Dangerous Masquerade (Regency Masquerade)

While they waited, he answered her question. “I was asking him about the horse. What caused it to rear. He said it had been mistreated by a groom who he dismissed.”

“So why was he on the floor?”

Luc narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Her question and tone of voice was surprisingly sharp for a distraught lady. Surely she hadn’t been playacting?

He watched her closely as he replied. “I might have been a little… enthusiastic in my request that he join me.”

Aunt Charity gave a small tremulous smile. “Perhaps you were.” Then gravely she asked him, “Did you believe him?”

Luc reflected back to his conversation with Danielson. He may have been telling the truth. He certainly sounded sincere.

But he didn’t believe him. Not one word.

“Of course I did. Of course.”

17

Ria wished the person groaning would cease. The noise was hurting her head. She went to ask them to stop but found her mouth was dry, her tongue swollen. Surprised, she realized the person groaning was her. She opened her eyes a little, but then shut them again quickly.

She heard Mary’s voice ask, “Is the light too bright for you, madam? I’ll close the curtains.” This was followed by the sound of footsteps and a rattle as curtains were drawn.

Cautiously Ria opened her eyes once again. With the curtains shut, the room was dimly lit by firelight. She couldn’t see the fire but could smell the burning wood, hear the crackling of the flames, and see their dancing shadows on the wall opposite the bed.

Also on that wall she could see the shadowy form of a washstand with a porcelain bowl and jug set on top. Standing next to it was a dressing table and mirror. On the other wall was a chest of drawers next to windows hung with muslin curtains. A braided rug covered part of the wooden floor.

None of it was familiar.

Mary was standing by the bed smiling down at her. “You are at Golden Lion, madam. Lord Arden brought you here after the accident.”

While Mary adjusted her sheets and plumped the feather quilt and bedcover, she quietly filled Ria in on the details. “The ladies are here. He arranged everything. Taken over the whole floor, we have. He—his lordship, that is—asked for it to be done, and before you knew it, we were all sorted. Almost as comfortable as if we were at home.” Mary looked across the bed and smiled warmly.

Tentatively Ria moved her head to the side and was surprised to see Luc asleep in a chair by her bed.

When Mary saw the direction she was looking, she smiled again, “He’s been here almost the whole time, madam. Wouldn’t leave your side, not even when the doctor tried to make him leave, or the ladies.”

At Mary’s words, she felt a piercing feeling inside her chest. Not painful. It was a sweet, wonderful sensation.

“The doctor said you should have some chicken broth as soon as you woke. I’ll just go and get it, madam.”

Then before Ria could say anything, Mary was gone.

She lay there watching Luc. In repose, his face was far gentler. She had never really studied it before. His nose was quite long. She liked his mouth. His lips were well defined, full, and very tempting.

His surprisingly long black eyelashes began to flutter. He opened his eyes and, unlike her, was instantly awake and alert. Seeing her watching him, he smiled. In that moment, his expression was unguarded, his joy evident.

Huskily, he asked her, “How do you feel?”

“Like I was kicked in the head by a horse.”

At her words, he looked surprised but then laughed. “Well, you haven’t lost your memory.”

She shuddered. “No, I remember every moment of it.”

“If you weren’t feeling so dreadful, I’d give you a lecture about not going near frightened horses…”

She closed her eyes and groaned, fearing that despite his words he was going to deliver the lecture.

Immediately he stopped talking. There was a sound of liquid being poured, and then he was asking her, “Do you want some water?”