"Well, I am glad that you do not. His eyes glinted. "The marriage bed, my love, is the only fit place for such understanding."

"But that is not true of everyone," she began seriously. "You have had many mistresses, have you not? They have not learned their practice in a marriage bed."

"Quite true, but that is not your destiny, my child. You will be rid of your virginity this day, three weeks, and after that will be both wife and mistress."

Danielle sucked in her bottom lip as that deep frown wrinkled her brow. "I suppose, milord, that I must be satisfied with that for now."

"You must indeed," he declared firmly and then his lips curved slightly. "One thing I have been meaning to mention for quite some time. I have a name, Danielle. Do you think you could use it?"

"I should call you Justin, or Linton?"

"Either will do, but I think I prefer the former." He smiled.

"We will strike a bargain then." Her dimples peeped mischievously. "If you will refrain from calling me 'brat,' or 'infant,' or 'wretch,' or 'vagabond,' or 'my child,' in that toplofty way, I will call you Justin."

"We have a bargain-but you must behave like Danielle to earn the name."

"La, sir! And how else should the future Countess of Linton behave?" She swept him a graceful curtsy totally at odds with the impish gleam in the big brown eyes.

Shaking his head in mock reproof he tucked her hand under his arm and began to walk back across the wide sweep of lawn toward the house.

Chapter 8.

Linton was at his breakfast in Grosvenor Square about ten days later when his cousin was announced. Lord Julian, following hard on the heels of the footman, was resplendent in a blue satin coat opened over an embroidered waistcoat, pale yellow britches, and silken stockings embellished with large silver clocks.

"Linton, you're a dog! Indeed you are, 'pon my soul," he declared as greeting.

"Now what have I done to deserve this, Julian?" the earl asked mildly, putting up his gla.s.s to survey his cousin with a degree of polite interest.

"Why this marriage of yours, of course, to the de St. Varennes. Who is the chit, m'boy? Where did she come from? It is the outside of enough, y'know, to announce your engagement out of the blue like that, and then disappear incommunicado for the rest of the summer!"

"I am very sorry to have inconvenienced you, cousin," His Lords.h.i.+p responded softly. "Will you join me?" He gestured to the laden breakfast table.

The soft tones had the same effect on Lord Julian as they had on Danielle and he instantly recollected himself. It was hardly polite to storm into a man's breakfast parlor before noon, demanding information that could quite reasonably be considered very personal.

"I'll take a tankard of ale with you, coz," he said, seating himself at the table. "No, really, Justin, it is typical in you to hand the town the best on dit of the year and then leave everyone talking."

"If it is so typical, I cannot imagine why you should sound so surprised," His Lords.h.i.+p observed thoughtfully, sliding into his beef.

"But when we last met you had no thoughts of marriage, I'll lay odds."

"You would lose, Julian," my lord responded calmly.

That effectively silenced his interlocuter who began to have an uneasy suspicion that hiscousin was going to reveal nothing of this extraordinary circ.u.mstance. He tried a different approach.

"You would not believe what the gossips have been makin' of it, Linton." He laughed. "I dare swear Bath this summer was steamier and more sulfurous than ever! No one has even seen the girl and it's rumored she has everything from a wall eye to a crooked back and is to be kept in seclusion at Danesbury whilst she provides you with heirs."

"Oh, I do not think that plan would suit Danielle," His Lords.h.i.+p said consideringly. "She was not educated to accept the role of brood mare, you see."

"What!" Lord Julian's mouth dropped open and remained that way for some considerable time whilst his cousin tranquilly continued with his breakfast.

"Do shut your mouth, dear fellow. It is most distracting," he requested mildly when it seemed that the other was likely to remain in this condition indefinitely.

"Beg pardon, but, well. . . Gad, Justin! What manner of girl is she?"

"You will find out in good time, Julian. She is to be presented at Court this evening and the gossips will, I am confident, have plenty to feed upon. Now, tell me, if you please . . ."

But Lord Julian was not to discover what his cousin wished to know. The sound of voices in the pa.s.sage reached them and Linton, a frown in his eyes, laid down his fork as the door opened and Bedford, face and voice expressionless, announced: "Lady Danielle de St. Varennes, my lord."

