Free Sweet Deception Regency 07 - The Divided Hearts by Karla Darcy Page A

The girl did assist with
buttoning and arranging hair but by and large her presence was more
of an entertainment for the young servant than aid to her
mistress.
    “Tie the bow just a little bit closer to
your cheek, miss,” Phoebe said, standing back so that she could get
a proper look at her charge. A wide smile lit the plain face in
approval. “That’s jes’ perfect.”
    Phoebe pressed her small hands against her
flat chest, sighing with pleasure at the picture Judith made. Her
Miss, as she had started referring to Judith, wore a white sprigged
muslin that fell in a graceful sweep of skirts from the cherry red
ribbon tied below her breasts. The neckline was cut in a wide
sweep, running from shoulder to shoulder. The cherry ribbon edging
the bodice gave a pinkish tint to Judith’s skin and was echoed by
the ribbon that circled her graceful neck. Puffed sleeves with tiny
cherry bows accentuated the slenderness of her arms.
    But for the devoted Phoebe, Judith’s hat was
the last word in feminine fashion. It was made of bleached straw
with a wide, floppy brim. A wide cherry ribbon crossed the crown
and tied beside her ear in a large bow, adding the perfect piquant
touch to the ensemble. Phoebe’s adolescent face was filled with
reverence as she handed Judith her matching pelisse and followed
her down the stairs.
    Nate had already arrived and was talking
quietly to Simon in the drawing room. Both heads were close
together and there was an intensity to their conversation that
bespoke of more than social trivialities. For several minutes they
were unaware of her presence and Judith had an opportunity to study
Nathanael unobserved.
    Today the man was a symphony in blue, she
noted with amusement. His superfine jacket and pantaloons were the
cobalt of his eyes. His powdered hair was clubbed and adorned by a
flat blue bow. As usual there was lace at wrists and neck but this
time it was edged with thin bands of blue satin. His waistcoat was
a dazzling rainbow of blue hues, draped with watch fobs that
jangled metallically when he moved. Long, tanned fingers caressed
the knob of his carved walking stick and Judith found herself
mesmerized by the motion.
    She must have made some sound, for suddenly
the men broke apart, their eyes taking in the beauty of the young
woman in the doorway. There was a freshness and a purity about her,
Nate thought, quite remarkable, since she was no longer a
schoolroom miss. She appeared neither jaded nor bored which was the
usual expression in those who had endured more than one London
season. Her golden-hazel eyes seemed to view the world with a
combination of amusement and curiosity. She was so vivid and alive
that it was a moment before Nate could gather his wits enough to
acknowledge her presence.
    Judith was grateful that Nathanael was too
well bred to evince any discomposure at the inclusion of Patrick.
Without much ado, the threesome clambered into an open carriage
drawn by a matched pair of greys. It appeared from the start that
Nate had set himself to be pleasant company. As he set a leisurely
pace up into the hills, he chatted with the boy, leaving Judith to
her own thoughts as she drank in the beauty of the countryside.
    Away from the English set Nate seemed
another person entirely. He handled Patrick’s exuberance with a
tolerance not possessed by many adults. His conversation with the
boy was good humored, without the bite of sarcasm he had evinced
before in Judith’s presence. As she listened to their chatter,
Judith began to wonder if she had actually misjudged the man.
    “You mean the British stayed right in the
town?” Patrick asked.
    “Not even forty years ago, lad,” Nate
replied. “It must have been quite a time for Newport. Sometime ask
Simon to take you to see the White Horse Tavern. The British troops
were quartered there during the occupation.”
    “We coulda gone there today,” Patrick said,
his voice indicating that he felt it was a far more exciting
adventure than