The Countess Lends a Hand by Bonnie Dee

Author:Bonnie Dee [Dee, Bonnie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical, General
ISBN: 9781605042701
Google: ry6_jKUNPn4C
Amazon: B001KC6Y1G
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Published: 2008-12-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

“You were right. I was wrong. Disaster is brewing and it’s all my fault. Cecile has fallen in love!”

Meredith steamed up the flagstone path between the lush garden beds toward Chris. Her periwinkle

blue dress fluttered around her, making her look like one of the flowers herself—a very energetic

flower with a histrionic voice. Her curls, which she’d arranged into a cluster on top of her head,

were falling from the dark blue ribbon that bound them. Her fine brows were drawn together into a

gargoyle scowl and her eyes were gray thunderheads.

“You warned me, but would I listen? No. And now,” —she waved the paper in her hand—“it’s all

come about exactly as you predicted. My poor Cecile has fallen in love with Sir Nathaniel. It’s a

catastrophe in the making.”

Chris wiped the dirt from his hands on his trousers and pushed a lock of hair from his forehead with

the back of one wrist. The conservatory was steaming today even with the ventilation windows

open. He rose to his feet as Meredith sank onto the nearest bench beside the trickling fountain

where dryads cavorted.

“Listen to this.” She opened the missive and read.

“My dearest Madame, I thank you for your aid in securing the object of my desire. My time with Sir

Nathaniel Covington has been most delightful, and thus I am extending my visit. I apologize for any

inconvenience my continued absence may cause and understand if you can hold my position no

longer. I do, however, intend to return when this visit inevitably ends and greatly desire to remain in

your employ if you would have me. Thank you once more for your efforts on my behalf.

Your devoted servant, Cecile.”

“You see?” Meredith said. “Hopelessly enamored.”

Sitting beside her on the bench, Chris rubbed her back. “She’s hardly proclaiming her undying love

for the man.”

“You don’t understand. With Cecile it’s the unspoken words between the lines that tell what she is

thinking. ‘Delightful’ means she has fallen deeply, but she knows it will ‘inevitably end’ which will

devastate her, all because I meddled and put temptation in her way. If I hadn’t encouraged her

attraction to Covington, it would’ve have remained in the realm of a private fantasy never acted on.

As it is, she’s sure to have her heart broken as you suggested.”

If he felt a fleeting flash of vindication, Chris suppressed it immediately. “Perhaps not, my love.

Maybe we can help Cecile.”

Meredith looked at him, her eyes glistening. “Set her up with a stipend at her disposal and forged

paperwork to prove her lineage? It’s a wild idea, but I suppose it’s possible.”

“No! I meant it’s not too late for her to tell the truth, with our support in explaining the duplicity.

From the letter it sounds as though the man cares for her. He might forgive the lying since Cecile

felt it was the only means for her to get better acquainted with him. It’s not inconceivable.” He gave

Meredith a pointed look and knew from her expression she understood it was their situation to

which he referred. He didn’t mean to keep alluding to the past and considered

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