Part 20 (1/2)

Juliane read the ardent question in them. Tumult wracked her heart, pus.h.i.+ng aside her carefully nourished

reservations. Slowly Adrian brushed a tendril from her cheek. His touch brought a flush to her cheeks. I must not let myself be drawn to this man, she thought, even as she yielded to the hand drawing her to him. Their lips brushed lightly. Juliane drew back. One last question had to be asked before she surrendered to the emotion pulsing through her.

”What, my angel?” Adrian asked with velvet gentleness, his desire tightly reined.

His withdrawal set Lady Juliane adrift in a sea of confusion with no lifeline near. Had she been saved, or had her chance for true happiness been lost?

Lord Adrian's shout of joy at the sight of the elegant gentleman entering was lost upon her, but the answering reply was not; it was French.

Juliane's confusion was replaced by fear and uncertainty as she rose to confront the two men gazing at

her. ”Ah, I can see why you were not to be disturbed, mon ami. Most decidedly.” He made a leg elegantly,moving his lace-covered hands in gallant acknowledgment of Lady Juliane. ”My dear, may I present Louis Joseph Marie Coceau, Comte de Cavilon.” She curtsied appropriately. ”Louis, my wife, Lady Juliane.” Lady Juliane glanced sharply at Lord Adrian and turned from his look. A look that could make one believe he had just introduced a woman whom he was proud and happy to call his wife. How skilful he is, she thought, hardening her heart. Lord Tretain is more dangerous than I imagined. No, Juliane amended sadly. It is your heart that threatens betrayal. She needed solitude to gain a firmer grip on her emotions.

”If you will excuse me, my lords, I must retire to dress for dinner.”

”Of course, Juliane,” replied Lord Adrian. He took her hand and led her to the door. ”I have instructed

Bess as to which gown I wish you to wear this evening. I will come to personally escort you to dinner,”

he added lowly so only she could hear.

Failing to fathom his look, Lady Juliane glanced beyond him. ”My lord,” she said, nodding to the comte as she left.

Lord Adrian watched her briefly, then turned back to his friend. ”Must you always have such abominable timing?” he uttered cryptically. ”One would think you Frenchmen know nothing of love.”

The comte puzzled over this, then laughed. ”I receive your most urgent summons, bid farewell to my

most promising 'companion, and travelled in the most d.a.m.nable weather. When I arrive I am informed

that you are with your 'family' and cannot be disturbed. ”Naturellement I was happy to be given occasion to make myself presentable, but to be kept waitingfor an hour by an epouse?” He c.o.c.ked his head in silent question.

”I did not think you would ever marry, mon ami. Do you not recall the time I discovered you in that little inn in Riems pretending to be a cleric? I had decided that was more than a masque.”

Tretain grinned wryly. ”Is that why you told the young lady there that I was dement?”

”How could I know you wished to hear her confession?” Cavilon asked as he sat with exaggerateddelicacy. ”So frauduleux,” he smiled. ”But effective-no thanks to you.” ”If I recall correctly, you were able to get your proof against Monsieur Refand. Has he had opportunity to sell more English military plans since then?

”But you know,” Cavilon continued, waving aside the obvious reply, ”your disguise as a chevaliershortly after that must have been vastly more entertaining. That time I was no hindrance.” ”No,” Tretain smiled warmly at his friend. ”Without you my life would have been forfeit, for they had grown suspicious. But that was long ago,” he shrugged the reminiscence aside. ”I was very green then.” ”Your government did not value you highly enough, Adrian, to have used you so dangerously.” ”They had to know if that villain the Comte de Pauleux was using his connections to pa.s.s on false information. The treaty for the Peace of Paris was being drafted ... But that was ten years past. The

comte was not successful. Neither was the treaty,” he ended wryly. ”Non,” Cavilon agreed. ”And you continue in your dangerous ways. Lord Palmer told me of your recentjourney to France and how fruitful it proved. You not only learned the direction of the army and itsgenerals' intent, but spirited Lord Evansly to freedom as well. ”I congratulate you, mon ami.” The comte eyed his friend steadily. ”You forget Arblay.” Adrian's lips tightened into a thin line. ”I was not able to secure his safety.” Cavilon shrugged. ”Yes, a regrettable loss but unavoidable in the circ.u.mstances. You betrayed nothing and nearly lost your life as well.” ”Arblay did lose his.” Tretain shook his head. ”But what of you? With the king executed-” ”We dwell on unpleasant matters ... most desegreable,” Cavilon dismissed the earl's words. ”Tell me, how have you reconciled this 'work' you do for the government with your wife?” ”She knows nothing of it,” Tretain answered curtly. ”Since Palmer now has you in his coils-do not deny it. It is the only way you could have learned as much as you did,” he continued lightly. ”There may be no need for my services in the future.

”Let us speak no more on it. I have a more serious matter to discuss. Come, I will explain as I dress.”

Lady Juliane seethed as she paced.

Close to tears, Bess could not understand what had so upset her ladys.h.i.+p. Why, one would think she was angry at his lords.h.i.+p, and how could that be? After all, the gowns, undergarments, and accessories were the finest and most beautiful one could imagine. Bess had thought it an added touch of kindness that the earl had ordered the unpacking. He had explained that Lady Juliane was much too busy to see to it.

So why this tantrum? The servants downstairs had said that one could never understand the Quality. At this moment Bess was ready to agree.

”Oh, that scheming, abominable man,” Lady Juliane muttered. She had been discomposed ever since

Bess had raised the green, watered-silk gown and held it for her to see.

All of the boxes and packets had disappeared. Juliane had stalked to the wardrobe, thrown open the doors, and gasped at the array of colours and materials within it. Looking closer, her jaw tightened.

All of her practical, serviceable gowns had been removed. ”Of all the loathsome things to do,” she

muttered while she paced. ”Tretain could charm a snake out of his skin and the snake wouldn't know it.”

The sound of male laughter echoed through the connecting pa.s.sageway into her room. In a burst of unusual temper, she grabbed the figurine on a table close at hand and threw it at the connecting door.

The figurine, predictably shatter3e against the door and stilled the laughter. A few moments later, Lord Adrian, in breeches and open-necked s.h.i.+rt, cautiously opened the door.

”Is something troubling you, my lady?” he asked in vexatious innocence.

Through clenched teeth, Lady Juliane said, ”No, my lord. An accident merely.”