Royal Revels Read Online Free Page A

Belami?”
    “I plan to leave as soon as I can get a few jackets thrown into a case. Why don’t I run along today and have the servants make the house ready for your arrival tomorrow?” he suggested.
    “Tomorrow? Rubbish, we can be ready in a trice,” the duchess countered. Actually a week was her preferred packing time.
    “I’ll go and tell the servants,” Deirdre said, hopping up in her eagerness.
    “I’ll take my own carriage and follow you. Is an hour too long a delay before parting?” the duchess inquired.
    “That will be fine,” Belami said, blinking at her eagerness.
    She was so hot to be on the trail of Prinney’s son that she elbowed her niece aside at the doorway and darted down the hall, leaving Deirdre alone with her fiancé, a situation usually avoided.
    Deirdre turned and smiled at Belami. “It seems we must postpone our trip to the travel agent to arrange our honeymoon,” she said.
    “This won’t delay our wedding,” he promised rashly. “I’ll apply to the bishop for a special license as soon as we get back from Brighton and we’ll get married right away.”
    “Actually, Auntie has been speaking of having the wedding at Fernvale. Our friends and relatives aren’t in London at this time,” she said, looking for his reaction.
    “I don’t want to wait a minute longer than necessary. The spell I had cast over her might wear off before then,” he said lightly. “She’ll rescind her permission, and we’ll end up darting to the border for a wedding over the anvil.”
    “Then you’ll just have to get Herr Bessler out of Newgate and have her mesmerized again,” Deirdre said, as this was the spell originally used to bring the duchess into line. A light laugh escaped her lips at what she had just said. She would never have thought it possible to be involved in such havey-cavey goings-on as she had since her betrothal to Belami.
    Now the quickening of her blood told her another spree was about to begin. She was every bit as eager as the duchess to fly off to Brighton and meet up with the new set of characters Belami’s strange avocation threw in his path.
    His dark eyes softened as they regarded her. Deirdre was rapidly emerging from the chrysalis that had enshrouded her to spread her radiant new wings and enchant him. Her upbringing by the duchess had been severe, but beneath the antique gowns and hairdo there lurked an unsuspected flair for fun and fashion. He was never quite sure which he preferred, the innocent girl with the lingering trace of shyness or the new woman of fashion that peeped out at times. No matter, both had the raven-black hair, the stormy gray eyes, the short, straight nose and the full lips.
    “Her grace is not the only one who is mesmerized,” he said softly and pulled her into his arms. He sensed the reluctant girl holding herself back, felt the quiver that ran through her as he pressed his advances, and began tightening his grip for the final transformation.
    “Deirdre!” The shrill notes of the duchess sent them flying apart.
    “One of these days,” he said through gritted teeth, then left.
    His friend, Pronto Pilgrim, was waiting in Belami’s drawing room when he arrived home. It was a case of opposites attracting between Pronto and Belami.
    Pronto was an ungainly man whose major talent was for bungling things. His undistinguished appearance—short, small-shouldered, bow-legged, with a face whose most noticeable feature was a broken nose—was strangely at odds with Belami’s elegant physique and striking good looks.
    “When are you and Deirdre getting leg-shackled?” was Pronto’s first speech. There was a hangdog look about him today. He had just recently decided that he, too, loved Deirdre Gower.
    “As soon as can be. Right after I get back from Brighton, I hope,” Belami answered. “I’m in a bit of a rush today, Pronto. Do you want anything in particular?”
    “Brighton? What the deuce are you going to Brighton for when you’ve just