Devilish Page 0,105

if you are curious, my lady, it must certainly be played."

He turned toward the king, but she said, "A moment, my lord."

Wary, he asked, "Yes?"

Wafting her fan, she said, "I thought you would wish to know that I received news of Brand and Rosa."

Their code. He assessed who could hear, and decided it was safe. She should have thought, however, that some people here would know exactly what letters and messages she received.

"They are well?" he asked.

"It appears so, but I'm surprised by how much time Rosa is spending with Samuel, her best ram." She smiled and nodded to a passing couple. "She seems to find him fascinating."

He found himself struggling not to laugh at the image, though the real message, that D'Eon was frequently with the queen, was not humorous.

"More fascinating than her husband?" he asked.

"Brand is so very busy, you see. I cannot think it wise, even though Rosa doubtless tells him all about matters among the sheep. It all seems somewhat dangerous. To me."

"Male animals can be dangerous," he answered, catching the deliberate ambiguity of the last phrase. She felt threatened by this? Perhaps that was why she had slipped up.

"You are nervous around rams, Lady Arradale?" he asked.

"It is not that - "

But Somerton joined them then, with a rather proprietal air and Miss Hestrop ignored on his arm.

Rothgar noted the countess's lips tighten, but she immediately smiled again and continued, "Rosa takes great interest in my marriage, my lord." As an aside to the other couple, she said, "I speak of my dear cousin. She is concerned for my happiness, she and her husband."

"Only natural for them to care about your choice, my lady," Somerton said. "Doubtless they'd be pleased if you married a man of the north."

She gazed up at him like a perfect ninny. "You might think so, my lord, but their recommendations are so strange. One is a shallow popinjay, and another an eastern potentate. Is that not absurd?"

"Ridiculous," declared Somerton, looking justifiably puzzled, and completely unaware that he'd just been called a popinjay. Lord save him, Rothgar thought, but the woman would have him in open laughter soon.

Again, however, the message was startling. The king and queen were pushing her into marriage with himself? Foolish not to have anticipated that, but he'd thought that he'd convinced the king long since that he would never marry.

"Why do they take such an interest in the matter?" he asked to give an opening for more information.

"Alas," she said, "I might, in a distracted moment, have given Brand the impression that I want them to make the choice."

Confirmation of the king's words. It disappointed, but this clever use of their code made him want to smile.

"Then you must correct that, Lady Arradale," Somerton said sharply. "It must be your decision alone."

She smiled at him. "Oh, thank you, my lord. I do think so."

"I think an eastern potentate sounds exciting," said Miss Hestrop with a giggle. "Silks, jewels, and elephants."

"In Yorkshire?" the countess asked with a blank look.

Miss Hestrop gave a pitying look, and Rothgar intervened. "Silks would certainly be chilly in the northern winter, and the elephants would catch cold. But jewels are welcome anywhere, especially large, glittering ones. Would you not agree, Countess?"

She eyed him over her fan, eyes wide and guileless. "Such as sapphires, my lord? An eastern potentate offering large glittering jewels would be very welcome, yes. Very welcome indeed."

"Over an honest Englishman of good heart?" demanded Somerton, face reddening with outrage.

"It would be a hard choice, Lord Randolph," she said. "These decisions are so very difficult..." She placed her hand on Somerton's arm. "Do let's stop thinking about it and ask the king to demonstrate Lord Rothgar's automaton."

Rothgar offered his arm to the expectant Miss Hestrop, full of admiration for the countess's performance, though she might perhaps be in danger of overplaying her part.

She was doing so well, however, that he wondered what had distracted her into giving the king the final choice. It had been a serious mistake. Whatever it was, he couldn't entirely fault her, having suffered moments of unusual distraction himself.

The king was even being cunning. The approved list of suitors was designed to be unsatisfactory. He had wondered why, and now he knew. It was intended to push him into saving the countess by offering marriage himself.

The king doubtless meant well. He sincerely believed that marriage and fatherhood was the happiest possible state. How far would he go, however, in pursuing his aim?

As the king went to