Page 47 of Never Love a Lord
He looked down at Sybilla with a smile as she withdrew her arm from around Lucy, allowing Julian to pull his daughter from the table with copious clanking and tinkling of jewels.
“Good morning, poppet,” he said to Lucy, kissing her again just because he couldn’t help it, and noticing that she smelled faintly of Sybilla’s personal cologne. “I see you’ve found a playmate. A wealthy playmate.”
“You should be ashamed, Lord Griffin—your daughter has absolutely no toys. Not one thing to amuse her could be found in her chamber this morn.”
“That’s not so,” Julian argued. “She has a doll. I think.”
“If you mean that knot of rags, you should be doubly mortified.”
Julian laughed. “Perhaps she is getting old enough for a true toy, but, Sybilla, you can’t allow her to play with your jewelry.”
She frowned at him, obviously offended. “It’s mine. I shall do with it what I wish.”
“A diamond tiara, Sybilla?” he said. “Really? Is that appropriate for a baby?”
“It suits her.” She looked at him levelly now. “I was going to sit her in a great trunk of gold coin, but thought perhaps that would pose a choking hazard.”
He threw back his head and laughed then, from his very toes it seemed. “How is it possible that I find the two of you here in this state?”
Sybilla shrugged and then took the chalice of wine presented to her by a kitchen boy. “I supposed Lady Lucy feels she is indebted to me for rescuing her from certain death by drowning in her own clothes last night and placing her in bed with us,” she said lightly, and then took a sip from her cup.
“You got up with her in the night?” Julian said softly, completely amazed.
“I could no longer stand the incessant wailing,” Sybilla said.
Julian was baffled, bemused, and completely encouraged. “So that’s why the mattress was wet!”
Sybilla looked up at him and blinked through her frown. “What? Did you think it was me?”
“I did.” He laughed. He felt drunk with hope. “Or perhaps the both of us.”
She gave a short huff. “That’s disgusting.”
Julian only laughed again. And then kissed his daughter’s cheek once more, although this time she tried to dodge him.
A soldier approached the table just then. “Milady, a message has arrived for Lord Griffin.”
“As I am not Lord Griffin, perhaps you would do well to address the man.”
The soldier bowed and then made a quarter turn, holding a wax-sealed parchment toward Julian. “My lord.”
Julian took the note. “Thank you.” He looked down at it and noticed the seal was of a religious house. The bishop’s response to his query then. Good.
Sybilla did not show the least bit of interest in the missive. “I really must see to my duties the remainder of the morning,” she said, setting her cup aside and straightening in her chair.
“We shall leave you then,” Julian said with a bow. He turned to Graves, who had not so much as glanced toward Julian during the entire exchange. “Would you mind assisting me in stripping my daughter of her wealth, old chap?”
“How could I refuse?” he grumbled and was soon looping strand upon strand of precious jewels upon his wiry arm.
“Perhaps tomorrow we shall search for earbobs,” Sybilla said, looking coolly up at Lucy.
“Bah-pah-pah!” Lucy shouted.
Sybilla quirked an eyebrow at Julian. “Bad Papa?”
“That is not what she said,” he denied with good humor. “Shall I see you at the noon meal?”
“More likely at supper. I am besieged today.”
