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After placing a perfunctory kiss upon her aunt’s hand, he bent over hers and said, “I have gone through the agony of sitting in hell waiting for this moment.”
He brought himself up from her hand and nodded to her brother and uncle who had no qualms displaying their open displeasure with him. They were polite, but just barely.
He took up the back of a Windsor chair and pulled it near to where she sat. “May I?”
“Of course,” she answered. “Or did you think I meant to keep you standing? I am not so heartless, especially to a man who has gone through hell … just for me.” She was tickled with inner laughter.
“Precious beauty, what I suffered before is nothing to what I suffer now,” he answered adroitly.
“How so? I allowed you to sit, my lord.” Taffy was enjoying herself immensely. She had this man’s measure.
“Because your beauty always slays me, and yet I find myself coming back for more.”
“And if I were out of looks—pale with fatigue, of ill mood and manner—what then, my lord?”
“Were you sick with fever, pale with weariness, still would I find you the most ravishing woman in all the world.”
“Don’t you believe the blackguard…” said James Fenmore with an accompanying laugh, but it was obvious to Taffy, he quite meant his words. On his arm was her dear friend, Catherine. Jarvis had no doubt thought it unnecessary to announce them first as they were such frequent visitors.
Cathy’s face went white, and Taffy realized Bruton was looking at her through his quizzing glass, deuce take the fellow, for she was sure he meant to make her nervous. Why?
“Cath … James … what a delightful surprise…” she said and got to her feet with her arms open to receive her friend.
“Indeed, I met Lord Fenmore on the way here, and we walked together,” said Catherine as she bent and kissed Taffy’s cheek and squeezed her hand. “It is a lovely day…”
Pleasantries were exchanged and refreshments served before Taffeta was able find a moment in a quiet spot near the window and touch Cathy’s hand, “Dear, this won’t do. You must tell me what the marquis has done to offset you so.”
“I can not speak of it…”
“And still you will.” Taffeta regarded her friend intently. “Cathy … you and I have never kept secrets from each other.”
Catherine laughed shakily, “That is not quite correct, Taffy dear. I didn’t keep secrets from you, but you … oh … the secrets you have kept from me.”
Taffy pulled a face at her, but they were being called back into the conversation that had taken over the room about the upcoming soiree for the evening. Taffy whispered, “This is not done.”
Catherine sighed, “I know, Taffy… I know.”
~*~
The rakehell Hotspur tried desperately to keep Taffeta out of his thoughts, but the harder he tried, the more she would sneak up on him and laugh, and the sound—a sound he had grown to enjoy—made him long for her company.
He stood in the Home Office with Sidmouth and found he actually had to concentrate on the matter at hand.
“Look Tarrant, if you don’t want to get involved this time,” said the Viscount of Sidmouth, Home Secretary, “I can release you from your obligations.”
Tarrant stopped his pacing and rounded on the home secretary. “Certes! I did not ride to Dover and handle our little problem because I want out, and well you know it, so don’t talk nonsense to me, Henry. You damn well know better.”
Sidmouth laughed. “Calm down, lad. Egad, but that temper of yours needs letting. All I was … well, you seem preoccupied … especially when I mentioned the Rogues Three in Nottingham.”
“What I am is not preoccupied, but at a loss to understand why the Home Office would be interested in such a minor apparition of the Luddite movement.”
“Let us review the situation,” said Sidmouth frowning.
“Fine.” He would review and dismiss it, for no matter what happened, no one was going to know the identity of the Rogues Three. “But what you should be reviewing is the fact we have a leak in the Honor Guards unit.”
“Then our problem is twofold. We must plug the leak, and we must stop the Rogues Three.”
“They have stopped their aggression against the mill owners, and from the information I received, have packed their bags, and left the county.” said Tarrant.
