Free Annabelle by MC Beaton

from the Vauxhall fireworks, and she could see the pirate’s head bobbing among their golden reflections as he swam with strong strokes to the shore.
    More people came running up, and there was a tremendous babble of “What happened” and “Good gracious” and the high voice of Mr. Louch suggesting, “It might have been Harry Stokes.
He’s
dressed as Neptune and mayhap wants some more fair maidens for his kingdom. Oh! ’Tis Lady Emmeline. Then he is perhaps in the need of
some old trout
.”
    “Shame,” cried several voices, and Mr. Louch, who was dressed as a rajah, retired in disorder.
    The Countess Honeyford, an old friend of Lady Emmeline, who was finding the entertainments tiresome and had complained bitterly at having been introduced to a mere merchant before she had taken two aristocratic steps on board, offered to escort the shaken Dowager Marchioness home.
    Lady Emmeline recovered enough to give Annabelle a warm hug. “You saved my life, my dear,” she said clasping Annabelle to her scanty bosom. “No need for you to rush away. Look after her, Varleigh, will you?”
    “Delighted,” said Lord Varleigh smoothly, leading Annabelle away. Annabelle wondered why she stayed. It was surely her duty to go home with Lady Emmeline. As she and Lord Varleigh elbowed and pushed their way through the throng, hands caught at Lord Varleigh’s sleeve and mocking voices asked him what he had done with Lady Jane. Annabelle saw the plump figure of hergodmother being helped down into a small boat which was to take her to the farther shore and made an impulsive move to run after her but found herself restrained by the surprising strength of Lord Varleigh’s fingers.
    Bowing and smiling to his acquaintances, he led the reluctant Annabelle to a quiet corner, picking up a bottle of champagne and two glasses on the way.
    “Now, my delectable Athene,” he said, filling her glass. “You must tell me exactly what happened.”
    As he listened carefully to her story, he was touched and amused by the bravery she had displayed and by the fact that she was completely unaware of it.
    When she had finished, he sat in silence few what seemed to Annabelle a very long time. At last he said, “Someone is trying to kill Lady Emmeline.”
    Annabelle had already come to just that conclusion herself, but it was shocking to hear it voiced in such a quiet conversational tone. “What are we to do?” she asked.
    “Keep a close guard on her,” he said, “and watch for anyone who might be her enemy. I shall help you, Miss Quennell.”
    “Thank you,” said Annabelle quietly, stealing a shy look at his profile. He turned suddenly and smiled down at her, and she felt as if her bones had turned to water.
    Most of the guests were leaving and many of the lanterns had burned out. But in the dim light he could see Annabelle’s large eyes searching his own and the faint tremor of her lips. On impulse he bent his head and placed a fleeting kiss on her mouth. The young soft lips beneath his seemed to cling and burn, and he raised his head and stared at her in silence as the shrill voice of his mistress cut through the chatter of the departing guests, “Sylvester! Has anyone seen Sylvester?”
    Lord Varleigh took Annabelle’s hand in his and heldit. “Not tonight,” he murmured. “No. Not tonight, Lady Jane.”
    Lady Jane stood surrounded by the remainder of the guests. “Varleigh’s gone off with that Quennell girl,” came the high voice of George Louch. “MacDonald will have something to say about
that
,” he added with a titter.
    Lady Jane’s large eyes seemed to bore into the darkness where Annabelle was sitting. For a moment her face was white with fury and then, in an instant, she had changed to her usual coquettish self.
    “Then who will be my cavalier?” she cried. Several male voices answered in assent, and surrounded by a laughing and cheering group, Lady Jane departed.
    Annabelle became aware that Lord Varleigh was still