Page 29 of His Scandal
Emmeline’s breath came in gasps, and she feltlike laughing at the sheer joy of moving so freely. She knew what was coming next, but she could not prepare herself for the feel of Alex’s hands sliding up her ribs, nor the sudden sensation of weightlessness as he effortlessly lifted her into the air. This time she did laugh aloud, and he grinned up at her for a suspended moment, until the dance required him to set her down.
What was she thinking? How could she so freely have given into the pleasure of the dance? She couldn’t meet Alex’s gaze, knowing he was only amusing himself.
“Look at me,” he whispered.
She heard the laughter in his voice. It made her stiffen and lift her face to his, even as they whirled about each other. His black eyes were as warm as twilight at the end of a summer day, full of pleasure—but it did not seem at her expense. As the trees whirled behind his head, and the sun flickered in his dark hair, she stared back at him, biting her lip to keep from smiling. But devil that he was, he knew and was pleased with himself.
It was over too quickly, and he was soon leading her back to the bench.
“Blythe was right,” he said softly. “You are a wonderful dancer.”
“Thank you,” she murmured, feeling overheated and overwrought by the sensations his touch invoked inside her.
Blythe flung herself onto the seat and huggedher. “You were incredible! Did you not see that, Alex?”
“Yes, I did,” he replied almost gravely.
Emmeline wanted to cover her face in mortification. What was wrong with her? She was here to protect her sister, not fall victim to every kindness from a man who couldn’t possibly mean it.
While Alex partnered Blythe again, Emmeline desperately tried to regain her composure. Just when she thought she could watch the dancing without feeling all hot and unsettled, she realized she could no longer see Blythe.
Or Alex.
A nerve-rattling feeling clenched her stomach and she stood up quickly. Walking the perimeter of the dancers, she searched for them, but they had vanished. She spun in a slow circle, gazing at the orchard and the arbor tunnel of newly sprouting vines.
“Can I help you?”
She turned to find Sir Edmund staring down at her with kind, even sympathetic eyes.
“Have you seen my sister?”
He nodded toward the horses. “She and Alex went for a ride. They made no secret of their leave-taking.”
They wouldn’t have needed to, because Alex had flustered her so successfully. Had that been his plan?
“I must find them.” She strode toward herhorse. “Was my groom accompanying them?”
“No. Isn’t that the fellow over there with the other servants? Would you like me to accompany you?” Edmund asked, walking beside her.
“No.” After glaring at her shame-faced servant, she looked about for a mounting stool.
“Allow me.”
Suddenly Sir Edmund’s big hands were on her waist, and he lifted her up into the saddle. Giving him a brief nod, she kicked her mare into a gallop.
As the gardens fell away behind her and the meadows took on a wilder, more natural appearance, all Emmeline could think about was how much wine Alex had imbibed, and how she had failed to keep her sister safe. If anything happened, she could only blame herself.
As she rounded a corner of the riding trail, she saw their two horses left to graze in the grass. She flung herself from the saddle and marched past the animals, only to draw up in shock at what she saw.
On the bank of a little stream, in the shade of draping willow trees, Alex and Blythe stood in each other’s arms, staring at one another.
Emmeline could make no sound, so heartsick was she. She leaned against a tree and watched Alex smile at her sister, a girl barely out of childhood, who didn’t know what a man was capable of.
And then Alex looked up and saw her.
