Read Online Fallen Angel by Elizabeth Thornton - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Thornton
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Assembly Rooms?" he asked at length when the bout of laughter had subsided.
"No. Though I've heard of it, ad nauseam."
"If you had, then you'd know that it's not comme il faut for the sexes to have any sort of converse that couldn't be broadcast by the town crier. But to answer your question, no, I have never before in my life talked to any female, with the possible exception of my mother and sisters, so openly and frankly, whether highborn or lowborn, not even to the occasional lightskirt I've had in my keeping."
She blinked rapidly, and Deveryn cocked his head, his look speculative.
"Don't tell me! I believe, yes I do believe, that I've been before Malcolm at last."
"What's a lightskirt?" She asked seriously.
He answered in the same serious vein. "A woman who gives a man sexual favours for money."
"Oh!" she said, and fell silent.
He possessed himself of one of her hands and gently nipped it between his teeth. "I can tell that you can hardly wait to run off to Malcolm to explore this subject of lightskirts. What is it you wish to know?"
When she remained obstinately silent he said in a matter-of- fact tone, "Come. I'm perfectly capable of answering any of your questions. Try me."
"I was merely wondering," she said stiffly, "if Malcolm ever had a lightskirt in his keeping. If you can answer that, you must be a clairvoyant."
He smiled. "How old is Malcolm?"
"Two and twenty."
"Then the answer is yes."
"You can't know that!" Her indignation was very evident.
"Not absolutely of course, but it's more than likely."
"Why is it?"
Because, my little ignoramus, it's almost de rigueur for any young buck to have dealings with the muslin company, else how can he prove to his friends that he is a red-blooded male? Besides," he added with amused tolerance, "the practice has its compensations."
"Logic isn't your forte, is it?" she intoned at her most haughty. "But I won't argue the point with you. I really can't stay longer. You must let me pass."
"Don't you want to know if I have a lightskirt in my keeping?"
"Not particularly."
"I shall tell you anyway. As it happens I'm quite unen cumbered at the moment, or rather, I shall be when my business in this neck of the woods is concluded. Does that reassure you?"
"Talking to you," she said slowly and very deliberately, "is like trying to find one's way out of a maze. Thank you for the lessons. I'm sure Malcolm will be able to clear up any misunderstandings."
She rose swiftly to her feet and made to push past him. It took very little effort to tumble her into his lap. His hands slid beneath her mantle and came to rest under her arms, just brushing the swell of her breasts. He ignored her sharp intake of breath.
"What a slowtop you are," he murmured, and his lips, warm and open, lightly traced the line of her jaw. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"
She held herself stiffly, but she did not struggle to free herself from his embrace, and Deveryn said very softly into her mouth, "You belong to me. How am I to convince you of that fact?"
"With great difficulty," she answered, and he could have sworn that inwardly she was laughing at him, though her expression remained grave.
"What an unromantic girl you are!"
"I've never pretended otherwise."
"Don't you believe in love at first sight?"
"Balderdash!" But he could see the mischief lurking in the depths of her eyes.
His smile was self-deprecating. "It does happen, you know." She looked to be unconvinced and he said with a slight show of impatience, "I don't suppose you're familiar with Aristophanes's theory on love?" Without waiting for her answer he went on, "He believes that lovers are born joined but that the gods separate them at birth and they wander the earth, lost and lonely, till they find each other again. Only a few fortunate ones ever do. The unlucky ones learn to make do with second best—again and again and again."
"That's sheer myth," she retorted.
"So I believed. Until tonight. Now I'm not so
"No. Though I've heard of it, ad nauseam."
"If you had, then you'd know that it's not comme il faut for the sexes to have any sort of converse that couldn't be broadcast by the town crier. But to answer your question, no, I have never before in my life talked to any female, with the possible exception of my mother and sisters, so openly and frankly, whether highborn or lowborn, not even to the occasional lightskirt I've had in my keeping."
She blinked rapidly, and Deveryn cocked his head, his look speculative.
"Don't tell me! I believe, yes I do believe, that I've been before Malcolm at last."
"What's a lightskirt?" She asked seriously.
He answered in the same serious vein. "A woman who gives a man sexual favours for money."
"Oh!" she said, and fell silent.
He possessed himself of one of her hands and gently nipped it between his teeth. "I can tell that you can hardly wait to run off to Malcolm to explore this subject of lightskirts. What is it you wish to know?"
When she remained obstinately silent he said in a matter-of- fact tone, "Come. I'm perfectly capable of answering any of your questions. Try me."
"I was merely wondering," she said stiffly, "if Malcolm ever had a lightskirt in his keeping. If you can answer that, you must be a clairvoyant."
He smiled. "How old is Malcolm?"
"Two and twenty."
"Then the answer is yes."
"You can't know that!" Her indignation was very evident.
"Not absolutely of course, but it's more than likely."
"Why is it?"
Because, my little ignoramus, it's almost de rigueur for any young buck to have dealings with the muslin company, else how can he prove to his friends that he is a red-blooded male? Besides," he added with amused tolerance, "the practice has its compensations."
"Logic isn't your forte, is it?" she intoned at her most haughty. "But I won't argue the point with you. I really can't stay longer. You must let me pass."
"Don't you want to know if I have a lightskirt in my keeping?"
"Not particularly."
"I shall tell you anyway. As it happens I'm quite unen cumbered at the moment, or rather, I shall be when my business in this neck of the woods is concluded. Does that reassure you?"
"Talking to you," she said slowly and very deliberately, "is like trying to find one's way out of a maze. Thank you for the lessons. I'm sure Malcolm will be able to clear up any misunderstandings."
She rose swiftly to her feet and made to push past him. It took very little effort to tumble her into his lap. His hands slid beneath her mantle and came to rest under her arms, just brushing the swell of her breasts. He ignored her sharp intake of breath.
"What a slowtop you are," he murmured, and his lips, warm and open, lightly traced the line of her jaw. "Haven't you been listening to a word I've said?"
She held herself stiffly, but she did not struggle to free herself from his embrace, and Deveryn said very softly into her mouth, "You belong to me. How am I to convince you of that fact?"
"With great difficulty," she answered, and he could have sworn that inwardly she was laughing at him, though her expression remained grave.
"What an unromantic girl you are!"
"I've never pretended otherwise."
"Don't you believe in love at first sight?"
"Balderdash!" But he could see the mischief lurking in the depths of her eyes.
His smile was self-deprecating. "It does happen, you know." She looked to be unconvinced and he said with a slight show of impatience, "I don't suppose you're familiar with Aristophanes's theory on love?" Without waiting for her answer he went on, "He believes that lovers are born joined but that the gods separate them at birth and they wander the earth, lost and lonely, till they find each other again. Only a few fortunate ones ever do. The unlucky ones learn to make do with second best—again and again and again."
"That's sheer myth," she retorted.
"So I believed. Until tonight. Now I'm not so
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