Rainbows and Rapture (54 page)

“Which brings me to another question. How can you give him duke lessons when you know nothing about the English aristocracy?” Big sat back down and drummed his fingers on his knee.

“Big, you do love to ask picky questions, don’t you?” Goldie sighed, then continued before he could reply. “Mildred Fickle knew, and so did Aunt Delia. There are all sorts of noble-folk descriptions in her diaries. See, other dukish people used to come visit the Tremaynes. Aunt Delia wrote all about ’em. ’Course, a lot of what she wrote is messed up by those water stains I told you about, but I can guess at what I can’t read. Y’know what a good guesser I am, Big. And Mildred Fickle said noble people sniff each bite of food before they eat it. She said that custom probably came from back when noble people were always gettin’ poisoned by their enemies. Smellin’ his food will be the first thing I teach my duke. Yeah, food-sniffin’ is high on the list for duke requirements. And ’course we’ll get glimpses of
real
dukes when we get to London.”

“London!” Big bolted to his feet again.

“Well, of course
London!
” She turned toward the fields and held her arms open wide as if embracing the distant city. “Big, we have lots of duke research to do! What better place to do it? All those bluebloods congregate there, and—Do you think their blood is really blue?”

Big was so exasperated he couldn’t answer.

Goldie hugged herself, supremely proud of her grand plan. “After we’ve learned all we can from our duke-spyin’ in London, we’ll come back here. By that time I hope I’ll have figured out what to do about a fancy carriage and horses to pull it. We’ll—”

“Goldie!” Asa shouted from inside the cottage. “Where the hell are you, you worthless, good-for-nothin’ twit! I want my damn dinner, and I don’t see a blasted thing in here cookin’! Goldie!”

Big’s heart lurched when he saw the pink in her cheeks pale. “Goldie, don’t you listen to him. You—”

“It’s all right, Big,” she squeaked, turning away so he wouldn’t see her tears. “I gotta go. He’s probably got him one of his day-after headaches, and y’know how frenzied he gets when he’s feelin’ low and hungry at the same time.” She hurried to the door, but turned back to Big before she opened it.

“Big,” she began, chewing her bottom lip. “I’ve got to find my common man just as fast as I can. There’s just no tellin’ what kinda trouble Uncle Asa’ll get into while I’m gone. I’ll have to get back to Hallensham as soon as I’ve got Duke Marion. Big…I could really use your help, but you never did say if you’d give it to me or not. I’m gonna go through with the plan no matter if you go with me or not, but—Big, will you help me?”

He gazed into Goldie’s huge, amber eyes and saw her hope. “We’ll find your Duke Ravenhurst, Goldie. If we have to scour all of England, we’ll find him that damn blueblood.”

She let go of the doorknob and gave him an impulsive hug.

“Now, now,” Big said, embarrassed, “go get Asa’s dinner or there’ll be hell to pay.”

She smiled and turned back to the door. “Oh, by the way, the new word for the day is
risible
. It means ‘capable of laughing.’ So if someone has a sense of humor, I reckon you could say he’s
risible
. With that, she disappeared into the cottage.

Big sighed. Goldie loved learning new words, and found a new one every day in her precious dictionary. She made Big learn them too. It was rare when either one of them remembered to use the words, but that never deterred Goldie. “Risible,” he muttered down to Runt, who was nipping his pant leg. “I wish I were
more
risible. It would make these wild plans she’s dreamed up a whole lot easier to take.”

He looked out at the countryside and thought about all she’d told him. “Duke lessons, Runt.
Food-sniffing
of all things! Lord have mercy, I don’t know who to feel sorrier for—Goldie or her duke.”

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