“Hold these!” Eva thrust her parcels and toffee into Claire’s hands.
“Where are you going?”
“Stop that at once!”
The boys turned to look at Eva as she yelled at them. All wore identical expressions of surprise when they saw who had spoken.
“How would you like me to throw you around?” Eva glared at the boy who held the wriggling puppy.
“How about we throw you around, love, and then we could all have some fun,” one of the boys said, moving closer to Eva. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and he tried to pull her nearer.
“Unhand her at once!”
The boy’s eyes widened as both footmen suddenly appeared at her side. He dropped her arm quickly as they scowled at him.
“Eva!” Claire arrived seconds later. “What is going on?”
“Give me that puppy now!” Eva demanded ignoring Claire in favor of glaring at the boy who held the dog. A little wriggling body was thrust into her arms and then the boys ran off.#p#分页标题#e#
“He’s very dirty, Eva.” Claire peered down at the puppy in her arms. “And he will cover you with fleas and disease.”
Eva didn’t care. She stroked one small ear and the puppy looked up at her, his big dark eyes seeming to study her, and then his body shuddered and he burrowed his head into her arm.
“Oh, you clever devil, he knows a soft touch when he sees one.” Claire took out one of her newly purchased shawls and wrapped it around the shivering little body.
“I want to keep him.” Eva stroked his head.
“Well, in that case, I think this signals the end to our shopping.” Gathering her parcels, Claire led the way with Eva following, clutching the puppy in her arms.
“Shall I take him for you, your Grace?”
“No thank you, Molly.” Eva was not letting him go.
The duke wasn’t home when Eva returned, so with the help of a reluctant Wernham and Molly, she bathed the puppy and fed him, then found a pillow to lay him and his new shawl on. Now that he was clean, she could see his fur was white and grey and he had a black ring around one eye. He was the sweetest puppy Eva had ever seen and she hoped Daniel felt the same. She was very conscious of all the things Daniel had indulged her in and she had no wish to force him into allowing her to keep the puppy just because she had never had one before.
“You called for me, your Grace?”
“Yes, thank you, Molly.” Eva looked down at her dress; it seemed she had more water on her than the puppy had. “If you will just help me undress, I wish to rest for a while before getting ready for the theatre this evening.”
Daniel had not seen his wife since breakfast and was not about to analyze why that bothered him so much. Entering her room, he found her sitting on her bed dressed in a robe.
“Hello, Daniel, how were the horses?”
“Nags with sway backs and short hocks. Simon has no idea on horse flesh.” Daniel looked down at his wife. “How was your bazaar?”
“Uh...well, it was pleasant.”
Her hesitation told him there was more to this conversation. “And did you buy anything?”
“Yes - and Daniel, I have to tell you something.”
“Yes?”
“I…I… Oh dear, I think I will just show you.” Eva got to her feet and went into the dressing room.
Perplexed, Daniel watched Eva disappear and then re-appear clutching a soft, white woolen shawl in her arms.
“It’s beautiful, my sweet, but hardly my color,” he teased. She was so serious, a crease had formed between her eyes as she walked toward him.
“The thing is, Daniel, you have given me more than I could ever wish for and I would never force anything upon you or use my past to coerce you into indulging me.”
“I know that.” And he did. Eva did not have a mercenary bone in her body.
“Really?”
“Really.”
“The thing is, Daniel, this puppy was being bullied by three boys and I saved him.” She placed the sleeping dog into Daniel’s arms.
No one made a sound for several seconds. Daniel looked down at the slumbering animal. Lifting one hand, he stroked its spine, his big hand completely covering the small body.
“If…if you feel you cannot tolerate having him in the house, I thought perhaps he could live with one of servants, or maybe in the garden shed or…”
“Ssssh, Eva,” Daniel reached for her, then urged her onto his lap.
“Isn’t he cute?” she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.#p#分页标题#e#
“Yes, and he will chew our shoes and no doubt release his bowels on the carpet, but I think we should keep him.” Daniel kissed her cheek.