Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

"Oh, dear. Why is she doing such a thing, Lyonel?"

"I have a question first for Diana, Lucia. Did you speak to the lady?"

Diana shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Well, yes, perhaps. Do you remember when I went to the ladies' withdrawing room?"

"I remember very well. You had imbibed too much champagne and needed to ---"

"Lyonel!"

"Forgive me, Lucia."

"She was there, waiting for me. She was the impertinent one! And I might add, I defended you, my lord. She was warning me about your vile character and your nasty temper."

That brought Lyonel upright. "She what?"

"She was warning me of you---"

"I heard you well enough. All right, you see, don't you, Lucia? My association with Diana can only hurt her chances now that Charlotte has decided to be petty."

"I dished her up in her own sauce," Diana said with great relish.

"She was the more ruthless. She dished you up in everyone else' sauce."

"Quiet, both of you," said Lucia. "I must think. In a sense, I am glad that Charlotte has shown her true colors immediately. I, as you know, Lyonel, am not without influence. I will not allow her to continue her malignant, very untrue, gossip. She is the one on the edge of social ruin."

"It appears she trusts my gentleman's honor not to betray her," said Lyonel, his voice as dry as Morgan's Island, a small bump of land in the Caribbean that sported not one tree or shrub.

"Betray her? What did she do? I thought she was the one who br

oke off your engagement? Why she told me that ---"

"Shut up, Diana."

"No, my dear child, it was Lyonel who broke it off. I will make it clear to the chit that if she doesn't muzzle her mouth, it will become known exactly why he did it."

"No, Lucia. I forbid it."

Diana bounced forward on her seat. "Why? I do not understand you. You have done nothing but insult me from the moment we met, yet this woman, who isn't at all nice, you wish to protect. Do you still love her? Is that the reason?"

Lyonel sighed. "Lucia, try to find her a mute for a husband. No, better yet, he had better be deaf."

"You do still love her! You are so weak and ---"

"Now, now, my dear. Let us hear no more about it. Ah, home at last."

"At last is right," said Lyon.

He assisted Lucia from the brougham, then held out his hand to Diana.

"You see, it is like this," Diana said, hanging back. "I cannot put my slippers back on. My feet are too swelled."

He cursed under his breath. "Oh, come here!"

To her surprise, he grasped her about the waist and lifted her from the carriage into his arms. "You will certainly strain my back."

Even as he spoke the words, he was very aware of her warm body against his, her breasts pressed against his chest, the very womanly thighs against his arms.

He said under his breath, "Tomorrow, the very first thing tomorrow, I will take care of this."