Page 12 of His Scandal
“And what are you two ladies discussing today?” he asked, seating himself on a heavy wooden chair to Emmeline’s right.
She slid her knees to her left to avoid his. When his mother asked her to pass him a goblet of wine, he let his fingers cover hers for a moment too long, but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. My, she made things interesting. He was reluctant to admit the last time a woman had intrigued him.
His mother sipped her own wine and smiled at him. “Lady Emmeline has asked me to help her with funds for the orphans. Her mother had always been kind to those in need, and Lady Emmeline has continued her work.”
Riotous color stained Emmeline’s cheeks. Hmm…the righteous lady had kept his mother unaware of her true motives.
He leaned a little closer. “I admit my errand here is not as generous. The queen has forgiven my latest indiscretion, and invited me to court for a weekend revelry. I’ve come to collect suitable garments.”
His mother gave him a stern frown, and for an uncomfortable moment, he remembered the feel of her anger in his childhood, something he had deserved far too often.
“Alexander, Her Majesty can only be so forgiving. When will you cease antagonizing her?”
He shrugged. “The old girl likes it when I antagonize her. And I am the only one who can flatter her the proper way.”
Emmeline set down her goblet firmly in the sudden silence. “Lady Thornton, please forgive me for taking up so much of your time. Thank you for considering my request.”
She rose in a fluid motion that Alexander was so busy admiring, he needed his mother’s warning glance to remember to stand.
“Lady Emmeline,” his mother said, “I wouldlike to correspond with you on this subject. I am leaving for Wight today. I have a grandchild coming into the world,” she added proudly.
Alex swore his mother thought this miracle was due to her own manipulations.
“Congratulations to your son and his wife,” Emmeline said. “Good day, Lady Thornton.” After a curtsy, she turned for the hall.
“Alexander will escort you to your coach.”
From behind his mother gave him a shove. He could have laughed—until he saw Emmeline’s face, and then a darker mood struck him. He was obviously not good enough for her sister, so perhaps she didn’t want to be seen with him, either.
He took her arm a little more tightly than he meant to and pulled her close to his side. Her breasts rose and fell with obvious indignation, and suddenly he wanted to see how far he could push her.
“Lady Emmeline,” he murmured, as they left the withdrawing chamber. “Perhaps you’d care to tell me the real reason you visited my home.”
“Your mother told you my reasons,” she said coolly.
“Come now, surely between us you can admit the truth.” He leaned nearer and felt her subtly try to pull away. “You came to discover more about me from my own mother.”
“Our mothers were friends, Sir Alexander. I need no other reason than that.”
“Did you hope to see me?” He opened the door leading to the gardens down to the Thames.
“Of course not!” she said indignantly. “Wait—my coach is on the other side of the manor.”
“It is a lovely day. A stroll will do us good.”
Emmeline was breathing so deeply and angrily that her corset was digging into her flesh. Sir Alexander held her elbow, guiding her in the spring sunshine where he wanted her to go. She had too much respect for his mother to yank away from him and run, and he knew she was trapped!
“I did not think to see you here, Sir Alexander,” she continued as he drew her past a spraying fountain, “because I would naturally assume you to be in the lodgings you rent. Does your mother know about the Rooster?”
“It is no secret, Lady Emmeline.”
She glanced up at him, and saw that he was not looking at her face, but lower. A wave of shame heated her skin. She knew she did not have her sister’s fine figure, but that did not give him the right to remind her by staring so critically.
“My mother does not want me to ride home late at night,” he said.
She heard the laughter in his voice.
“So she approves of your drinking? And does she know that the Rooster is more dangerous than the streets?”
