My Heart's in the Highlands by Angeline Fortin (best english novels for beginners .TXT) 📗

that, then nodded beforeturning to the wardrobe to pull out the gown. She eyed itcritically but seeming satisfied, helped her mistress dress. Hoopsand petticoats went on and then the two-tiered skirt. The overskirtwas ivory silk that was almost the same shade as her hair. It hungover the apple green silk underskirt in a swooping scalloped hemthat was trimmed in a long ivory fringe. The hem of the green wasedged in smaller scallops finished with a wide green and ivorystriped ribbon. The same green was also appliqued in long scallopedcutouts on the ivory overskirt. The bodice’s shoulder-baringneckline mirrored the scalloped hem of the skirt and was trimmed bya shorter ivory fringe that tickled against her bare arms. A greenand ivory striped belt emphasized her tiny waist.

By comparison to the wide skirts, the bodiceseemed minimal. A jade cameo set at the low V between her breastsdrew attention to the swell of her breasts. It was far more subtlethan the red, but elegant and alluring nonetheless.

“Lord Ayr will be agog, my lady,” Mandy saidwith a smile as she set the latch on the matching necklace. “Youare perfect.”

Perfectly attired?

Perfectly excited was more like it.

“Good evening, Lord Ayr.”

Hero’s soft greeting drifted across thefirst-floor rotunda, capturing Ian’s attention as he emerged fromhis rooms that evening. He looked across the hall to find her doingthe same from her rooms on the other side of the grand staircase.Impossible as it seemed, she was even lovelier than she had beenearlier that day. Unlike the previous night, tonight Hero woremodest jewels. A choker of three pearl strands with a large jadecameo accented her long neck. Matching earrings dangled from herears.

Ian thought that the jade would perfectlymatch the green edge of her eyes. Though the polished jade shoneeven in the dim light, her eyes sparkled brightly. Ian took a steptoward her, but instead of approaching him, Hero indicated with atilt of her head that she was going toward the Blue Drawing Roomand walked along her half of the oval of the grand staircase,trailing her fingers lightly along the balustrade while Ian matchedher progress on the other side.

Ian watched Hero as she went, disappearingbehind each column only to quickly reappear, casting him sidelongglances flirtatiously from beneath her lashes as she did so. Shepaused just before the halfway point of the oval near the drawingroom and waited for Ian there. “Good evening, Lord Ayr,” she saidwith a smile as he reached her.

“Good evening, Lady Ayr,” he responded with abow and held out his hand. She slipped her small hand into hislarger one, her smile broadening.

“Thank you again for a pleasant afternoon,”he said.

“Thank you for a pleasant day,” she counteredpertly, reaching up to adjust his cravat. “You look very handsometonight.”

Ian felt inordinately pleased by the standardcompliment. Reaching out, he smoothed her hair from her templeunnecessarily, since every strand was in place, but he wanted totouch her and any excuse would do. Unable to help himself, Ian ranhis finger down her long neck, bared by her bound hair. He wouldlove to see those golden locks hanging loose about her. “And youare exquisite, though there is something in your eyes. They aredancing with the devil tonight. Why is that?”

A blush brightened her cheeks becomingly andher hands left Ian’s cravat to smooth down his shirtfront. “Oh,nothing really. Just …”

“Wondering?” he asked, though he already knewthe answer. His pulse already racing, he bent his head to whisperin her ear, “Anticipating?”

She inhaled sharply and swayed toward himeven while she shook her head. “Of course not. This is hardly thetime …”

“No?” Ian brushed the back of his fingersdown the slope of her bosom. “I shouldn’t take my kiss right here?Isn’t that what you were hoping for?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Not here.Maybe.”

“Maybe?” he leaned closer, his lips justinches from hers.

“Yes,” she sighed, and Ian brushed his lipsgently over hers, triumphantly claiming the kiss that he hadanticipated all day.

“Daughter, is that you?” Beaumont bellowedfrom the drawing room. “Come in! Come in! You simply must seethis!”

Rolling his eyes, Ian shook his head at Hero.“Honestly, I don’t know whether to love him or hate him.”

“I did say this wasn’t the right time,” Herosaid teasingly, but there was regret in her eyes as well. Hercheeks were flushed, her lips moist, and Ian was hard put not todrag her off to his chamber and leave her father to his owndevices.

Hero reached out and caressed his cheek, herlips parted as if she meant to speak, but the duke yelled oncemore. “I shall come in, Papa, only if you promise me you aredecently clothed,” she said, even as she entered the room.

“I am. I am.”

Stifling his burgeoning desires once again,Ian followed Hero into the drawing room, only to come up short atthe sight of the duke lying on his back in the middle of thelibrary floor, staring up at the ceiling. “I say there, Harry, areyou all right then?”

“This is the most marvelous thing.”

“Papa has been examining the ceiling friezessince he arrived,” Hero explained, biting back a smile. “He feelsthat lying in the center of the room provides the most advantageousviewpoint to study them.”

“Is that so?”

“Perhaps it was a good thing you missedbreakfast this morning,” she went on, humor lacing her voice. “Hetook the opportunity to lie on the table to get a closer look.”

“That provides a more visual illustration inmy mind than I care for,” Ian teased.

“The rondels in this room are extraordinary,”Beaumont went on enthusiastically. “You must take a look. Come,now!”

Obediently, both Ian and Hero tilted backtheir heads. “No! No! Come down here and look up.”

“I will do no such thing, Papa,” Hero saidprimly, moving instead to the room’s pianoforte. “However, I willplay for you until Boyle announces dinner.”

The duke scowled in disappointment, only toturn his expectant gaze to Ian, who merely shrugged and slipped outof his jacket. His new valet, Dickson, might not appreciate therough treatment of his evening clothes, but what did it matter? Ithurt no one at all to give in to the duke’s request. Droppinggracefully, Ian laid back on the floor.

“Ian,” the duke whispered at his