Page 52 of Never a Bride
“No. Put your hand in mine, so we look like lovers.”
Her mouth dropped open. “Do you think that would actually make me feel better, to pretend there was someone in my life?”
“Em—”
“Be quiet, and don’t speak unless I ask you a question.”
He was hardly going to follow her orders, but he saw no reason to antagonize her sooner than he had to.
Clifford Roswald stopped before them, wearing a hesitant smile. “Lady Emmeline, ’tis good to see you.”
Alex watched the smile that transformed her face into obvious fondness, without a sign of the tension or sorrow she held inside.
“Clifford, what a surprise! Do you live here now?”
He nodded. “My farm is not far outside the village. My wife and I are expecting our fourth,” he said proudly.
Clod,Alex thought.
“Congratulations,” Emmeline said.
Roswald hesitated, then glanced at Alex. “Are you married now, my lady?”
Emmeline looked wide-eyed at Alex and shook her head. “No! This is Sir Alexander Thornton.”
Alex wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he took her hand and leaned closer to Roswald. “I’m sure we can trust your old friend, my love. Mr. Roswald, ’tis a secret, but we do hope to make our attachment…permanent.”
Emmeline stared at Alex. What in God’s name was he thinking?
“Now, love, don’t look at me like that. I know I promised to say nothing, but you’ve told me how trustworthy Mr. Roswald is.” He squeezed her hand tighter as he turned to Clifford. “Please don’t say anything to Blythe. She’s rather…talkative, and our news would be all about London before we had the chance to tell it. You understand.”
News?she thought wildly. She couldn’t believe Alex would be so cruel as to imply to Clifford that she had replaced him so easily.
But Clifford gave her an enormous smile, almost as if he were…relieved.
“Lady Emmeline, I am so happy for you!”
She stared at him, feeling confused.
“May your life be as blessed as mine has been. Come, I want you to take the noon meal with my family. And that was your sister, Blythe, then? My, how she’s matured into a lovely young woman. You must be very proud.”
Through a frozen smile, she said, “I am, thank you.”
Emmeline barely remembered meeting Clifford’s wife, Henrietta, and his children’s names escaped her altogether. She was too busy imagining what she’d say if she had Alex alone at that moment. Blythe and Maxwell rejoined them, and Clifford led the way to what he called his favorite tavern. Alex strode along at her side, smiling at everyone, especially her, while she gave him murderous glares whenever she could get away with it.
As they moved through the crowd, she deliberately hung back and Alex stayed at her side.
In a low voice, she said, “What did you mean to accomplish with such a lie?”
“I can’t hear you, my love,” he answered, sliding his arm into hers and leaning toward her. “Go ahead, whisper your loving thoughts in my ear.”
“Loving thoughts? Right now, I’d be content to bite your earlobe!”
His eyes took on that wicked gleam that she was beginning to know so well. “Mmm, what a tempting thought. Can I bite you anywhere I want in return?”
She tried to yank her arm away, but he didn’t let go. He waved and smiled at Blythe, who was looking back at them curiously.
“You’re causing a distraction, Em.”
