Page 1 of The Viscount's Daring Cinderella
CHAPTER 1
Chalfont House, Buckinghamshire
Lady Beryl Keene stooped by the lake and dipped her hand into its cool depths. She needed this. The space, quiet, and relaxation. She was not one for embroidery or needlework. It was early in the morning, but she could already feel the warm promise of the day. Beryl splashed her hands across the surface and watched as the ripples came ashore. A light breeze hit the water, and the ripples died as soon as they came. If only she, too, could disappear and never have to face her worries.
Beryl sighed. The water felt cool and refreshing. She could never tire of it. The lake was her escape from Chalfont House, her spoilt cousins, and their ever-demanding mother. Lady Ellsworth was widowed, but fortunately for her cousins, they had a brother who inherited the estate, so they would never have to suffer the indignities she had to endure.
The lake was where Beryl could find calm and bring peace to her otherwise miserable existence. She could cool down whenever she was upset and think of more positive things. She frequently fantasized that she was safe and content in herchildhood home. Her days were often so dismal that all Beryl had were her dreams, and she could not bear to part with them. If she gave up on her dreams, what would she have left?
The water looked so inviting, and she wanted to wade in it, but surely, she should not. Beryl stood up.Why the heck not? She smiled and slowly put her hand behind her to loosen her dress. She had become adept at undressing herself since she moved to Chalfont House.
A thick copse of trees shielded the lake on both sides, which offered a great deal of privacy, and she had never encountered anyone on her rides there before. There was a fallen log close by, and Beryl neatly folded and placed her clothes on top of the log. The last thing she wanted was for her clothes to get wet. Garbed in only her shift, she quickly walked into the lake.
“Wonderful,” she murmured.
She relished the feeling as the cool water lapped at her feet. When she was waist-deep, Beryl started swimming across the lake.Refreshing. She did not need to worry about her cousins missing her, for they were rarely up before ten in the morning. They were not particularly concerned about how she spent her time before they had breakfast, but afterward, they demanded her attention.
Beryl’s hair was in a braid, and she would pin it up once she returned to the house. She certainly did not want her cousins to discover she had stripped and gone for a swim. Beryl dived beneath the water and emerged, feeling invigorated. She lay on her back, stretched out her arms and legs and tilted her chin. She took a deep breath and relaxed until she felt weightless. She promised herself not to let anything toss her into disorder today.
Beryl turned over and dipped below the surface once more. She swam around in circles and alternated between floating and swimming. After a few minutes, Beryl felt a sense of unease and a prickling on the back of her neck. Her heart lurched.She sensed she was not alone. Small bumps raised along her arms, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. Beryl built up the courage to turn around to see who was there. She slowly scanned the trees. She found the culprit. He was sitting atop a majestic beast, and his gaze was piercing. Beryl was conscious of the shift clinging to all her curves, and she quickly sank into the water until only her head was visible.
“Have you lost all sense of propriety, good sir?” Beryl demanded.
A heavy silence fell. She discerned that he was a gentleman because of his well-tailored clothing made of luxurious fabric and his horse. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she prayed that her voice did not shake.
“What have I done to cause you to accuse me of being improper?” he drawled with an air of confidence.
Beryl cocked her head and raised a brow. “You dare to ask?”
The rogue chuckled. “I do. It seems to me that you are the one to invite scrutiny. After all, you are bathing almost naked in plain view.”
Beryl gasped, outrage and mortification burning through her. Although he did not say it, his tone implied that she had asked a ridiculous question considering her precarious position. She narrowed her gaze at him, carefully thinking about a scathing retort, and it was then that Beryl realized how handsome he was. She could tell that he was tall, even seated on his mount. He had a broad chest and shoulders, a narrow waist, black hair, and a straight nose.
He was too far away to see the color of his eyes but not far enough to escape them boring into her. Interestingly, the shade of his complexion was a bit darker than she would expect, and she concluded he must have returned from a country with a warmer climate. He was certainly a scoundrel to stare at her so, but he stole her breath. A most peculiar sensation fluttered lowin her belly. Beryl realized she had been staring, and her face grew hot before her entire body followed suit. She was sure her body heat warmed the water around her.
Although the rogue was right, she was almost naked; Beryl was stunned that he would say such a thing. A gentleman should have kept such thoughts to himself. His beauty was matched only by his brazenness. Beryl felt another flutter in her stomach, and her cheeks burned brighter.
“Have I stolen your ability to speak?”
The rogue! Beryl frowned. “I find your actions to be highly improper, sir. Should you not have left as soon as you assessed the situation? I cannot think of an acceptable reason for you to be spying—”
His lips twisted into a cynical smile. “Spying?”
His voice filled with incredulity.
Beryl sniffed. “Youweresecretly observing me during a private moment. Were you not?” Beryl asked with a significant lifting of her brow.
His expression held a hint of mockery. “My lady, you do not grasp the meaning of the word private. If you would swim in the lake with your wet shift clinging to every curve, I do not believe it is privacy you want.”
Beryl inhaled sharply. He spoke as if he was stating something quite obvious. Handsome, arrogant, and wicked. When she breathed out, it was somewhat strangled. She was livid.
How dare he!
She was mortified that he would speak to her in this way. A moment’s silence hung heavy between them. Beryl gave him a hard, cold gaze. “Are you implying that I wantyourattention?”
Beryl was sure to make her voice drip with scorn. He was insufferably rude. She most certainly did not desire his scrutiny and forwardness. She could not bear the thought of beingdiscovered in such a situation and could not even begin to think how she would explain it. Her governess had taught her well. One of the golden rules was to avoid gentlemen to whom she had not been introduced. Furthermore, she should not be alone with a gentleman and certainly not one who looks as predatory as this handsome devil.
The rake shrugged his powerful shoulders and smirked.
