Calypso Magic (Magic Trilogy 2)

He turned his back to her and fetched a glass of brandy from the liquor cabinet.

He tossed it down, drew a deep breath, and turned to face her. "Oh, sit down. You have ten minutes, then you are leaving."

"Such a gracious host," she said, and eased down into a leather armchair.

He merely looked at her, his face a study of irritation and long suffering.

"You must come to see Lucia. Charlotte has been spreading more venom and she is most desirous of having you aid her in a counterattack."

"I will come this evening. I believe Lucia said she'd managed vouchers for Almack's. I will escort you. Anything else?"

"I want to know what is wrong with you. Why haven't you come?"

"I've been rather occupied."

"Doing what, for heaven's sake? Ah, you've been at a gaming hell, haven't you? Have you lost your fortune? Will you blow your brains out?"

He sighed and ran his hand through his already rumpled hair. "Where, I dread to inquire, did you hear that term?"

"Gaming hell? I overheard Jamison --- he's the second footman who accompanied me here --- he was talking to Aunt Lucia's driver."

"A foolish question. No, I wasn't at a gaming hell."

"Then, where were you?"

"It is none of your damned affair, Diana."

"Ah, I know. You were hiding from your precious Charlotte!"

Her tone was so insulting, so very nasty, he forgot his resolution, forgot that she was a young lady, and nearly yelled at her, "I was with my new mistress, damn your impertinence!" The instant the words were out of his mouth, he cursed.

Diana's eyes widened. "Is she here? Upstairs in youryour bedchamber?"

Lyonel was without words. He turned back to pour himself another brandy.

He said over his shoulder, "I fully intend to beat you, Diana."

4

Nothing annoys a man more than not being taken seriously.

—PALACIO VALDS

"You intend to do what?" Laughter spilled from her mouth, pure and loud, until she was hiccuping and holding her stomach.

He eyed her show of hilarity, then sighed. "I would like to thrash you, but I suppose you would do your female utmost to destroy my manhood, were I to try it."

"That, cousin, would be only the beginning of what I would do to you." She hiccuped again.

"Let us strive for some maidenly decorum, Diana. You really shouldn't know a thing about my manhood or how to bring it and me, as the natural course of things, low."

"I am not stupid, Lyonel, nor was I raised with horse blinders to protect me from the natural course of things around me." She had the gall to giggle.

"No, I suppose not," he said, his eyes narrowed, "but you are most certainly fast becoming a thorn in my flesh. But then again, I suppose a thorn is natural enough."

Diana ignored that provocation for the moment, harking back to this mistress business. "Why are you so ill-looking? Surely a little amour is for your, well, entertainment. Were you outrageous to her? Did she hurt you?"

"On the contrary."