Page 104 of To Love A Spy
Marco’s gaze sharpened. “Why?”
Da Rimini shrugged. “Never mind.” Unsheathing his saber, he ran a thumb along its edge. “Just an odd thought.”
Seemingly loath to let the subject drop, Marco set a hand on his hip. “Talk about odd. You would have been astounded,amico, to see our lordly leader that night. The marquess is always so coolly elegant, with never a hair out of place, eh? Well, he had shed that air of reserve, along with his trousers . . .”
The sound of voices made Valencia pause at the courtyard gate.
“Dio Madre, the perfume of passion was so thick in the air you could have cut it with a knife . . .”
Ah.It seemed that the handsome young man—Marco?—was waxing poetic on their recent encounter in France.
“Which, I might add, Lynsley’s ladybird held with a practiced hand,” went on Marco. “It looked like she had a great deal of experience in handling a weapon.” He grinned. “No wonder His Lordship was all afire to have us leave. The woman was hot . . .”
She had picked up a fencing sword from the rack in the Weapon courtyard and with a flick of cold steel, she touched the rapier to his spine. “Talking out of school,bambino?”
Da Rimini looked around. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“That goes without saying, you old wolf.” Valencia smiled. “Aside from the benighted state of your soul, how are you?”
“As you see, trying to teach these young chicks to be as good as you were has turned my hair grey,” he replied.
“You were aMerlin?” blurted out Verona.
“Si, the very best,” saidIl Lupinosoftly.
“That was a long time ago.” Valencia turned to meet the student’s wide-eyed gaze. “Thomas tells me you are the current queen of the roost.”
“I—I . . .” stammered Verona.
“She has a long way to go before she can soar to your heights,” finished Da Rimini.
“I don’t fly much anymore.” Valencia touched a hand to her thigh. “These days, I live a rather down-to-earth life. I am happy to cede my place in the sky to a younger hawk.”
Verona bit her lip. “I may not have my wings after His Lordship finishes his meeting with Mrs. Merlin.”
“His Lordship is extremely patient with the headstrong hellions of his flock,” said Valencia. “In my experience, he is understanding, and generous to a fault in granting a second chance.”
“Understanding, my arse,” growled Da Rimini. “Lynsley was a bloody idiot to let you leave the nest.”
“It was my choice,” she answered. “Thomas offered me terms. I did not care to accept them.”
“Quite right,cara.” Marco had been following the exchange with great interest. “The marquess may have pots of money, but I have youth on my side. If you are looking for a freelance position?—”
“I suggest you sheath your tongue.” It was Lynsley who stepped out from the shadows. “Unless you wish to be fishing your cods out of the courtyard cistern.” He had changed from his formal dress into fencing garb—a loose linen shirt buckskin breeches, and soft leather boots. The breeze ruffled his hair and the pale blue silk kerchief knotted at his throat.
Valencia felt the air seize in her lungs.Youth be damned. No man was a match for the marquess. She loved every line in hisface, every strand of silver-flecked hair curling at his temples. Every nuanced facet of his beautiful eyes. It was experience that gave them such depth and richness.
If the young man was lucky, he might some day measure up to his mentor. But for now . . .
“Just a bit of good-natured teasing, milord.” Marco grinned. “No offense meant,cara.”
“None taken,” murmured Valencia. “However, my services are not for hire.”
Marco exaggerated a sigh. “So I see. I shall just have to be satisfied with, how you say, sour grapes.”
Lynsley’s sword cut through the air with a soft swoosh. “Like fine wine, I have improved with age.”
A bark of laughter sounded fromIl Lupino. “That is putting the pup in his place.” He sauntered to the center of the fencing circle and drew a line in the hardpacked earth with the point of his saber. “What say you to going a round? For the past. And for the present.” The fencing master pointed to the group of girls who had gathered at the far end of the pitch. “I should like my master class to see what heights they should aspire to.”
