Page 52 of Diana Adores the Puzzled Duke

Chapter 13

The Viscountof Berwick was at his luncheon. He was enjoying a fine glass of hock with a salad from his hothouse and a pheasant cutlet that his chef prepared just as he liked it with capers andlemon.

He mostly lunched alone, seated at a small table in his private rooms, overlooking his gardens that spread out on either side of the allée of trees that led from the main road up to his estatehouse.

As he savored the last of the wine, he noticed a horse and rider coming up the driveway. And he could see it was a woman. As she approached, he recognized Amelia in her riding costume. He frowned slightly, as he remembered their last meeting at the disastrous dinner party where he drank far too much, flirted with Lady Hortense, and was sent home by Amelia indisgrace.

Had she come to scold him once again, or did she want something, he wondered? In any case, she would shortly be shown up to hisrooms.

“Danton, I need another bottle of hock. I am expecting Miss Amelia who has just ridden up,” Ludlow addressed his butler who had been servingluncheon.

“Yes,Milord.”

“And show Miss Ameliaup.”

“I seem to remember she knows her way,Milord.”

“As a matter of fact, shedoes.”

Danton nodded andleft.

Shortly Amelia appeared, flushed from herride.

“Luddy,” she greeted as she entered the room. “Am I disturbing yourrepast?”

“Not at all. Quite finished. I have just asked for another bottle of hock. Do have aglass.”

“Sounds delightful,” she said as she flung herself across a divan near the Viscount’stable.

Danton appeared almost immediately with the wine and poured them each aglass.

“Out for a ride, are you?” Ludlowasked.

“That is what I told Robert, but, in fact, I wanted to see you. Things were a bit rough when I had to send youhome.”

Ludlow chuckled. “Indeed they were. And I was very angry with you for so mismanaging my little meeting with Robert. You behaved verybadly.”

“Not nearly as badly as you,” Amelia said, standing up and taking her glass of wine to sip at the window. “You were most indecent to our Lady Hortense. She was to be Robert’s main focus for the evening and you were all over her like a swarm ofbees.”

“Then you should not have seated her across fromme.”

“I did not. That was all Robert’s doing to thwartme.”

“Then he obviously did not wish to have Lady Hortense thrust at him—as you are wont todo.”

“Now, now, Luddy. You must be nice to me. I have come here to forgive you. You do not want me rushing off in anger again, doyou?”

“Ah… but will I forgive you?” he said coming up behind her and giving her a small kiss on theneck.

She moved away from him. “I do not believe Iamready to forgive you today, Luddy. You are still toounrepentant.”

“Ah, but there is still the seven and a half percent hovering out there—yet to be collected. Certainly, that should be incentive enough for you to forgive me,no?”

Amelia wheeled around to facehim.

“You see, you still need my help. You are powerless without me, are you not?” shegloated.

“You have your uses. And I suspect you came to me today because you still want me to make that deal with yourbrother.”