Patricia Veryan - [Sanguinet Saga 08] - Sanguinet's Crown Read Online Free PDF

and
trotted sedately down the stairs and across the hall towards the
kitchen.
    The humans sighed with relief. Fisher signalled to the maids,
and they departed. Charity wondered uneasily why Brutus had taken so
violent a dislike to Mitchell Redmond.
    Charity's abigail was putting the last deft touches to her
hair when the door opened and Rachel entered. No one, seeing them
together, could have the slightest doubt but that they were related,
but the likeness was manifest in the fragile build that was
characteristic of all three Strands, in their mannerisms and grace of
movement, rather than in any marked similarity of features. Rachel
Strand Leith's hair was a light dusty brown, containing none of the red
tints that caused Charity's locks to be termed sandy. A famed beauty,
Rachel had a shapely figure that was just beginning to betray the fact
that she carried her first child, but if anything, approaching
motherhood lent a deeper radiance to the delicate features, only a
slight trace of fatigue marring her loveliness.
    Just now, her deep blue eyes clouded with anxiety, she hurried
to Charity saying,"Dearest? What is this I hear about your having
become involved in a duel and arriving home covered with blood? Are you
all right?"
    "Oh, but how vexing of them to worry you so!" Charity stood to
hug her. "I particularly wished to spare you any alarm." She dismissed
her abigail and when the girl had left them, asked,"Was it Best told
you such stuff? I vow be gossips like an old woman!"
    "No, it was not Best.'' Rachel allowed herself to be guided to
the sofa in the adjoining parlour. "And I'll not betray my source of
information, so never try to worm it out of me. Come, Charity. Sit here
beside me and do not try to fob me off with fustian, as Fisher did."
    Seating herself obediently, Charity explained, "All I did was
try to help a—er, gentleman, who had been hurt in a duel." She knew her
hesitation had been noted, and added resignedly, "Oh, very well. I'll
own I had sooner describe him as a boor, for a more arrogant,
ill-mannered, ungrateful wretch I never met!"
    "
Mitchell Redmond
?" Considerably
astonished, Rachel exclaimed, "Why, he is the very nicest boy. I've not
seen him for years, but as I recollect he was so well featured as to
take one's breath away."
    "And still is. Though not nearly so handsome as your Tristram.
And I hope you may not be disappointed when you meet him, for I can
assure you that his disposition does not at all equate with his looks.
Unless you could like an acid-tongued cynic."
    Rachel was quite aware that her sunny-natured sister very
seldom took anyone in such deep dislike. Perplexed, she said slowly,
"I've heard a few rumours, of course, but set little store by them. You
know what the gabblemongers are. The Mitchell I knew was shy and
gentle, and most shockingly absent-minded, which used to drive his poor
brother fairly into the boughs. He was quite a scholar and always had
that handsome head stuck into a book. Now they say he is become a rake,
which I
cannot
believe! Why, I recall meeting him
in Town once, just before Justin went out to India, and who should
chance to trip past but Dorothy Haines-Curtis. She spent at least ten
minutes simpering and fluttering and flirting, while Mitchell grew red
as any lobster and was so aghast he all but sank through the pave!
Justin thought it hilarious, but Mitchell was truly embarrassed to
death."
    Charity tried vainly to visualize Mr. Redmond in such a state,
and asked dubiously, "Are you quite sure, love? His brother is quite
well thought of, I know, for he was a war hero. Could you be confusing
them?"
    "Heavens, no! No one could do so, for they are totally unlike.
Harry is the dashing one. I think you have not met him?"
    "No. But Justin says that Harry Redmond is a splendid fighting
man, and Jeremy Bolster once spent ten minutes trying to tell me
something about Sir Harry; it was to do with a false charge that had
been levelled against him, I believe, but I