Splendid by Julia Quinn Read Free Book Online Page A

as you appear at the ball tonight in good health and spirits, she won’t say a word. I’m sure of it.”
    Emma pulled herself up into a sitting position so that she could examine all her new aches and pains. “What a ridiculous day,” she sighed.
    â€œHmmm?” Belle looked up from her book, which she had started to read again. “Did you say something?”
    â€œNothing interesting.”
    â€œOh.” Belle glanced back at her book.
    â€œWhat on earth are you reading?”
    â€œ All’s Well that Ends Well . Shakespeare.”
    Emma felt compelled to defend her education. “I know who wrote it.”
    â€œHmm? Yes, of course you do.” Belle smiled absently. “I brought it in to read while waiting for you to wake up.”
    â€œGood grief. How long did you think I was going to be unconscious?”
    â€œI had no idea, actually. I’ve never swooned before.”
    â€œI didn’t swoon,” Emma ground out between clenched teeth.
    â€œSo you say.”
    Emma sighed as she looked up at her cousin’s mock-innocent expression. “I suppose you want me to tell you what happened.”
    â€œOnly if you want to.” Belle reopened the leather-bound volume and began to read again. “I have all the time in the world, you know,” she added, looking back up at Emma. “I’ve decided to read the complete works of Shakespeare. I’m doing the plays first, then poetry.”
    â€œAre you serious?”
    â€œAbsolutely. I’m going to do it in alphabetical order.”
    â€œDo you realize how long that is going to take?”
    â€œOf course. But I figure that with the way you’re going, I’ll be spending plenty of time at your bedside.”
    Emma narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
    â€œWho knows how soon you’ll be unconscious again?”
    â€œI can assure you I have no such plans for the immediate future.”
    Belle smiled sweetly. “I imagine you don’t. Butif you don’t tell me what happened this afternoon, I might just knock you out myself.”
    Â 
    Many hours later, Emma sat at her dressing table wincing while Meg, her maid, fussed with her hair. Belle sat beside her, undergoing similar torture.
    â€œI don’t think you’re telling me everything,” Belle admonished.
    â€œI told you,” Emma sighed. “I fell down after I knocked the little boy out of the path of the hack. Then I hit my head.”
    â€œWhat about those earrings?”
    â€œThe boy’s mother gave them to me. She thought I was a maid. I’m planning to call on her tomorrow to give them back. How many times do you need to hear this?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Belle narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “I still think you’re leaving something out.”
    â€œI saved the boy. I got the earrings. Period.” Emma gave Belle a sharp nod for emphasis.
    â€œEmma, you were gone for an hour! Something must have happened between the boy and the earrings!”
    â€œI was unconscious, that’s what happened! What do you think, I was ravished by some mysterious man?” Emma groaned inwardly as she realized how close to the truth that speculation actually was. She felt a little guilty for not telling Belle about her strange experience with the Duke of Ashbourne. They usually told each other everything. But Emma felt strangely possessive of her time with the duke, and she didn’t feel like sharing her memory with anyone, not even Belle.
    â€œWell, I think it’s absolutely famous that it was the Countess of Wilding who gave you those earrings,” Belle chuckled, amusement dancing in herbright blue eyes. “I know Sophie fairly well. She isn’t very much older than we are. Mama and her mother are good friends. They’ll all just scream when they hear what happened. Although perhaps we shouldn’t say anything. I don’t think Mama