Page 28 (1/2)

She gri

A few moments later, they approached the abbey ruins and she did a quick scan before they rode toward the makeshift barn

Dis, they hurriedly put the horses ahere Mandy h while Ned and the duke undid the tack and put it away

The duke said nothing as he followed the twins and Mandy noted to herself that he was taking it all in They re the trap door, and descended the wooden steps to a long narrow corridor of stone and earth to the di at the far end of the tunnel

As they entered, Chauncey aith a snort and knuckled his eyes He stared at the duke and reht me?”

Chapter Six

VISCOUNT SKIPPENDON’S DARK coach rolled easily over the surprisingly save its rays lovingly, as it spread its light over the harebells in the adjoining fields

The purple tints of heather brushed the breeze with a gentle scent as the black carriage passed and invited all passerbys to enjoy the intoxicating fruits of the season However, the duke was lost in thought

Refreshe

d by a night’s rest, the viscount’s driver seeotten the event of the previous day He made no mention of it to the duke when he opened the door for the duke to climb inside earlier

Unlike Skip’s driver, the duke had not passed a restful evening and did not notice the beauty of the passing landscape He cared naught for the poetic sweetness of a pleasant summer’s day, and in fact, he was in a black mood

He sat back in Skip’s coach, his hat on the seat beside him and made a mess of his hair as his hands could not be stilled His eyes were shaded by his thick lashes as flitting thoughts hurried about in his head

His one frouised and open frankness He had flung one question after another at the older man and then at Ned Mandy kept to one side as he threw questions at her brother and groom, and for the most part, this served his purpose He could see she wasn’t ready to confide, trust or speak openly with him

He now felt he was in possession of all the pertinent details of the Sherborne dilemma He had then drawn three conclusions One: he found he liked young Lord Sherborne Two: he had decided the lad was an innocent, completely innocent of the crime of which he had been accused Three: the lad’s prospects looked grim indeed

The duke had risen froround chamber the twins had fashioned for theive his life for the twins, had in fact, done just that, in aHe saw that Mandy’s deterood sense, and that he had better take charge of all facets immediately