To Be Seduced (24 page)

She stood staring at him, swaying slightly on her feet for several seconds. Then she slowly folded into a pile on the floor, looking up at him in confusion.

At least she remained conscious, he thought grimly. “Right, give me your hand.” He took the proffered appendage and pulled her to her feet, none too gently. “‘Once more unto the breach.’”

“
Henry the Fifth
, Act Three, Scene One.” She nodded sagely as he hefted her into his arms once more. “Do you care for Shakespeare, your lordship?”

“He’s tolerable.” A low ache began to spread across his back. “You appear to be familiar with him, however. Have you attended the play often?” He rolled his eyes at the ridiculous conversation.

She shook her head. “Oh no! Mother would never let me see one of Shakespeare’s plays. They’re dreadfully improper.” Her voice lowered at last. “She doesn’t know I read them. I stole the book from my brothers.” She giggled. “That was five years ago and they still haven’t noticed it’s missing.”

“Very clever of you, but we really must not wake up the rest of the house.” He whispered in hopes of encouraging her to do the same. At the sight of the footman outside her door, he stopped short. To his alarm, the girl failed to take his subtle hint.

“See, Eoghan, I said I’d be back!” He tried unsuccessfully to hush her. “Do you know, Lord Rossburn hates the banister, too.”

The servant met his eyes in horror. “Mary, God, and baby Jesus, I’ll be sent back to Belfast for sure.”

“Is there a discrete female you can fetch to help get Miss Quinn, er, settled in?”

“Wait here.” The stripling scurried off into the shadows.

He eased her back onto her feet, this time sliding an arm around her waist before she collapsed again. He strained to listen for any sign that they had been overheard. Thankfully he heard nothing until the brush of feet on the hall carpet and a circle of candlelight heralded the return of the footman.

His relief vaporized when he recognized Mrs. Helford. She came forward to assist her granddaughter.

“Granny!” His fiancée almost literally fell into her arms. “Lord Rossburn and I were enjoying some cognac in the library!”

The old woman pinned him with a ferocious glare. He held up both hands. “I assure you, madam, when I entered the library in search of refreshment, Miss Quinn was already there. In an advanced state of inebriation, I fear.”

She scrutinized him for several seconds before addressing the girl. “Diantha Susanne, is that true?”

She giggled. “I got into Papa’s best liquor, and there’s nothing he can do about it.” She tried to snap her fingers, then stared at her hand in bemusement when she failed. “It did taste odd at first, but I got used to it easily enough. Lovely stuff!”

“I doubt you’ll think so in the morning.” The dry tone of her grandmother’s voice sailed over her head. Mrs. Helford sighed and addressed him.

“I suppose it’s a blessing that you found her instead of my fool daughter and her husband.” She muttered to herself. “What did they expect, keeping the girl locked up like one of their collections? You there!” The hovering manservant snapped to attention. “Get down to the kitchen and warm a large pot of coffee—you and nobody else. If anyone asks, you’re taking it to me. Bring it here and mind no one catches you.”

Nodding, the young man hurried away.

“You can safely turn Diantha over to me, young man.” She spoke with the crisp air of a military officer. At the mention of her name, the girl looked up before sagging back onto her shoulder. Alarmed, Kieran reached to relieve the small woman of the burden. She waved his assistance away impatiently.

“You get yourself back to your hotel. I’ve a great deal of work to do if she’s to show up at the church unimpaired.”

He regarded the pair of them with concern. “I quite understand, madam, but will you not need help getting her into bed?”

Despite the circumstances, the old woman chuckled. “My late husband weighed nearly two hundred pounds in his prime and I certainly helped him to bed often enough. Now shoo!”

On the short walk to his hotel, Kieran shook his head in disbelief. Despite her condition, he had enjoyed his fiancée’s company more in the last hour than he had in the previous six months.