Free Diamonds and Dreams by Rebecca Paisley Page A

did
you say Marion ?”
    She nodded, her curls bouncing every which
way. “Mister, my name’s Goldie. I don’t know what your name is, but
from now on, you’re His Royal Highness Lordship Duke Marion
Tremayne. I know it’s a ridiculously long name, but you need to
learn to respond to it. See, my Uncle Asa got drunk and told the
villagers that we know the duke personally. If I don’t cover up his
lies and bring back Duke Marion, the villagers are gonna throw
Uncle Asa out of town. They said they didn’t want any lyin’,
troublemakin’ drunks around. I haven’t had a real home since my
mama and daddy died, and I’m hell-bent on stayin’ at the one I’ve
got now, so no matter what ole Dora Mashburn says is gonna happen,
I’ve got to make this work. Big says Dora’s just jealous, but Big’s
all the time sayin’ dumb stuff like that. Dora. Sometimes I call
her Dora Squash-scorch. Get it? Mashburn—Squash-scorch.”
    “Squash-scorch,” Saber mumbled. “Yes,
I...uh, get it.”
    Goldie closed her eyes for a moment,
picturing Hallensham. “It’s so purty there in the village. So
green, so open. There’s a bed of dandelions growin’ right by my
front door. But I can’t stay there without Uncle Asa though,” she
explained and opened her eyes. “He’s...the only real family I have
left in this whole wide world, and I—He’s got a good heart inside.
Once he gave me a new dress. He’s only testy when he’s drunk, and
since he’s almost always drunk—” She broke off, swallowing painful
emotions. “I—Well, anyway, I’ve been searchin’ all over for a man
who looks like Duke Marion, and you match his description.”
    Saber could hardly believe what he was
hearing, however mangled it all was. “Goldie—”
    “I wish your skin was whiter though. I kinda
get the feelin’ that dukish folks are pasty-white. You’re tanned.
But you’ll do, I reckon. You’ll be the duke, and if you stay out of
the sun, maybe your tan will fade some. I’ll pay you. The only
things you have to do are learn duke stuff and come to Hallensham
for a few hours. After that, I’ll give you the money, and you can
be on your way.” She drew away from him and looked into his wide,
green eyes. “Say yes?”
    Saber stared back at her. He remained silent
and incredulous as her words reverberated in his mind. Bash people
over the heads, she’d said. Sniff each bite of food. Learn duke
stuff and go to Hallensham. She had a lot of big ideas, this little
person called Goldie. And the most outrageous of them all was that
she was willing to pay him to impersonate himself!
    The thought made his lips twitch. The
corners of his eyes crinkled. A great burst of something he’d
forgotten he could feel exploded inside him.
    Quite unable to help himself, Lord Marion
Westbrook Saberfield Tremayne, eleventh Duke of Ravenhurst, threw
back his head and laughed.

Chapter Four
     
     
    A soft breeze mussed Winston Alders’ thick
brown hair. “I wonder where Saber has gotten off to?” he asked,
slowing his horse as they entered the woods.
    David Clarkston leaned sideways in his
saddle and peered into the underbrush. “He’s hiding, no doubt. He
knows very well that he’s to clean our tack and polish our boots
after we finish our ride, and he’s trying to escape the chore.”
    Kenneth Lynnly pushed a lock of red hair out
of his eyes, and chuckled. “Just as he’s tried avoiding everything
else we’ve commanded him to do. It’s really a good thing he was
born into the aristocracy. He’d starve if forced to be someone’s
servant.”
    “He has been rather stroppy since our
arrival yesterday, hasn’t he?” Addison agreed with a smile. “And
there’s really no earthly reason for such irritation. I didn’t
think asking him to prepare us for bed last night was anything out
of the ordinary for a slave. Why, you’d have thought I was asking
for the world when I ordered him to fluff my pillow.”
    “And what of him shaving us this