Page 10 of Never a Bride
Sitting on a high-backed bench beside his mother was Lady Emmeline Prescott, dressed in a dark blue serviceable gown with fine, delicate lace at her throat. She was more than amply curved in all the usual places; in fact, she was downright lush—though he could tell she tried to tame her figure into submission with the usual feminine contraptions.
She glanced up at him; a spark of awareness took him by surprise. He was intrigued to see some of the color leave her face, as if she’d been discovered.
Which could only mean she was there to discover things about him.
As he swept his mother off the seat and into his arms, Emmeline leaned back, as if she was afraid to touch him. Hehadhandled her roughly last time, after all.
“Alexander!” his mother said, returning his hug and smiling at him.
He wondered if she would ever stop wearing black in mourning for his father.
“I thought I heard you bellowing in the hall,” she continued.
“ ’Twas me, I admit,Madre.Forgive me for startling your guest.”
“This is Lady Emmeline Prescott. Her mother was one of my few dear friends at court. Lady Emmeline, my son Alexander.”
“Lady Emmeline,” he said, bowing and bringing her hand to his lips. He thought she’d have cool hands, but they were very warm and soft, and ah, that blush did interesting things for her blue-green eyes. “We have met before.”
Emmeline’s wide, shocked eyes returned to his with alacrity, and he grinned, unable to stop himself from teasing her. Spinster sisters who kept him from winning a wager were a special irritant.
He did not ask her purpose at his home, merely waited and watched her squirm and cast her gaze away from him. He could see her intelligent mind wondering: would he tell his mother that he’d tumbled her onto his bed?
“Of course you would have met,” his mother said. “Have you been respectful to the young ladies at these parties you attend?”
“Always,Madre,” he answered easily.
He wanted to laugh when Emmeline’s eyes narrowed, but what could she say when her own behavior had been just as scandalous? He remembered her on her back amidst his blankets, warming his bed.
“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 would like 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.
