Page 76 of To Tempt a Scandalous Lord
“Show her?” Niall rocked back on his feet. How could he possibly show his wife how sorry he was for allowing his hurt pride to blind him to everything else? For not respecting her and her ambitions?
And suddenly he knew.
The idea exploded in his mind with all the lights and colors of a firework, and he grinned.
Turning to his friends, he sobered. “I can’t thank you enough for…everything…but that will not stop me from asking for your help with one last thing.”
“Will thisthinghelp you win back your marchioness?” Darington inquired with a smirk.
“I hope so.”
“Then by all means, ask away.”
Ignoring the urge to rub his chest, Niall dipped his head in thanks. Without another word, he stepped out the front door, his friends close behind. For the first time since Torres arrived at his office with his fateful news, Niall’s steps felt a tad lighter.
Chapter Twenty-Four
“It’s peaceful here, is it not?”
Alicia glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Indeed.”
In the week since she arrived at Amstead Gardens, her sister-in-law and brother-in-law had welcomed her like a dear friend. Hiding away in Suffolk had not been her idea; on her first day of travel to Loch Kilmorow, the coachman stopped to change horses at a coaching inn and while she stretched her limbs, she encountered Flora and her marquess, who had been there to meet a horse buyer. When they learned of her destination, they had promptly insisted she join them at their estate instead.
Although Alicia had tried to argue, Flora would not be dissuaded.
Alicia was glad for it.
The days spent with her fiery but kind new sister, hacking out through the lush green meadows, had been therapeutic. Relaxing, even.
At least until she retired to her room at night, and the torrent of memories returned. Memories of Niall’s secret smiles. Of how his kisses could reduce her to ash while his touch remained soothing and gentle. Or how he could be deep inside her, wringing levels of pleasure from her body she didn’t think possible, and look deeply into her eyes with a glimmer of awe in his own.
Time and distance had made it clear that while her marriage to Niall sprung from a budding scandal, her love for him had bloomed under the warmth of his tender regard.
Now her spirits had wilted and waned in his absence.
She could feel Flora’s gaze on her, but Alicia refused to meet her eyes.
“I knew I would make a horsewoman out of you.”
Turning back to where Bluebonnet waited patiently in her stall, Alicia ran a hand along the mare’s flank. “I don’t know about that. But Bluebonnet is a sweet girl and makes riding her easy.”
Flora looped her arm over the top rail of the paddock, a smile brightening her pretty face. “She is a sweet lass. Yet I’ve learned that horses respond, in measure, to the people who surround them. You are calm and respectful of her, so she’s come to trust you.”
“Respect certainly goes a long way, doesn’t it?” Alicia said on a breath.
“Indeed it does.” Flora paused.
Alicia was instantly on alert. Flora never paused in anything she did, be it tackling tasks, conversations, or all matter of difficult obstacles. She faced everything head on. It was something Alicia admired about her…but now it made her wary. She clenched her jaw, her hand continuing to stroke the mare, as she waited for Flora to continue.
“I haven’t asked why you’re here and not in London with Niall. And I don’t intend to, although of course I’m vastly curious.” Flora chuckled while she waved away a fly that settled on her arm. “If you want someone to talk to, I am here anytime. Always.But, I thought you should read this. I don’t know if it pertains to the trouble you and my brother are having, but it mentions Niall and I thought you’d like to see it.”
Reaching into her coat, Flora extracted a wrinkled piece of newspaper. Alicia frowned as she took it, her hands trembling as she unfurled the paper.
Has A Feud Estranged Inverray and Matthews?
Lord Medlinger and Lord Grey appear to not be the only political allies on the outs. According to rumors, none of which this author has been able to concretely confirm, the Marquess of Inverray and Viscount Matthews, his longtime mentor, had a significant row at the Earl of Winters’s luncheon earlier this week.
The marquess was meeting with top Whig party members to push his candidacy for party leader when an argument broke out between the men.
