Page 68 of The Storybook Hero
In that instant Octavia turned toward him. She froze, her whole frame going rigid as an icicle. Then taking firm hold of Emma’s hand, she continued on, her gaze locked on the small cluster of hansom cabs gathered near the end of the wharves.
Hell’s teeth. How was he ever going to melt the coldness he had glimpsed in her eyes?
There was no ice in Emma’s reaction. Catching sight of Alex, she tore free from Octavia’s grasp and ran at him with a shriek of delight. “Alex, Alex! I knew you would not forget us!”
He swung her up into his arms. “There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t thought about you, sweeting,” he murmured, a fierce constriction in his chest making him realize just how true his words were. Oh, how he had missed her thin arms wound around his neck and her soft cheek pressed up against his.
The girl’s companion made to march straight past him, but he turned to block her way. “Octavia,” he began, placing Emma back down on her feet. “Please wait?—”
“What for?” she countered, falling back a step to elude the hand reaching out for hers. “You made it abundantly clear how quickly you wished to submerge the memory of your sojourn—and the company you were forced to endure—in Russia. Well, I, too, wish to forget that unfortunate interlude.”
Her jaw was set in the stubborn tilt he had come to recognize all too well. “Please move out of my way now. There is nothing more we need say to each other, Mr. Leigh.“ There was a fraction of a pause. “Or is it really ‘Lord Alexander?’ It is hard to keep track of all your lies.”
“I never lied to you, “ he said quietly. “And actually I have a great deal I wish to say to you, if only you will listen for a moment.”
Octavia’s gaze seemed to waver for an instant before regaining its martial light. “Why should I? Indeed, a better question is why did you even bother to show up here? Now that you are back in London, I am sure you have more interesting things to occupy your thoughts than an aging governess and an orphaned girl.”
A slight quiver of her voice showed she was not quite as composed as she wished to appear. The realization seemed to make her scowl grow even blacker than before. “No doubt you are back to your usual revelries—drinking and … and gaming … and visiting your latest mistress.”
Emma’s eyes went very wide. “Alex has a mistress?”
“Of course I don’t!” he said through gritted teeth. “Damnation, Octavia, please?—”
“Don’t swear. Have you forgotten there is a child present?” she scolded.
“How can I!” he exclaimed with mounting frustration, “They have rarely been out of our company, making it deucedly hard for me to tell you how much I—” His words cut off with a harried sigh. “Emma, you see that black and yellow carriage standing over there? Hurry along and climb inside it.”
The girl pulled a face. “Why do adults always send us away just when the conversation is getting interesting.”
“NOW!”
“Oh, very well.”
“There is someone inside who is anxious to see you,” he added as she started to stalk off with deliberate slowness.
A radiant smile replaced the petulant pout, and the girl broke into an exuberant dash.
“At least the children seem happy at the prospect of being reunited,” he murmured, searching Octavia’s face for the least glimmer of welcoming warmth.
She looked away, just enough to throw her features into shadow. “Well? Make it quick, Mr. Leigh. I have a great many arrangements to make this afternoon.”
“You aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you?” he whispered, half to himself. “Not that I deserve any quarter.” Despite the obvious lack of encouragement, he forced himself. “Let me begin by addressing the accusations you have just raised?—”
Alex got no further. Octavia’s eyes suddenly narrowed and two hot spots of color appeared on her cheeks. “Speaking of high flyers,” she said with a barely concealed sneer. ”There are two very fancy ladybirds waving handkerchiefs and blowing kisses in our direction. As they are complete strangers to me, they must be friends of yours. Quite intimate friends, by the look of it.”
He looked around quickly, and couldn’t help from swearing under his breath at the unfortunate timing.
“Aren’t you going to wave back?” Her tone couldn’t have been more scathing.
“Those two very fancy ladybirds are my sisters-in-law.” He was somewhat gratified to see that his explanation caused her mouth to scrunch in embarrassment, but before he could go on, his relatives had swept down upon them.
Octavia was havinga hard time regaining her equilibrium—it was as if there were still a lurching deck beneath her feet rather than terra firma. The mere sight of Alex had set her heart to turning somersaults, and on seeing the wistful tenderness thatshaded his expression when he took up Emma, she had to restrain the urge to throw herself into his arms as well.
Drat the plaguey man! If such emotions were not bad enough, she had also been thrown off balance by the fierce stab of jealousy that had knifed through her breast on seeing the two elegant ladies seeking to attract his attention. Though why she should feel the least?—
“You must be Miss Hadley.” Augusta flashed a brilliant smile as she reached for Octavia’s hand.
“Allow me to introduce Lady Wright,” began Alex in a slightly dazed murmur.
