The Rules of Love by Amanda McCabe

Author:Amanda McCabe
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
Publisher: InterMix
Published: 2012-12-10T13:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

“True friendship is one of life’s greatest treasures.”

—A Lady’s Rules for Proper Behavior, Chapter Three

R osalind was deep in delicious sleep, just clinging to the edges of a half-remembered dream, when she became aware that someone was sitting at her bedside, watching her intently.

She suddenly remembered that strange man she had seen watching the house, and she sat up with a terrified gasp—only to find Georgina perched on the edge of the bed, like a morning bluebird in her sky-colored dressing gown.

“Georgie!” she screamed. “You scared me out of my wits. What are you doing here so early? You never rise before ten at the least. Is something amiss?”

“Not a thing, as far as I know. I’m sorry I woke you,” Georgina said, looking not in the least repentant. “But I thought you might want to see these, and you were sleeping ever so late. Late for you, anyway.”

Rosalind, finally able to catch her breath, noticed what Georgina held on her lap. A bouquet of white roses and a small, ribbon-tied box. “Flowers? You had to wake me especially for that?” Rosalind wondered if she was still dreaming.

“Not just any flowers. They are from Lord Morley, as is the box. And I have not even peeped inside, though I am aching to know what is there!” She deposited the offerings on the counterpane next to Rosalind.

Rosalind stared down at the flowers. Now she knew she was still dreaming, if she was receiving gifts from Lord Morley before the household was even awake. She slowly reached out with one fingertip to touch the blossoms, half expecting to feel the warmth of his skin there. She felt only the cool lushness of a petal.

Georgina stretched out beside her, and for one moment Rosalind felt like a schoolgirl again. She and Georgina and Elizabeth Everdean had often stayed up late to talk and giggle, mostly over young men and imagined romances. But she had never known anyone like Lord Morley when she was fifteen. She had not even dreamed there could be someone like him.

“Well?” Georgina prompted impatiently. “Aren’t you going to open the box?”

Rosalind slowly pulled at the end of the satin ribbon and drew it off the box. She lifted the lid—and laughed.

“What?” Georgina cried. “What is it?”

“Cakes,” answered Rosalind.

Georgina scowled in disappointment. “Just cakes? No emeralds or anything like that?”

“Certainly not. Even Lord Morley is not so wildly improper as to send me emeralds. And cakes are fine enough, when they are marzipan-frosted cakes from Gunter’s.”

“So they are from Morley, then?”

“I believe so. No one else would be sending me flowers and cakes.” Rosalind was amazed that Lord Morley would send gifts. She was hardly his usual sort, she thought, remembering Lady Clarke and her daring, close-fitting gowns. But it was nice to receive them all the same.

She took one of the tiny, luscious cakes and popped it into her mouth. As she did this, she saw the neatly folded note tucked among the sweets.

“My dear Mrs. Chase,” it read.

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