Page 5 of Lady Mariel’s Scandalous Love

“I’ll ask the kitchen to send you up a meal, Hattie, so that you are certain to remember to eat.”

“Thank you, my Lady.”

Selina raised an eyebrow at Mariel, and once they had left the room, Mariel explained.

“Hattie is obsessive about making me look my best – she truly would forget to eat, to have everything in order before I come back up.”

“Well… I can see how that could be both useful and annoying. Lisbet is rather more relaxed.”

Mariel nodded, and they turned towards the parlour as they reached the bottom of the flight of stairs. She caught Hallam’s attention, and requested the meal for Hattie, then followed Selina. As Selina opened the parlour door, Mariel observed the room she was entering. Lord Longwood stood with Alex near the fireplace, and the combination of firelight and candlelight made his tanned skin seem even warmer toned. He looked in their direction at the click of the door, and Mariel’s eyes met his.

His eyes were a deep amber colour, with dark flecks in their depths. For a moment, it was as if she had fallen into a pool of honey – everything slowed, and all she could see was that rich gold. Then he looked away, and the moment passed. She looked at him again. He seemed ordinary – quiet in his manner, and in his dress, as if he sought to be barely noticeable. She wondered why – was it intentional, or was he actually scholarly and boring, despite his travels?

They moved across the room, and Alex came to take her hands in welcome.

“Welcome back to Fortescue Grange, Lady Mariel. I trust that you will enjoy your visit… even if the… entertainment… is rather less dramatic than last time you were here.”

His eyes sparkled with mischief, and she knew exactly what he referred to.

“Thank you, Your Grace. I fully intend to enjoy myself – without the need for quite that sort of… entertainment… although it was most educational, I must say.”

Alex sketched her a bow, full of humour.

Then he drew her forward, towards Lord Longwood, who had observed their cryptic conversation in polite patient silence.

“May I present Dashiell Hardstone, Marquess of Longwood? Dash, this is Lady Mariel Angleton, my wife’s closest friend, and the woman who provided us some… assistance… in the matter of achieving our marriage.”

Lord Longwood took her hand, and bowed – an elegant movement, with nothing ostentatious about it.

“I am delighted to meet you, Lady Mariel. I must admit to being a little intrigued by that introduction.”

Mariel met his eyes and for a moment, again, everything else faded away. He smiled, and the smile transformed his face from serious, and a little dull, to rather spectacularly handsome. She took a breath – how on earth could she answer the implied question in his words?

Then it came to her, and a wicked little smile curled her lips.

“Lord Longwood, I am afraid that, should you wish to know more of what is behind that introduction, you will have to ask His Grace – it is his story to tell.”

Beside her, Selina stifled a tiny spurt of laughter, and Alex flicked a glance to Selina. It was clear that both of them had caught the echo of the words he had spoken to Selina, about Lord Longwood’s collecting.

Lord Longwood bowed again, and looked at his hosts.

“Then I shall have to ask him, at the earliest suitable moment.”

Mariel smiled, and said nothing further.

Almost immediately, as a moment’s silence fell amongst them, there was a tap at the door, and dinner was announced. Lord Longwood offered Mariel his arm, and they followed Selina and Alex to the dining room.

~~~~~

Dash found himself frustrated, and intrigued at the same time. When Alex had informed him of their other guest, he had expected a society darling, with barely a thought in her head – although that expectation had rapidly become less certain as he took the measure of Alex’s Duchess. Who was most definitely intelligent, and not at all what he had expected. And as Lady Mariel was her closest friend…

As dinner wore on, and everyone relaxed into conversation, he found himself wanting to talk about his collection, about what he was doing at Longwood Peak, about his annoyance with the Museum – but he resisted the temptation – he did not know enough about either the Duchess or Lady Mariel to risk speaking of his scandalous interests.

So he allowed others to set the conversational topics, and spoke happily of his time in Italy, without mentioning specific items. He found his eyes returning to Lady Mariel, repeatedly. Her deep violet eyes sparkled, her dark hair and slightly olive skin tone reminded him of the vibrant Italian beauties he had dallied with, and it became steadily more clear that she was astute, with a sharp sense of humour.

Which made her all the more dangerous to his composure.