Patricia Veryan - [Sanguinet Saga 08] - Sanguinet's Crown Read Online Free Page B

horses, his eyes becoming round as
saucers when he noted Mitchell's bloodstained rags. Not waiting for
assistance, Charity kicked her little boot free of the stirrup and
jumped down. Mitchell had kept his back ramrod straight during the
ride; she watched to see how his arrogance would dictate that he manage
the dismount. Instead of swinging down in the customary manner, he
tossed his leg up over the mare's mane and slid down gracefully. She
saw the sheen of sweat on his brow and around his mouth, but he gave
not the faintest indication of discomfort, staring instead at the great
house for a moment before remarking in an awed and quite unaffected
way, "What a jolly fine place!"
    The front door opened and the butler came out onto the
terrace, his slim figure as immaculate as ever, his hair a silver gleam
in the early afternoon sunlight. His pale blue eyes shot to the
unexpected visitor and widened, and immediately his attention flashed
to Charity. She looked strained, and there was blood on her gown. He
asked in sharp anxiety, "Are you all right, miss?"
    "Yes." Grateful for the solicitude, she smiled at him. "I am
perfectly well, thank you, Fisher. But this gentleman has had some—er,
trouble. This is Mr. Mitchell—"
    "Redmond," Mitchell finished. "Has my man arrived?"
    Charity blinked. At breakfast neither Tristram nor Rachel had
mentioned the imminent arrival of a guest. Fisher, however, seemed not
in the least surprised, and advised that Mr. Redmond's chaise had
indeed arrived and his valet awaited him above stairs.
    "Redmond…?" thought Charity, her brow wrinkling. "Now where
have I heard that name before?" And then she gave a gasp as Redmond had
the effrontery to ask, ''Who else is here?"
    Fisher hid his own surprise admirably. ''We have no other
guests at present, sir."
    Redmond scowled as he strode confidently across the terrace
and came near to colliding with the doorjamb. Charity was mildly
disappointed when Fisher caught him at the last instant and guided him
through. "Easy, sir," he said gently. "May we hope Sir Harry and his
lady plan to join us?"
    Charity smothered another gasp. Sir Harry Redmond had been
believed killed at the battle of Ciudad Rodrigo, but had been found
alive days later and had surprised everyone by surviving his wounds
after a long convalescence. Dimly, she recalled that there had been
some scandal involving Sir Harry, but just what it was eluded her, and
she wondered uneasily what could possibly bring such a celebrity to
this quiet corner of Sussex.
    Mitchell Redmond, meanwhile, having firmly denied the
possibility of his brother's arrival, had drawn away from the butler's
supporting arm. "Have my man down here, if you please. He will assist
me."
    Fisher beckoned to a hovering parlourmaid and sent her
scuttling up the stairs in search of Mr. Redmond's valet.
    Charity murmured, "Is my sister from home, Fisher?"
    Having vainly attempted to persuade Mr. Redmond to sit down,
the butler said, "They went out for a drive, miss."
    Redmond said autocratically, "I must see your master directly
he returns."
    With difficulty, Charity restrained herself from sweeping him
a low and royal curtsey. The arrogance of the creature!
    There came a flurry of volubility from the stairs, and a plump
gentleman's gentleman, very black of hair and eye, and very white of
skin, ran down to them. Charity had been expecting someone as
supercilious as his employer and was amused by this excitable
individual who fluttered about Redmond, wringing his hands, uttering a
spate of Italian lightly interspersed with English, and having many
references to someone called "Mama Mia."
    Redmond looked suddenly exhausted, as though his strength had
stretched only until this moment. Wearily, he muttered something in
fluent Italian. The valet glanced at his master's back, groaned, and
clapped a hand over his eyes, then slipped out of his own discreet coat
to throw it around Redmond's shoulders.
    "A thous' pardons, signorina," he