Eochaidh - Legend of the Horsemen (Book One) Read Online Free PDF Page A

and her generous mouth was more often than not spread across her face in
a joyful smile.  
    He believed that the day that she agreed to be his wife was
the best day of his life, and only two other days were close — the day he met her at the fair
in town and fell in love at first sight, and the day she placed Meaghan into
his arms, and he fell in love once again.   Her body had changed little since that day at the fair.   Carrying a child had rounded it slightly, but
he quite approved of the changes.
    He raised his arm and offered his hand to her.   “You have given her an ample amount of time
to evade any consequences for her unladylike behavior,” he chuckled.
    She finished her descent and placed her hand into her
husband’s.   He immediately brought it to
his lips and smiled down at her.
    “And how did she do this morning?” she asked.
    “She not only knocked me off Galahad, but she managed to
give me quite a soaking.”
    “I had noticed that,” she replied, trying desperately not to
laugh. “Perhaps you, too, ought to sneak up the servant’s stairs to avoid my
ever perceptive eye.”
    “My lady,” Lord John said. “I do not sneak. I merely
dissemble.”
    Lady Dunower laughed, the carefree sound echoing in the
hall. “Well then, my dear lord, I suggest you dissemble yourself into some dry
clothing.   I’ll have Mrs. Gallagher put
off breakfast for a few minutes.”
    Lord John lifted his wife’s hand to his lips once again and
kissed it lightly.
    “Thank you, my dear. I shall return momentarily.”
    “See that you do. I have been waiting for Mrs. Gallagher’s
cinnamon pastries for nearly an hour and I cannot wait much longer.”
    Lord John released her hand, bowed to her and then hurried
down the hall to the same doorway Meaghan had used just moments before.   He opened the door, slid inside and then
peeked his head back out from behind the door and wiggled his eyebrows.   At the sound of Lady Dunower’s laughter, he closed the door and headed up the narrow staircase to his bedroom
suite.
    A mere half hour later found the little family in the small
dining room. The room was filled with light and they sat around the table
enjoying the promised cinnamon pastries as well as a selection of eggs,
breakfast meats, toast, fruit and hot chocolate.
    “Meaghan,” Lady Evaleen commented, brushing cinnamon crumbs
off her lips with her napkin. “I am quite concerned that you are not getting
enough time in the out of doors.”
    Meaghan quickly looked up at her mother, a guilty flush
creeping across her cheeks. “Oh, there is no reason to be concerned, Mother,”
she said, biting her bottom lip. “I’m sure that I receive plenty of exercise.”
    “Oh, no, I do not believe it,” her mother insisted.   “Why, I am astonished at how late you sleep
in each morning.   At your age I was out
of bed by the dawn.”
    Lord John raised his morning paper to hide the grin that was
playing across his lips.
    “Don’t you think so, my dear?” Lady Evaleen asked
innocently, drawing Lord John into the conversation with a twinkle in her eye.
    “My dear, I would never think to belittle your concerns,
especially when they involve our dear, fragile Meaghan,” he replied.
    Meaghan snorted in disbelief.
    “I’m sorry, my dear, did you say something?” Lady Evaleen
asked, turning her head sharply back toward Meaghan.
    Meaghan quickly shook her head. “No, nothing at all, Mother.
I was merely clearing my throat. I believe I swallowed a bit of pastry the
wrong way.”
    “ Ahhh ,” her mother nodded. “That
can indeed be a problem.”
    “As I was saying,” her mother continued. “I am concerned
about the lack of time you spend in the out of doors, and since Jepson
mentioned that the Gypsies have camped—”
    “The Gypsies! Mother, oh how wonderful,” Meaghan said,
leaning up against the table.
    Lady Evaleen nodded serenely.   “As I was saying,” she stated, dampening Meaghan’s
excitement only slightly.