probably to keep from using them to throttle her. “Perhaps since you’re so fond of the bard, LadyRosalind, I can put this in terms even you will understand. ‘I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as lief have been myself alone.’”
As You Like It again. “‘And so had I,’” she quoted back. “However, since Swan Park is still Papa’s estate, and I’m still the one who runs it, I must insist upon acting as your guide. After all, I’d hate it if something happened to you that I could have prevented.”
“What of your reputation, my lady? You shouldn’t walk out alone with a man.”
She laughed. “At twenty-three, I hardly need a chaperone, sir. Besides, this is the country. We don’t observe strict proprieties here, I assure you.” She’d done pretty much as she liked for the last few years, so who would stop her? Certainly not Papa, under the circumstances.
For a moment Mr. Brennan looked as if he might argue more, then resignation seemed to dull his enthusiasm for further argument. “Very well, whatever you wish. Though I warn you I’m a fast walker and can go for hours without any rest.”
“Excellent, so can I. It’s settled then.” She turned to her sister. “Juliet, why don’t you and Mr. Knighton go on? I’ll wait here for Mr. Brennan to finish his breakfast, and then we can embark on our tour of the estate.”
“To be truthful,” Mr. Knighton put in, “I need a word with Griff in private. If you ladies wouldn’t mind waiting for us in the hall…”
“Of course we don’t mind,” Juliet said, rising hastily from her place. “Rosalind?”
Rosalind rose, too, and followed her without a word. Now that she’d won, she could be gracious enough to let the men plot alone for a moment. But their plotting would accomplish nothing. Mr. Brennan would not get at Papa’s papers on her watch.
Once she and Juliet were in the hall, Juliet rounded on her, her face a mixture of admiration and worry. “You didn’t really draw a sword on Mr. Brennan, did you?”
“I certainly did. And you would have, too, if you’d seen what he was doing.”
Juliet peeked back into the dining room, her lashes fluttering like the wings of startled birds. “Not me. He frightens me even more than our cousin. I don’t know how you find the courage to speak to him as you do.”
“No one is born to courage, Juliet. Courage is a habit you develop after cowardice has gotten you nothing.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “You’ll learn it as you grow older, trust me.”
Juliet shook her head. “I’ll never be as brave as you. Or Helena, for that matter.”
It suddenly occurred to Rosalind that her insistence on sticking close to Mr. Brennan would have another unwanted result. “You don’t mind that I’m leaving you alone with Mr. Knighton, do you? You’ll be all right?”
“I’ll be fine. We’re going straight to Papa’s room anyway.” Juliet glanced at her from beneath half-closed eyelids. “You…er…seem very eager to join Mr. Brennan.”
“Not eager.” She peered into the room, wondering what Mr. Brennan was saying to Mr. Knighton with such animation at the other end of the long dining room. “But I must keep an eye on him. I think he’s up to no good.” At Juliet’s drawn-out sigh, she added, “Don’t tell Papa, however—not until I’m sure what he’s planning. I can handle this on my own.”
Oh, yes, she would handle that devious man of affairs. Even if it meant sticking to him like flypaper for the rest of the men’s visit.
Chapter 5
He is only honest who is not discovered .
Susannah Centlivre, English playwright , The Artifice
“B y God, why didn’t you dissuade the damnable woman from going off with me?” Griff hissed at Daniel over the table.
Daniel shrugged. “I tried, but she insisted. You heard her.”
“I don’t care. You were supposed to prevent her. I can’t; I’m no longer in charge, remember?” He scowled. “You obviously
As You Like It again. “‘And so had I,’” she quoted back. “However, since Swan Park is still Papa’s estate, and I’m still the one who runs it, I must insist upon acting as your guide. After all, I’d hate it if something happened to you that I could have prevented.”
“What of your reputation, my lady? You shouldn’t walk out alone with a man.”
She laughed. “At twenty-three, I hardly need a chaperone, sir. Besides, this is the country. We don’t observe strict proprieties here, I assure you.” She’d done pretty much as she liked for the last few years, so who would stop her? Certainly not Papa, under the circumstances.
For a moment Mr. Brennan looked as if he might argue more, then resignation seemed to dull his enthusiasm for further argument. “Very well, whatever you wish. Though I warn you I’m a fast walker and can go for hours without any rest.”
“Excellent, so can I. It’s settled then.” She turned to her sister. “Juliet, why don’t you and Mr. Knighton go on? I’ll wait here for Mr. Brennan to finish his breakfast, and then we can embark on our tour of the estate.”
“To be truthful,” Mr. Knighton put in, “I need a word with Griff in private. If you ladies wouldn’t mind waiting for us in the hall…”
“Of course we don’t mind,” Juliet said, rising hastily from her place. “Rosalind?”
Rosalind rose, too, and followed her without a word. Now that she’d won, she could be gracious enough to let the men plot alone for a moment. But their plotting would accomplish nothing. Mr. Brennan would not get at Papa’s papers on her watch.
Once she and Juliet were in the hall, Juliet rounded on her, her face a mixture of admiration and worry. “You didn’t really draw a sword on Mr. Brennan, did you?”
“I certainly did. And you would have, too, if you’d seen what he was doing.”
Juliet peeked back into the dining room, her lashes fluttering like the wings of startled birds. “Not me. He frightens me even more than our cousin. I don’t know how you find the courage to speak to him as you do.”
“No one is born to courage, Juliet. Courage is a habit you develop after cowardice has gotten you nothing.” She squeezed her sister’s shoulder. “You’ll learn it as you grow older, trust me.”
Juliet shook her head. “I’ll never be as brave as you. Or Helena, for that matter.”
It suddenly occurred to Rosalind that her insistence on sticking close to Mr. Brennan would have another unwanted result. “You don’t mind that I’m leaving you alone with Mr. Knighton, do you? You’ll be all right?”
“I’ll be fine. We’re going straight to Papa’s room anyway.” Juliet glanced at her from beneath half-closed eyelids. “You…er…seem very eager to join Mr. Brennan.”
“Not eager.” She peered into the room, wondering what Mr. Brennan was saying to Mr. Knighton with such animation at the other end of the long dining room. “But I must keep an eye on him. I think he’s up to no good.” At Juliet’s drawn-out sigh, she added, “Don’t tell Papa, however—not until I’m sure what he’s planning. I can handle this on my own.”
Oh, yes, she would handle that devious man of affairs. Even if it meant sticking to him like flypaper for the rest of the men’s visit.
Chapter 5
He is only honest who is not discovered .
Susannah Centlivre, English playwright , The Artifice
“B y God, why didn’t you dissuade the damnable woman from going off with me?” Griff hissed at Daniel over the table.
Daniel shrugged. “I tried, but she insisted. You heard her.”
“I don’t care. You were supposed to prevent her. I can’t; I’m no longer in charge, remember?” He scowled. “You obviously
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