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Adrienne stepped into the sunshine and breathed as deeply as she could Honeysuckle, a beloved scent froolden beauty beneath the s to her right and left Lavender on the air, rugosa roses, and another earthy rich scent she struggled to identify She heard the tinkling of water spilling into a basin A fountain? Following the sound, Adrienne traipsed the stone ays through towering bushes of rhododendrons, lush aneet-me-nots Stone paths shot off in several directions, but the tinkling sound of water drew Adrienne unerringly The Lady Lydia sat upon the ledge of a stone fountain that rose in four tiers, high above her head A full-size stone dolphin poised atop the fountain, caught in nificent," Adrienne breathed, and Lydia turned to greet her with a welco smile
"My son is quite the inventor" Pride was evident in every gentle line of her face
"He did this too?" Adrienne grimaced
"Most of the unusual aspects of Dalkeith are of ht theback to his people--"
"When he traveled the world seeking beautiful bed- the words of the Coleam in her eyes "Is that what they say?"
"Is that what he did?"
"What say you ask him yourself? But think well on this, Adrienne What would people who didn’t know you well say of you?"
"Point taken," Adrienne conceded, hoping Lydia never discovered her colorful past
"Mad Janet," Lydia observed softly "You don’t seem a bit mad to me Why did the Comyn keep you locked in that tower?"
Adrienne recited the words he’d pounded into her the day of her wedding "I was too beautiful to risk his ownSo he said" She added her oords without thinking, "Truth is, I’ve never felt that way"
Lydia snorted "Have you never seen a glass?"
"Of course I have But I still never felt that way"
"Rather like the Hawk, I believe," Lydia re only because of the omen fussed over him That if women hadn’t made such a hubbub, he would have just considered himself reasonably neat and clean--"
"Reasonably neat and clean?" Adrienne said incredulously "The man is flawless froods and Pan seem all out of proportion He is raw sex in a bottle, uncorked And somebody should cork it! He’s--accck! Bah!" Adrienne spluttered and stuttered as she belatedly realized her words Lydia was laughing so hard, tears ave a pleased sigh "Well, that’s a relief I wasn’t sure you weren’t immune He thinks you are Don’t worry ’twill be our wee secret, dear Adrienne, and do colad I aive you a proper welcome when you arrived Fros quite terribly"
Adrienne found herself wanting to rush headlong into the closest thing toarms she’d ever known Her hardened heart slipped on treacherously thin ice--dare she? Dare she not?
Behind bushes of blood-red rhododendrons a shadow flinched I hate her! Hate her! Esmerelda’s hand trembled as she raised the tube, then steadied it sharply She would dispatch the enemy, and end her torment She puckered her lips around thelevel the tiny instrument of death She drew a deep breath and forced a sharp burst of air froht lips A tiny dart erupted froer of a bee Esmerelda watched as the dart flew home to embed itself in the pale flesh of Adrienne’s neck She smiled with satisfaction as Adrienne slapped briefly at the wound, as if shooing away an irritatingtail of the dart shine in Adrienne’s neck as she spoke to Lydia Done The deed was done
"Where is your husband, Lydia?" Adrienne slapped sharply at her neck "Midges? Already?"
"We have our share ’Tis the reason for the nettings upon the beds during this season A bit of mint seems to keep them away I stuff some in my pockets and tuck a leaf or two in my bodice" She offered a few leaves of her own and Adrienne accepted therew dreao He died right after Haas born"