Lord Deverill's Heir, Catherine Coulter [the best motivational books .TXT] 📗

just to have a rope of diamonds around my neck.” Suzanne laughed toward Arabella, then raised coquettish wide eyes to the earl, pursed her pink lips, and said with all the wickedness of a born actress, “I think that I would prefer a gentleman with more worldly experience. Perhaps a gentleman with military training—like you, my lord.

A gentleman who is decisive, yet a gentleman who knows exactly how to treat a lady. How very protected and secure you must feel, Bella.”

“I am only two years older than poor Lord Graybourn,” the earl said, smiling into his wineglass. Suzanne Talgarth was a baggage.

As for Arabella, her fingers tightened about the stem of her wineglass.

She noted with a passing glance that the earl’s eyes had narrowed ever so slightly. She forced a smile at Suzanne. “I think it wise to look to oneself first for such things as protection. It is many times difficult, I think, to determine beforehand the actions of another.”

“Good grief, whatever that means,” Suzanne said. “But I don’t doubt that you have again defended my opinion.” She turned to the earl. “Bella always agrees with me. Those few times that she didn’t, why I talked and talked until she fell in a faint at my feet, finally nodding her head.”

“I feel some small amount of pity for your future husband,” the earl said.

“Dear Miss Talgarth,” the comte said, his accent heavy and obscure,

“surely it cannot be so very important, these years of worldly experience you speak of. My dear mademoiselle, a French gentleman comes into the world with such gifts.”

“In my opinion, it is all one and the same,” Lady Talgarth said, confusing everyone. She harked back to her grievance. “I’m certain that neither Arabella nor you, Suzanne, can accuse Lord Hartland of being paunchy of or having no chin. I have it on the best authority that he never gets up early to eat kidneys. No, he doesn’t even arouse himself before two o’clock in the afternoon. So, you see, all is fine in that quarter.”

To Arabella’s surprise, Suzanne faltered. Arabella said quickly, “Indeed, you must be right, ma’am. And as to experience, why, he is at least fifty years old, has already buried two wives, not to mention supporting his several quite expensive aspiring offspring. Yes, Lord Hartland would appear quite unexceptionable. I imagine he wants a mother for the younger four children, and a housekeeper. I trust he doesn’t also expect a brood mare as well. But you know,” she added, perfectly serious, “I heard that he didn’t rise before two o’clock because of his gout. Does not your father suffer also from the gout, Suzanne?” Lady Talgarth wanted to smack Arabella. It was a very close thing. Her fingers itched.

Justin barely stopped the laugh. Goodness, she was good. Well, sometimes she was good. With him, she was—He stopped the thought. There was nothing to be gained.

“Has the prince gone to Brighton for the summer?” Lady Ann asked in a loud voice.

“How odd Arabella looks sitting in your chair, Ann,” Lady Talgarth said.

“I think she looks positively matronly,” Suzanne said, and laughed aloud when Arabella choked on a bite of peas.

“About the prince and Brighton,” Lady Ann continued, her voice even stronger.

Suzanne turned to Lady Ann and said, “Oh yes, and although Papa is complaining sorely from his own gout, Mama has persuaded him that I, at least, should pay a long-overdue visit to my aunt Seraphina. Her house faces Marine Parade, you know, and one can observe simply everyone going to and from the pavilion.”

“I wonder,” Arabella said, “if Lord Hartland and Viscount Graybourn plan to set up in Brighton?”

“I can only pray that breakfast kidneys will stop the one and the gout brought on by excessive numbers of offspring and brandy will stop the other,” Suzanne said. “Besides, there will be more fish swimming about.

Unhooked fish. At least I hope it will be so.”

“I shall, of course, accompany Suzanne to my sister’s,” Lady Talgarth said pointedly to Lady Ann, ignoring her daughter, whom she would deal with later.

Justin tapped the stem of his wineglass with his fork to gain everyone’s attention. “Let us drink to your visit to Brighton, Miss Talgarth, and to the gentleman who will be so lucky as to pluck such a lovely rose.” As Arabella drained her glass—it was a delicious Bordeaux—she thought how very adept Suzanne had become in her handling of gentlemen. She was certain that the lovely rose could show her thorns most effectively, if crossed the wrong way. Lady Ann cleared her throat and stared at Arabella.

Arabella rose and nodded to the earl and the comte. “If you gentlemen will excuse us, the ladies will now repair to the Velvet Room.” Justin rose also and said pleasantly, “I don’t think we need to linger over our port this evening, my dear. If you ladies do not mind, we would join you now.”

Lady Talgarth said to Lady Ann in a whisper calculated to penetrate even Crupper’s ears, who stood at the far end of the dining room, “It still seems very strange for Arabella to be in your place, my dear Ann.” Arabella pretended not to hear and looked back only when Suzanne tugged on her sleeve. “Goodness, you walk so very quickly. Come, Bella, don’t mind Mama. You must know that she is jealous because you have contracted such an eligible alliance before I have managed even an ineligible one.”

“As if you would ever care.” Arabella gave one blond curl an affectionate pull. “You make it sound like I’ve caught some vile disease, like measles.”

Other blond curls fluttered and bobbed over small shapely ears.

“Certainly not. I think your groom very handsome, not at all like measles. And if you caught an earl, no doubt I shall become a duchess.

Mayhap this wondrous duke will have seven houses scattered all over England. He will throw at least three ropes of diamonds around my white neck.”

Arabella looked at the dimpled laughing face and found herself smiling.

“You will