“But it’s such a tedious business,” Nicholas complained, “shooting people.”
Eleanor and Lord Middlethorpe shared an exasperated smile.They’d get no sense out of him in this mood.
Nicholas grabbed Waverley and dropped to one knee beside the sofa.“Fair lady, must I die because you frowned?”He offered the book like a priest at an altar.
“You are quite mad,” said Eleanor severely, snatching the book back while she could.“However, I will not permit Francis to kill you as long as you tell me what erotica is.”
“Oh, no,” said Nicholas, standing to dust off his knee and casting a wicked glance at his friend.“That is surely his honor.”
“My…?”Francis colored.“You should never have mentioned anything so improper.”
“Eleanor raised the subject,” Nicholas said plaintively.“In fact, I suppose it is all the fault of your aunt, and you sent her to Eleanor…”
At this moment that lady entered and viewed the laughing trio with a jaundiced eye.“What games are you up to now?We had a peaceful house before you two came.”
Nicholas took her hand and kissed it, fervently.“We had merely decided that you should tell Eleanor what erotica is.”
She gave him a cold glance and snatched her hand back.“If ever there was a husband’s duty, that is one.And I am not sure your confidence is not an insult.”
Eleanor grinned.“There, Francis.If you won’t fight for my honor, fight for Arabella’s.After all, she is your aunt.”
“Quiet, you bloodthirsty woman,” Nicholas commanded.“You,” he said to the older woman, “drew her attention to the Amori.”
“And you had such a thing lying around for an innocent maiden lady to come upon unawares!”
“I wonder what the ‘innocent maiden lady’ would do if I took all my choice books and locked them away?”
“Find an ax, break the lock, and then batter your head in,” said Miss Hurstman trenchantly.“Dinner is ready, and I think Eleanor should eat in her room.All this silliness will have her in a fever.”
Nicholas would have carried her again, but Eleanor insisted on walking.
“I am going to go mad if I don’t have some exercise,” she complained.Quite deliberately she asked Francis to lend her his arm up to her room.
As they went slowly up the stairs her escort said, “You know, Eleanor, I am your servant in everything.But I hope you’ll appreciate the sacrifice when Nicholas murders me.”
He was astonished at the naughtiness in the grin she angled at him.“He wouldn’t, for I would never forgive him.”
“Feeling your oats, aren’t you?I warned you once before about Nicholas.He’s a clever actor and has tremendous self-control, but you can only push him so far.”
Eleanor tossed her head.“He kept up a pretty act for months.He can do so now for a week or so.”
Francis wisely held back any comment, but he felt as if he were sitting on a powder keg.
Miss Hurstman was meanwhile enjoyingNicholas’s escort to the dining room.“You men who have a way with women scare me silly,” she remarked.
“So I should,” he said lightly.“I might choose to set up a flirtation with you.”
She snorted.“Popinjay!Can you do it whether you care or not?”
“I spent a long time recently doing just that,” he said coolly.
“It’s immoral.”
“Undoubtedly.It’s hardly a practice of mine, either.I have discovered it has a rather unpleasant result.”She thought he wasn’t going to say more, but then he admitted, “All terms of endearment have gone sour on me.”
There was such bleakness in his face that the older woman wished she had some comfort to offer.All she could do was stay true to form.“Now that,” she said bracingly, “does give me some satisfaction.”
He burst out laughing.
