Beyond the Sunrise Read Online Free PDF Page A

accepted. There was no point in raging against it.
    There was a carriage drawn up on the terrace before the house, he saw as he neared the stables. The Comte de Levisse’s carriage. He frowned as he swung down from the saddle and hailed a passing groom.
    â€œThe count is going somewhere?” he asked.
    â€œLeaving,” the groom said. “Grumbling, his coachman was about it, Master Robert. Likes the tavern at the village here, he does. But the orders were given last night.”
    Leaving! The bottom felt rather as if it had fallen out of Robert’s stomach as he handed the reins of his horse absently to the groom—he usually looked after his own mount—and strode in the direction of the terrace.
    But he halted at the corner of the house. Both his father and the marchioness were outside bidding farewell to the count and Jeanne. The latter was dressed in a dark green traveling dress and bonnet and looked slender and very young in company with the three adults. And very beautiful. He knew now that her dark hair was more brown than black, that her dark eyes were gray, not brown. He knew a great deal more about her than he had known the night of the ball.
    Jeanne!
    But though he stood quite still and was some distance away, she saw him as she turned toward the open door of the carriage. She hesitated for a moment and then hurried toward him. Her father stretched out a hand toward her but then dropped it to his side and watched.
    Robert said nothing. Why ask her if she was leaving? Obviously she was leaving. He looked at her in anguish. Even a private good-bye was to be denied them.
    â€œRobert.” She smiled brightly. “How glad I am that I have seen you before I leave. I wish to say good-bye.”
    He swallowed. Unlike her, he did not have his back to the threewatching adults and the servants. He felt very exposed to public view.
    â€œI want to thank you for four lovely afternoons and for the dance on the terrace,” she said, her voice light and teasing. She was looking up at him from beneath her lashes.
    â€œI need no thanks,” he said. He found it difficult to get the words beyond his teeth. “Jeanne.” He whispered her name.
    â€œOh, but you do.” She smiled dazzlingly. “The days would have been so very dull if I could not have amused myself with you.”
    She was out of earshot of the people on the terrace and she had her back to them. She did not need to act a part.
    â€œJeanne,” he said again.
    â€œWhy are you looking so sad?” she asked. “We are leaving early, is that it? But I asked Papa to take me back to London because life is so dull here. Oh, Robert, you are not feeling sad, are you? You did not take those kisses seriously, and all that foolish talk about love and marriage?”
    He looked at her and swallowed again.
    â€œOh, poor Robert.” Her eyes fell to his Adam’s apple, and he felt overtall and gangly again. She laughed merrily. “You did, did you not? How foolish and rustic of you. You did not think I would seriously fall in love and consider marriage with a bastard, did you?
Did
you, Robert?”
    He merely looked at her as her eyes swept up to meet his again.
    â€œOh, poor Robert,” she said again, and her laugh tinkled about him like broken glass. “How droll. The bastard and the daughter of a French count. It would make a wonderful farce, don’t you think? Papa is waiting. Good-bye.” She held out a gloved hand to him.
    He ignored it. He did not even see it. He did not see her even though he looked directly into her eyes. He felt only the blinding hurt of a reality that he had thought he was growing accustomed to.
    She shrugged and turned from him. And two minutes later her father’s carriage was bearing her away from Haddington Hall.Robert had not moved. He had not noticed the approach of one of his father’s servants.
    â€œHis lordship would have you wait upon him in the