[Samuel Barbara] The Black Angel(Book4You) by Barbara Samuel Read Free Book Online

"Tynan, this is my brother, Julian St. Ives, Earl of Albury."
    The man turned cold eyes upon Tynan. In the arrogant tilt of his chin, Tynan saw a reflection of his wife's haughty armor. Albury's coloring, like Riana's, was very fair—that cool English beauty that so flattered women and often made a man look weak and pretty. It would be a mistake to judge Julian St. Ives so, however. There was steel in those gray eyes, a shrewd intelligence across the high brow, and character weathered into the jaw. He gave a curt nod. "How do you do."
    Not to be outdone, Tynan lifted a brow. "Quite well, thank you."
    "And this," Adriana said, gesturing, "is my eldest brother, Gabriel St. Ives."
    "Man about town," Gabriel added wryly, and unlike his brother, held out his hand in greeting.
    Tynan shook it, liking the faint irony of his comment and the directness of his measuring gaze. Gabriel was the taller of the pair, and owned the lean, ropy grace of a master swordsman. His hands were large and strong. Decisive.
    Phoebe intervened, finally, pushing her way to the middle of the throng. "You've all greeted them now, let the poor men come sit and eat. Girls, off with you. I'll send Mary to help you dress."
    Tynan stepped to one side. Adriana stood where she'd been, looking a bit stricken as she watched her brothers go. Then she caught Tynan's perusal and brushed by him, her thin gown swirling over the tips of his shoes. She pretended to ignore him, and Tynan chuckled to himself when she could not resist one last, piercing look in his direction as she began to mount the stairs.
    To see if he was watching.
    Oh ho, he thought, and gave her his most wicked smile, intrigued when she blushed and hurried up the stairs.
     
    Phoebe, more sensibly attired than the other girls in a heavy cotton wrapper, her hair woven neatly into one long braid that hung down her back, ordered chocolate and tea, bread and butter and cheese to be brought to the dining room, sent the girls up to get dressed, tried to move Monique and failed.
    Tynan watched it all from his post by the hearth, arms crossed over his chest, a certain restlessness in his shoulders and knees. He didn't know what he was waiting for until Adriana came back into the room, simply dressed in a shepherdess's gown, her hair hidden by a cap. A thin scarf, tucked into the edges of her bodice, hid her breasts.
    She saw Tynan at once, but chose not to acknowledge him, going instead to stand between her brothers at the table, one hand on each of their shoulders as if to assure herself they were really here. Tynan found it rather touching, and was again intrigued by her need to ignore her husband. It was the sort of alert inattention that spoke volumes of her deep awareness of him. Perhaps things were not as grim as they'd seemed last night.
    Standing between her brothers, Adriana sighed, brushed at her skirts as if wiping something unpleasant from her hands. "Have you eaten?" she asked.
    "Phoebe has seen to it."
    "Good." Abruptly, she doubled her fist and pulled back, hitting Julian in the shoulder, hard enough to knock him sideways. Then she turned, lightning fast, and aimed for Gabriel, who took the cuff on his back. "Why the bloody hell did you let us think you died?" she cried.
    "Adriana!" Phoebe said, shocked.
    Gabriel laughed, ducking another blow. "Ask Julian—'twas his doing. Ow! Stop that." He grabbed her wrist, but she wrenched free and hit Julian again. The blond brother, laughing, jumped up, captured her hands and wrapped them around her waist, hugging her from behind, his head against her hair.
    "Poor Riana!" he said in a mocking voice, rocking her back and forth. "Safe and comfortable here at Hartwood, mourning her dear lost brothers, while they fought the seas and pirates and slave traders."
    She halted, and Tynan saw the quick alarm. "Not slave traders! Not really?"
    Gabriel sobered. "Yes, really."
    Tynan simply watched them, his eyes narrowed as he absorbed the easy camaraderie between