"Nooo," Robert said in a tone one might use with a small child. "Second only to my extraordinary-and dare I claim unbeatable?-skills with a cue stick."

"You do indeed beg to be beaten with a cue stick," the duke said. "I'll await you in the billiards room." He all but stomped from the room.

Caroline, her husband, and her mother all expelled sighs of relief. "Thank you, darling," the dowager duchess said. "He's been pacing about like a caged bear with a thorn in its paw ever since Elizabeth experienced her first pain. He's driving us all quite mad." Reaching up, she patted Robert's cheek. "A game is just what he needs to distract him. And I'll be certain to replace your twenty pounds."

Robert raised his brows. "Such a lack of faith, Mother. What makes you think I'll lose the wager?"

"I realize you're a good player, darling, but so is Austin. To best him with your eyes closed? Surely you don't think you can."

"We shall see." His gaze rested on Allie's. "You know I always play to win."


*********

Allie spent a few minutes exchanging pleasantries with Caroline and her mother, then asked to be excused. "I'd like to freshen up, if you don't mind."

"Of course you would," Caroline said, looping her arm through Allie's. " Elizabeth has put you in the ivory guest chamber. I'll take you up now."

"I'll stay here," the dowager duchess said with a regal smile, "and enjoy the quiet and lack of pacing."

As soon as they turned into the corridor, Caroline leaned close and confided, "Poor Austin. He has been simply beside himself. Of course the rest of us are just as anxious, but Austin is simply incapable of masking his anxiety."

"There's no problem-?"

"Oh, no. Elizabeth is doing beautifully. The midwife sends down word every quarter hour. If she did not, Austin would simply steam up the stairs and burst into the birthing room. It is the way of men. Miles was precisely the same way when our daughter was born. Mother tells me our father was the same, and Claudine says William suffered more than she did. And I'm certain Robert, for all his jovial calmness, will be a candidate for Bedlam when his turn for impending fatherhood arrives."

A jittery feeling edged through Allie's stomach at the thought of Robert being a father. Having a wife. Jittery? her inner voice taunted. You idiot. That is jealousy.

" 'Tis a good thing it is women who have babies," Caroline said as they climbed the wide staircase. "Heavens, if the task were left up to men, humanity would cease to exist. At the very first labor pain, pfft!" She snapped her fingers. "They would promptly kill themselves."

A chuckle tickled Allie's throat, but she was engaged in trying not to tumble down the wide staircase as she gawked at the splendor surrounding her. "This is the most magnificent house I've ever seen." A tremendous crystal chandelier, which held what appeared to be hundreds of candles, sent rainbow prisms of light bouncing off the cream silk-covered walls. Everywhere she looked, her eye lit on something lovely-artwork, porcelain vases filled with fragrant cut flowers, marble statues. Caroline led her around a corner. They passed by a huge gilt-framed mirror where she caught a glimpse of her dumbfounded expression.

" Elizabeth wrote to me about Bradford Hall," she said, "but her words did not do this justice. It is strange to think of her living in such luxurious surroundings. I am very happy for her good fortune in meeting your brother. She loves him very much."

"And Austin utterly adores her," Caroline said. "Quite unfashionable, you know, for a man in his position to make a love match, but it really was love at first sight." She heaved out a dreamy-sounding sigh. "It was so romantic. And such a whirlwind courtship. But of course that is not surprising, as such breathless courtships are a family tradition." They paused in front of a door, which Caroline opened. "This will be your bedchamber."

Allie crossed the threshold and gasped. The room was simply stunning. Done entirely in ivory, soft green, and gold, it looked as if it belonged to a princess. A thick green and gold Persian rug covered the floor. A cheery fire burned in the marble fireplace, and shafts of sunlight streamed in through the French windows, which were flanked by pale green velvet draperies. A huge four-poster bed dominated the room, the elegant counterpane made of alabaster satin embroidered with gilt thread. An escritoire sat near the window, inviting one to write letters while looking out over the verdant landscape.

"Beautiful," Allie said, turning in a slow circle.

Caroline indicated a long cord near the head of the bed. "If you need anything, day or night, just pull that cord." Caroline's smile dimmed as her glance flickered down to her black clothing. " Elizabeth did not mention you'd suffered a recent loss… I'm so sorry."

