Lord and Master Read Online Free PDF Page B

trotted off to join Holly and Jolly, who had been watching the proceedings with interest.
    Eugene favored Miss Shelby with another smile. “Only one with a kind soul has the power to command animals with merely the tone of their voice.”
    The peach color in Miss Shelby’s cheeks intensified.
    Lord Ravenswood looked askance at his servant.
    Daphne took the hat from Miss Shelby’s hands and stepped toward his lordship. She ineffectively brushed it off, for it was quite ruined, and offered it to him.
    His fingers touched hers as he accepted it, and Daphne felt heat rush up her arm at the contact.
    Lord Ravenswood did not appear to be affected. His dark eyes fixed on hers, and he said, “I hope. Miss Kendall, that we are not destined to be embroiled in contretemps involving animals at our every meeting.”
    Daphne pursed her lips at this reproof, then drew a deep breath. She found she did not like having to look up at him as he sat on his horse. “How is Mihos, my lord?”
    “He enjoys renewed health,” the earl answered tersely.
    Eugene nodded his turbaned head. “Mihos has taken a liking to my master and has refused to be confined to the kitchen. He follows him everywhere in the house—like a shadow—and cries when Lord Ravenswood goes out. Always, he is at the door waiting when we return.”
    Now Daphne could not stop a grin from spreading across her face. It grew even wider when the earl twisted in his saddle to bestow a glare on his servant.
    Returning his gaze to Daphne, the earl said coolly, “I shall call on you, as I promised, and bring the cat. By the way, my condolences on the loss of Miss Oakswine.”
    “Thank you, my lord,” Daphne murmured.
    Eugene’s fingers tightened on the reins of his horse. “A terrible accident. I have said many prayers for her soul.”
    Daphne noted his distress and wondered at it. “You are considerate to do so, Eugene. And, my lord, I shall look forward to seeing Mihos again. Please come one day soon.”
    The earl stared down at her for a moment and then nodded. He and Eugene moved away to resume their ride.
    Miss Shelby eyed her new young friend with interest. “What a handsome man Lord Ravenswood is. Miss Kendall.”
    To her dismay, Daphne found she had been staring off into the distance where the earl and Eugene had ridden. “Yes, he helped me rescue a cat at Astley’s Royal Amphitheatre earlier this week. But, come, you must call me Daphne, and with your permission, I shall call you Leonie.”
    At Miss Shelby’s nod of agreement, Daphne continued. “You might have heard the earl’s comment on the loss of Miss Oakswine. She was my companion, and I have not yet replaced her. I wonder, Miss Shel—Leonie, if you would consider coming to me.”
    Miss Shelby’s eyes grew suspiciously moist. She looked into Daphne’s light green eyes and said firmly, “I knew I was called to the Park this morning for a reason.”
    Before Daphne could question this odd response, Miss Shelby said, “I want you to know I have never stolen anything in my life.”
    “Silly. Of course I know that.” Daphne reached out and touched Miss Shelby’s arm. “Tell me, how can I alone possibly be expected to look after these three dogs, one of whom is quite a disgrace,” she said glancing briefly at Folly, who hung his head, “without your expert help?”
    Miss Shelby’s expression lightened. “Thank you, my dear, I would be grateful for the position.” She tugged her shawl tighter about her shoulders and reached down to pick up her portmanteau, but James was there before her.
    Miss Shelby smiled her thanks at the footman and returned her attention to Daphne. “I believe Holly might have been a lady-in-waiting to a French queen in a former life, but Folly ... hmmm, I shall have to give his other incarnations some thought.”
    Daphne chuckled, but was not really paying attention to Miss Shelby’s nonsense about former lives. Her thoughts had strayed back to the moment when Lord