Page 52 of The Banished Bride
Because, she reminded herself, this storybook chapter would soon come to an end. The pages would snap shut, proving that heroes and love and other such romantic nonsense were no more substantial than a thin coating of ink on paper. Herappetite suddenly deserted her and she merely sipped from her glass, wishing that the bubbly effervescence might have some effect on her depressed spirits.
Alex appeared not to notice her mood.
“Shall we take a stroll, sir?” She gestured to the graveled walks that led off to section of the pleasure gardens lay in deep shadows. “I imagine the fireworks would be even more visible in an area where there are not so many lights.”
His mouth crooked in an odd smile. “The darkened paths of Vauxhall are considered a rather risky place for a lady to venture.”
“Why is that?”
“They are infamous as a place where lovers meet and passions flare up with all the intensity of the display soon to take place overhead.”
Aurora turned quickly so that he might not see the sparks of longing in her eyes. “Well,” she said lightly. “There is little danger of me inspiring any strong emotion in your breast, sir, unless it be great relief that I will soon be gone from your life.”
Alex said nothing, but tucked her arm more firmly under his and turned toward the looming shadows.
Other couples strolled in the same direction, but quickly disappeared among the labyrinth of trees and tall hedges. They soon found themselves alone and walked on for a bit in silence, save for the crunch of their own steps upon the deserted path. Perhaps on account of his words, Aurora was acutely aware of the heat emanating through the fine melton wool of his sleeve. It caused flames to lick up deep inside her and a small shudder to race up her spine.
“Is it too chilly here?” inquired Alex politely. “Do you wish to return to the box?”
“No,” she lied. “I’m quite comfortable.”
A jerk of her shoulders nearly belied her words as his fingers came up to adjust her shawl. This was madness, to let the merest graze of his touch set her afire, she told herself. With an quick tug at the knotted fringe, she caused his hand to fall away. “You needn’t trouble, sir.”
His eyes lingered on the considerable amount of bare flesh that her low cut bodice revealed and it seemed that a glimmer of humor lurked within their sapphire depth. “No trouble at all. I simply thought that as you are unused to Town fashion, you might require a little assistance in warding off the effects of night air.”
She was having precious little success in warding off the effects that his husky baritone was having on her person, for it was definitely not the night air that was causing a rosy flush to steal over every inch of exposed skin. Grateful that the dearth of lanterns masked her reaction, Aurora gave a slight toss of her curls. “I am not nearly so delicate as a proper London belle, sir, so it is unlikely that I will suffer any dire consequences from a brief walk on a mild evening.”
They walked on for a few more steps before he spoke again. “Have you enjoyed your stay in London?”
”Oh, yes!” The sharp tone of her previous words gave way to a wistful note. ”Even more than I imagined. It has been nearly overwhelming, with so many new sights and experiences?—”
“Such as Lady Sedgewick’s ball? Did you enjoy that as well?”
“I did,” she said softly. “I must admit, I have always had a silly, schoolgirlish desire to attend such a grand fete.” A wry grimace flitted across her face. “And thanks to your thoughtfulness, I managed not to make a complete cake of myself with my appearance or my footwork. I-I should have been mortified if I had put either you or Jack to the blush by revealing how out of place I really was.”
“With a gown like that, you had little need to worry that any gentleman would seek to find fault with you,” he replied dryly. “And you danced very well. But then again, you had a good deal of practice, for I don’t believe you sat down for even one set.”
Aurora blinked several times. “I am amazed you noticed anything about my activities,” she said without thinking. “Your attention seemed to be engaged elsewhere.”
It was his turn to look surprised.
“She was wearing burgundy, and you appeared to be intoxicated by the sight.”
“Ah. Lady Talbott.” He paused to smooth a crease in his cravat. “I knew her in Calcutta. Her husband passed away from a tropical fever six months ago and she has only recently returned to England
“How very convenient. No wonder you had little desire to waltz with anyone else—” Aurora bit off the rest of her words and turned away, her face flooding with embarrassment. How could she have blurted out such a stupid thing?
Alex looked startled, then amused. “Are you perchance a touch … jealous?”
“J-jealous?” To her dismay, the scoff came out as little more than a squeak. “Don’t be a-absurd. Of course I was not—” Her throat suddenly became so tight that further speech was impossible.
Alex had come to an abrupt halt and his hand had slipped to the small of her back, pulling her around to face him. His eyes seemed to have taken on a strange glitter. “No?” he whispered close to her ear. “Well, I was sorely tempted to plant Jack a facer on seeing him take you up in his arms.”
Aurora found she could only stare at him in mute disbelief.
The faint strains of music drifted out on the zephyr of a breeze and suddenly Alex took up her hand. “Come, you have reminded me that we have never danced together, madamewife.” He spun her in a slow circle, throwing her senses so off kilter that the ground seemed to moving in an altogether different direction than her body. A wave of dizziness washed over her, along with the bemused realization that for the first time in her life, she might actually discover what it was like to be in need of a strong whiff of vinaigrette.
As if sensing the danger, his arms tightened, forcing her legs to straighten and her chin to come up. Their eyes met, and for an instant, all she was aware of was the exact shade of his eyes, and how much she would miss every subtle curve and contour of his countenance, even the irritating little arch of his brow and twist of his lip when he was annoyed with her.
