Part 24 (2/2)
”Lady Sara swooned when I last visited her family, allowing me the opportunity to be gallant,” he explained. Really, Lady Sara was as relentless as her father. ”Would you be so kind as to introduce me to your lovely friends?” he said rather severely, taking her to task for her lack of decorum.
The girls leaped forward for the introduction, except for the tall one. Kesseley learned she was the American cousin of Lady Sara's friend.
Kesseley must have smiled too warmly, or displayed some small hint of favoritism to the sensible American, for Lady Sara said, ”She is marrying a very handsome gentleman in Charleston this summer,” with that practiced innocent look of hers, as if she were unaware of any subtext in her words.
”Please accept my best wishes for your happiness,” Kesseley said. Then the conversation fell into a lull, everyone's eyes on Kesseley, waiting.
”Well, shall we all take a turn together?” he begrudgingly suggested.
The ladies looked at Kesseley, then Bucky, then back to Kesseley. He wound up with Lady Sara on his right arm and some giggly thing on his left. Bucky got the American.
”You have not said anything about my new gown. You must know as a gentleman that it is your duty to compliment a lady.” Lady Sara's smile held a challenge, as if she were expecting him to say something roguish.
Behind him, the American was explaining that her husband-to-be and father grew rice and tobacco on their plantations.
”Yes, very nice,” he said of the d.a.m.ned gown, then turned his head back to the American. ”Surely you couldn't grow rice and tobacco in the same soil?”
”No, our land is quite spread out. We abandoned our home on the low marshes, where the rice fields are, and built another home forty miles away, where the soil is sandy and the air is drier. Perfect for tobacco.”
”Are you going to Lord Southington's ball this evening?” Lady Sara said, tugging on Kesseley's arm.
”No, I believe I am attending another ball,” he said, then addressed the American again. ”How long do you dry tobacco before you s.h.i.+p it?”
”We harvest at the end of June, then put it in sheets and carry it to Charleston three weeks later. My brother and I used to climb up the eaves in the tall hot tobacco barns and smell the drying leaves. I suppose that is why I am so homesick. Everything here is so different-the smells, the weather, the homes,” she said, gesturing to the sky. ”It never clouds like this. The sun is always large and warm, hence my freckles.” She laughed, a pleasant, easy sound. ”Please don't compliment me on them. It is a gentleman's duty not not to compliment some aspects of a lady's appearance.” to compliment some aspects of a lady's appearance.”
”Surely you could grow some lemons with everything else. If you applied lemon juice daily, you could fade your freckles by your wedding,” Lady Sara said, then arched a pretty brow at Kesseley. ”Oh look at me, spilling my feminine secrets to Lord Kesseley.”
”The winters in the Carolinas are too cold for lemon trees,” he stated. Lady Sara frowned. He refused to play her game. Wasn't it Henrietta who'd complained of him being obtuse? Wasn't it Henrietta who'd complained of him being obtuse?
”I say, Lady Sara, your bonnet is loose,” Bucky observed. ”You might want to retie it.”
”I don't know what you mean.”
”It's falling to the right side,” Kesseley said.
”That is the fas.h.i.+on. I hope I am not unfas.h.i.+onable.”
”No, of course not,” Kesseley resigned himself.
But it only took a slight breeze and- ”My bonnet!” Lady Sara cried and hurried in chase to the river's edge. She reached futilely over the water like a bad actress. Kesseley's gut tightened. He had seen this all before- Arabellina sinking in the water, Lord Blackraven having to drag her melodramatic a.r.s.e out. Surely Lady Sara wouldn't try something so outrageously obvious, would she?
Oh G.o.d, she's going to do it!
She turned, seemingly slipping on a rock and plunging into the water with ballerina-like grace, splas.h.i.+ng a nearby swan on her nest. ”Help me!” she cried.
Kesseley saw everything happen before he could stop it. ”Get out! Get out!” he shouted as he ran for the water.
The swan's jealous mate came skimming across the lake, beak straight out like a sword, ready to defend his unhatched family. Lady Sara's eyes widened. She shrieked as the raging swan flew at her, making its terrible hissing noises. She tried to s.h.i.+eld her face, but it clamped down on her arm. She lost her balance and slipped under the water. The swan went down with her, pecking her hair.
Kesseley leaped into the cold water, knocking the swan away, sending white feathers flying. The bird let out a high, shrill hiss and rose up in the water, flapping his wings, making swipes at Kesseley's back.
Kesseley pulled Lady Sara to his chest, protecting her with his body. He lifted her from the water. Her body shook with ragged coughs and water spilled from her mouth.
When she couldn't cough anymore, she started screaming. Kesseley called the footman to deliver the carriage and then laid her under a tree. Blood oozed from her arm where the swan had bitten her. The torn fabric of her gown exposed her ripped stockings.
She latched on to Kesseley's hand, wrapping her fingers between his, all pretense gone from her face. She was cold and scared. Her lips and ears had turned a pale blue.
Kesseley had pulled her shaking body to his by the time the footman returned. The carriage was waiting on Park Lane.
”Lady Sara, I've got to carry you to your carriage.”
She clutched him tightly as he lifted her from the ground.
Word had reached Rotten Row. He could see the fas.h.i.+onable people hurrying down the path, coming to view the spectacle.
An open landau waited for them with the steps folded down.
”d.a.m.n it!” Kesseley spat.
The footman and Bucky climbed aboard and helped lift Lady Sara up. She refused to let go of Kesseley's hand. ”No, don't let me go!” she cried.
He shook his head in frustration, but when he spoke, his voice was gentle and resigned. ”Don't worry, Lady Sara. I will take you home.”
The footman and Bucky jumped down. Kesseley pulled himself up. Lady Sara clung to him, trying to get warm. Her fingers were wrinkled and red. Wet droplets fell from her curls.
Her mother was in the parlor entertaining a dozen callers amid the flowers when Kesseley carried Lady Sara inside-shaking, bleeding, her limbs exposed. Kesseley couldn't explain for the screams. The household staff descended upon them. The duke came huffing into the room, his face reddened from the exertion. Words and demands were shouted. Kesseley had to yell to speak above the roar. Lady Sara needed warm clothes and a fire.
”This way!” the duke said, and Kesseley followed him up the curving stairs to Lady Sara's chamber on the second floor. He laid her upon the bed as the household staff buzzed around. She clung to him, refusing to let him leave.
”Dearest, you have to let Lord Kesseley go,” said an older female, probably Lady Sara's abigail.
”No!” she cried.
”We have to remove your clothes,” the lady pleaded with her charge.
”I don't care!” Lady Sara replied. ”He's already seen me.”
Her mother screamed and buried her face into her husband's chest.
Kesseley swallowed, trying to speak calmly. ”Lady Sara, you are distraught. You must get dry. I won't leave until I know you are well. I promise.”
”Don't leave,” she said. ”Please don't leave.”
”I have to, for now,” he said. Pulling his hand free, he slowly backed out of the room and closed the door to protect Lady Sara from the d.u.c.h.ess's friends clogging the corridor. The feigned concern in their eyes barely concealed their sordid curiosity at his wet dripping pantaloons and b.l.o.o.d.y s.h.i.+rt.
<script>