Free Grasso, Patricia by Love in a Mist Page A

these past two months."
    Duke Robert closed his eyes against the rush of tears welling up in them, and an anguished moan escaped his lips. He took several deep calming breaths, cleared his throat, and gave her a wobbly smile. From beneath his shirt, Duke Robert pulled his own pendant. Diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, rubies, and gold formed the dragon's lower body and tail.
    "This is your pendant's mate," he said, his violet-eyed gaze searching hers for any sign of the love that already swelled in his heart for her.
    Determined to save herself from the heartache of another rejection, Keely flicked a glance at the pendant and feigned indifference, saying, "Yes, I see."
    "Child, I am your father," Duke Robert announced.
    "Her father?" sounded another voice.
    "Damn," Odo muttered behind Keely.
    "Double damn," Hew echoed his brother's sentiment.
    Keely turned toward the owner of that strangely familiar voice and froze. There stood the earl whom her cousins had robbed. "Triple damn," she murmured, realizing her magic had failed her.
    Ignoring the earl's outburst, Duke Robert looked around at the crowd of curious spectators lingering about and shouted, "Get the hell out of my hall!"
    The Talbot retainers and men-at-arms tripped over each other in a mad scramble to obey their lord. Almost instantly, the hall emptied.
    "After eighteen years," Duke Robert said to Keely, "what have you to say to your father?"
    "I have no father," she replied, her voice tinged with bitterness, her gaze never wavering from his. "You sired me, nothing more. If Megan hadn't made me swear to present myself to you, I would be far away from here now."
    Her insolence brought an instant reaction from the duke, but not the one she would have expected. Something flickered in his intense gaze, and then his chiseled lips split into a broad grin.
    "Chessy, did you hear that?" Duke Robert called to the voluptuous woman standing beside the earl. "She's got my proud spirit, don't she?"
    "I can see that she does, Tally," the woman agreed with a smile and a nod of approval.
    The pride in the duke's voice touched Keely's heart, and for the first time since her mother's death, she felt hope and optimism stir within her breast. "I hope your man is uninjured," Keely said. "Odo and Hew are fiercely protective of me."
    Duke Robert glanced at his majordomo who, at that very moment, was limping out of the hall. "I believe Meade will survive." He turned his attention on the giants. "For delivering my daughter to me, I am forever indebted to you," he said.
    "Oh, Tally," gushed the woman. "How utterly heartwarming."
    "Come, child." Duke Robert held his hand out. "Meet my friends."
    Keely looked at the outstretched hand for an excruciatingly long moment. Finally, she smiled shyly at the duke and placed her hand in his.
    "I present Lady Dawn DeFey, the Countess of Cheshire," Duke Robert said.
    Though she appeared to be in her early thirties, youthful beauty still clung to the countess. Auburn-haired and brown-eyed, Lady Dawn was voluptuous of figure. When she smiled as she did now, two adorable dimples decorated her cheeks and made her look even younger. She wore a red and gold brocaded gown, more suitable for a court gala than an afternoon in front of the hearth. Diamonds and gold draped her neck, earlobes, and fingers.
    "I am pleased to make your acquaintance, my lady," Keely said, curtsying. "You were aptly named for the day's most beautiful moments."
    "Tally, the dear child is as sweet as an angel," Lady Dawn complimented her. "So much pleasanter than that bitch you sired.... Take my advice, Devereux. Look to this daughter instead of the other."
    "Morgana cannot help the way she is," the duke said in defense of his absent daughter. "She takes after my late wife's family. You'll see, my dear. She'll come around."
    Duke Robert turned Keely to his other guest. "I present my neighbor, Richard Devereux, the Earl of Basildon."
    "The kindest of fates have brought us together," the earl