Danielle, in a swish and flurry of velvet skirts, entered the room and began speaking almost before the butler had completed his dignified announcement.

"Milord, you have to do something about this, immediatemend. If you do not speak to Grandmere straight away we shall all be in the basket!"

Both men had risen at her entrance, Lord Julian much more hastily than Linton, who did not immediately respond to this impetuous speech, merely lifted his gla.s.s and examined the small figure of his affianced bride in steady silence. She was looking utterly enchanting in a severely cut dark green velvet riding habit, heavily adorned with silver lace and little ragged b.u.t.tons down the front. The skirt was caught up over one gloved arm and a tricorn hat of the same material perched rakishly on top of her head, a long, green feather curling to her shoulder.

Her voice faltered and her eyes dropped as the silence lengthened and he continued to look at her. "I suppose, milord, that you are going to tell me that I should not be here?"

"I make it a habit never to tell people things that I feel sure they already know," he responded levelly.

Lord Julian felt a twinge of fraternal sympathy for this entrancing creature. He knew from experience exactly how she must be feeling and gave a slight cough, hoping to divert his cousin.

"Ah, Julian, it seems you are to have your wish sooner than antic.i.p.ated," Linton said smoothly. "Danielle, may I present Lord Julian Carhon?"

She curtsied gracefully and as Julian received the small hand in his, raising it to his lips as she swam upward, his gaze fell upon an enchanting heart-shaped face, enormous liquid brown eyes, and a pair of full lips opened in a warm smile over even, pearly white teeth. He was lost, instantly and forever, and no longer in any doubt as to why his cousin was about to forsake his long bachelor career.

"My lady, I am honoured. You are utterly ravissante," he murmured reverently. "Linton is indeed a fortunate man."

Her response devastated him. A light musical laugh, another curtsy as she said, "Indeed, sir, how kind in you to say such a thing to restore my dignity after such a set down! I am delighted to make your acquaintance for we are, after all, to be in some way cousins, are we not?"

"And friends, I trust. I just wish I had seen you before Linton." He smiled and was rewarded by the appearance of a pair of deep, utterly mischievous dimples.

"Sir, I am sure that that is most improper of you, but Milord warned me that you are a rake."

"Oh brat!" Linton sighed as Lord Julian looked utterly taken aback by this candor.

"Indeed, ma'am, I must protest." He laughed, making a quick recover. "My reputation is much exaggerated."

"Oh, how very disappointing, sir," she murmured, lowering her lashes.

"Danielle, do not, I beg of you, further compound your indiscretion," Justin broke in swiftly, torn between amus.e.m.e.nt and annoyance. "Who accompanied you here?"

"Oh, I did not come alone, sir. You need have no fears on that score," she rea.s.sured him brightly.

"I am indeed a fortunate man," he responded sardonically. "Do you care for some coffee?"

"Oh yes, please, and a slice of that ham, if I may. I left in such a hurry, there was no time for breakfast." With swift movements she stripped off her gloves, removed her hat, and tossed them carelessly onto a chair before seating herself opposite and giving him what she hoped was a winning smile.

"You are a sad romp, my child," he said severely, slicing the ham thinly. "If this matter is so urgent, why did you not send me a message so that I could come to you?"

"Well, I did think of it," she confessed, pouring coffee from the heavy silver pot, "But the house is in such an uproar and I was afraid Grandmaman would get to you first." Her eyes sparkled. "Even poor Grandfather has gone to his club, and he hates to leave the house before noon."

"I think you had better tell me the whole, without further ado." Linton resumed his seat, crossing one elegant leg over the other, twiddling absently with his gla.s.s on its long riband.

"Well, you see, Grandmere wishes to disguise me as a bird's nest and I will have none of it. Can you imagine anything more idiotish, milord? A sort of cage with real birdsand feathers-at least they are to be stuffed birds, I think. Real birds could be something of a problem as they have most uninhibited habits." She grinned at him over a forkful of ham and Lord Julian began to have the strangest sensation of deja vu. Sometime, somewhere, he had met this captivating bundle of mischief before.

