Hide and Seek by Sandra Heath

Author:Sandra Heath [Heath, Sandra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Regency Romance
Publisher: Belgrave House
Published: 2001-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Annabel was so shaken that the thunderstorm was suddenly forgotten. He had recognized her after all! She couldn’t look at him; indeed she didn’t know what to do. She felt alternately humiliated and angry. He had toyed with her from the moment she arrived, probably enjoying a great deal of amusement at her expense.

“Miss Gresham? If you wish to remain out here and become drenched, that is your prerogative, but I don’t think poor Percy deserves a soaking as well,” Richard said quietly.

She glanced down at the unfortunate pug, who was regarding her with mournful reproach as the rain tamped on his little face. “Oh,” she said lamely, and hastened back into the bedroom just as such a cloudburst commenced that Richard very hastily had to close the windows.

The rain made Toby get up from his chair in astonishment. “Good Lord, the heavens have opened!”

Richard looked out. “With luck it will not last long,” he said.

“I certainly hope not,” Toby replied, thinking of the journey back to the Dog and Duck.

Annabel glimpsed herself in a mirror. She realized she was the color of beetroot! If Toby were to notice, he would think she was burning up with a fever. Richard was looking at her, but she steadfastly ignored him. Instead, she made much of poor Percy, who was so frightened by a particularly loud thunderclap that he buried his head beneath her arm, his little body quivering. As she stroked and fussed him, she stole a glance at the rain on the glass, willing it to stop, for she felt so dreadful that all she wanted was to escape from this place.

Richard spoke to her again. “Miss Gresham, if you make too much of that pug, I warn you he will play to the gods, for he is a terrible ham.”

“I ... I am sure Percy will behave like a gentleman,” she replied, and at last looked at him. Let the pug not be the only one to behave like a gentleman her eyes entreated, but his face gave nothing away.

Toby was still observing the downpour. “This has a feel of being in for some time,” he said.

Richard nodded. “Yes. I hope it isn’t, however, because it does not take much to flood the lane that leads here. If the rain goes on like this for any time, I’ll send Mordecai out to see how things are. You can always stay here tonight.”

Annabel’s lips parted in horror. Stay here? No! Never! If she had to wade through that waterlogged lane up to her waist, she would do it! Anything rather than remain beneath this roof.

It was still pouring with a vengeance as they returned to the candlelit drawing room, where Mordecai had closed the French windows against the weather. Toby expressed a desire to play cards, but Annabel elected to sit on a sofa with Percy, who would not leave her for even a moment.

She watched Richard as he dealt the cards. But for his words on the balcony she still would not have known that he recognized her, for he gave no further sign.

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