Reckless. Shannon Drake

said, addressing William. “Your ships at sea entrance me. There is one on the wall in a castle belonging to a good friend, and I have long coveted it. He did not know where the artist was to be found. And now, I have made your acquaintance!” He chuckled. “The Earl of Carlyle has not yet had that pleasure, so I have one-upped the man, you see.”

      Her father looked rather flushed, as she was sure she herself was. But he did stand straight and proud, as well. “Lord Avery, I must tell you, I am not a man who needs or feeds on flattery. You need not feel that you must purchase any of my pieces because of what has occurred. Your words are kind. And your sponsorship of my daughter is an incredible piece of fortune for her.”

      “The apple does not fall far from the tree, dear fellow. I try to think of myself as a patron of the arts. She is so young…Sir Hunter showed me the little sketch that she did and I was instantly enchanted. Mr. Adair, you are doing us the favor.”

      Lord Avery could not be judged as anything other than sincere. William Adair ceased any protest. “Lord Avery, I thank you.”

      Emma appeared at the entryway. “Breakfast is served,” she said cheerfully.

      Kat was still in pure bliss as they filed into the dining room.

      Hunter, however, had made the seating arrangements, and she found herself not beside David, but between Lord Avery and his daughter. Lady Daws was between David and Robert Stewart—good heavens, she had managed to completely forget the woman!—and Eliza was seated next to David’s other close friend, Allan…Allan something. He was fair-haired and pleasant, and he smiled with approval when he looked at her, and naturally, she smiled when she looked back.

      “What a lovely breakfast, Emma!” Margaret said cheerfully, helping herself to a slice of ham as the plate went round the table. “Ah, muffins, eggs, ham…bacon! And soon we’ll be on a ship, and off to foreign parts—we’ll miss your cooking, Emma!”

      Emma nodded, pleased with the compliment, but said, “My lady, there will be fine fare aboard the ship, and in the company of such prestigious folk, I daresay, none of us will suffer.”

      “But nothing will be so fine as your creations,” Robert Stewart said, and catching Kat’s eye, he winked.

      Margaret shivered. “This is such an adventure for all of you! I’m not at all sure why we can’t remain right here where we are, in London. After all, London is the heart of civilization!”

      Margaret’s words made Kat forget any sense of shyness, or that she was not among the company she usually kept. “But London is the heart of civilization because we English have explored so vastly, in such faraway places!”

      “Bravo, Miss Adair!” David said, delighting Kat.

      Margaret did not seem to take offense. She laughed. “That’s because you haven’t been wretchedly seasick for days on end. Or felt the desert sands in your mouth when you breathe! You’ll see.”

      “I’ve never gotten seasick,” Kat murmured.

      “Because you’re a mermaid!” Robert Stewart teased.

      “No, because she has a sense of adventure,” Hunter murmured.

      Lord Avery cleared his throat. “Indeed, a joie de vivre. We’ve forgotten, Hunter, I believe. I am, dear friend, sorry that I neglected to mention that we owe you a debt, as well. You, too, went diving in for David and wound up rescuing the rescuer.”

      “Oh, but you see, she didn’t really need rescuing,” Hunter said, looking at Kat. Then he looked at her father apologetically. “In my fear that she should drown, I believe I caused her injury.”

      “But ‘all’s well that ends well!’” Eliza quoted cheerfully.

      “Indeed,” Lady Daws said, staring at Kat with narrowed eyes. “Yes, now the dear girl will have excellent opportunities, and, gentlemen,” she added, her gaze sliding from Sir Hunter to Lord Avery, “you will have works of sheer passion and genius to hang on your walls.”

      “Here, here!” Lord Avery said. “When will we see some of your work, Mr. Adair?” he added.

      “I…I…”

      “There is a great deal of it hanging in my apartments,” Lady Daws said. “After breakfast, perhaps, we will all take a very small expedition and go see them.”

      “Oh, I’m afraid not,” Hunter said. “I’m due at the museum to tie up a few loose ends with Brian. And Miss Adair must accompany me.”

      “But dear Lord Avery!” Lady Daws persisted. “There is so little time left before you leave the country!”

      “Hunter, you and Miss Adair go on to the museum,” Lord Avery said. “If you will forgive me, Hunter, the rest of us will go on Lady Daws’s art expedition! She is quite right. Time is a precious commodity right now.”

      “Indeed, Lord Avery, I wouldn’t deny you such a pleasure.”

      “I should accompany the crowd,” Kat murmured. “I know my father’s work so well—”

      “But I shall be there! And you must learn your duties, Katherine,” Lady Daws said.

      “I will be there, as well,” Eliza said firmly.

      “Yes, you do need to become aware of what the future will bring,” Hunter said, staring at her. His eyes were hard. She didn’t know if he was referring to all that she needed to know regarding ancient Egypt—or if she needed to learn that, despite the charm and camaraderie they were all enjoying today, her place among them was slightly below the rest.

      “But surely,” Kat murmured, “one afternoon will not matter so much?”

      “One afternoon matters greatly when so few are left,” Hunter said.

      “I insist you accompany us!” Robert Stewart protested gallantly.

      “She must not,” Lady Daws said firmly. “Such an excellent offer for learning does not come to every…young woman.”

      Kat bit her tongue, wondering just what adjectives Lady Daws really intended to use.

      She looked at her father, who was smiling at her with assurance. She realized that he believed her protests were because she was worried about him. “It’s all right, Kat. If you need to see the museum, then you must do so.”

      “We are agreed, then,” Hunter said, rising. Kat refrained from giving him a baleful stare and rose, as well, politely excusing herself.

      “You do ride?” Hunter said. “I will send Ethan and the carriage with your family.”

      “Of course I ride,” Kat lied. She could, indeed, swim like a fish. She’d grown up, however, in the City of London where public transportation was excellent and there was no need to ride a horse.

      She saw her father frown.

      He, like the other men, had risen when she had.

      Forgetting David for one moment as she saw her father’s concerned face, she turned to Lord Avery. “Truly, my lord, my father is a genius,” she said proudly. “As you will see.”

      “I have seen!” Lord Avery assured her. He turned to her and clasped her hands in his. “All will be well, my child. You will see.”

      She thanked him.

      Hunter was at her side. His hand was on her elbow. She bid the others farewell.

      “Oh, but it isn’t goodbye! We will have a lovely time together for weeks and weeks…months!” Lady Margaret assured her.

      Guilt rippled through Kat. She smiled. “Of course. And thank you.”

      “Good heavens, this is more like an Italian goodbye,” Hunter said impatiently. “We are merely headed in opposite directions for the afternoon.”

      “I shall call you this evening,”