The Rakehell Regency Romance Collection Volume 2(136)

Parks declared, "I first fell in love with Vevina over Beethoven."



"No, it was definitely my sewing skills. If it hadn't been for me you would have been running around Cuidad Roderigo stark naked," Vevina laughed.



Elizabeth started and blushed.



Will explained patiently, "Young Parky here enlisted at fourteen. He was growing so fast that by the time he ever got to Spain he had outgrown almost all his uniforms. Vevina made him a new wardrobe, and got to swagger about in his old ones."



"I see. Well, that was very kind of you, Vevina."



"No, it wasn't your sewing, it was your embroidery," Parks said. "You make the most exquisite designs. I quite envy Stewart his wardrobe."



"Kind of you to say so, Parky, but really, I'm sure Elizabeth's needlework is far superior to mine."



"We shall compare afterwards," Elizabeth said politely.



"Any wife of mine would not have to trouble to do such menial things for me," Fitzsimmons asserted with no small degree of hauteur.



"Menial? Rather a sign of devotion, care," Will said.



"But one has servants for such things."



"My wife also does all of my mending, and some wonderful fancy work," Thomas put in proudly.



"My wife will have better things to do with her time, and hands, eh?" Fitzsimmons said with a nudge in Parks' ribs.



The ribaldry froze them all. Fitzsimmons had to recover once more as Will asked in a dangerously soft tone, "What do you mean by that, sir? Surely a woman's accomplishments cannot be viewed in so dim a light."



"I meant she would be busy tending our children, of course."



"My sister manages to look after all four quite admirably and still be a devoted wife in every respect."



"Then she is an exceptional woman," Fitzsimmons conceded.



"I rather think she might not be the only one so gifted," Will said with a warm smile at Elizabeth.



"Oh, yes, certainly, Mr. Joyce. I do not see that running an estate and raising a family and being a good wife necessarily have to be incompatible."



"But my dear Lady Elizabeth, why bother when you have servants?" Fitzsimmons drawled.



"Because they look to me for guidance and direction in the same way that soldiers look to their commanders for leadership," she said, venturing a small smile up at Will.



His aquamarine eyes sparkled. "Very true, my dear. Well said."



Fitzsimmons turned the conversation once more his way, with another of the incomprehensible remarks she had come to dread. "Yes, but what do you do if you have a bad or corrupt leader, one not worth following?"



Thomas fixed him with a gimlet stare. "There can be no question of that in my sister's case, now can there?"



He paled. "Er, no, of course not. I wish you much joy of your new home, Lady Elizabeth. Welcome to Ardmore. We will be so please to have you amongst us to help us polish our ways. I expect to be a reformed man under your regard."



Thomas relaxed against his chair back slightly, and gave a small tight smile. "Surely not, Fitzsimmons. Surely you are exactly as you choose to be, no more and no less."



"There is always room for improvement."



"So my commander keeps telling me," Parks said with a wink at Will.



"Ah, but Stewart was your commander before I was. I cannot take all the credit for your reformation."



"No. But thanks to you I have struggled devilishly hard to give up the foie gras and caviar."



Elizabeth laughed. "If those are the worst of your vices, sir, then I think you can be assured of a place in Heaven."



"I certainly hope so," he said with surprising devoutness. "I'd very much like to see all of my friends there. What larks, eh, Will? No pain, no suffering, all the happiness you missed out on with—"



Vevina shook her head. "There is said to be no gender in Heaven, so I'm afraid your flirtatious ways will not come in useful there."



"Moi? Flirtatious? My dear Vevina, I'm wounded. As If I ever say anything I don't mean."



Will laughed heartily. "That's just the trouble, Parky. You say everything you really do mean. There is such a thing as too much candor, you know, especially when it comes to women."



"Do you think so?" Elizabeth asked, before taking a sip of wine. "I would like to be told the truth, no matter how awful it is to hear."



Will sobered, "You say that now, Lady Elizabeth, but I warrant no woman in the world wants to be told her new hat looks like an old bucket."



Elizabeth giggled in spite of herself. "Perhaps not, but there may also be a way to say it without hurting the lady's feelings?"