Page 17 of Snowbound with the Earl
“Yes, I heard you and Graham talking quietly as you came up,” Lady Bonneville said to Lord Foster. “You were discussing the snowfall.”
Graham had no idea whether they’d been talking of the snow or not, but Foster nodded. “Yes, it had been snowing all night, and we remarked that the wind had picked up.”
Lady Bonneville put an arm around Miss Halifax’s shoulder. Miss Halifax was taller than the viscountess, but somehow Lady Bonneville managed to look stronger and more formidable than the girl. Graham could not imagine anyone challenging her. “There now,” she said to Miss Halifax. “No more tears. You will not be forced to marry Lord Evergreen. It was all just a misunderstanding.”
“Thank you,” Miss Halifax said, turning her face away and into Lady Bonneville’s shoulder.
Graham looked at Mr. Halifax, whose face was red. He’d clenched his fists in an obvious sign that he did not appreciate his plans being thwarted.
Graham looked at Dorsey, who looked relieved, and then shifted his gaze to Lady Dorsey. She couldn’t stop the smile spreading across her face—or perhaps she didn’t want to. No doubt she was congratulating herself on bringing another couple together.
But Graham had not been with Lady Bonneville last night. He didn’t want to be with her. He’d treated her abominably, and yet, she’d saved him at the cost to her own reputation. A widow needn’t worry about her reputation as much as an unmarried lady, but that didn’t mean widows weren’t expected to be discreet. No doubt Lady Bonneville’s confession would be the talk of the guests’ drawing rooms over Christmas, and from there the story would spread.
Which meant Graham had a bigger problem than almost being trapped into marriage with Miss Halifax. He was now indebted to the only woman he’d ever loved, the only woman to whom he’d given his heart, and the one woman who’d thrown it back at him, stomped on it, and left him bleeding.
Five
“Stop shaking now,”Noelle told Miss Halifax quietly. The girl had hidden her face by pressing it against Noelle’s shoulder. “That nonsense is over and no one will remember your part in it by tomorrow.”
“My father will be furious,” Miss Halifax whispered.
“Then tell him to direct his anger at me. I ruined his plans, not you.” She pulled back and took Miss Halifax by the shoulders. She gave her a stern look. “Hold your head high now. No more tears in public.”
Miss Halifax sniffed and nodded. As though waiting for her signal, Mrs. Halifax rushed forward. “Sweetheart, are you feeling ill?”
“Yes, she is,” Noelle said. “The misunderstanding this morning has given her quite a megrim. She should lie down.”
When the two ladies had departed, Eva said, “Poor girl. She looked very ill indeed. That must account for her confusion. Should we call for a doctor, my lord?”
“There’s no need for a doctor,” Halifax grumbled.
“We couldn’t send for one if we wanted,” Lord Dorsey said. “The roads are blocked.”
Noelle jumped to her feet. “What?”
Dorsey gestured to the window on the other side of the chamber, where thick white flakes obscured the view of anything else. “As Lords Evergreen and Foster remarked last night, the snow has been falling continuously. My steward tells me a foot and a half fell overnight, and it’s still coming down. A man can’t see more than a few inches in front of his face. I’m afraid it’s likely to grow worse as the day goes on.”
