Grasso, Patricia (25 page)

Louise Devereux sighed inwardly at the bud of love she saw blossoming between her only son and the lovely girl beside him. Her future daughter-in-law wasn't at all what she'd expected—a fact that pleased her immeasurably. She disliked the shallow misses at the Tudor court. "Richard made a fortune from Essex's wool trade and Colchester mussels," the dowager countess remarked, watching closely for the girl's reaction to her son's great wealth.

Keely cast the earl an admonishing glance and said, "I do hope you haven't cheated anyone."

"I would never do that," Richard assured her.

"Why should you care if the earl cheats the peasants?" Morgana entered the conversation. " 'Twould mean more coins in your pocket if he did."

"Your thoughts mirror mine," Baron Smythe said to the blond beauty. "A man needs to look after his own."

"Farmers and fishermen and merchants are
not
peasants," Richard informed them. "Because I treat them fairly, they fight to do business with me. Thus, I accumulate even more gold than I could otherwise."

" 'Tis profitable and honorable," Keely praised the earl, gazing at him with an expression of adoration.

"Why do you even bother?" the baron asked. "Working is so plebeian, and you have more than enough money."

"My lord finds a respectable day's labor most rewarding," Keely shot back, irritated by the baron's criticism.

Richard chuckled and leaned close. "Sweetheart, I am quite capable of defending the way I choose to live," he assured her.

"I would never defend you," Keely said, feigning innocence, making the earl smile. "I merely wished to explain why you work so hard, in case the baron would care to try it sometime."

Several servants entered the chamber from the doorway behind the Countess of Cheshire. One man brought bowls of artichokes dressed in oil and vinegar, while another served them turnips and cabbage. A third carried a tray laden with a variety of Cheshire's best cheeses. Meade walked into the chamber last, and what he carried shocked the watching diners into silence.

Instead of placing the meat platter in front of the duke, as was the custom, Meade set it down before the Countess of Cheshire. It took less than two seconds for Lady Dawn to react to what she saw.

There on the sterling silver tray rested a roasted goose. A gold collar inlaid with diamonds and emeralds adorned what had once been a long neck.

"Anthony!" the Countess of Cheshire cried, and swooned.

Duke Robert leaped out of his chair and raced around the table, while the earl and the baron, seated closer to the unconscious woman, jumped up to assist her and kept her from falling. The duke slapped his beloved's face lightly. When she moaned and her eyes fluttered open, Duke Robert turned a murderous glare on his major-domo.

Richard heard Henry chuckling behind him. He whirled around and caught Keely holding her hand in front of her mouth, while her shoulders shook with suppressed merriment.

Honk! Honk! Honk!

The real Anthony waddled into the room. Behind the goose walked Jasper and Bart.

"My beautiful baby bird," the countess cooed. She roused herself enough to break off a piece of bread and offered it to Anthony. The goose gobbled it up and honked for more.

"Return Anthony to the safety of his chamber," the countess ordered the two boys.

Duke Robert returned to his chair, as did the earl and the baron. Livid, the duke leveled a furious stare at his smiling son and his giggling oldest daughter.

Faced with his anger, Keely struggled against her laughter and won. "I do apologize," she said to the countess. "Pranking you was Henry's idea."

Heedless of his father's fury, the young marquess accepted full credit for the disturbance. "We pranked you good," he told the countess. " 'Twas almost too easy to fool you."

"I haven't had this much excitement since my own children were young," the earl's mother said. "I can hardly wait until Devereux House echoes with the sounds of my own grandchildren's laughter." Her remark calmed everyone, including the duke who managed a faint smile.

"I cannot imagine the earl as a boy. Can you tell me what he was like?" Keely said, glancing sidelong at him.

"Richard was even more arrogant a boy than he is a man," his mother told her. "Three older sisters managed to keep him humble."

"Those three witches are the most incorrigible hoydens I ever met," Richard said. He winked at the countess and teased, "Shame on you, Mother, for raising such disreputable females."

"I raised my girls the same as my son," she shot back. "You turned out rather nicely."

Richard grinned. "My brothers-in-law would tell you their wives lack obedience."

