The Wild Child by Mary Jo Putney Read Free Book Online Page A

were usually baited with food, and what worked for rodents might work with a wild girl. The next afternoon he made his way through the gardens with a heavily laden basket in one hand.
    There were easily two dozen specialized gardens of all sizes and shapes, ranging from a small butterfly garden to the large mock wilderness area where Lady Meriel had vanished. Yet vast though they were, the gardens covered less than a quarter of the park, and the park was only one corner of an estate that included a large home farm and five sizable tenant farms. He tried to suppress a pang at the knowledge that this splendid property would end up under the control of Kyle, who would eventually inherit vast estates of his own, yet had no great passion for the land.
    Having come to a small garden that stepped down to a lily pond in several brick terraces, Dominic paused to consult his map. Where was the water garden? Ah, there. His destination was Lady Meriel’s tree house, which Mrs. Rector had said was built in the center of the gardens. If he left the water garden by the right-hand path and wandered through an orchard of mixed fruits, he should find the tree. A few minutes’ walk brought him to a peaceful glade surrounding the largest oak he’d ever seen. Thick and tall and broad, the tree must be centuries old, and contained enough lumber to build a sizable sailing ship.
    Even more impressive was the tree house nestled among the wide branches. Probably the structure had been built by Kamal, for it was styled like an Eastern palace. Easily a dozen feet square, the tree house featured a gilded onion dome roof and a tall, slim minaret. Painted a warm golden white and trimmed with green and gold traceries, it was the perfect abode for a young woman who looked like a fairy. The sheer whimsy of the structure made him want to laugh aloud.
    Access was by a rope ladder that dropped through a hole in the floor. Mrs. Marks said that when the girl was inside, she usually pulled the ladder up behind her. Since there was no ladder visible, she must be in residence.
    Proof of that came when a large canine head popped up alertly in a spot just below the tree house. Mrs. Marks said that the dog, a bitch called Roxana, followed Lady Meriel everywhere except into the tree house, paws not being well suited for rope ladders. Now the dog guarded her mistress’s privacy. Time to get to work. Ignoring Roxana’s suspicious gaze, Dominic took a folded blanket off the basket and spread it on the grass in the center of the sunny glade. The uncovered basket released enticing aromas through the clearing. The Warfield cook had said that Lady Meriel hadn’t come to the kitchen all day, so the girl was probably hungry. At Dominic’s request, the cook had made some of the young mistress’s favorite foods.
    After settling on the blanket on crossed legs, Dominic dug into the basket. He started with a savory custard pie flavored with cheese, small pieces of smoky ham, and herbs from Meriel’s own garden. Still warm from the oven, it smelled heavenly.
    Though he’d been told often enough that the girl didn’t understand anything that was said to her, surely she was capable of responding to tone of voice like a dog or a horse. In a voice pitched to carry easily without sounding threatening, he said, “Good afternoon, Lady Meriel. Would you care to dine with me?”
    No response from the lady, but the dog began to quiver with interest, the black nose twitching. Dominic sliced the pie into pieces and removed a narrow wedge. “Would you like something, too, Roxana?”
    She leaped to her feet and padded over to Dominic. The beast was large. Trying not to think how easily a dog could rip out a sitting man’s throat, Dominic tossed a chunk of pie to her. She snapped it from the air with a flash of long, sharp teeth. “Good dog!” He threw another piece. After gulping the second morsel, the dog settled beside Dominic, all hostility forgotten as he scratched her floppy