Page 19 of A Lady's Wicked Revenge
And something was subtly wrong about Uncle James’ face, she thought. It was a remarkable likeness, really, with every steely grey hair of his moustache exactly in place. The eyes of the painting, too, possessed all of the casual cruelty that the man himself always carried in his gaze. It took Diana another minute of examining the painting before she realised that the face had been repainted in some places, as though finished and later corrected.
I’ve seen enough of London’s society and their portraits of themselves to know how assiduously a painter will conceal any flaw, exaggerate any attractive characteristic,she thought, a wondering smirk playing across her lips.I wonder if this artist struggled to capture his subject’s likeness, his brush stubborn and unwilling when tasked with painting such a face?
Or did he turn in a picture of Uncle James with a generous smile on his face, then was furiously told by his patron to go back and make him look twice as vicious? Seems the sort of thing Uncle James would do—the man wishes to be loved, but not half so much as he wishes to be feared.
Diana shivered at the thought. She walked on, not wishing to spend another moment beneath those baleful eyes. It was not until she entered the family dining room that she realised exactly what she expected to find therein.
“Good morning, Miss Hann. I see you’ve decided to go on living after all, then. There’s a good girl.”
Diana gave a wicked grin as she took her place at the table opposite Colin and speared a wedge of cheese with her knife. “Don’t be so sure. Perhaps I’ve simply decided to have a hearty breakfast before ending it all. It would be a shame to perish on an empty stomach.”
Colin pulled a face and nodded towards the food between them on the table. “No less tragic than your last meal being this appalling fare. Downright criminal, even. Unless you mean to do yourself in with one of these boulders that Cook has the audacity to call scones?”
“A lady shouldn’t make such decisions while hungry.” Diana laughed. She chewed thoughtfully as she held aloft her cheese knife and waved it gently in Colin’s direction. “You might wish to avert your eyes. I may decide to hurry up my bloody fate at any moment. And as we know, you men have no stomach for blood; I’d hate the last thing I see before passing away to be the sight of you fainting like a little girl with a bee sting.”
Colin sat back heavily in his chair, his arms folded. He looked at Diana, seemingly for the first time really looking, rather than judging or pulling a crude or judgemental face. Diana felt herself grow anxious at the sustained eye contact but would not allow herself to look away.If he’s waiting for me to flinch first, he’ll have to wait longer than that.
“Interesting,” he said at last.
Diana blinked—she did not know what she had expected him to say, but it was not that.
“Really, I mean it,” said Colin with excitement in his voice. “I should say this is the most interesting conversation I have had in some time, were it not for our equally fascinating encounter at last night’s dinner party.”
“And here I thought you were trying to tear me to pieces verbally,” she muttered, dropping a lump of sugar into her teacup.
“Oh, I was!” Colin’s smile had grown downright manic by now. “As you were to me unless I miss my guess. But you make for a most formidable opponent, Miss Hann. Really, remarkably so—most women, and most men, would have given up long before that, but you gave to me nearly as good as you got.”
“Better. Pass the marmalade.”
Though she still felt ill at ease at this apparent bout of flattery from Colin Mullens, Diana permitted herself to lower her guard a bit. Their verbal jabs and parries continued at a brisk pace between mouthfuls of boiled egg and fresh fruit, and within a few minutes, Diana found that she was wiping away tears of laughter.
In fact, before long, Diana had found herself growing downright relaxed in the man’s company. There was the strange vulnerability she had seen in him the previous evening, of course … and, she could not fail to notice, he was a handsome enough man with his striking green eyes and flowing dark hair.
But only for an instant. Even as she felt herself smiling like a simpleton as she looked at Colin Mullens, she saw him cut his slice of ham and lift a morsel to his lips inexactlythe same fashion she had seen Uncle James do a hundred times. With the force of a thundering stampede, Diana was reminded that this clever young swain was an agent of her guardian’s, that he would betray anything she told him to his stepfather in a heartbeat.
Don’t let yourself get too comfortable, foolish girl,she chided herself, digging into her breakfast with increased haste.Even if he is diverting enough company, he is no friend to you.
Soon enough she had finished her plate of food. The instant she had swallowed the last bite, she stood from the table. “Thank you for your company, Mister Mullens,” Diana said stiffly and moved to make her exit, glancing at the clock as she did so. If she hurried, she could make it out to the grounds and pass another morning walking and reading her book before Uncle James awoke.
“You are welcome, of course.” With these words, Colin matched her movements, tossing his napkin over his plate and pushing in his own chair before stepping after Diana towards the door.
She stopped and lifted a finger in Colin’s direction. “Either your social graces are out of practise, or mine are, sir,” said Diana coldly.
Colin smiled and continued to step slowly towards her. “Not so much so that I would forget to offer my services as guide to a young lady who is still unfamiliar with our home.”
Diana felt the impulse to wrinkle her nose at this suggestion and did not hold herself back from indulging in this expression. “A kind suggestion, I’m sure, but I think even my poor, simple, womanly brain can find its way around a garden without the aid of a navigator.”
Laughter danced in Colin’s eyes. “I would hardly suggest otherwise. Really, I was making an offer of my company for its own sake rather than for any possible utility in exploring the grounds … though I do know a place or two you might not discover on your own, I think. I know I certainly don’t have anything better to do, and I hardly think you have offers from any other dashing, witty young men to choose from.”
She felt something inside herself tense at the proposition, and she fought the urge to shrink away. “You and I, walking around outside? I hardly think that is … appropriate, do you? Even if we are only on the grounds of the estate, it’s not exactly proper for an unmarried man and woman to spend such time in one another’s company.”
Colin laughed at that, long and loud—enough so that Diana felt he was concealing something in the pleasant ringing of his laugh. After he regained his senses, he waved his hand dismissively.
“While I’m flattered at the implication that you think you and I would ever be considered an appropriate match by anyone on God’s green Earth—” Diana felt her cheeks grow hot, and she opened her mouth to protest, but Colin continued speaking before she got an opportunity, “I think it’s hardly anything worth worrying about in our case, our personalities aside. We live with one another, for one thing, and whatever holes or crevices you think I may hide myself in during my normal life, we will hardly be going anywhere private.”
Still blushing furiously at the insinuation, Diana prepared herself to throw the invitation back into his face.I don’t need him to figure out where the blasted trees and flowers are in this place,she thought darkly.I don’t need a minion of Uncle James’ following my moves, guiding me where he will, either. And I certainly don’t need any company—at least, not the kind of company a rascal like this can offer!
But then Colin Mullens just gave a shrug. Closing his eyes and turning to leave, he said in a soft voice, “Certainly, I will respect your wishes either way. If you are afraid to accept my offer, I will leave you to—”
