Moonspun Magic Read Online Free PDF Page A

Victoria?”
    â€œYes,” she said. “I slept very well. Very deeply, in fact.”
    â€œAh. That explains much, and yet it doesn’t, not really.”
    Elaine’s voice was suddenly high and shrill. “Be certain not to overdo, Victoria. You know how terrible your leg looks if you push yourself too hard.”
    Victoria wanted to thank her cousin. “Yes, it does look horrible, doesn’t it? Ugly and disgusting. Yes, that is quite true.”
    But Damien, to her chagrin, only smiled. He flicked a careless finger across her pale cheek, then straightened.
    â€œIs there anything you wish in St. Austell, my love?”
    Elaine shrugged. “I am thinking that perhapsVictoria should remain here today. We are having a party, and Ligger could use her assistance. The silver, you know.”
    â€œI know,” said Damien easily.
    â€œPerhaps you don’t wish to attend the party, Victoria,” Elaine continued to her cousin. “There will be dancing, and I don’t wish you to be placed in an embarrassing situation.”
    She knows or she guesses something is amiss with her husband, Victoria realized in that moment. She is trying to give Damien a disgust of me. Victoria prayed for her success. “You’re right, Elaine. I shall help Ligger with the preparations. My leg is feeling particularly bothersome this morning. Dancing would doubtless embarrass all of us. I will keep Damaris and Nanny Black company in the nursery.”
    Damien gave his wife a lazy look that was neatly belied by his voice, which brooked no further arguments. “Victoria will ride this morning, with Damaris and myself. She will attend the party and the dancing. I shall help her choose a gown, my dear. Perhaps one of yours that are no longer of any use to you. Now, if there is nothing more of grave importance, I shall be with Corbell. The stables, Victoria, in half an hour.”
    â€œBut I need her to help—”
    â€œHalf an hour.”
    Victoria raised her chin. “I’m sorry, Damien. I will be riding with David. Damaris will be our chaperon,” she added with a nod toward Elaine.
    â€œYes,” said Elaine quickly. “That will be fine. I do wonder when David will speak to you, my dear.”
    Damien stared at his wife. “David Esterbridge,” he said slowly. “So, that is the way of it, hmmm?”
    â€œYes,” said Victoria, “that is the way of it.”
    Damien smiled suddenly, nodding to his wife. “Well, this is very interesting, yes indeed.”
    Both women watched him stride from the breakfast room. The instant the door closed, Elaine rose and splayed her fingers on the table. She said in a low, hard voice, “You are wise to accept David Esterbridge. He is suitable. It is time you left Drago Hall.”
    Things were moving rapidly, too rapidly. Victoria had always known that she hadn’t a sou, and it hadn’t been important. But now it was. She would have to tell David that she was poor, wretchedly poor, that she would bring him nothing. Squire Esterbridge appeared to Victoria to be a man of stern and rigid fiber, with even more fibrous notions of what was due to his family. Surely he couldn’t want a daughter-in-law with nothing to recommend her but the Abermarle name, her blue eyes, and her straight teeth. She simply couldn’t bring herself to believe that he did want her in the Esterbridge family, even though David had assured her at the beginning of each of the three proposals that his father was desirous of having her for a daughter-in-law. She lowered her head. She would speak to David, make him fully aware of her concerns before she accepted his proposal. Perhaps she was making problems for herself where there should be none. Surely David was certain of his feelings and of his father’s attitudes toward her, for they were of long enough standing. She was worrying for naught. Perhaps, she thought, more optimistic