Lord Rivenhall Returns by Fenella J Miller

Author:Fenella J Miller [Miller, Fenella J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2013-12-09T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

Amelia dressed carefully for dinner, selecting a demure, but elegant, rose damask which emphasized her dark hair and pale oval face. As she had feared Rivenhall was once more in residence and waiting with Richard in the drawing room for her arrival.

‘Good evening, Cousin Amelia, I hope I find you well.’ He stepped forward expecting her to offer her hand. She did not.

‘Good evening, sir.’ Her voice was cold, her manner distant. She inclined her head a fraction and turned away to face Lord Rivenhall. ‘Good evening, Lord Rivenhall. I trust I have not kept you waiting long?’

His nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed. ‘No, Miss Rivenhall, you have not.’

Foster appeared at the door to announce dinner. Richard offered his arm, as was polite, but she ignored him, which was impolite, and stalked into the dining room. The only person pleased by this display was the unwanted guest. Amelia replied to direct questions from either man courteously but briefly. As the gentleman had nothing to say to each other by the time the dessert was presented conversation had died.

‘If you will excuse me, I shall leave you to your port. I have a slight megrim and am going to retire early this evening. Goodnight.’

Both men stood up, their chairs scraping noisily in the hostile silence, and bowed. Neither spoke – Rivenhall because he had nothing to say, Cousin Richard because he was probably too angry to trust himself to say anything polite.

Well satisfied by her performance at dinner she glided upstairs. She would not have been so sanguine had she been privy to Richard’s thoughts.

*

As the dining room door closed behind her he pushed his chair back savagely. ‘Well, Rivenhall, when are your lawyers coming? The sooner we get this farce settled the better.’

The popinjay flinched. ‘They will be here tomorrow. Do you have a legal person coming?’

Richard stared at him with dislike. ‘No, of course not, why should I? It is not I who needs to prove anything, it is you. I have estate work to complete so I will bid you goodnight, Rivenhall.’

Richard not waiting or wishing for a reply strode off, slamming the door with such force that Foster, lurking outside, was forced to leap in a manner not fitted to his dignity to one side to avoid being flattened against the wall.

*

Amelia took breakfast in her room then as the weather was clement decided to take Sultan for a gallop. On her return to the stable she saw a chaise trundling down the drive. The lawyers had arrived. The issues would be settled and by the end of the day there might be a different Lord Rivenhall in place. Her stomach lurched unpleasantly and she blamed her meal.

Not sure if she would be required in the library by the lawyers she took special pains with her appearance. The high-waisted, leaf-green, spotted damask emphasized her tall figure and set off her green eyes to perfection.

Determined not to allow herself to become confined to her rooms she swept downstairs as coffee was being taken into Rivenhall and his lawyers.

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