The Countess Page 0,34

it to the floor, but the contents spil ed down her dress front as it went.

Chapter Six

Oh Suzette, your lovely dress!" Lisa cried rushing forward now.

"I apologize," Richard murmured, bending to pick up the glass. "I didn't mean to spil it al over you."

"No, you just meant to keep me from drinking your precious whiskey," Suzette snapped with disgust. "Christiana said you don't al ow anyone else to drink it, but surely it was better in me than on the floor, don't you think?"

"I assure you, you are welcome to anything in my home," he said, straightening with dignity, and then added in a lie, "I just did not wish you to drink the whiskey out of anger. I'm quite sure you would never have consumed it under normal circumstances, and it's very strong. It would have gone right to your head."

Obviously not appeased by his explanation, she said dryly, "Yes, wel now it's gone to my bosoms instead."

"Suzette!" Lisa gasped with shock.

"Wel , it has," Suzette said unrepentantly, gesturing to her soaking bodice. She then clucked with annoyance and whirled toward the door. "Forgive me, but I no longer feel like talking tonight. I am going to bed."

"Perhaps it's best if we have this conversation tomorrow," Lisa said apologetical y, fol owing her sister to the door. Pausing there, she glanced back to offer him a crooked smile and added, "But I am very glad you have realized what guilt and loss were making you do and I shal do my best to help you repair the damage done to your relationship with Christiana. I promise."

"Thank you," Richard murmured, thinking that while Suzette was a virago, Lisa was real y . . . wel , she was incredibly young and sweet. If he stayed married to Christiana, and real y took them on as sisters he would have to help protect the girl from her own romantic tendencies. Dear Lord, he stil couldn't believe the tragic tale she'd come up with to explain George's nastiness, and al on the basis of one sentence. Shaking his head as the women left, Richard turned his attention to the glass in his hand and raised it to his nose to sniff it. He frowned when al he smel ed was whiskey without any hint of bitter almonds, then picked up the decanter and gave it a sniff too. No bitter almond scent. Unfortunately, he didn't know much about the poison and supposed the smel might not present itself until consumed. That or the whiskey wasn't the source of the poison. Better safe than sorry, he decided and carried the decanter to the French doors leading into the yard. Opening them, he stepped outside and upended the bottle, emptying the contents on the grass.

Richard had just turned to head back into the office when a heavy thud to his left made him stop. Glancing in that direction, he stared blankly at the bundle that had suddenly appeared on the grass several feet away. Richard was slow to recognize his half unwrapped brother lying there, but once he understood what he was looking at, his gaze shot swiftly up to the second floor window above. He was just in time to see a man's leg appear over the ledge. Daniel. He'd forgotten al about the man.

Obviously, his friend hadn't managed to get out before the women had returned upstairs and was now trying to escape via the window. Richard waited, ready to help if he could, but rather than his other leg appearing over the ledge, candlelight suddenly fil ed the room, framing Woodrow's dark shape in the window.

Cursing, Richard rushed back into his office. He deposited the empty decanter on his desk as he hurried past, and then rushed out into the hal only to nearly run down Haversham.

"My lord!" the butler cried, coming to an abrupt halt. "You're - "

"Yes, yes, I'm feeling better," Richard said with a forced smile, knowing the staff had been told he was il . He was pleased to know the man stil worked for the family and that George hadn't sacked the fel ow, but real y didn't have time for him at the moment. Moving around him, he added, "Excuse me. I have .

. . er . . . something to handle above stairs."

Richard didn't wait for a response from Haversham, but left him gaping after him and headed upstairs at a run, desperate to save Daniel from the virago that was Suzette. He