Jane Feather - Charade by Unknown (top rated books of all time txt) 📗

of March, was in her rose garden overlooking thecliff road when the small procession wound its way up the steep path tothe house. Her pruning sheers fell unheeded to the ground and,gathering the skirt of the faded gown she wore for gardening, shehastened toward the house, crossing

the broad terrace to enter herhusband's library by way of the open French doors.

"Charles, they are coming."

Instantly the Earl of March left his book and his chair to hold hiswife for a brief moment before taking her arm and moving with her intothe cool, flagged hallway and out into the warm sun of the circularsweep before the front door. Two riders were coming toward them someway ahead of the coach with its postillions and outriders lumbering upthe steep drive.

"Is that Danielle, Charles?" Lavinia gazed in shocked amazement at theslight, boyish figure astride the dappled mare riding beside theunmistakable figure of Justin, Earl of Linton.

"She was always a tomboy, Lavvy," her husband remarked gently. "LikeLouise, if you remember? I am sure Linton will explain all—there isbound to be a good reason."

The two riders reached them and the Earl of Linton swung easily fromthe large, black stallion, turning to lift Danielle's suddenlymotionless figure from her own mount.

"As promised, March, I have brought you your granddaughter," he saidquietly. "Lady Lavinia." He made a magnificent leg toward the stillstunned figure of the countess.

Black spots danced in the sunlight before Danielle's eyes, her heartand head began to pound painfully, and cold, clammy sweat broke out onher palms and forehead as panic quite unaccountably and unexpectedlyswept through her. Gasping suddenly todraw breath from a tightly constricted chest she turned automaticallyin unspoken appeal toward the one person whose strength she had come torely on unconsciously but absolutely.

Linton took the outstretched hand in a grip that crushed her fingers."Quite so, Danielle," his voice reassured from a vast distance. "It isalways strange to reach journey's end, particularly after such ajourney as yours."

The Countess of March was a woman blessed with both common sense andwisdom. The look Linton bent on her granddaughter was one sherecognized—she had seen it in her husband's eyes on many occasions andhad been wanned to the depths of her soul by its love and tenderness.She wondered fleetingly if Danielle also recognized the look for whatit was and suspected not—the child's eyes carried only trust and appeal.

Swiftly she moved forward, gathering the small figure to her amplebosom, enfolding her in loving arms, stroking and patting the narrowback with hands that still carried the soil of the rose garden beneathher fingernails.

"There, there, child. You are home now," she whispered softly againstthe wind-tangled curls. "No one will ever harm you again." Her eyes metthose of her husband over the bent head and the Earl of March moved toenfold both wife and granddaughter in his own strong arms. At lastLavinia drew herself upright as practical necessities began to occur.

"We must get you out of those clothes, child," she declared briskly."Do you have any others?" The question was ostensibly asked ofDanielle, but she looked automatically at Linton.

"In the chaise, ma'am," he said calmly.

"Good. See to things, will you, Charles? If we move quickly we'll haveDanielle looking respectable again before the household realizes whathas happened. The less talk the better, even this far from London."

"My thoughts exactly, Lady Lavinia," Linton concurred with a smile andwatched with considerable relief as his charge was whisked into thehouse by the energetic countess.

Charles gave quick orders as to the disposal of the luggage beforeextending his hand to Linton. "Come, Justin, we shall take a glass ofsherry on the terrace. We owe you more than we can ever repay."

"You owe me nothing, Charles," Linton demurred quietly. "But the sherryI will accept with pleasure.

The story, if you please, should wait forthe return of the ladies. It is long and involved and bears tellingonly once."

"Indeed," March concurred gracefully and ushered his guest through thehouse and onto the flagged terrace overlooking the front lawn whichstretched to the very edge of the cliff top.

They had taken but one sip of the dry wine when Danielle's outragedtones pierced the reflective quiet. Linton looked up with a frown. Thesound floated across the garden from an open upstairs windowoverlooking the terrace.

"No! You may not take them. They are mine!" Her voice was risingalarmingly.

"What the devil?" March gazed in astonishment at Linton who put hisglass down on a small table.

"I think, if you will excuse me, March, my presence is requiredupstairs before Danielle regales your entire household with some of thechoicer epithets in her lamentably extensive vocabulary."

Linton strode swiftly through the house and up the stairs, followingthe sounds that seemed dangerously close to hysteria, entering thechamber from whence they came without ceremony. Danielle, in chemiseand petticoat, was standing in the middle of the room seemingly engagedin a tug of war with an elderly woman who bore all the marks of an oldand trusted retainer. The countess stood to one side, looking onhelplessly as her granddaughter appeared on the verge of stronghysterics for no immediately explainable reason. She welcomed Linton'sarrival with only relief, forgetting the impropriety of a gentleman'spresence in a young lady's bedchamber, particularly when the young ladyin question was clad only in

her undergarments.

In another minute Danielle was going to be beyond control and Lintondidn't hesitate. He reached her in two long strides and gripped theslim shoulders with fingers that bit into the smooth,bare skin. "Danielle, you will cease this unseemly display immediately!Do you hear me?"

The firm level voice reached her through the rising panic anddesperation and slowly the wild, almost

feral look in the brown eyesfaded, a tinge of color returned to the deathly white cheeks, and theFigidity left her body.

The countess turned away to hide a slight smile. Quite clearly, theEarl of