she tipped back her head—because the eyes that met his own weren’t the brown he’d been expecting, but rather a stunning shade of violet.
Chapter Four
“ Y OU!” HE SAID.
Raising a hand to shield her eyes against the bright sunlight, Gabriella peered up at Wyvern towering above her. Even crouched beneath a bush as she’d been moments ago, she had instantly recognized his voice, the rich timbre and deep, whiskied cadence sending a warm tingle through her that fought the cold breeze tugging at her cloak.
As she knelt before him now, her pulse gave a funny little hop, an appreciative sigh rising to her lips that she managed to repress only by sheer dint of will. I don’t know how it’s possible, she marveled, but I do believe he’s even handsomer in the daylight than he was in the darkness that evening in Rafe’s study . His hair was still a dark, almost satiny black, and yet in the sunshine she detected strands of red that glinted like a simmering, secret fire. His midnight-blue eyes were mesmerizing, more vibrant and intense than before, while his classic, patrician features made her spin fancies, wondering if he might have stepped out of some great masterwork highlighting the gods. And though she knew it was likely just a trick of her present, awkward angle, he appeared taller than her memory of him, his shoulders seeming wide as a doorway beneath the fine, black wool of his greatcoat, his long feet and legs planted sturdy as a pair of oaks inside his polished leather Hessians.
“Yes,” she replied, finding her voice. “Though you might do better to call me Gabriella or Miss St. George rather than ‘you’ during your visit here. I assume you have come for the christening.” She had known a great many people would be arriving for the event, but hadn’t realized, until now, that Wyvern would be among their number.
“Quite correct,” he said, “I have come to witness the baptism. But pray allow me to begin again and greet you properly this time.” He paused and executed a bow. “Good day, Miss St. George. May I say it is an unexpected pleasure to see you again.”
“Thank you, Mr…. I mean, Wyvern—or should I perhaps call you my lord?”
A curious expression passed over his handsome face. “No, Wyvern will do at present. I must say I am surprised to find you here. I was not aware you had changed your mind and decided to take Rafe up on his offer after all.”
She glanced downward at her hands. “Yes, my…um…circumstances changed and I decided this would be best.” Her gaze rose once more to meet his own. “Rafe and Julianna have been very kind, more than I ever imagined or likely deserve.”
A slow smile crossed his mouth. “Oh, I am sure you are quite deserving if for no other reason than you arrived unarmed this time. At least I am assuming you did,” he teased.
“Hmm, yes. As I recall, someone confiscated my weapon. Although I am sure I could find a suitable firearm or two inside the house should such be required. Might I be requiring protection, Wyvern?”
A laugh burst from his sensuous lips. “Not at the moment, no, but if you do acquire another pistol, I could always be persuaded to disarm you again.”
At his comment, she remembered how it had felt to be pressed against his body, as well as the heated, delectable slide of his mouth against her own. Suddenly too warm beneath her cloak, she pushed away such thoughts. “So, do I surmise that you came in search of Lady Pendragon? She took Cam upstairs to the nursery a couple of minutes ago.”
“While you stayed here.”
“Of course. I couldn’t leave, not after finding these kittens. That’s what persuaded Julianna to take Cam inside. He wanted to crawl under and get them.” As if on cue, a round of high-pitched mews sounded from beneath the bush.
Wyvern bent slightly at the waist in an attempt to see, but the little cats were well concealed inside their thicket of greenery. “Surely their mother will return
Chapter Four
“ Y OU!” HE SAID.
Raising a hand to shield her eyes against the bright sunlight, Gabriella peered up at Wyvern towering above her. Even crouched beneath a bush as she’d been moments ago, she had instantly recognized his voice, the rich timbre and deep, whiskied cadence sending a warm tingle through her that fought the cold breeze tugging at her cloak.
As she knelt before him now, her pulse gave a funny little hop, an appreciative sigh rising to her lips that she managed to repress only by sheer dint of will. I don’t know how it’s possible, she marveled, but I do believe he’s even handsomer in the daylight than he was in the darkness that evening in Rafe’s study . His hair was still a dark, almost satiny black, and yet in the sunshine she detected strands of red that glinted like a simmering, secret fire. His midnight-blue eyes were mesmerizing, more vibrant and intense than before, while his classic, patrician features made her spin fancies, wondering if he might have stepped out of some great masterwork highlighting the gods. And though she knew it was likely just a trick of her present, awkward angle, he appeared taller than her memory of him, his shoulders seeming wide as a doorway beneath the fine, black wool of his greatcoat, his long feet and legs planted sturdy as a pair of oaks inside his polished leather Hessians.
“Yes,” she replied, finding her voice. “Though you might do better to call me Gabriella or Miss St. George rather than ‘you’ during your visit here. I assume you have come for the christening.” She had known a great many people would be arriving for the event, but hadn’t realized, until now, that Wyvern would be among their number.
“Quite correct,” he said, “I have come to witness the baptism. But pray allow me to begin again and greet you properly this time.” He paused and executed a bow. “Good day, Miss St. George. May I say it is an unexpected pleasure to see you again.”
“Thank you, Mr…. I mean, Wyvern—or should I perhaps call you my lord?”
A curious expression passed over his handsome face. “No, Wyvern will do at present. I must say I am surprised to find you here. I was not aware you had changed your mind and decided to take Rafe up on his offer after all.”
She glanced downward at her hands. “Yes, my…um…circumstances changed and I decided this would be best.” Her gaze rose once more to meet his own. “Rafe and Julianna have been very kind, more than I ever imagined or likely deserve.”
A slow smile crossed his mouth. “Oh, I am sure you are quite deserving if for no other reason than you arrived unarmed this time. At least I am assuming you did,” he teased.
“Hmm, yes. As I recall, someone confiscated my weapon. Although I am sure I could find a suitable firearm or two inside the house should such be required. Might I be requiring protection, Wyvern?”
A laugh burst from his sensuous lips. “Not at the moment, no, but if you do acquire another pistol, I could always be persuaded to disarm you again.”
At his comment, she remembered how it had felt to be pressed against his body, as well as the heated, delectable slide of his mouth against her own. Suddenly too warm beneath her cloak, she pushed away such thoughts. “So, do I surmise that you came in search of Lady Pendragon? She took Cam upstairs to the nursery a couple of minutes ago.”
“While you stayed here.”
“Of course. I couldn’t leave, not after finding these kittens. That’s what persuaded Julianna to take Cam inside. He wanted to crawl under and get them.” As if on cue, a round of high-pitched mews sounded from beneath the bush.
Wyvern bent slightly at the waist in an attempt to see, but the little cats were well concealed inside their thicket of greenery. “Surely their mother will return
Similar Books
