Page 54 of His Scandal
He shook his head as he turned away. Emmeline looked up to find Blythe already mounted, with Maxwell smiling blissfully up at her. She felt a moment of disquiet, as she hoped she was not setting Maxwell up for disappointment.
The men were soon mounted and leading the way into the heart of London. As the streets grewcrowded, and the upper stories of timbered buildings jutted out over their heads, the gentlemen split up. Maxwell fell back to Emmeline’s side, leaving Alex with Blythe.
Before an hour had passed, they joined the traffic of the northern road. The city fell behind them, the air smelled clean, and on both sides of them hedgerows divided the rolling farm fields, where the spring planting had begun. By mid-morning they reached Islington, a small village overflowing with London folk out for a day of leisure.
Emmeline knew she should be enjoying the sights as they approached the village green, where booths roofed with green boughs crowded against one another. But she couldn’t stop watching Alex and Blythe riding before her, pushed so close together by the crowd that their knees bumped. Why couldn’t Maxwell be at her sister’s side, impressing her as he so easily impressed Emmeline?
She had to admit that there was a secret place inside her that wished Alex were atherside, flashing his wicked grin, letting his gaze tell her what naughtiness he was thinking.
Alex soon led them out of the village green to a tavern. When Emmeline gave him a pointed stare, he laughed.
“Lady Emmeline, I know the owner, and I’m sure he’ll keep our horses in his stables for the day.”
“Do you know the owner of every tavern?” she asked sweetly.
Blythe hid her smile behind her hand.
Alex dismounted and stood at Emmeline’s knee. “Only the best. Now do come down, and let’s see what the day brings.”
He grabbed her about the waist and lifted her down. Her skirts rustled against his garments, and her feet landed between his. She was off-balance, and he caught her arms and held her still, where she could feel the brush of his body. Flustered and refusing to look him in the eye, she stepped away, grateful that at least Maxwell was left to assist Blythe. She heard Alex chuckle.
With her sister at her side and the men behind, Emmeline walked into the crowd roaming the village green. She felt like a young girl again, overwhelmed with the excitement of watching the jugglers and the acrobats perform. Alittle monkey danced for coins, and there was even a lumbering bear on a chain. The taverns spilled out laughing people, and everywhere were cries for “Fresh tarts!” and “Boiled eels!” and “Ribbons for the ladies!”
Alex presented them each with the latter, and Emmeline thanked him, then tied hers in a bow at her waist. She looked up to find Maxwell watching her despondently.
“Is something wrong?” she asked him.
He glanced after Blythe, who now walked between tables of cloth from exotic countries with Alex trailing behind her. “Why do I never think of things like this?”
“Maxwell, it doesn’t mean anything. Alex only does this to make women like him. It is not true generosity.”
“I think it is. He could make Blythe like him without purchasing anything at all. And he even bought some for you, whom he’s not pursuing.”
But she knew Alex had selfish reasons for plying her with gifts, and was not impressed.
“Just relax and enjoy the day, Maxwell. Blythe is here with you. You just have to talk to her.”
She looked up to find Blythe walking toward her swiftly, a worried frown on her face. Her sister looked back once over her shoulder, then drew Emmeline away from Maxwell and Alex and spoke in a low, hurried voice.
“Emmy, I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, but you need to know so that you’re not shocked.”
“Slow down, dearest. Whatever do you think could shock me?”
“Oh, I don’t know what he’s doing here!” Blythe said, twisting her fingers together. “Didn’t he used to live in London?”
“Who, Blythe? Just tell me who you’ve seen.”
She bit her lip, then gripped Emmeline’s hands in her own. “Oh, Emmy, ’tis Clifford Roswald.”
Even after all these years, she felt a shiver of regret for the life she once thought she’d have with Clifford. “It’s all right, dearest,” she said absently.
She hadn’t seen him in seven years, since she’d told him that her father wouldn’t allow her to marry him. Though the pain had dulled with time, she didn’t want to see the sadness in his eyes again. She wished she could go home, but it would be a cowardly thing to do. And how could she deny Maxwell and Blythe the opportunity to know one another better?
“Emmy, there’s something else I haven’t told you.”
She forced herself to smile. “Yes?”
“His wife is with him.”
“Oh.”
“And his children.”
“I see. What a kind father, to bring his family to the fair.” She didn’t want to see his wife or children—the children that could have been hers. She had known that someday she would face Clifford again—but perhaps this time she could avoid him.
Emmeline squared her shoulders and looked up to search the crowd. The first person she saw was Alex, watching her with narrowed eyes from only a few paces away. What had he overheard?
