Rogue's Lady by Julia Justiss

Author:Julia Justiss [Justiss, Julia]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General, Historical, Historical Fiction, Romance Fiction
ISBN: 9780263221657
Google: 8HFyZV7ff_cC
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2006-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

MRS. RANDALL LOOKED UP as they reentered the parlor. “Ah, how fortuitous! I’ve just finished the last of my letters. Did you have a pleasant walk?”

“Very pleasant,” Allegra replied.

“You didn’t get too chilled?” her chaperone inquired.

To Will’s gratification, a blush colored Allegra’s cheeks. “No, the sun was quite warm.”

Mrs. Randall frowned. “And I thought the sky had come over cloudy. Well, no matter. I do wish I might have joined you. Though London is full of amusements, I must admit that I miss the beauty and peace of the countryside.”

A sudden, reckless idea formed in Will’s head. Allegra wanted to spend time in his company to provoke Lynton. Mrs. Randall pined for the country. And Will needed to do something quickly to squelch his growing compulsion to be near Allegra.

If the ladies agreed to it, this scheme was likely to inflame Lynton to the point of making some dramatic move to secure Allegra’s affections—if he ever meant to. It might infuriate him enough that Will could maneuver him into a bout of fisticuffs, a prospect Will found vastly appealing. Bloodying her beloved’s nose would probably give the bewitching Allegra a distaste for his company—if viewing his decrepit ruin of an estate didn’t send her fleeing first. He would be left in peace to pursue one of Lucilla’s approved heiresses.

He pushed aside the fact that pursuing other heiresses held no appeal at all.

“Miss Antinori and I have just been talking about taking a drive. But now that you mention a visit to the country, Mrs. Randall, what if we were all to ride out to Brookwillow? If we leave early enough, we can reach the estate by midday. The inn in the village has a tolerable lunch, and we could be back to London before nightfall.”

Mrs. Randall sighed. “Oh, a day trip out of London does sound lovely! Where is your estate located?”

“In Hampshire, about five miles from Hemley.”

“Hemley?” Mrs. Randall echoed. “Why, one of my dearest friends resides just south of the village!”

“Then we should certainly stop and call on her,” Will replied. “Would you like to go, Miss Antinori?”

“I would indeed,” she replied. “A day out of the smoke and crowds of London sounds delightful.”

“If your estate is located near Amelia’s home, ’tis rather ambitious to speak of driving there and back in a single day,” Mrs. Randall said, frowning. “Oh, I’ve no doubt you do so often enough on horseback, but the journey by carriage would be slower.”

Before Will could think of some other inducement, Mrs. Randall’s brow smoothed. “But I’m sure Amelia would be happy to have Allegra and I stay the night with her. You could leave us at Pinetree Manor after we visit your estate and return the next day to escort us back to London, if that would be agreeable to you, Lord Tavener.”

Two days out of London to walk with and talk with and tease Allegra Antinori. Even though his supposed goal was to put her at a distance, the prospect electrified Will. “That would doubtless make the excursion more comfortable,” he replied.

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