Page 43 of Love and the Shameless Lady

Chapter 7

As he left the summerhouse, Julian took note of another brick edifice in the near distance, perhaps the Dower House of which Daisy had spoken. He imagined the furious Gloriana at a window with a spyglass, keeping an eye on things from afar. He raised his hand and waved, just in case.

Hoof beats some distance away roused him from this foolishness. This must be Lord Garrison returning. Julian hastened toward the house, but raised voices as he approached the stables gave him pause. Gloriana hadn’t returned to the Dower House. Instead, she’d awaited her brother’s return.

Julian wasn’t the only one watching the scene unfold. The servants would have plenty to gossip about tonight. A little girl with reddish-gold hair, six or seven years old, clung to Lord Garrison’s hand. She must be his daughter. A small black and white terrier sat next to them, gazing adoringly at his lordship. A groom led Lord Garrison’s horse slowly away, while two stable boys and a kitchen maid hovered nearby. Gloriana ignored them with the indifference of a medieval queen to her minions.

Snatches of her tirade reached Julian as he drew nearer. “Marched into the place . . . Forced poor Melinda . . . Drove the Hendersons away.”

Lord Garrison smoothed his daughter’s hair and said nothing. The terrier tried unsuccessfully to get his nose under that caressing hand.

“Honor of the House of Garrison . . . Despoiling our good name . . .”

Lord Garrison remained silent. A taciturn sort of man, Julian recalled.

“Horrify our guests . . . Ruin all my hopes . . . Ultimate mortification . . . You must send her about her business!”

“No, I will not,” Lord Garrison said. The terrier began to sniff about and noticed Julian. He growled and gave a swift, sharp bark. “Hush,” his lordship said. “Stay.”

“Miles, you know whom I’ve invited,” Gloriana pleaded. “You know what this means to me.”

“Yes, I do know, but I cannot turn Daisy away.” He favored Julian with the briefest of nods. Gloriana followed her brother’s gaze. The little dog growled long and low, only his lordship’s stern presence deterring him from launching himself at the newcomer.

“There you see a once-honorable man bewitched by an abandoned woman,” Gloriana pronounced with an expressive sweep of the arm. “Daisy has gone completely to the devil! One look at her and you will see what I mean.”

The little girl’s eyes grew wide, and Lord Garrison’s narrowed. His caressing hand stilled. “Enough!” His lordship spied the kitchen maid just as she tried to melt into the shadows. “Jeannie, take Miss Rebecca to her nurse. Off you go, love. Take Virtuoso with you. We mustn’t let him attack our guest.” He ruffled the little girl’s hair.

She scooped up the dog and staggered away with it, refusing the maid’s offer to carry it. The maid seemed relieved.

“The rest of you be about your business,” Lord Garrison said. The boys disappeared, no doubt to hover just inside the stable doors. “Gloriana, go home and compose yourself whilst I greet Sir Julian. If you can mind your manners, you are of course welcome to return and dine with us.”

Gloriana made a strangled sound and stormed away, fists clenched.

Lord Garrison was a stern-looking man, decidedly cool in manner. “Sir Julian. We’ve met before, I believe.” He put out a hand and clasped Julian’s briefly.

“Some few years ago at Tattersall’s. We were both pondering an irritable bay hunter.”

“My apologies for my sister’s behavior. She tells me you arrived a few hours ago with my cousin, Daisy.”

“I did,” Julian said. “Her brother being out of the country, I thought it best to bring her to you.”

“I see.” Garrison slapped his gloves against his palm. “She also tells me you and Daisy are betrothed.”

“Indeed we are,” Julian said. “I need a word with you. If we might have some private speech . . .?”

Lord Garrison’s brows rose, then, with a flick of the chin, he indicated that Julian should follow him into the house. They entered by a side door, and his lordship asked a footman to have sherry brought to the library. Silently, he led Julian into an airy room with rows of books, globes, writing tables, and sofas. Busts and vases, some whose provenance was clearly ancient, adorned niches in the walls. An ivory chess set, probably Spanish in origin, occupied a table by the wall. Seemingly, Lord Garrison was quite a collector.

He motioned to Julian to sit, took a seat across from him, and folded his arms. “Needless to say, I’m surprised at the news of your betrothal.” Not only that, he didn’t seem pleased. Why the devil not? Julian’s birth and reputation were both acceptable, and ruined women didn’t often find such respectable husbands.

“I don’t know why you should be. She’s a beautiful, intelligent woman, far more interesting than most. We met through a friend of mine who lives not far from the inn where Daisy resides.”

Lord Garrison made a non-committal sound.

“Under ordinary circumstances, I wouldn’t have brought her here,” Julian said. “She was most reluctant, but I insisted, because her life has been threatened.”

Garrison sat up at that. “What in Hades?”

“I’d better start at the beginning.” Julian hated having to reveal Daisy’s dark secret, but there was no help for it. “I don’t suppose you’re aware that she is the anonymous authoress of romantic novels.”