her parents. Which did seem to indicate some sort of understanding between them. Although how any parents could allow a young woman to accompany a man without an appropriate chaperone was beyond him.

      “Good day, Dulcie,” Drummond said with his usual smirk. “Might I say how lovely you’re looking today.”

      “How very kind of you to say.” Even from across the room Dulcie’s smile seemed no more than polite. “I’m not quite finished yet, so if you don’t mind I would like to get back to it. Was there something you needed?”

      Their conversation was low but, in the cavernous room where sound carried surprisingly well, impossible to ignore completely.

      “I’ve been invited to join your family for dinner.” Drummond’s smirk widened with satisfaction. “Your mother suggested I stop here and offer you a ride to your house.”

      Dulcie sat back in her chair, her smile a shade less polite than before. “Again?”

      “She likes me,” Drummond said in an immodest manner.

      And why not? A mother eager for a good match for a daughter somewhat past her prime marriageable years would no doubt see Drummond as a prize. The man was of good family and sound fortune. Even if he was a prig.

      “Your offer is most gracious, and I do thank you, but as I said my work is not quite done. I would very much like to complete this before I leave for the day. Besides, my carriage is expected in an hour or so. Please be so good as to tell my mother I shall return home then.” She nodded and returned her attention to the paper in front of her.

      “Don’t be absurd, Dulcie,” Drummond said firmly. “Surely that nonsense can wait until tomorrow.”

      “Nonsense?” Her brow rose.

      Michael almost felt sorry for the man. Certainly Dulcie’s employment was unusual, but female artists and illustrators were not unheard of, although it was his understanding that their work was typically more in the fields of botany and horticulture rather than ancient artifacts.

      “Perhaps nonsense was the wrong word and this a conversation for another time,” Drummond said smoothly.

      Michael stifled a disdainful snort.

      “I should hate to arrive without you.” Drummond chuckled. “And your mother would be most annoyed.”

      “Yes, I suppose she would.” Dulcie sighed.

      “Besides, there is a matter I wish to discuss with you.”

      “Oh?” She considered him for a moment then nodded. “Very well.” She stood and gathered her things, putting them on a shelf on the wall behind her. She turned and her gaze caught Michael’s. He immediately shifted СКАЧАТЬ