"Piss on obedience," the dowager countess said. "Life is for living, not obeying." She looked at her future daughter-in-law and advised, "Do not believe his lies, child. A smidgeon of challenge keeps a man's interest primed."

Keely smiled and said, "Please tell me about your daughters."

"Kathryn lives with her husband in Ireland and has made me a grandmother six times," the countess replied.

"Three boys and three girls," Richard said.

"Then there's Brigette, who lives in Scotland," the countess went on. "Iain and she have gifted me with four grandchildren."

"Three boys and one exceedingly spoiled girl," Uncle Hal added.

"As the saying goes, 'the leaves do not fall too far from the tree,' " Richard interjected. "I always wished Brigette would be blessed with a daughter who inherited her temperament."

"Heather married Prince Khalid and lives in Istanbul," the countess finished. "I have one grandson, two granddaughters, and a baby on the way from them."

"When Heather sailed to France nine years ago, pirates attacked her ship," Richard said. "Prince Khalid rescued her. They promptly fell in love and married." He glanced across the table at his stepfather and added, "Changing the subject a bit, are you interested in buying a few shares in my Levant Trading Company?"

Uncle Hal nodded and would have spoken, but Louise Devereux said, "Discussing business across the dinner table is terribly ill-mannered, Richard. Leave that dull subject for your study."

"How can you say that?" he asked, surprised by her unaccountable opinion.

" 'Tis dull to me," the countess insisted. "I warrant your bride-to-be would much rather speak of other things. Wouldn't you, my dear?"

"Why not tell us about
your
childhood?" Morgana said to Keely, then glanced down the table at the dowager countess. "Your future daughter-in-law was born on the wrong side of the blanket. For the earl's sake, I do hope she hasn't inherited any
bad
habits."

Keely flushed with hot embarrassment. But what could she say? Morgana had spoken with brutal honesty.

"Guard your manners," Duke Robert warned.

" 'Tis the truth," the blonde defended herself.

"Morgana, darling," the Countess of Cheshire drawled. "Swallow your tongue."

"My sentiments exactly," Richard said, glaring at the woman he'd briefly considered marrying.

"What a woman carries inside her heart is more valuable than into which household she was born," Louise Devereux told the blonde. "Though we select our spouses and our friends, choosing our family is beyond our ability. We're stuck with whatever fate gives us."

"Isn't that the God-awful truth," the Countess of Cheshire agreed, glancing with distaste at Morgana.

"Well said, my love," Duke Robert added.

Keely felt her brother nudging her thigh. Glancing down, she saw him giving her "the fig." How could she have forgotten that quaint English Samhuinn custom?

"My lady, you defend me so prettily," Keely said to the earl's mother. "I must say—" She held her right hand into the air and poked her thumb through her index and middle fingers.

Everyone but the earl gasped in horrified surprise. Richard bolted out of his chair, grabbed her wrist, and yanked her out of the room.

"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing?" Richard snapped as the door closed behind them. "Is that your idea of civilized behavior?"

"Is telling your mother I like her forbidden?" Keely asked, confused by his anger.

"Telling my mother—?" Richard's emerald eyes widened, and unexpectedly he shouted with laughter. "Dearest, this"—he gave her the fig—"means 'fuck you.' "

"Holy stones! Henry pranked me," Keely cried, her hands flying to her breast as she realized the enormity of what she'd done. "Oh, Richard," she moaned. "I told your mother—what will I do?"

Richard pulled her into the circle of his arms and said in a husky voice, "I like the sound of my name on your lips."

"Hang that," Keely groaned. "I can never face your mother again."

"Consider the bright side, dearest. Queen Elizabeth could have been sitting in my mother's place."

Keely couldn't quite suppress the horrified giggle that bubbled up in her throat.

"I'll make the necessary explanation," Richard said, taking her hand.

Everyone was awkwardly silent when the couple returned to the dining chamber. They'd heard the earl's anger and then his peal of laughter.

Richard cleared his throat and, fighting against a smile, announced, " 'Twould appear that Keely has become the butt of a Halloween prank. Henry told her that gesture meant 'I like you.' "

"I'm sincerely sorry," Keely apologized to the earl's mother. Sliding into her seat, she promised her brother, "I'm going to strangle you."

