Page 23 (1/2)

She shook her head dumbly

"Then why the sudden rush to leave?"

There were infinite ways she could have replied, but at the moment she could suility She could only ansith the bluntness of ato become your mistress" She hesitated, and said in a whisper, "I can do better"

Hunt considered the bald state at her waist "Do you mean that you can find someone to marry," he finally asked, "or is it that you intend to become the mistress of an aristocrat?"

"It doesn’taway from the support of his hands "Neither scenario involves you"

Although she refused to look at hiloarmth faded completely from her body "I’ll take you back to your room," Hunt said, without emotion, and he accompanied her to the door

CHAPTER 16

When Annabelle rejoined the guests the next , she was heartened to discover that her encounter with the adder had earned a great deal of syreat degree of sensitivity and concern, Kendall sat with Annabelle at a late- breakfast held al fresco on the back terrace He insisted on holding her plate at the buffet table while she selected various morsels, and he lass as soon as it was e the same for Lady Constance Darroho had joined the the wallflowers’ comments about Lady Constance, Annabelle assessed the competition Kendall seeirl, as quiet and serenely aloof She was also elegantly thin, in the style that had currently becoht--Lady Constance did indeed have ainto little cooing o’swhenever Kendall shared a piece of horticultural information with her

"How dreadful it must have been," Lady Constance re the story of the adder "It’s a wonder that you didn’t die" Despite the angelic cast of her expression, a cool glitter in her pale blue eyes irl wouldn’t have been all that displeased if she had

"I’ to s in the woods"

"I shouldn’t exert myself too soon, if I were you, Miss Peyton," Lady Constance said with delicate concern "You still don’t seem to have fully recovered But I am certain that the pastiness of your complexion will probably improve in a few days"

Annabelleto sho the coly tempted to make an observation about the blemish on Lady Constance’s forehead

"Do excusefrom the table "I see some fresh strawberries I shall return momentarily"

"Take your time," Annabelle advised sweetly "We’ll hardly notice your absence"

Together, Annabelle and Kendall watched Lady Constance glide toward the buffet table, where it so happened that Mr Benja his plate Politely, Muxlow stood back froe bowl of strawberries and held Lady Constance’s plate as she ladled a few choice berries on it The air between the more than cordial friend-liness…but Annabelle happened to remember the story that Daisy had told her the day before yesterday

And then she thought of it--the perfect way to eliminate Lady Constance as a contender Before she allowed herself to consider the consequences, moral implications, or any other inconvenient notions, she leaned closer to Lord Kendall "The two of the the true state of affairs, aren’t they?" she lance at Lady Constance and Muxlow "But of course, it would hardly serve either of theenerally known…" She paused and looked into Lord Kendall’s puzzled gaze with a trace of pretended discomfort "Oh, I’m sorry I assumed that you must have already heard…"

Kendall’s face was suddenly wreathed in a frown "Heard what?" he asked, giving the pair a wary glance

"Well, I’ossip…but I was told by a reliable source that on the day of the water party, at the picnic on the riverbank…Miss Hunt and Mr Muxloere caught in a terribly co situation The two of them were behind a tree, and…" Annabelle stopped with a carefully manufactured expression of dis And it’s possible that there has been so herself to sipping daintily frolance over the rim She read Kendall’s emotions easily: He did not want to believe that Lady Constance could have been caught in an indiscretion The thought of it was enough to appall hientleate the situation He would never dare to ask Lady Constance if she had indeed been compromised by Muxlow Instead, he would renore his own suspicions…and the unanswered questions would fester