The Virtuous Ward - By Karla Darcy Page 0,14

soon they were strolling in front of a row of imposing portraits and Max was entertaining her with a history of his family. Amity could see that her guardian had inherited much of his good looks and was pleased that so many of his ancestors had his unusual green eyes. She stood before the portrait done just after Max had inherited and smiled at the slim, arrogant figure.

"Even then you were quite fierce, Max," Amity said.

"Fierce? Never say," Max drawled, enjoying the girl's concentrated gaze on his portrait. "I like to think I was feeling soulful elegance."

"That too of course, but there is the look of a rat terrier."

Max's chin raised in hauteur and he was just about to bite out a choice set down to the bold chit when he caught the gleam of laughter in her eyes. His own softened and he reached out to tweak her chin. "What a wretched child you are. With such an acid tongue, how am I ever to find a man to bring up to scratch?"

In the silence that followed, Amity's forehead puckered in concern. Taking her courage in hand, she asked the question that had been worrying her since she left Beech House. "Do you think someone might offer for me?"

"No need to fear, child," Max said, touched by the look of strain on the girl's face. "I will not marry you off to the first eligible parti. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the season."

"You mistake me, sir," Amity said. "I am eager to accept any proposal."

"You wish to marry?" Max could not understand why any one should wish to enter that unenviable state. "Why?"

"I would like to have a baby," Amity answered without hesitation. When she noticed the rise of color in her guardian's face, she chuckled and reached out to pat the sleeve of his jacket. "I apologize for my plain speaking, sir, but you did ask."

"More fool I," he muttered under his breath. Drawing himself up he tried to speak as casually as he could. "It is true that when you marry, a child follows thereafter. No need to discuss, any inconsistencies in that rule. Just take my word for it." It would seem that having a ward was not always clear sailing. He removed a spotless handkerchief and mopped his forehead before he could continue. As he returned the handkerchief to his pocket, he noted the amusement on the face of his ward. "Please tell me that you need no further information along these lines," he requested with a raised eyebrow.

At his harried attitude, Amity could not hold back her laughter. His expression changed to one of injury and she tried to sober her own expression to salve his feeling of ill usage. "I promise, Max, I will ask you no more inconvenient questions. It must be a great trial for you to have a ward."

"I am just beginning to suspect as much," he answered, waggling his eyebrows until she burst into a stream of musical laughter. As he looked down at the girl he realized that since Amity's arrival he had only given cursory thought to the disadvantages of sponsoring the girl. For the most part he was enjoying himself, watching the fascinating creature who was Miss Amity Fraser.

"Perhaps we might return to the salon to continue this discussion. I have the feeling I might require something strengthening to drink." Max pulled Amity's hand through his arm and turned her back along the hallway. "The noble Cartwright will bring the tea tray and some brandy and you shall tell me why you are in such a hurry to marry and set up a nursery."

Lady Grassmere woke when the butler brought in the tray and Amity served the old woman, taking time to praise the chair cover she was working. The stitchery was precise but the picture was an unimaginative floral pattern. After several minutes of conversation, she was free to join Max who was sitting beside a chess table. He patted the footstool in front of his chair and she sank down facing him.

He reached out to take the white queen, twirling the little carving in his hand. "Do you play?" he asked.

"A little."

"I shall have to see what I can do to brush up your skills. You seem bright enough to understand the game so it must be that you have not had enough opportunity to play."

Amity blushed at the compliment and vowed to pay close attention to any instructions he should