“Scamp is quite envious of you, you know, Robin. I think he may try to steal away your chef the next time he himself entertains Her Majesty.” Velvet giggled. “Oh, Robin, how can I thank you for letting me be your hostess and for these lovely pearls? You are just the best brother a girl ever had!”
Suddenly the Earl of Lynmouth sat bolt upright in his chair.“Who was she?”he demanded. “Who was the incredibly beautiful creature you introduced me to tonight, Velvet?”
“What!” Both Velvet and Alex were taken aback.
“That utterly exquisite blonde in the wonderful turquoise silk gown! Never have I seen such perfection! Who is she? Youmustknow, Velvet, andImust know as well!”
For a moment, Velvet was totally baffled. There had been several beautiful blond women at the fête tonight. “Robin,” she said slowly, “I am not sure who you mean. There were a number of blondes, and at least three of them were in blue.”
“Not blue, turquoise! You must know her! You said she was one of your best friends at court when you introduced her, but I could not linger and find out more because the queen’s barge was sighted then.”
“Angel! You mean Angel!”
“Angel? Is that her name? My God, how fitting!” He sighed deeply.
Velvet resisted the overwhelming urge to burst into a fit of giggles, though the fact that Alex grinned conspiratorily at her over her brother’s head didn’t make it any easier. Swallowing, she said in a somewhat strained voice, “Her name is Angel Christman, Robin. She is a royal ward, and has been raised at court. Her parents are deceased.”
“I want to meet her,” Robin said firmly.
“You did meet her,” Velvet protested.
“I want to meet her properly, Velvet. I realize that you must return to court tomorrow, but the next time you come to Lynmouth House I want you to bring Mistress Angel Christman with you.”
Again Velvet fought back the urge to laugh. Robin was behaving so foolishly. Then, looking at him, she realized, somewhat startled, that her brother had fallen in love! Love at first sight was something that happened only in fairy tales, wasn’t it? Had Robin really fallen in love with Angel? What would Angel think of it when she told her? No, she couldn’t tell her! What if Angel didn’t really love Robin back and only accepted his suit because of his vast wealth? Mama had always said a woman should marry only for love. She would have to keep silent and wait and see if Angel responded to Robin’s suit.
Without warning, Velvet felt very tired, and she realized that it was almost dawn. She was due back at court that very evening, and if she did not get some rest, she was going to disgrace herself by falling asleep on her feet in the queen’s presence.
“Go to bed, Velvet,” Robin said as if reading her thoughts. “I remember what it was like to be at court in the queen’s service.”
Velvet curtsyed to her brother and Alex, then moved slowly and sleepily from the library.
As the door closed behind her, Alex looked at his friend. “When will Velvet be coming back to Lynmouth House, Rob?”
“I’ll tell her tomorrow before she returns to her duties that she’s to treat my home as her own whenever she’s in London. Mother would want it that way, I know,” Robin said.
“When do you think she’ll have another day free?”
“We’ll have to join the court, my friend, if you’re going to woo my sister and if I’m going to pay my addresses to Mistress Christman. Maids of Honor take their pleasure when and where they can, for the queen is an exacting mistress. I well remember my own days as her page.”
“God in His heaven, I nae thought to find myself at Elizabeth Tudor’s court. I’m no courtier, Robin.” Alex shook his head.
“As long as you’re honest with the queen and Velvet grows fond of you, Alex, you’ve no need to play the royal game. I could not help but notice tonight that several of the ladies were most taken with you.”
Alex chuckled softly. “I must say I’ve nae had such imaginative offers since our days in Paris, Robin. With such a virtuous queen, I am surprised she tolerates such licentiousness around her.”
“She tolerates it as long as it is not out in the open. Let a liaison become a scandal and there is hell to pay, you may be sure.”
The Scotsman nodded, then said, “Well, I’m off to my bed, too.” He stood, stretching his long frame.
“You should have pleasant dreams,” Robin teased, “or were you unsuccessful this evening with my sister?”
Alex grinned back. “A gentleman, even a wild and rude Scot such as myself, never kisses and tells, Robin.” Before Lord Southwood could pursue it further, Lord Gordon was quickly gone.
Robin smiled after him, thinking that there had been a day when Alex Gordon had most certainly kissed and told. His smile broadened into a grin as he remembered those long-gone times they’d spent in Paris, the whores they shared, and the lies they told each other about their prowess. He chuckled, then grew somber. Those were the days before his marriage to Alison de Grenville.
Alison.Foolish, foolish Alison. He had never loved her, but he had been very fond of her. He had never beenin loveat all until tonight when he had seen the exquisite Mistress Angel Christman. He had spoken but few words to the girl. He hadn’t even danced with her, yet he knew, or rather his heart knew, that she was the woman for him. He had sworn to himself that he would never marry again, but this was an entirely different matter altogether.
His mother had once tried to explain love, true love, to him. She had even asked him if he wanted to call off the betrothal that she had made with the de Grenvilles when he was a little boy. He hadn’t allowed her to do so, for he knew he had to marry someone and Alison was pleasant enough. He had known her all his life. “But you don’t love her!” his mother had fussed at him, and he’d smiled with the superiority of youth. His mother had spent her whole lifein love, itseemed, and although she claimed to have found great happiness with the last of his stepfathers, Adam de Marisco, she had suffered greatly for her love. Robin had often questioned if love was worth all the pain, and had decided early it was not. He had wanted an orderly life.