"Give over," Henry said, wearing the most unrepentant grin. " 'Twas a stroke of genius and the best Halloween prank yet, though roasting Anthony was fun." He glanced at the earl and threatened, "Wait until you discover what we've planned for you."

Richard cast the boy an unamused look. "Henry, I shall derive the greatest pleasure from holding you down while Keely squeezes the life's breath from your devious body."

"I'll help," Morgana piped up. "And so will I," the Countess of Cheshire said. Keely looked at the dowager countess. "Would you care to join our Halloween celebration tonight?"

Louise Devereux smiled, delighted with the ebony-haired beauty. "My dear, I cannot think of anything I'd enjoy more."

Beside her, Uncle Hal cleared his throat.

"On the other hand, I can think of one activity that's infinitely more pleasurable," his wife amended, winking at her future daughter-in-law.

"What could that be?" Keely asked in virginal ignorance. "We could include it in tonight's celebration."

Everyone laughed at her expense. Keely blushed, though she couldn't understand what they found so amusing.

"She was referring to what lovers do," Richard explained in a whisper, leaning disturbingly close. "What we shall be doing ten nights from now...."

Chapter 11

"What lovers do..."

Remembering the earl's whispered words brought a hot flush to Keely's cheeks and a melting sensation in the pit of her stomach.

Is this desire? Keely wondered as she stared with unseeing eyes out her bedchamber window. Again she felt his warm breath tickling her ear, his sensual lips pressed to hers, his strong hands and his heated gaze caressing her naked breasts.

Pulling herself out of the sensual reverie, Keely gave herself a mental shake. The earl was becoming too important to her. Never would she give her heart or her trust to a man, least of all an English noble.

Becoming aware of her surroundings, Keely gazed with anticipation at the darkening sky and smiled to herself. Samhuinn dusk shrouded the earth.

Her gaze dropped to the section of the duke's garden near the River Thames. Odo and Hew had worked hard all afternoon to build a circle of stone for the Samhuinn fire. They'd filled the stone circle with kindling of yew, the sacred tree of eternity. Now all stood in readiness awaiting the enchanted night.

Dressed completely in black, Keely looked like a stable-boy instead of a young woman on the threshold of marriage. She wore tight breeches, baggy shirt, leather jerkin, and scuffed boots. A black woolen cap hid her thick mane of ebony.

"I found a cork," Henry announced, barging into her chamber. "I do hope Papa prefers his wine breathing."

Smiling, Keely turned away from the window and told him, "I've selected your clothing for tonight."

"How can I catch any pretty maids if I'm dressed like a girl?" he grumbled.

" 'Tis the ancient Samhuinn custom to disguise yourself as the opposite sex," she explained. "Besides, you'll overhear them discussing your prowess and wondering where you are."

His blue eyes narrowed on her. "Are you pranking me?"

"Would I do that?"

"Yes."

Keely laughed at his suspicion. "I swear 'tis truth. Put these on."

Over his own clothing, Henry donned a threadbare violet wool skirt and linen blouse. Last came a hooded black cloak.

"Keep your head covered," Keely told him, "or no one will believe 'tis me."

"I need a couple of muskmelons."

"Why?" she asked, puzzled.

Henry grinned wickedly. "I cannot be a girl unless I have a pair of titties. I want big ones, too."

Keely blushed.

"On the other hand, two gooseberries will do, since I'm supposed to be you," he teased.

"Very funny," Keely said, slapping his arm playfully. She stepped back a couple of paces and inspected him. "You do look like a girl."

"Turn around," Henry ordered. Then: " 'Tis incredible, sister. You look exactly like a stableboy."

Clutching the wine cork and her brother's dagger, Keely headed for the hearth. She stuck one end of the cork onto the dagger and held the other end to the flame until it charred. Then she blew on the cork to cool it.

"Stand still," Keely said. Using the charred end of the cork, she blackened her brother's face and explained, "Evil spirits cannot recognize us and follow us home if we blacken our faces."

"I wish we had a full moon tonight," Henry said as she streaked his face.

"We always celebrate Samhuinn during the dark moon," Keely informed him. "Never during October's full Hunter's Moon."

"But why?"