"That is a reasonable conclusion," he chuckled and caught her hand in his. "Why should that concern you?"

"It does not-no. I am glad to see you in possession of your senses once more." Juliane reached across

with her free hand and laid it on his forehead for a moment.

"Ah, the fever is gone," she smiled. "We were very concerned."

"While grateful for the care, I am most contrite to have caused a beauty such as you to worry." He

winked.

"My lord," Lady Juliane said indignantly and angrily drew her hand from his.

"Never did I observe a compliment to upset the likes of your sort. Come, what must I do for amends?"

the earl glibly asked.

"Really, my lord. You presume too much. I know not what gives you the..." She halted in mid-sentence, suddenly aware of her position. Blushing profusely, Lady Juliane reached to throw back the coverlets. "Ah, no, my beauty. Surely you mean to do more than warm my bed," he laughed and took hold of her arm.

"You do not understand, my lord. Release me," she gulped.

"I think I understand. You are concerned for blunt. I promise to provide a better love nest in London."

Lady Juliane gaped in disbelief at these words. He thought her a common-a common ... She would not

think it. How infamous, and after all her nursing. Anger lit her eyes.

"You are a beauty," he breathed and drew her closer.

"May I remind you, my lord, that you have been ill. Very ill," she grated out.

"Then you should be very solicitous of my health and wants. The best thing for my health, now, my

beauty, would be a kiss." He began to lie back down and drew her with him.

Juliane wildly scanned the bedside as conversation had proven fruitless. The mug of honeyed water caught her eye as he released her hands to place his on either side of her face. Tretain drew her ever closer. Juliane reached wildly for the mug. As his lips played over hers, her fingers touched the mug. For a second Lady Juliane had the wild thought of giving in to the feelings aroused by his lips. This turbulent thought she flung aside, clasped the mug firmly, and brought it down. It met the earl's head with a dull thud.

It did not knock Tretain senseless, but diverted his attention. When he clasped his head and cursed, Juliane scurried out of the bed. Circ.u.mstances completely out of control for the first time in her life, she fairly well screamed, "Mallatt!"

CHAPTER 8.

Mallatt dropped his spoon in mid-bite at the half-frightened, half-angry scream. He and Meg strove to get up the narrow staircase simultaneously. Due to his small size, Mallatt got a leg in first. After a short struggle Meg conceded defeat and allowed Mallatt to bound up the steps first.

The valet barrelled into the bedchamber. He expected to find that Lord Adrian had thrown over his traces. Instead, he found the earl sitting up in bed holding his head and Lady Juliane angrily struggling into her wrap. It was not difficult to guess what had occurred.

Lady Juliane greeted Mallatt with a contemptuous glance that blamed him for not warning her about Tretain's pandering ways.

Meg was taken aback by this fierce. "My lady, what is wrong?"

"Mallatt, rid my chamber of these-these people. Get them out of here. I want some explanations!"

commanded Lord Adrian.

"You just be calmin' yerself, milord. What you be meanin' upsettin' your good wife, why..."

"Wife?!"

"Meg, I think you'd best leave this to me," Mallatt urged. "You know the 'Quality.'" He winked at her.

"Well, I don't..."

"Never fear," he soothed. "I am accustomed to these outbreaks. I shall see it settled peacefully." He

turned the woman toward the door.

Meg shot a glance at Lady Juliane. Her nod somewhat a.s.sured the farmer's wife. Glancing suspiciously at Lord Tretain's angry face and back to Juliane, who now faced the fire, she sighed.

Mallatt took the opportunity to propel Meg out the door and shut it before she could reply.

Tsking all the way to the kitchen, Meg gave her family a speaking shrug in answer to their questioning

stares.

Upstairs, Mallatt drew a deep breath and mentally girded himself for battle.

"Mallatt, will you please explain to Lord Tretain that I..."

"Yes, Mallatt," mimicked Lord Adrian angrily, "will you explain how I happen to wake with a cracked skull and a witless wench abed with me who tried to finish the work."

"Perhaps, my lord, it would be far better for you to explain to Mallatt your behaviour," rasped Lady

Juliane derisively.

"I do not explain my behaviour to servants," Tretain retorted. "My behaviour! It was not I who came to your bed," he flung back.

This momentarily silenced Lady Juliane.

Mallatt deemed it wise to step into the. breech. "Now, my lord, please calm yourself. This can be explained."

"Then do so!"

"The cracked skull came about when the phaeton overturned. After the accident, Lady Juliane's postilion refused to go on-in fact he turned about. It seemed most ungracious, even the act of a heartless bounder, to permit the lady and her two small children stranded in such weather. What could I do but accede to their coming with us?"

"What could you do indeed!"

"There is no need for you to use that tone with Mallatt, my lord," snapped Lady Juliane. "I a.s.sure you he had little choice in the matter."

"What right have you to say what tone I will use with my servants?" Lord Adrian barked back.

"Every right, my lord, as I am the cause of his being in your 'poor' graces, although I doubt that there is

such a thing as being in your 'good' graces," she snapped back.

"Mallatt, remove this woman before I lose my temper."

"You've already lost much more than that, my lord," pursued Juliane. "Perchance, you wish to remove

me yourself?

"Mallatt certainly is too well mannered. How unfortunate his master is not also."

The valet's expression became more pained upon each word. This was hardly the auspicious beginning

that he had in mind for the pair.

"Please, my lord ... my lady, if you could be silent for a moment, I will explain the situation."

Both bit back words and glared at him.

Mallatt said hastily, "There was naught to do but that Lady Juliane and her tykes come with us.

Somehow in the dense snowfall, we missed the inn. By some far chance we were found by Jove and his sons. By that time we were all near frozen insensible and quite unable to explain the situation.

"Quite simply he good farmer and his wife decided that you and Lady Juliane were man and wife. A

"By the time Lady Juliane and I regained our wits, the damage had been done. We could not explain without harming Lady Juliane's reputation. It seemed simpler to maintain the misunderstanding until leaving. At the time there seemed to be little harm that could come to any of us by doing so.

"I might add, my lord, that Lady Juliane nursed you most competently and dedicatedly through your bout with the fever. This in addition to caring for her small daughter who also was ill.

"I imagine," Mallatt said with asperity, "that you discovered Lady Juliane abed with you due to the chill of the room and her sheer exhaustion. You have been ill several days now," he finished curtly.

Lord Adrian swung his gaze from Mallatt to the glaring Lady Juliane, then back to his valet. "And what, in your opinion, should we do now?" he asked sarcastically.

"That, my lord, is your decision, of course. Although," Mallatt coughed, "there is an added circ.u.mstance you should be apprised of before you make any decision."

"What is that?"