Patricia Veryan - [Sanguinet Saga 04] - Love's Duet by Patricia Veryan Page A

this emergency. The
Earl's attention having been momentarily claimed by Genevieve, Sophia
could not but admire the charm of her surroundings. The dining room was
large and might easily have appeared barnlike. The walls had been
remodelled into a design of slightly recessed arched panels. The main
colour throughout was a soft blue, while the areas within the arches
were papered in a shadowy floral design of blue, lavender, and green,
an effect she found pleasing. Fearing to appear unmannerly, she glanced
up to catch Damon turning amused eyes from her.
    Lady Branden, allowing Thompson to place a dish of cherries
blancmange before her, said, "I was sure you'd be at Amanda's come-out
Ball, Damon. Everyone was asking why you are become such a recluse.
Lucinda was most put out and well justified in view of your close
friendship with Bolster."
    The Marquis was spared the necessity of a reply, as Genevieve cried
dramatically, "And I was into the blackest despair cast! My rascal of a
cousin have abandon the entire human race. Why you do this so strange
thing, Camille?"
    "Because, my pretty creature, I have business here."
    "You never mean the spa?" Lady Feather's howl vibrated the glasses. "You do not
go
on with it, Camille? Good God! You must be mad! A commercial venture? And against his wishes? Vaille is raving, I'll wager!"
    "Quite possibly, ma'am. But
I'd
have wagered no one could reach my Priory tonight—instead of which I am surrounded by… charming guests."
    His Aunt leaned forward and waved her spoon at him. "Not so charming
as to be turned aside from unwanted subjects. Take care you do not
provoke him too far. Philip will stand for just so many queer starts
and then pull the rug from under you. What on earth possessed you to
build an hotel out here? God knows there are enough of 'em in Town— or
Bath, or Brighton!"
    "True." His polite smile was unwavering, but he was irritated that
such a discussion had been forced upon him in front of strangers. "But
my hotel stands upon the shore of a jewel of a lake, and—"
    "Lake!" she snorted. "If it has a lake, why should you be so daft as
to surround it with canals? Or has some cloth head filled my ears with
stuff?"
    Sophia was so diverted as to meet Damon's glance and surprise an
echoing gleam in his eyes before she hastily lowered her lashes. "The
land was very cut up about the site," he explained. "It was
Whitthurst's thought to install the canals, Venetian fashion. We shall
have gondolas on summer evenings and wandering musicians. It should be
very effective, I think."
    "And romantic," sighed Genevieve. "Ah, but I can scarce wait to see it."
    "Egad!" frowned Lady Branden, more practically inclined. "Must be costing a bowl of lettuce! It had
better
be a success! Though I doubt it."
    "Never say so," he laughed. "Some of my stockholders are here tonight. You'll put them into high fidgets with your gloom!"
    Lady Branden looked around in surprise. "They are? Which of you poor innocents has been gulled by my slick nephew?"
    Damon uttered a groan and cast his eyes at the ceiling.
    "Me, for one," the Earl chuckled. "And Charlotte and Lady Sophia's brother."
    "True," said Damon. "Without Whitthurst's contribution my spa could
never have been built. He deeded us much of the land about the hotel
itself, and all the lake frontage."
    His words seemed to blast in Sophia's ears. She kept her eyes
downcast, her heart thumping so violently it was all she could do not
to betray herself. How smug he sounded, doubtless gloating over how he
had, as Lady Branden said, "gulled" his trusting nephew! Well, the
treacherous Marquis was in for a rude shock. He did
not
have
"Whitthurst's contribution"! The fact was that Stephen owned only a
half interest in the lands Damon believed to have been deeded to his
precious spa. Poor Steve, having no head for business, had apparently
forgotten that his sister's signature must be obtained before the lands
could be disposed of. When she'd first returned from Rome,