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Harry watched Meredith gasp with amazement as a young lady in the ring below
vaulted over a barrier of several scarves and landed safely on the rump of a galloping
pony. It was obvious his daughter was thriving under the new regime, he thought ruefully.
He would be lucky indeed if she did not develop aspirations to take a balloon voyage or
join Astley's troop of daring bareback riders.
His gaze shifted to his wife, who was pointing out the villain of the piece to Meredith.
The brilliant glow from the huge chandelier suspended over the center of the stage caught
the rich highlights in Augusta's hair. The words she had spoken to him so beseechingly
last night rang in his ears. I want to feel as though I belong&
He knew she was still struggling with the feeling of not being part of a family like the
one she had once known. She was the last of the Northumberland Ballingers and she had
been feeling very much alone since her brother's death. He understood that now.
But how could Augusta not realize just how much a part of his small family she had
become? Harry wondered. Surely she saw how Meredith was becoming increasingly
dependent on her. True, the child did not yet seem inclined to call Augusta Mother, but
that no longer seemed quite so important to Harry.
Augusta's tendency to agitate herself because her husband did not get down on his
knees and proclaim his everlasting love was ridiculous. A typical example of her overly
emotional nature. As far as Harry was concerned he had more than amply demonstrated
his affections. And his trust. Harry scowled, thinking of just how indulgent he had been
with his new countess.
Any other man who had witnessed a wife climbing back into the house through a
window at midnight would have assumed he had just been cuckolded.
Last night Augusta should have been begging for forgiveness and vowing to never
again pursue adventure. Instead, she had lost her temper and challenged her husband to a
duel.
The woman had been reading too many novels, that was the problem.
I want to have the kind of bond with you that Sally and Peter do.
Naturally he had excluded her from the investigations, Harry thought. Not only
because she lacked experience, which was reason enough, but because he had not wanted
her troubled by further indications of her brother's connection to the case.
Now Harry wondered if he had a right to keep Augusta out of the investigation. Like it
or not, she was involved because her brother had apparently been involved. Perhaps the
last of the Northumberland Ballingers had a right to know the truth.
Harry listened to the music swell as the performance below came to a conclusion.
Horses and actors both took their bows to several rounds of enthusiastic applause.
Meredith talked nonstop in the carriage on the way back to the town house.
"Papa, do you think I could learn to ride a horse the way the lady in pink did?"
"I do not think you would find the skill particularly useful," Harry said, his eyes
flicking to Augusta's amused face. "One rarely is called upon to ride standing up on top
of a horse."
Meredith frowned at that logic. "I suppose not." Then she brightened again. "Was it
not exciting when the pony rescued the lady?"
"Very."
"What part did you like best, Papa?"
Harry smiled slowly, his eyes again on Augusta. "The scenery."
As the carriage came to a halt in front of the town house, Harry touched Augusta's
arm. "Stay a moment, if you please." He glanced at Meredith. "Go on inside, Meredith.
Augusta will be along in a moment."
"Yes, Papa." Meredith hopped down from the carriage and started to regale the
footman with details of the thrilling performance she had just witnessed.
Augusta gave Harry an inquiring glance. "Yes, my lord?"
He hesitated and then took the plunge. "I am going on to meet Sheldrake at one of my
clubs."
"More investigations, I suppose."
"Yes. However, the three of us Sally, Sheldrake, and myself have arranged to hold
a conference much later tonight. We are going to discuss everything we know about the
investigation so far and see if we can find some answers. You may join us if you like."
Augusta's eyes widened. "Oh, Harry. Truly?"
"You have some rights in this matter, my dear. Perhaps I have been wrong to exclude
you."
"My lord, how can I ever thank you?"
"Well, I umph." Harry was taken by surprise as Augusta threw her arms around him. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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