Page 93 of Never a Bride
He clasped Spencer’s hand. “Well, I’m glad I don’t have to exert myself. It’s been so long, I was certain I’d forgotten how to use a sword.”
Lady Thornton dabbed at her eyes, even as she kept Spencer’s arm about her shoulders. “Tell us how you escaped, my son.”
“ ’Tis hardly a tale worth telling,” Spencer answered, as he accepted a goblet of wine from Edmund. “They wouldn’t believe me when I said I wasn’t you. They were inept and didn’t think to post a guard after they’d tied me up and left me in a room. It was rather easy to get away after that.”
As the three men congratulated each other, Lady Thornton called out, “Lady Emmeline! Please come join us.”
Emmeline rose to her feet as the men turned to stare at her. Alex’s black eyes seemed to light from within for a moment, then his smile faded.
“Lady Emmeline,” he said, nodding too courteously to her. “Forgive me for not greeting you earlier.”
“I did not want to disturb you,” she said, coming forward. “But now you could introduce me to your brother.”
He seemed to blink at her in surprise, then did as she asked. “Spence, this is Lady Emmeline Prescott. Lady Emmeline, my brother, Lord Thornton.”
“My lord,” she said, curtsying, all the while keeping her gaze locked with Alex’s. “I’m glad to see you have returned safely home.”
“How did you know about the kidnapping?” Alex asked.
“Lady Thornton sent me a missive.”
He glanced sharply at his mother, who merely smiled innocently at him and said, “Now that she’s here, she can enjoy a celebratory dinner with us. Would you stay, Lady Emmeline?”
Alex said, “I’m sure she won’t want—”
“I would enjoy that,” Emmeline interrupted.
He studied her as she allowed Spencer to lead her into the dining chamber. Let him think what he would. She didn’t know what she meant to do about Alex Thornton yet, but she was not about to let him go easily.
Chapter 26
After a pleasant reunion meal, where Alex stared at her so much that she had trouble remembering how to eat, Emmeline accepted his offer to escort her home. Lady Thornton approached her, and to Emmeline’s amazement, kissed both of her cheeks and whispered, “Courage, dear one.”
Soon Emmeline and Alex were alone in the coach, leaving the Thornton estate for the busy streets of London. She said nothing, but just allowed Alex to sit at her side in silence, listening to the soft patter of rain on the roof. She had no plan—she could hardly blurt out her love for him, knowing that he would reject any such sentiment.
“I still don’t know why you came,” he finally said. “You said you never wanted to see me again.”
“I changed my mind.”
“I can’t change what I did, or explain it in better terms.”
“I don’t expect you to.”
“Then whatdoyou want of me?”
Your love,she thought desperately, knowing it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. But all she said was, “Maybe I came because I thought you might need me.”
He smiled. “According to you, I needed you for only one thing.”
“I’m reconsidering that.”
He stretched his long legs out in the casual, uncaring sprawl he was so good at. “Why?”
“I had thought that you might need some support while your brother was missing.” Hesitantly, she laid her hand on top of his. “It must have brought up all the worries you felt when he was gone so long helping the government.”
He pulled away. “Worries? What worries did I have, Emmeline? I had all my brother’s wealth and all his power. Maybe I didn’t even want him to return.”
“You don’t truly mean that.”