Warmth crept up Allie's neck. She hated lying, but in some cases, the truth was worse. "My loss is not recent. It's been three years since my husband…" She allowed her words to fade off, rationalizing, as she had for a long time now, that if someone drew the incorrect conclusions, that was hardly her fault, and it kept her from telling an outright lie.

Caroline instantly looked distressed. "Forgive me. I did not mean to pry or bring up sad memories." Crossing the room, she clasped Allie's hands. "But we intend to see to it that you are very happy during your stay. Do you ride?"

"Yes. In fact, I enjoy it very much."

"Then I suggest, given the lovely weather, we take a ride while the gentlemen play billiards. Do you have a riding habit?"

Embarrassment heated Allie's face. "I’m afraid not." She looked down at her black gown. "Can I not wear this?"

"Oh, yes," Caroline assured her hastily. "It's just a shame to risk one's everyday clothing to the dirt and odors of riding." She looked her up and down. "We are of a similar height and size. I would be happy to lend you one of my riding ensembles." Before Allie could object, Caroline added, "While I do not have a black one, I have a dark brown one."

Allie hovered on the brink of indecision. She should not, of course, borrow someone else's clothing. But the temptation to wear something other than black… to throw off the outward mantle of mourning, to go out into the sunshine and ride with this lovely, smiling, friendly woman who had the same eyes as Robert, was nearly overwhelming. But something inside her knew that once she took that irrevocable first step, there would be no turning back.

"Thank you, but I'll wear one of my older gowns," she said before she could change her mind and give in to the need.

Caroline squeezed her hands, then headed toward the door. "The offer stands, should you reconsider. I'll change and meet you back here in thirty minutes?"

"All right."

Caroline smiled at her from the doorway. "I'm so glad you're here, Allie. I promise we'll keep you occupied until Elizabeth is back on her feet. Perhaps by the time we return from our ride, the babe will have arrived. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

A new baby… Allie slapped back the wistful longing that threatened to sneak up on her. "Yes."

With a smile and a wave, Caroline departed and Allie wandered to the window. Her bedchamber faced the front of the estate. Verdant lawns stretched around a seemingly endless curve of tree-lined drive. The cheerful song of chirping birds sounded from the trees, and leaves shimmered with golden strands of afternoon sunshine in the light breeze. Oh, Elizabeth, I'm so happy for you. That you found this wonderful place and these delightful people. And now await the birth of your second child. You deserve every bit of happiness. And while it was undeniably odd to imagine Elizabeth among all this opulence, she could easily imagine her fitting in this pastoral country setting.

Her gaze lingered on the cobbled drive below. Less than an hour ago she'd ridden on that very drive and asked Robert to be her lover. A rush of warmth spread through her, filling her with need and longing and trepidation.

What would his answer be? And was he thinking about it right now?


*********

The instant Robert and Miles entered the billiards room, Austin demanded, "All right, Robert. The only reason I'm here is because you gave me 'the look.' Obviously you need to tell me something. What the bloody hell is so important?"

Robert raked his hands through his hair. Indeed, it had nearly taken an act of Parliament to drag Austin away from his self-imposed post in the drawing room. It wasn't until he'd given Austin the wordless signal the siblings had devised in childhood to indicate that something was amiss that Austin had agreed to come to the billiards room. And while he had no desire to add to Austin 's worries, he could not delay any longer in telling him about the disturbing incidents in London.

Speaking quickly, he brought Austin and Miles up to date. When he finished his recitation, both men regarded him with grave expressions.

"We experienced no problems on the journey here from London," Robert said, "but I don't feel this is over. With Michael on his way to Ireland with the note and the magistrate looking for the culprit, hopefully the bastard will be caught soon. But in the meanwhile, we need to take extra precautions. I do not want Mrs. Brown-or any of the women-to go about alone until this mystery is solved."

Austin nodded slowly. "I'll alert the staff, instruct them to report any unusual activities." A determined glint entered his eyes. "No one will be harmed." He then laid a hand on Robert's shoulder. "I'm glad neither of you were hurt. You did well getting Mrs. Brown here safely."