Page 70 of So Wild A Heart

Elizabeth nodded, still looking unsatisfied, and left the library. Miranda straightened her dress and went out into the hall, stopping at the mirror a few feet away to check the state of her hair. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes sparkling in anticipation of the scene before her, so she had few qualms about her looks.

She continued down the hall and into the formal drawing room. She walked in to find Leona Vesey standing with Lord Vesey’s aunt in the center of the room, facing a rigid Lady Ravenscar, whose nose and mouth were pinched into a pattern of disapproval. Rachel, seated beside her mother, looked less disapproving than furious.

It was clear that Devin’s mother had questioned Leona’s presence there, for as Miranda walked in, Leona was saying, “…with Lady Ravenscar’s approval—the new Lady Ravenscar, that is.”

“Hello, Lady Vesey,” Miranda said cheerfully, coming forward to take the other woman’s hand and squeeze it.

Leona winced a little as she withdrew her hand from Miranda’s. “Lady Ravenscar.”

Miranda turned toward Rachel and her mother-in-law, greeting them pleasantly. “I am so glad you were able to entertain Lady Vesey until I got here. Please, sit down, Lady Vesey. Miss Vesey.” She took the older woman’s arm and guided her to a chair. “It is so pleasant when one’s neighbors come to visit. I confess I had expected more people to call, but then I realized that no one wished to disturb us—our newlywed state, you know.” She smiled in a secretive, self-satisfied way, doing her best to blush a little.

Leona’s eyes narrowed. “Yes. Of course. I am so glad that you are settling in at Darkwater.”

“Thank you. It has been most pleasant. Of course, so much of one’s happiness depends upon one’s husband. Don’t you find that is true, Lady Vesey? Fortunately, Devin is the best of husbands.”

“Indeed.” Leona smiled faintly. “I confess,” she said, amusement tingeing her voice, “that I had never really pictured Devin as a married man. He was always so…how shall I say it? Carefree.”

“Yes, and such an attractive man,” Miranda agreed, looking at Leona with wide, innocent eyes. “I am quite sure that many women were devastated when Devin entered the married state.”

“No doubt.” Leona glanced around. “Where is Devin, by the way? Surely the man hasn’t gone out and left his bride alone so soon.”

Rachel’s eyes flared with anger, but she managed to hold on to her temper and kept her mouth shut.

“He is out painting,” Miranda said.

“Painting!” Leona’s brows rose, and she let out a tinkling little laugh. “Oh, my, is he doing that again? I thought he had grown bored with dabbling in paints.”

“He had seemed to get off track for a few years, but he is painting furiously now.”

“You poor dear,” Leona said in a condescending way. “It must be awful for you to have your new husband away all the time indulging himself.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Really? How liberal-minded of you not to care. I really cannot imagine why Devin started again—of course, I suppose it does offer an escape, of sorts.” Her tone was honeyed, but the look she sent Miranda was significant.

“Obviously you must not know Devin well, then,” Miranda said with such a sweet voice and innocent look that Rachel had to cover her mouth to suppress a giggle. “He is a very good artist. I would not be surprised if one day he is famous the world over.”

Leona cast a suspicious look at her hostess, as if she could not decide whether she was being teased.

“Perhaps you would like to see some of his sketches,” Rachel put in. “He has done any number of likenesses of Miranda.”

Leona’s jaw clenched. “Oh, no, I wouldn’t put you out to get them.”

“It’s no bother,” Miranda assured her, popping up. “I am sure Devin would not mind our going up to his studio to view them.”

She went to Leona and put her hand under her arm, urging her up. Leona stood a little uncertainly, and Miranda linked her arm through Leona’s. “Rachel? Lady Ravenscar?”

Lady Ravenscar’s eyes glittered wickedly. “Why, yes, I do think I would like to see this.”

Leona could scarcely get out of it now, and the three Aincourt women swept her up to the floor above and down the hall to Devin’s studio. Leona stepped inside and came to a dead halt. Her eyes widened as they went about the room. A half-finished portrait of Miranda stood on an easel in the center of the room. Two more finished ones, one large and one small, were propped against the wall. A half-dozen sketches of her in charcoal were scattered across a table, and two watercolor sketches of her were lying on the floor to dry.

Leona’s eyes grew bigger and bigger and her face paler until Miranda thought that she might faint. “Are you all right, Lady Vesey?” she asked solicitously.

Lady Ravenscar watched Leona intently, a faint smile touching her mouth, and Rachel unabashedly smiled.

“Yes. Fine.” Leona spoke through clenched teeth, pulling her arm sharply away from Miranda’s. “Dev has certainly been busy, hasn’t he?”

“Yes. He has rediscovered his old love,” Miranda said contentedly. “I am sure he regrets ever having given it up.”