A Matter of Honor Read Online Free Page A

gowns she still owned. Releasing her luxuriant hair from its night braid, she brushed it and swiftly confined it to its usual knot.
    “Are you almost ready, Cecilie?” she asked , careful to keep any hint of anxiety from her voice. At times Cecilie could be fiercely partisan, and, although Aggie appreciated being defended, such blunt honesty was hardly politic when dealing with a man like the Earl. He seemed more accustomed to having women speak softly and look submissive.
    “I suppose so,” pouted Cecilie . “But I really don’t see why we need to bother with him. You and I are perfectly capable of running my affairs.”
    “We may believe that,” said Aggie with a small smile. “But the law says differently and it has put your affairs into the hands of a guardian until you have a husband to take over.”
    Cecilie tossed her blond curls and her eyes danced with mischief. “Men are such bores,” she said. “So stuffy and solemn.” Her chin jutted forward. “Well, one thing I know. I’m going to find a husband that will be fun. We’ll ride and dance and enjoy ourselves. We’re going to have fun.”
    Aggie swallowed a sigh. It was useless to try to tell Cecilie that there was more to marriage than dancing and fun. She could only hope and pray that they would f i nd the child a decent man who would not curb her high spirits so sharply as to break her completely.
    Cecilie put the monkey on his leash and fastened it to the bedpost. “Now, Dillydums ,” she told the little creature whose small black eyes watched her so closely, “you must be a good boy. We have to go see his nasty old lordship, but we’ll be back soon.”
    Together they left the room, carefully shutting the door behind them. “I do hope Dillydums doesn’t get too lonesome. I don’t see why we couldn’t bring him along.”
    “Perhaps on other mornings,” Aggie replied patiently. “But today the Earl is not in the best of moods. We don’t want him to remain angry.”
    “I don’t care how mad he gets,” said Cecilie with an impish grin. “I’ve never seen anyone get so incensed. He’s very interesting in that condition.”
    Aggie strove for patience, but her nerves were so on edge from her confrontation with the Earl that she found it diff i cult to be her usual calm self. “You must understand the situation. The Earl is a man of great power. He will not hesitate to use it. If you cross him, you may well f i nd yourself sitting at home, without a carriage, without new gowns, perhaps even without a come out!”
    Cecilie stopped in her tracks, her mouth open in astonishment. “He wouldn’t ’! He wouldn’t dare!”
    Aggie shook her head. “Do not be too sure, Cecilie . There is no telling what he may do.”
    As her charge walked on, seemingly sobered, Aggie smiled bitterly. That was certainly the truth. Once she would have staked everything she had on Denby’scharacter, but now she knew better. How could one trust a man who spoke words of love in a woman’s ear, whose eyes promised heaven on earth , whose kisses transported her into ecstasy, and who then vanished, as it were overnight, not to reappear for f i ve long years?
    Aggie brushed away the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes. Dear God, how she had loved him, loved him through a whole long year of waiting until common sense had f i nally convinced her that he was gone for good. She swallowed another sigh. She must get Cecilie married as soon as possible and get out of his house where every meal and every turn in the corridor might result in a meeting with him.
    She hated him , of course, she told herself as they descended the great staircase. And she certainly had just cause. He had ruined her life with his whispered words of longing, words that had led her to believe in his love. And then he had abandoned her. Surely that was cause enough to hate any man. And yet she knew, much to her dismay, that had he come back and offered an excuse for his behavior, had he