My Heart's Desire by Patricia Grasso

Author:Patricia Grasso
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-08-11T23:05:09+00:00

"Well, how do I look?"

"Pretty."

Blythe smiled at the five-year-old and walked around the privacy screen to stand in front of the looking glass. She turned this way and that way to judge for herself exactly how she appeared.

Wearing a violet and gold brocaded gown, Blythe had never looked more beautiful. The gown featured a squared neckline and long, tight-fitting sleeves that ended in a point at her wrists. She wore her cross of Wotan above the low-cut bodice.

Blythe worried her bottom lip with her teeth and wondered if Roger would think her neckline too revealing.

The better to seduce him into your bed, Grandmama Chessy would say.

So be it, Blythe agreed.

Hand in hand, Blythe and Miranda walked down the stairs to the foyer. Entering the great hall, they saw that the family had already gathered in front of the hearth. In unison her Debrett inlaws turned to stare at her, but it was her husband's expression on which she fixed her gaze. Roger watched her through blue eyes that gleamed with approval and possession.

Ever the courtier, Geoffrey stepped forward first. He grasped her hand and bowed low over it, murmuring, "Your beauty does shame the sweetest flower in field or garden."

His outrageous compliment made Blythe smile. "Sir, you haven't commented upon my companion's appearance," she said.

"How frightfully remiss of me," Geoffrey replied. He bowed low over his niece's hand and said, "Mistress Miranda, you are a promising bud about to bloom into a perfect flower."

Miranda giggled.

"Do you think he says such pretty words to all the ladies?" Blythe asked her stepdaughter.

"Of course he does," Roger answered.

Blythe looked at her husband, who was staring coldly at his youngest brother's back, and then glanced at Cedric, who stared boldly at her cleavage.

"What a beautiful and unusual pendant," Cedric remarked.

Blythe knew he hadn't been perusing her necklace, but chose to play along. " 'Twas Roger's gift to me on my thirteenth birthday," she told him.

"My brother has impeccable taste," Cedric said, again dropping his gaze to her body.

"I do believe supper is ready," Roger said, offering her his arm.

Blythe gave him her brightest smile. Without relinquishing her stepdaughter's hand, she reached for his arm but stopped when a commotion near the hall's entrance drew her attention.

"Don't bother to announce me, Bottoms," said a female's voice. A sultry female voice.

Blythe stared at the voluptuous woman with flaming red hair who appeared in the entrance and hurried across the hall toward them.

"I sneaked away from Reggie as soon as he fell asleep," the woman purred, throwing herself into Roger's arms. "I simply could not wait another moment to welcome you home from the Tower."

A bolt of jealousy shot through Blythe. Apparently, this was one of the mistresses to whom Lady Tessie had referred.

Soon-to-be ex-mistress, Blythe promised herself.

When she heard Geoffrey chuckling, Blythe realized her expression mirrored her thought. She turned her face into an expressionless mask and cleared her throat.

"Rhoda, I present my wife," Roger said, disentangling himself from the redhead's arms. "Blythe, this is Lady Rhoda Bellows, a family friend.

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