"I do not think we need concern ourselves with the less pleasant habits of birds," Iinton said repressively. "You will be pleased to confine yourself to the facts. So far I am quite unenlightened."

"You are also being most disagreeable," she retorted, shooting him a defiant look that Lord Julian, in the act of swallowing a mouthful of ale, intercepted.

"Good G.o.d!" he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed, as the look and the taste on his tongue transported him to a sunny stableyard on the road to Dover.

They both turned toward him in surprise and then Linton sighed at the expression of astounded recognition on his cousin's face.

"Yes, Julian," he said resignedly, "just so."

Danielle looked between them frowning, and then comprehension dawned. "I see you recognize me, my lord. It is a very long and involved story but you will. . . you will say nothing of it to anyone, will you?"

"Good G.o.d, no! Of course not! Wouldn't dream of such a thing!" Lord Julian expostulated, still in a state of shock. "But, Gad, Justin! You boxed her ears, I saw you!"

"Yes, was it not infamous of him?" Danielle declared warmly. "I was not even drinking the horrid stuff!"

"Children, children, when you have quite finished shredding my character for an action which I have already admitted to have been overhasty, although thoroughly provoked, could we return to this matter of birds' nests?" Justin sighed wearily, beginning to feel uncomfortably like an unpopular schoolmaster in charge of a schoolroom of rowdy pupils.

"Well, it is a matter of total simplicity," Danielle stated, returning to her ham and helping herself to a piece of bread and b.u.t.ter. "I will not wear anything so absurd and Grandmere continues to insist that I should and if she goes on in this way shall lose my temper and very likely say something that will cause her to fall into strong convulsions and most probably become ill, since she is quite old, you understand, and then I shall not be able to go to Court tonight and I daresay we shall be unable to be married."

"Dear me, the matter is more serious than I thought," Justin murmured, with a supreme effort controlling his quivering lip. "We must avoid such a consequence at all costs."

"You find this amusant, milord?" She glared at him, a dangerous glint in her eye.

"If you scowl at me like that, brat, I shall be tempted to forget Julian's presence," he replied gently, flicking open his snuff box to take a pinch between thumb and forefinger.

Danielle prudently altered her expression before inquiring politely, "Well, what is to be done, milord?"

"What do you think Julian? You are considered something of an expert in these matters, after all." My

Lord turned to his cousin, still sitting in abstracted silence, staring into his tankard as if all the answers were contained therein.

"Oh, what?" He looked up hastily. "What d'you say, dear boy?"

"I asked your opinion on the question of birds' nests," His Lords.h.i.+p replied calmly.

"Birds' nests, yes, yes, quite so ... quite so."

Danielle gave an inadvertent gurgle of laughter. "Poor Lord Julian! We have quite destroyed your peace,

have we not? Do not trouble yourself with the question, I beg you."

"No, no, no trouble at all, ma'am, happy to be of service," he rea.s.sured her hastily. "Can't for the life of

me see why M'Lady March wishes to disguise you as a bird's nest. Not at all the thing. Is she feeing quite well, d'you know, m'dear?"

This was too much for Danny and she went off into a peal of laughter so infectious that even Linton's

rather grim countenance lightened somewhat.

"Julian, Danielle is, I think, referring to her coiffure for her presentation this evening," he explained patiently.

"Oh, well why didn't she say so. All this talk of birds' nests-it's enough to confuse anyone."

"But I did say so," Danielle protested indignantly, then added thoughtfully, "At least I think I did. Anyway

it is a monstrous affair, all lacquer and powder and stuck with dead birds and feathers and twice as tall as

I and I will not wear it."

Fortunately for her audience, their knowledge of prevailing fas.h.i.+on was sufficiently deep to enable them to adapt this horrendous image to more realisic proportions.

"Who's to dress your hair?" Lord Julian asked after a short period of cogitation.

"Monsieur Artur, and he is quite the most idiotish person, always waving his hands about and speaking in an accent that he considers to be French, but it most a.s.suredly is not."

"But he is the best in London, m'dear." Lord Julian was scandalized at this slanderous dismissal of such a noted artiste.