My Sweet Folly by Laura Kinsale

Author:Laura Kinsale [Kinsale, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Historical
ISBN: 9780425209790
Google: TPugAAAACAAJ
Amazon: B000QRII4M
Barnesnoble: B000QRII4M
Goodreads: 657046
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Published: 1997-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

"Well, that was quite stirring!" Folie exclaimed in satisfaction. The gardens smelled of acrid powder, multicolored smoke drifting through the trees. "I've never seen anything like!"

The music had resumed, sounding peculiarly muted after the noise and fury of the fireworks. People in the boxes began to gather their belongings.

"Oh, I wish it had never ended!" Melinda said. "That was better than a ball!"

The girls gushed and giggled while they collected shawls and reticules. When everything had been accounted for, they stepped out of the box, joining the flow of people headed for the river landing.

"I hope we can obtain a boat!" Lady Dingley said fretfully.

"Oh, Lander will see to it," Melinda said. "Mama, do you want my shawl, too? The water breeze is quite cool!"

Folie denied that she needed anything more than her blue kashmir. As they stood waiting with the growing knot of people on the landing, Lander made his way to the front to negotiate a passage. Folie turned back for one last look up at the gleaming garden lights.

Silhouetted figures moved against them, most walking toward the quay, others seeming to dart this way and that in the tricky light. She squinted, then looked closer at a man striding across the path.

Sir Howard! She had completely forgotten him. And obviously he was searching for them; he had that determined hunting pace, looking about him as he went.

"I will be back in just a moment," she said, touching Melinda's arm. "Hold the boat for me!"

Tucking her shawl about her, Folie hurried up the slope, leaving Melinda's puzzled protest behind. She caught a glimpse of Sir Howard's hat, and then lost him. Annoying man! Folie was of half a mind to leave him to his own devices. Why hadn't he come sooner, to their box? At least shown himself to Folie, if he would not approach Lady Dingley.

Folie paused at the entrance to the colonnade. She thought that she had lost him, but then saw him walk briskly through the opposite entrance. She lifted her skirt and ran after, calling.

He disappeared beyond the light. Folie dodged people walking toward her, determined by now to drag him back to Lady Dingley by main force if necessary. It was completely nonsensical, she thought, that two people who appeared to love one another deeply should entangle themselves in such a debacle that, they required an interpreter between them.

Just past the colonnade, she saw him walking up one of the shrub-lined garden alleys. Folie increased her pace. She started to call out again, but people were looking at her oddly as she hastened past, so she remained silent, her slippers patting the ground softly.

Folie had almost caught up when he turned onto a side path. She stopped abruptly, thinking that that was rather odd. Surely he could not expect to find them there, so far into the unlit garden. A cold doubt came over her — perhaps he was here for some furtive assignation with his housemaid.

She stepped into the shadowy path, leaning forward a little.

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