Page 26 of The Lyon’s Paw

At last they arrived at her chamber, thank God. “Here we are.” He opened the door and stepped back, unwilling to appear as though he wished entrance. “Sleep well, my dear. I will see you in the morning,”

Diana gazed up at him, a trick of the candlelight persuading him of an eagerness in her eyes.

Without thought he leaned toward her, bent on satisfying her entreaty. But before his lips touched hers, he stopped, straightened. Had he truly seen what he’d thought he’d seen? Or was it merely his own base desires urging him to slake his need? He peered down at her upturned face, confusion in every line. Better to leave it thus for now. “Good night, Diana.”

“Good night, Geoffrey.” The return of her smile heartened him, and he turned toward his own chamber, a single door down. When he reached it, he looked back to find her still standing there, smiling.

“Good night,” she called, then stepped into her bedchamber and shut the door.

Geoffrey opened his door, hearing in his mind the echo of “Toad Longford.” At least they’d progressed from that moniker. Though just the memory of her voice made his groin ache. “Taylor.”

“Yes, my lord?” The valet appeared hastily from the dressing room.

“Cold water for washing, please.”

“Cold water, my lord?” His servant frowned slightly.

“Yes. As cold as you can get it.”

In retrospect, perhaps the oysters had been a bad idea.

Chapter Eleven

Pacing the stone slabs of the ante chamber floor next morning, Geoffrey kept glancing at the hands of the long case clock that scarcely seemed to move. It was only three minutes to eight, plenty of time for Diana to appear. He wasn’t sure why he thought she might not.

They had been getting along famously ever since the trip to London and even after their return yesterday. Geoffrey had been holding his breath, waiting for the stubborn streak in his wife to reappear. But it hadn’t. She’d been pleasant, even affectionate toward him ever since the evening outside her chamber when he’d almost kissed her. He hadn’t repeated that action, although he’d certainly thought about it often enough the past few days.

He glanced up the stairs, but no sign of Diana. Blast it, there was no reason to think things would change just because he was taking this morning’s outing as the opportunity to let her know they would have to postpone their journey to America until next summer. The woman who had called him Toad Longford not long ago might reemerge, but he’d have to take that chance. There was nothing to be done.

As the clock began to strike eight, there was a sound of footsteps behind him and he turned to find his wife hurrying toward him. Geoffrey caught his breath at the sight of the slim figure dressed in a stunning blue riding habit heavily ornamented with gold braid and frogs at bodice and cuffs. The tight cut garment accentuated his wife’s generous curves and sent a sudden ache to his groin. “Good morning, my dear. You look absolutely ravishing.”

She smiled broadly, bringing out a previously unseen dimple in her right cheek. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Did Mrs. George have that already made up? I’m certain she didn’t produce it before we left London.”

Diana laughed as she came toward him. “No, when my uncle discovered I loved to ride, he had this habit made for me shortly after I began taking care of him. I think I told you I was able to ride every day.”

“If you desire it, you may ride every day here at Longford.” He certainly wouldn’t mind seeing her dressed thusly each morning. “There are many different and interesting rides around the estate. I will be happy to show them to you. Shall we go?”

A footman opened the door, and they stepped out into the crisp morning air. Waiting on the graveled driveway were two of Geoffrey’s favorite horses. “Allow me to introduce you to Lucifer and Mirabelle. They are brother and sister, both born and bred here at the manor.”

“They are beautiful my lord.” Unafraid, his lady strode right up to the large animals, speaking low, in a soothing voice and extended a hand, first to the taller, jet-black Lucifer, then to the smaller bay Mirabelle. “You are a fine fellow, aren’t you Lucifer?” She rubbed his neck with strong strokes, then moved to Mirabelle and repeated the process. Lucifer, however, wasn’t finished with her attentions. He moved after her, nudging her with his nose.

“Whoa, boy.” Geoffrey hurried toward his horse and took the reins from the groom. “Since when are you jealous of your sister getting attention?” He stroked the horse’s neck and withers. “You seem to have made fast friends here, my lady.”

“I have always gotten along with horses much better than with people it seems.” She continued to stroke Mirabelle.

“And now with toads as well.” Geoffrey hoped the gentle joke wouldn’t spoil the day’s excellent beginning.

She shot him a speaking look, then giggled. “That seems to be true, doesn’t it?” She nodded to the horses. Shall we mount?”

Geoffrey nodded, passed his reins back to the groom, and held out his cupped hands to her. She placed her booted foot in them and he tossed her up into the side saddle, then turned to his horse and mounted without further comment. “Follow me, my lady.”

Geoffrey turned Lucifer down the driveway at a quick walk, waiting until they reached the main road before turning right. “We’ll go down the road about a quarter of a mile, then strike off to the right into the south meadow.”

Diana nodded eagerly, easily controlling Mirabelle, keeping her beside Lucifer on his right. “How large is the estate?”

“Five thousand acres. It includes the manor with fifteen acres of gardens immediately surrounding the house. The rest is farmland with several villages and around a thousand tenants.” All of this might have been lost had it not been for the woman riding beside him. He really must devise a special way to thank her again for what she had done for his family.