Mistress - Amanda Quick [41]
“To be perfectly blunt, the style is not at all in the manner of the ancients. I see no indications of either Roman, Grecian, or Etruscan motifs in any of these statues.”
“But, Mrs. Bright, surely you are mistaken.”
“No, sir, I am not mistaken. I assure you, I have examined a great deal of genuine antique statuary and none of it bore any resemblance to these pieces.”
Lartmore put a hand to his chest in a gesture of anguish. “I am crushed.” He took a step closer to Iphiginia.
“I trust you did not pay a great deal for any of these statues.” Iphiginia sidestepped deftly and moved quickly around Lartmore. “If you did, you were fleeced.”
“Mrs. Bright, allow me to show you the rest of my collection.” Lartmore put out a long-fingered hand to detain her.
“Unfortunately, I do not have the time to linger.” Iphiginia managed to avoid his groping hand with a quick move to one side.
“But I insist.” Lartmore lunged, claws outstretched to seize her.
Iphiginia picked up her skirts and fled.
She nipped around the stone figure of the man braced on his knees behind the crouching female, sprinted past a man and woman engaged in sexual congress on top of a pedestal, and plowed straight into a very large, very immovable object that loomed in her path.
This male figure was definitely not made out of stone, but it was as unyielding as any of the sculptures in the hall.
“Marcus” Her reaction was instantaneous and instinctive. She smiled brilliantly as she staggered and clutched at his arm to catch her balance. “I cannot tell you how very happy I am to see you, my lord.”
“I’ve been searching for you, Mrs. Bright.” But Marcus did not look at her. His eyes were on Lartmore. “I was under the impression that we had arranged to meet at the Richardsons’.”
“Yes, well, I planned to go there immediately after I left here, sir.” Iphiginia checked her hair to see if the white roses were still in place. “Lord Lartmore kindly offered to show me his statuary hall, so I was somewhat delayed.”
“I see. How unfortunate.”
Iphiginia winced at the unmistakable menace in his voice. She hurried to defuse what was clearly about to become a very awkward situation. “Well, then, as you are here and I am ready to leave, I do not see why we should not be off.”
“In a moment,” Marcus said absently. “There are one or two matters that should be clarified first.”
Lartmore rushed to his own defense. “Masters, I assure you, there was nothing objectionable about this little tour of my gallery of statues. I sought Mrs. Bright’s intellectual opinion on my collection. Nothing more.”
“Nothing more?” Masters repeated ominously.
“Absolutely not.” Pinned by Marcus’s cold eyes, Lartmore appeared to grow thinner and even more cadaverous. He stuck one bony finger beneath his cravat and tried to loosen the heavily starched fabric. “We were just finishing the tour, Masters. I was about to escort Mrs. Bright back to the ballroom.”
“There will be no more such tours,” Marcus said.
“No, no, of course not.” Lartmore cast a desperate glance at Iphiginia.
“I have given Lord Lartmore my opinion of his statuary collection,” Iphiginia said coolly. “I’m afraid I found it all of rather poor quality. Completely lacking in true antique sensibilities.”
“Fascinating,” Marcus said very gently. “I believe I had already warned you that it was not of the best quality and would be of little interest to you.”
“Ah, yes.” Iphiginia rallied quickly. “Yes, you did, my lord, but I am the sort of person who prefers to form her own conclusions.”
“Perhaps it would be wise if you learned to take sound advice when it is offered.”
Iphiginia scowled but decided not to say anything. Something told her this was not the best time to inform him that she rarely took other people’s advice these days. She’d been obliged to endure far too much of that commodity back in Deepford.
“If you will excuse me.” Lartmore slithered between two copulating statues and headed for the door. “I must get back to my guests.”
Iphiginia glowered at the retreating Lartmore. When he had vanished like a wraith,