To Catch a Countess by Patricia Grasso Page A

comments but supposed she deserved them. She had fallen from grace by allowing the earl to touch her but would never have expected him to be so cruel.
    “Tory, it’s your turn,” Robert called.
    “Wait a minute.” Alexander marched back to the first wicket. “Your ball was on the other side of the wicket.”
    “You are mistaken,” Victoria said, looking him straight in the eye.
    “I would never have expected you to cheat, Mistress Victoria.” Alexander walked away but managed to hit her with a parting insult. “Let her cheat,” he called to the prince. “She’s going to lose anyway.” Then, in a louder voice, “I’m sorry we stuck you with her, Robert.”
    Victoria felt her complexion flaming and cursed her red hair. She hit the ball, which rolled near the second wicket.
    Both Rudolf and Robert managed to get their balls through wicket two. Alexander shot next, his ball rolling only part way toward the third wicket.
    “Perhaps your luck is changing, my lord,” Victoria called, relieved that the earl was less than perfect.
    Alexander did not respond. Instead, he turned his back as she stepped up to her ball.
    Victoria didn’t miss his insult. This one smarted as much as his comments.
    At the last minute, Victoria changed direction and aimed for the earl. She hit the ball as hard as she could and watched it fly into the air and strike the earl’s leg.
    “I’m terribly sorry,” Victoria called, when he whirled around. “You know I have a problem with directions.”
    Her apology didn’t stop Alexander. He started toward her, marching purposefully across the grass, and there was no mistaking the fury etched across his features.
    Victoria stood frozen as the earl closed the distance between them. She began to tremble when he reached the halfway point.
    And then God sent her a reprieve. The clouds yawned, and a torrential deluge of water fell from the sky.
    Everyone, including Victoria, ran toward the house. When she reached the door, she was still clutching the mallet and dropped it.
    Once inside the house, Victoria kept running. Alexander caught up with her at the bottom of the foyer stairs. He seized her upper arm and whirled her around.
    “If you ever do anything like that again,” he warned, “I’ll take you across my knee. Do you understand?”
    Frightened, Victoria nodded. She didn’t stop nodding until he walked away, muttering curses.
    *    *    *
    An hour later, Victoria had changed her gown and brushed her hair. She debated hiding in her chamber for the remainder of the weekend, but the earl’s threat precluded that. She had shown fear and, in order to save face, needed to return downstairs to pretend that he hadn’t frightened her.
    Summoning her courage, Victoria forced herself to go to the drawing room where everyone would congregate after drying off. She paused to collect herself and then, hiding her trembling hands in the folds of her skirt, walked into the room.
    Spying Alexander sitting with Rudolf and Samantha at a card table, Victoria walked in the opposite direction. She didn’t bother to approach the prince’s brothers but gave them a frosty glance as she passed them.
    “Victoria, I want to speak to you,” Duke Magnus called.
    Her damn uncle.
    Victoria had forgotten that he had seen her trying to injure the earl. Now His Grace would give her a dressing down in front of everyone. Her whole life had been falling apart, one humiliating event after another, since speaking to the earl at the stream yesterday.
    Victoria knew she couldn’t prevent a tongue-lashing from the duke. She deserved it, too. Aiming the ball at the earl had been wrong, and she would have to apologize.
    Victoria crossed the room. The duke shifted his gaze to a point behind her. She glanced over her shoulder and caught the earl shaking his head at the duke. What did that mean?
    “Never mind.” Duke Magnus gestured her away. “I’ll speak with you later.”
    Victoria wasn’t about to argue the