A Dangerous Love

Before she could respond, Dianna came inside. “Wake up, sleepy…” She stopped. “You are up! Oh, of course you are. You are usually the first one up in the house.” Her smile faded and she stared closely.

Ariella knew then that her tension and excitement showed. She forced a smile. All she could think was that Alexi would discover her new secret if she wasn’t careful.

He was her half brother and her elder by two years. His Russian mother, a countess, had handed him off to their father at birth, as neither she nor her husband cared to have her bastard son remain in their family. They had grown up together with their father on Jamaica Island, and he was far closer to her than any full sibling could be. He was her dearest friend, her brother, her protector. He would take one look at her and demand to know what was wrong.

Panic arose. If he ever learned of her tryst with Emilian,he would try to kill him. He was that protective of her.

“What is wrong? Are you ill?” Dianna asked, coming close and touching her cheek.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Ariella said truthfully. “I doubt I slept at all last night.”

For one moment, Dianna stared as if she knew the truth. “It was their music, wasn’t it?” she said, low. “I heard it, too. It took me a while to fall asleep. There must have been dancing.”

Ariella thought there was innuendo in her sister’s words, but surely that was not the case. “I don’t know.”

Dianna sat down on a blue-and-white-striped ottoman. “They say that is what they do—dance and sing all night long.”

“I don’t think we should accept rumors as fact,” Ariella said. The moment she spoke, she heard how cross she sounded. She stood, hoping Dianna had not noticed her harsh tone.

“My, you are a grouch today. Are you coming downstairs to see Alexi?”

Ariella prayed she could pretend that all was as it should be now. “Of course.” But as she followed Dianna down the wide, central staircase, the steps covered with a red and gold Persian runner, she heard her brother’s voice. His tone was hard.

“I cannot believe Father would allow them to stay on our property.”

Ariella tensed. Alexi was obviously speaking about the Romany. He traveled the world extensively, as he had global shipping interests, and he spoke often about cultures different from their own with interest, not suspicion or prejudice. She was taken aback by his words and tone.

He whirled, smiling. “There she is!” His white teeth flashed in his handsome, swarthy face. Tall and broad-shouldered, his eyes were the brilliant blue shared by so many de Warenne men. Like his male cousins, he had been a notorious rakehell before his marriage—unlike his male cousins, he remained a notorious rakehell even after marriage. Five years ago, he had wed their childhood friend, Elysse O’Neil, to save her from scandal—and had abandoned her at the altar immediately after taking his vows. Needless to say, that had caused an even greater scandal. As far as Ariella knew, neither husband nor wife had set eyes upon each other since.

He strode to her, but before he could embrace her, his smile faded and his stare became searching. “What is wrong?” he asked instantly.

“Is Elysse with you?” she queried, hoping to distract him. Besides, she loved Elysse as a sister and wished she were happily married to Alexi.

His face hardened. “Do not start.”

Nothing had changed. Whatever had happened, Alexi would never forgive Elysse and never forget. She sighed and hugged him, standing on tiptoe to do so. “You are such an impossible man. I love you, anyway.” She finally smiled, and it was almost genuine. “You promised to be in London for my birthday, but instead, you sent that impossible gift!” He’d sent her a music box inlaid with semiprecious stones and filigreed with gold from Istanbul. It must have cost him a small fortune.

He set her at arm’s length. “I am sorry I missed your birthday, but I explained in my note that we were becalmed. You look unhappy.”

Ariella moved past him. She glimpsed her Aunt Lizzie, the Countess of Adare, in an adjacent room, chatting happily with Amanda. Her cousin, Margery, smiled at her and they hugged. “I am so happy to see you,” Margery said. Like her mother, she was a pretty, buxom strawberry blonde. “Even though it’s only been a few weeks, there is so much to catch up on.”

Margery spent a great deal of the year in London, too. “How was your trip? You have arrived so early!” Ariella said.

“We had an easy journey, thanks to the new rail,” she replied. “You do look a bit peaked, Ariella. Are you all right?”

“I couldn’t sleep a wink last night,” Ariella said. She was afraid to look at Alexi. He was scrutinizing her far too closely.

“The Gypsy music kept her awake,” Dianna said. “I had a bit of a problem falling asleep, as well.”

Ariella felt her cheeks warm. She stole a glance at her brother, but he had strode to the terrace doors. He stared across the lawns toward the brightly painted wagons of the caravan.

“A Gypsy woman came to the door at Harmon House a year or so ago,” Margery said. “I was the only one at home and I happened to notice how shabbily she was dressed before our doorman could send her away. She begged to tell my fortune. I only wanted to give her a meal, but she read my palm.”

“And did her fortune come true?” Dianna asked.

“Well, as she predicted a terribly handsome man as dark as the night riding in on a white charger, no.” Margery laughed. “How unfortunate.”

Alexi turned. “She was hustling you, obviously.”

“She was too proud to accept a meal without offering a service,” Ariella refuted. Her tone must have been strong, because everyone stared.

Alexi’s interest had become intense. Ariella said, “I went to their camp with Father. I haven’t seen Romany people since I was a child. That was in Ireland, Alexi, do you recall?”

“Yes, I do. Father’s stallion was stolen and he was furious for a week.”

She crossed her arms and stiffened. “It was unfortunate,” she began.

“It was a felony,” he said grimly.

She walked over to him, her temper flaring dangerously. She knew she should control it—she never lost her temper and everyone would know something was afoot. But she couldn’t hold it at bay. “So all Gypsies are horse thieves, fortune-tellers, hustlers and criminals?”

He towered over her. “I did not say any such thing. I have encountered Romany all over the world. They are great musicians —in Russia, the Crown has a Romany choir, as do many of the great nobles. In Hungary, Romany musicians are the rage and they play in the greatest homes, and on the stage. Many of them earn an honest living. They are tinkers, smiths, basket makers, chair menders. But,” he said very emphatically, “they are nomadic, and a disproportionate number prefer any activity other than one that brings in an honest wage.”

She knew she must back down. “I cannot believe that there are more thieves amongst the Romany than amongst the English.”

“That is not what I said.”

“Their music is strange, but very enjoyable,” Dianna said swiftly, clearly wanting to intervene. She smiled anxiously at them both. “It is exotic but filled with passion, like an opera might be.”

Ariella ignored her, as did Alexi. He said softly, “Since when have you become the defender of the Romany tribes?”

Ariella debated several placating answers. “Since I went with Father to their camp and saw mothers caring for their children and preparing supper for their families, just as we do!”

“Their culture is vastly different from ours.” He was firm. “I do not like them camping here.”

“Why not?” she cried.

His gaze shot to hers. “There will be trouble.”

She could not believe he had become so bigoted. “Their leader swore that there would be no horse stealing or cattle rustling.”

“Really? How odd. Theirs is more of a brotherhood than anything else. I doubt their vaida could speak honestly for his brothers. You have become enamored of the Romany!”

Ariella’s heart had stopped. For one moment, she had thought he had been about to say she was enamored of their leader. She breathed, trembling. “Yes, I have. I want to study their ways and learn all I can about them.”

“Last night you were going on and on about the Mongols,” Dianna exclaimed.

She had the perfect excuse to seek Emilian out now, she realized, but her anxiety did not ease. “I have had enough of the Mongols. When I saw the Romany camp with Father, I became fascinated with them. I want to know what is folklore and what is fact.” She glanced at Alexi to see if he believed her.