Page 67 of Love and the Shameless Lady

Having forgiven Cécile, for she couldn’t help but sympathize with another determined woman with a goal, Dianthus set out on her own to recover the rest. Over the years, the goddess had gone from Melton Mowbray to a used goods shop in Leicester. Dianthus purchased this easily enough. Chuffed with herself, she became too confident, and was almost caught stealing the triptych charm in Scarborough.

Hence to Newcastle, where she bought the crossbones charm, and then York, where she attempted to buy the rose. The lecherous owner demanded her virtue in return, so she stole it instead, and was chased through the moonlit ruins, not, as she’d suspected, by the irate lecher, but by a dashing smuggler.

Love at first sight warring with distrust in her heart, she teamed up with the smuggler, who also happened to have a grudge against the evil monster who’d ruined her mother and now possessed the queen charm. The writer’s greatest weapon, coincidence!

The chess set here at Garrison House had been the inspiration for that charm, but so what? And the lovely old Book of Hours in the Dower House might have inspired the charm in the form of a book, although she doubted it. It was Gloriana’s favorite book, and she hadn’t thought much about Gloriana in the last year or so, as if that friendship, or the loss of it, had been pushed far to the back of her mind.

Her memory stubbornly refused to disgorge anything useful, which was no surprise, despite Sir Julian’s supposed confidence in her. Was that a ploy to lure her into bed with him? He must know by now that the usual sort of compliment wouldn’t move her.

She mustn’t think about him, about his compliments and kisses. She rang for a maid and dressed for dinner in a soft but rather dull green gown of excellent cut. She wouldn’t disgrace Gloriana by appearing shabby, but nor would she attract attention. She made her way downstairs, wondering if the earl had arrived or if her cousin was still pacing up and down in anticipation.

No, Gloriana was now seated near the door, reading a book. She had somehow found time to change for dinner, had probably sent for the gown and her maid so as to leave the entryway for the shortest possible time. Surely it was beneath her dignity to hover at the door, and yet here she was, doggedly waiting for her suitor. It made no sense at all.

Sir Julian and the Marquis de Bellechasse entered the Great Hall from the billiard room, laughing together at some jest.

“Ah, there you are, my darling,” Sir Julian said.

Don’t compliment me. Please don’t.

He smiled. “You’re a sight to delight the eyes.”

Why must he exude such warmth and admiration? Daisy couldn’t combat it, couldn’t meet his gaze for fear she would succumb and actually believe him.

“Lovely as always,” the marquis said.

“Isn’t she?” Julian grinned. “I pride myself on such a conquest.”

“As you should,” the marquis said. “Daisy not only knows how to dress with elegance and taste and is extremely accomplished on the pianoforte, but she can just as easily bake rock buns and serve ale with confidence and flair.”

From another man, that might have been an insult, but from the marquis it was not.

“A lady polymath,” Julian agreed, meaning one who was expert in a number of subjects.

Daisy rolled her eyes, but Gloriana rose to her feet and glared at the two men, especially at the marquis. “We are not in France, Monsieur de Bellechasse. Your horrid revolutionary notions do not belong here.”

“They do amongst the more intelligent of your sex,” the marquis drawled.

Now that was an insult. Julian appeared amused, but this was taking frankness too far for Daisy. “Marquis, you mustn’t defend me to Gloriana. She is entitled to her opinion. She and I have agreed to disagree.”

“My apologies, Miss Daisy. I did not seek to upset you. Next time I wish to insult Miss Gloriana, I shall do it when—”

He broke off at the sound of an arrival outdoors.

“At last!” Gloriana moved swiftly to check her appearance in the nearby pier-glass. “Reams, where are you?” She headed toward the door, then whirled to face the marquis. “Don’t you dare say anything to upset the earl, or I swear I shall kill you.”

“I tremble with fear,” the marquis retorted. “You need not worry, Miss Warren. The earl already knows my views, but he has no reason to blame you for them. You are the perfect aristocrat, unassociated with such dangerous scum as I.”

A muscle twitched next to one of Gloriana’s narrowed eyes, but she said nothing.

With a sardonic smile, the marquis wandered away, saying over his shoulder, “I’ll let Lord and Lady Garrison know the paragon has arrived.”

A few seconds later, the terrier Virtuoso hurtled across the Great Hall, heading for the front doors.

Gloriana shrieked. “I shut him in one of the salons. How did he get out?” She dove for the little dog, but Daisy got there first, scooping him up and holding him against her breast.

Gloriana’s bosom heaved. “Thank you.”

“I’ll shut him away again,” Daisy said, scratching the terrier between the ears.