Page 31 of To Tempt a Scandalous Lord
A thrum of attraction heated her veins, and her hands crushed the newspaper as she fought against her body’s reaction and her own lack of concentration.
“My, that article must be particularly frustrating.”
Jerking her eyes to him, she found Niall watching her with arched brows. Glancing down, she realized she had rendered portions of the article unreadable. Stifling a sigh, she attempted to smooth out the wrinkles as best she could. “Yes, well, I have found many of President Jackson’s policies…uncouth.”
“Uncouth?” His dark head tilted to the side. “How so?”
“He strikes me as a man determined to do as he pleases without regard for the people he was elected to represent.” Alicia flicked her fingers. “For a country that fought a war to free themselves from sovereign rule, they seem to have no issue with re-electing a man who routinely shows autocratic tendencies.”
“I suppose you aren’t a fan of President Jackson, then?”
Alicia pursed her lips. “I don’t believe it’s very smart to be a fan of politicians.”
He tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that politicians work for the people.” She lifted a shoulder. “How is the public to hold them accountable for their work, or lack thereof, if they’ve put them on a pedestal?”
Niall made a humming sound in the back of his throat, his eyes narrowing just so as he studied her. “That sounds like something that chapbook writer would say.”
The bite of scone she’d just taken became lodged in her throat, and Alicia choked, tears gathering in her eyes. Grabbing her napkin, she held it to her face to hack her coughs into the linen, but also to shield herself from him.
It was an innocuous comment, she assured herself. There was no possible way he knew.
“Mo chreach, are you all right?” he asked, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. In a moment, Niall was crouched before her, his gray eyes wide with concern.
Alicia nodded, still hiding behind the napkin. “I simply swallowed incorrectly. How clumsy of me.”
A smile tugged on the corners of his mouth. “You’re graceful in all things, my lady, even as you choke and gasp for breath.”
She huffed a laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Sometimes, yes I am.”
Before Alicia could question that, Niall rose and walked back to his seat. Picking up his own cup of tea, he studied her over the rim but kept his silence.
Alicia carefully folded her napkin, and placed it on the table next to her plate, hoping he didn’t notice how her hands trembled. How was she going to continue her writing while under the same roof as the subject of her past criticisms? Abruptly, sentences she’d written, arguments she had made about his campaign and voting record, flashed like overly bright sparks in the darkness of her mind, and she clamped her eyes closed against them. Remorse burned in her chest and licked up her throat, and she reached for her teacup, gulping down a large mouthful.
“Feel better?”
Slowly opening her eyes, Alicia nodded. “Somewhat.”
He nodded. “It appeared my remark about the chapbook writer surprised you.”
Of course he noticed. Her new husband was many things, astute being one of them.
Alicia reached for blitheness when she said, “As I know you’re not particularly fond of the anonymous writer, the comparison caught me off guard.”
“I may not like the man for tossing out criticisms from behind the veil of anonymity, but it does not mean I think all his claims or arguments are meritless. It’s obvious, is it not, that the man is intelligent and shrewd.”
Licking her lips, she nodded. “I believe it very admirable you can hold such an opinion of the writer after what he’s written about you.”
“Yes, well,” he snorted, “you are to thank for that.”
She jerked her chin back. “I am?”
“You are.” He dropped his gaze to his coffee cup, spinning the dark liquid around until it threatened to slosh over the lip. “I’ve tried to think less about my injured pride and more with an eye to learn.”
She blinked rapidly as she digested his words. Surprise, esteem…shame warred for supremacy in her chest.
