Mandy

Ned was eagerly gathering a variety of delectables onto the large tray he used as a plate and Mandy stopped a moment, eyes opened wide and she squealed with delight because she was starving and that trumped all else.

Chauncey grinned at her as she bit into a small mince meat pie and groaned with pleasure. While she was still chewing, she took up a berry tart and bit into that and Chauncey laughed. “Easy now, Missy or ye’ll be choking, ye will.”

With her mouth full, she managed to say, “Met…young…Sarah…from the house. Oh, this is so good.”

“What? Where?” Ned stuck in as he swallowed and continued to bite on a chicken leg.

“On the road…she was on…her way to market…” Mandy said, reaching for one of the drumsticks.

“On the road!” Ned stopped eating and stared at his sister. “What made you go to the road? What a perfectly gooseish thing to do.”

“Here is the thing,” Mandy started, “I was in the woods not far from the road, but out of sight and I saw her.” She clucked her tongue at her brother, who had made a face. “You know we can trust her and I wanted to speak to her about everything going on up at the house.” She forestalled her brother’s reply with a wave of her hand, “Don’t scold Ned, because, as it happens I learned something.”

“You learned something? Now what is that supposed to signify?” inquired her brother, as he reached for a piece of cake.

“‘Tis about Aunt Agatha,” Mandy returned one brow arched as she waited for her brother and Chauncey to give her their full attention.

“Aunt Agatha?” Ned groaned. “Dash it, Mandy ‘ole girl, not while I am eating.”

She glared at him, “Ned, don’t be so provoking. I tell you I have learned something important. Don’t you wish to know what that is?”

“I for one do…” said a strong male voice at her back. Her heart went into a series of flutters as she jerked around and her hand went to her chest. It was as though her world had suddenly thrown off the covers and light was everywhere with him at its center. He aroused her to feel so much an

d she felt a blush steal into her cheeks.

“Your Grace,” she murmured on a low note and did not meet his eyes. “I thought you would not be back again today…”

“Do I disappoint you then?” his voice teased, his blue eyes caressed and all the world for Mandy stopped.

Ned grinned and said, “What have you in that basket?”

The duke smiled ruefully and said, “Naught apparently to what you have before you. Egad, what a wondrous feast!” He turned to Chauncey, “How do you manage it?”

Ned had already taken the basket and exclaimed jovially, “Wine! Cheese…” he took a long whiff. “Fresh baked bread.”

The duke laughed, “I told the viscount’s cook that I was taking a very lovely woman on a picnic. There is a chicken pot pie there as well…”

Ned and Chauncey fell upon these and Mandy smiled up at the duke. He said softly, “Go ahead gamine…eat, you need to keep up your strength.”

She dropped down on the blanket Chauncey had produced and the duke took his place beside her. His nearness made her shudder and she chided herself for she felt as shy as a schoolgirl.

His eyes seemed to cherish her, as he took a chunk of cheese and fed her. She took a bite but it was so hard to swallow and he laughed and took up the glass of wine Ned handed to him, “Here love, we’ll share this.”

She took the sip he offered and quietly said, “Thank you,” as she watched him take a long sip, hand her the glass and take another chunk of cheese.

“Now, what about your Aunt Agatha?” the duke prompted.

“She had a visitor this morning,” Mandy said portentously. “Rawlings of Barings Bank in York.” She waited while Ned finished snorting and making remarks.

“And what is so unusual about that?” Ned shook his head, “Ain’t the first time the fellow has called on her. After all, he handles her account, such as it is.”

“I will tell you what is so unusual,” Mandy said and then grimaced as she tweaked her twin’s nose.

“Ouch,” he yelped and brushed his nose, “I don’t see that was called for.”

“Don’t you? Too bad, for then it means it might happen again,” his sister answered.

The duke watching the two barked a laugh. “Get back to your story, gamine.”