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

"No, child, this time I understand; it is you who do not."

"But what happened?"

"Your body, my little love, was responding quite naturally and mostpleasingly to my caress. It is right

that it should do so."

She was turned gently but inexorably to face him, her downcast facelifted by a firm finger to meet his amused but understanding regard.

"You are not out of countenance, are you?" His voice mocked gently."Not my indecorous litte vagabond, surely?"

A slight smile touched her eyes. "It is truly normal for that tohappen, milord?"

"Quite normal. Did your

maman

tell you nothing of such things?"

"A little, but, as you said, sir, one cannot truly know of what one hasnever experienced."

"I think that should conclude the lesson for today." Lintonstraightened the lace at her bosom with efficient fingers. "Yourgrandparents will be wondering what has become of us."

Danielle peered over her shoulder, dusting the back of her dressimpatiently. "Have I grass stains on my skirt, sir? The wall is alittle mossy, I fear."

"You were warned,'" he observed mildly, turning her around, brushingher down briskly. His hand slowed suddenly, and yielding to impulse heallowed it to rest on the curve of her buttocks, his fingers caressingthe firm flesh beneath the layers of skirt and petticoat.

"Sir!" she squeaked indignantly, jumping away from him.

Linton laughed softly. "You have an adorable little bottom, my love. Ihave long thought so."

"You should not say such things!" she exclaimed, a deep flush suffusingthe ivory complexion.

"Perhaps we shpuld have the second lesson today, also." He was smilingat her, but there was a hint of gravity in the black eyes. "It is amost important one. Whatever is said or done between two people

duringtheir loving can never be wrong. Do you understand that, Danielle?"

She regarded him thoughtfully. "I think, milord, that I shall perhapsunderstand it better when I experience more of these things you referto."

"You have much wisdom under those curls." He pinched her cheek lightly."Let us go back to the house."

*  *  *

The announcement of the forthcoming marriage between the Lady Daniellede St. Varennes and Justin Earl of Linton made its appearance in the

Gazette

at the end of June,just in time to provide the last

on dit

ofthe Season before the ton deserted London's heat and dust and thedisease-laden air of summer to continue their round of pleasures eitherat Bath or on their country estates.

The news was received with curiosity, much speculation, and not alittle chagrin by those mamas who had continued to hold out hopes thatLinton would forsake his bachelordom for the charms of one of theirdaughters. Nothing was known of his affianced bride except that shewas, of course, a Rockford, and even though her father's family wereviewed with a degree of caution by high sticklers her lineage wasunimpeachable and not even the most malicious tongue could say that theearl was to make a bad match in this regard. Her age, however, wasanother matter altogether. Linton had never evinced the slightestinterest in girls in their first Season and the little de St. Varenneswas surely barely out of the schoolroom? But Society's curiosity wasnot to be satisfied throughout the summer as Lord Linton remained inCornwall engaged in the very pleasant task of awakening the sleepingwoman in his erstwhile brat.

They received little news of the events in France during this time, andthat little was grim. On June 17,

the Commons at the States Generaldeclared themselves the

AssembleeNationale

—the only representative body of the nation—and thusdenied the claimsof the privileged orders, the nobility and

the clergy, to representFrance independently. At the same time, they challenged the king, stillgrieving over the death of the seven-year-old Dauphin, by agreeing topay their taxes only as long as this National Assembly remained insession. This unheard-of defiance led an angry and ill-advised LouisXVI to close the Parliament House to the deputies of the Third Estateand declare a Royal Session. When on June 20 the deputies, barred bysoldiers from entering the hall, convened as a separate body on thetennis court at Versailles all hope that the States General wouldindeed rejuvenate the realm faded and the course of bloody civildestruction that France was to pursue for the next five years becameinevitable.

But for Danielle, this was an idyllic summer. Linton wisely made noattempt to change the personality

that had developed during herunconventional upbringing, and indeed had no wish to do so. He was firmin his insistence that she adhere to a proper conduct when in company.Any lapses in either behavior or language were received with a stonysilence and a withdrawal of his company that Danielle found infinitelymore unpleasant than his previous methods of showing disapproval. As aresult these lapses occurred less and less frequently. Since Justin wastotally accepting of her need to alternate the rigors

of self-controlwith the freedom to roam the countryside astride the dappled mare, theysoon reached a happy compromise. They spent days hunting in the woods,fishing the streams, and sailing the little bay. Danielle was initiallysomewhat nervous about the latter activity, her experiences on the

Black Gull

having given her acertain dislike for the sea, but herenjoyment of physical activity of all kinds soon overcame herreluctance and she rapidly became competent at handling the smallsailboat. Linton enjoyed teaching her—she was so proficient at mostthings that it made a pleasant change to instruct her in somethingother than the proper way to go on in Society.

His greatest surprise however, occurred one afternoon when, onreturning from a ride with March, he

was informed that Lady Daniellewould like him to join her in the Long Gallery. He arrived to find herin shirt, britches, and stockinged feetexamining the family portraits and gazing through the many long windowsthat made up the wall of the gallery facing the sea.

She turned eagerly at the sound of his entrance. "Ah, milord, there youare. I have been waiting for you this age. We