Shannon Drake - Reckless

“Indeed, Lord Avery, I wouldn’t deny you such a pleasure.”

“I should accompany the crowd,” Kat murmured. “I know my father’s work so well—”

“But I shall be there! And you must learn your duties, Katherine,” Lady Daws said.

“I will be there, as well,” Eliza said firmly.

“Yes, you do need to become aware of what the future will bring,” Hunter said, staring at her. His eyes were hard. She didn’t know if he was referring to all that she needed to know regarding ancient Egypt—or if she needed to learn that, despite the charm and camaraderie they were all enjoying today, her place among them was slightly below the rest.

“But surely,” Kat murmured, “one afternoon will not matter so much?”

“One afternoon matters greatly when so few are left,” Hunter said.

“I insist you accompany us!” Robert Stewart protested gallantly.

“She must not,” Lady Daws said firmly. “Such an excellent offer for learning does not come to every…young woman.”

Kat bit her tongue, wondering just what adjectives Lady Daws really intended to use.

She looked at her father, who was smiling at her with assurance. She realized that he believed her protests were because she was worried about him. “It’s all right, Kat. If you need to see the museum, then you must do so.”

“We are agreed, then,” Hunter said, rising. Kat refrained from giving him a baleful stare and rose, as well, politely excusing herself.

“You do ride?” Hunter said. “I will send Ethan and the carriage with your family.”

“Of course I ride,” Kat lied. She could, indeed, swim like a fish. She’d grown up, however, in the City of London where public transportation was excellent and there was no need to ride a horse.

She saw her father frown.

He, like the other men, had risen when she had.

Forgetting David for one moment as she saw her father’s concerned face, she turned to Lord Avery. “Truly, my lord, my father is a genius,” she said proudly. “As you will see.”

“I have seen!” Lord Avery assured her. He turned to her and clasped her hands in his. “All will be well, my child. You will see.”

She thanked him.

Hunter was at her side. His hand was on her elbow. She bid the others farewell.

“Oh, but it isn’t goodbye! We will have a lovely time together for weeks and weeks…months!” Lady Margaret assured her.

Guilt rippled through Kat. She smiled. “Of course. And thank you.”

“Good heavens, this is more like an Italian goodbye,” Hunter said impatiently. “We are merely headed in opposite directions for the afternoon.”

“I shall call you this evening,” Lord Avery told Hunter, “if the blasted telephone works.”

“Now and then,” Hunter agreed wryly. “If not, we’ll talk soon enough.”

Kat looked back as they departed the room. She thought that David was studying her pensively.

And with admiration.

Her heart thundered.

But soon they were at the carriage entrance to the house. Ethan was there with Hunter’s massive mount and a smaller animal—one fitted out with a sidesaddle.

“You don’t ride, do you?” Hunter said, studying her face.

She shot him a glance filled with the venom that had been growing in her heart. “I will, never worry,” she said shortly, and moved toward the animal. Her skirts were cumbersome, but she was determined to get on the beast and ride.

Ethan, holding the reins, started to move forward. Hunter was there before him, his hands on her waist as he lifted her. She felt his touch as he adjusted her limbs and thrust her feet into the stirrups. The length of her burned with outrage.

“You’ll be all right,” he said. “We’re not going far.”

“Yes, it’s quite amazing that we’re going, isn’t it?”

He looked up at her where she sat. “And what does that mean?”

She leaned down, cheeks burning, not caring to have this argument with Ethan so near. “It’s amazing that it’s truly necessary that I begin learning the volumes regarding Egyptology this very afternoon.”

He studied her gravely. “Do you wish to discard the entire idea?”

“Of going to the museum?” she said hopefully.

“Of going to Egypt.”

She fell silent, staring at him, biting her lower lip. He left her side, thanking Ethan, taking the reins to his own mount. He leapt onto the beast with the agility of one who had ridden since birth. To her horror, she wavered tenuously as her own horse followed his.

Dear heaven, she thought. Would that this afternoon soon be over!

ELIZA DIDN’T REALIZE THAT she’d been holding her breath until Lord Avery said, “I must have this series.”

The man had been studying one of her father’s finest collections, a set of five oils on canvas featuring different sailing vessels in different hues. Morning, with brilliant golds, yellows and oranges. Evening, with silver and shades of mauve and gray. Storm, with colors as tempestuous and moody as the title. Calm, with the softest butternuts and pinks. And finally, Against the Wind, with bright and deep blues and the whites of swirling clouds that seemed to race overhead, even in the stillness of the artwork.

Her head was spinning. This was all too good to be true.

And all because Kat was headstrong and had plunged into the Thames!

And now Kat was also going to get to go on the expedition and follow David off into the desert…

Along with Lady Margaret.

“Jagger,” Robert Stewart said, standing by the man, “I am in serious envy. I can feel the sea, looking at these. I can feel the wind, the spray of the water.” He turned to William. “Mr. Adair, I am quite seriously in awe.”

Her father appeared tongue-tied. Lady Daws was not. “Ah, then let’s pray that the awe being felt translates to serious business, shall we?”

She linked arms with Lord Avery. Eliza felt that she must protect her father, because for whatever reason, the woman frankly scared her. What would Kat do in such a circumstance?

“Oh, Lady Daws! No business just now!” Eliza was surprised at how firm she could make her voice. “Papa can talk with Lord Avery at another time. Naturally, his art is his living, but it is also a thing of beauty, just to be enjoyed, and I do know my father. He is so delighted to see you appreciate his work. Let’s savor this moment, shall we?”

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