Cheryl Bolen [Brides of Bath Love in the Library (epub)

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.Except for Pixie.Who wasn't really Pixie.She was Glee Blankenship now that she'd married Blanks.But Pix wasn't like other females.She was one of the bloods.He tethered his horse in front of Number 17, the address of this Mrs.Bexley.The forty or so houses of the Royal Crescent were some of the finest in Bath—if not the finest.Melvin supposed the vast parkland in front of the semicircle of stately residences contributed to the homes' desirability, but for his taste, he appreciated most the clean classical lines employed by the architect.He was enamored of all things that originated with the Greeks and Romans.He mounted the steps.Before he even knocked, the door swung open."Mr.Steffington?" asked a man in lime green livery.Melvin nodded."Please follow me upstairs to the drawing room.Mrs.Bexley's expecting you."He wasn't particularly interested in furnishings and such, but he could not help but to notice how lovely was the Bexley home.The stairway was constructed of fine marble, and the iron banisters were gilded.Turkey carpets lay below, and a glittering chandelier hung above.In the pale yellow drawing room he was shown to, light from tall windows illuminated the woman who sat on a silken cream-colored settee in the center of the room.It seemed almost as if the chamber's light framed her face rather like those hooded halos in Renaissance paintings of the Madonna.He supposed Elvin would find her pretty, but all Melvin could notice was that she was on the smallish size, was not unattractive, and she was of a similar age to him.Possessed of light brown (or was it dark gold?) hair, this woman looked vaguely familiar.It suddenly occurred to him that in his seven and twenty years he had never been alone with a woman.Other than his mother.And possibly his nurse when he was in leading strings.He could converse for hours with his dons at Oxford, but he was moronically inept when it came to speaking with a women.She sprang to her feet and moved to greet him, a smile on her face, her hands outstretched to him.What in the bloody hell was he supposed to do with her hands? Though Melvin was unaccustomed to noticing women, he found himself thinking of how lovely was her smooth, creamy skin.And exceptionally large bluish-greenish eyes.At so close a distance he was able to determine that her hair was golden.Yes, indeed, Elvin would find her lovely.The woman was remarkably friendly.She took both his hands in hers as if they were lifelong friends and proceeded to gush her gratitude."It is so very kind of you, Mr.Steffington, to come to me today.Please do sit by me so I can tell you why I so desperately need you."Of what use could he possibly be to this self-possessed woman? Bereft of words, he dropped onto the settee.Mrs.Bexley had no problem speaking to men she scarcely knew."When I heard your name mentioned last night at the Upper Assembly Rooms, I knew you would be the very one to answer my prayers."Good lord! Did the woman have designs on him? He'd heard of women like that before—women who thought like a man, acted like a man, and—at least Mrs.Bexley didn't look like a man.He cleared his throat."I fear you have me confused with someone else."She shook her head vigorously."Not at all! Are you not the gentleman who's looking for a post at a private library?"His experiences with private libraries convinced him that this townhouse was far too small to hold the kind of library to offer him employment, and he did not think her late husband was in possession of a country home, either.He raised his brows hopefully."You have such a position to offer?"Her shoulders sagged."Not actually."Their eyes locked and held.He noticed hers were green, or perhaps blue, or perhaps a blending of the two colors.That particular shade reminded him of the Adriatic, which he had greatly admired on his tour of Italy."I have a dire problem that I believe a man possessed of your knowledge can help me solve.""Are you saying you wish to employ me to help solve this problem, madam?""Not actually."Then what? Had this unfortunate woman been dropped on her head as a babe? "I confess that you've roused my curiosity.""My dear Mr.Steffington, you must think me the silliest scatterbrain.Allow me to explain.I need your help in tracking an extremely valuable book that was stolen from my late husband's library.""May I know the title of the book?""Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.It's one of the earliest—hand lettered on vellum with lovely coloring as well as drawings."His eyes widened."That manuscript's 400 years old!"She nodded."Yes, I know.""Such a book would be worth a fortune." A sudden desire to see the rest of the late Mr.Bexley's library seized Melvin."Are there not only three such manuscripts in existence?"Her brows lowered as if she were in deep contemplation."I believe Mr.Bexley, my late husband, may have mentioned something to that effect."He met her gaze and nodded."Gutenberg came along in the same century that Chaucer died, and those lovely old holographs went the way of chain mail.""Pray, Mr.Steffington, what is a holograph?""Forgive me.My brother says I have a deplorable habit of not communicating in a readily understood manner.A holograph is merely a document or manuscript that's written entirely by hand."A radiant smile brightened her face, giving her a child-like quality [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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