Page 9 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
It wasn’t that Alison was against finding a husband and marrying. It wasn’t that she had no desire to fall in love and even raise a family of her own. The simple reason that Alison wasstill unmarried and saw no reason that this would change was because her mother had never thought to insist on or force her into doing so.
Her children by Lord Pemberton were the reason for this. They stole her attention and she chose to focus herself on their well-being. So busy was she raising Felix and Nerissa and now Winnie, Alison’s love life and personal affairs had fallen by the wayside so that her wishes and desires were never mentioned.
As for Alison’s feeling about this? She supposed it didn’t matter. She was more than used to be forgotten by now.
“The point I was trying to make,” Lord Pemberton spoke up, cutting through the uncomfortable silence. “Was that I met with the EEarl for good reason, and before you all waylaid the conversation, I meant to inform you each what that reason pertained to.”
“Oh yes, sorry, dear,” her mother said quickly, appearing relieved for the topic change. “What were you saying? Something about supper?”
Alison was doing her best to appear disinterested, but her heart was racing. Putting aside the awkwardness, she could not believe that the man who she had gotten into an argument with was an EEarl. If she had known that… well, she might not have been so quick to have angered him and then tricked him so she could steal that music box.
But that is behind me now. And seeing as we are leaving in just a few days for the rest of the year, if I am lucky, I might never have to think of or see him again.
“He is on his own for Christmastide,” Lord Pemberton said. “As such, I invited him to sup with us this evening, and he has agreed.”
Alison’s eyes shot open, and she snapped up her head for a second time. “What!” she cried before she could help herself. “This evening?”
“The EEarl,” Lord Pemberton said. “He will be joining us for supper. And that means all my children will be on their best behavior.” He looked at each of his children in turn. “Do not make me regret extending this invitation.”
Best behavior?
Alison did what she could not to look as if the world was collapsing on her, but all she could think about was the way the EEarl had smirked and toyed with her, how she had felt when trapped in his mocking gaze, and the way her body had tingled when she’d seen him Earlier with his shirt off chopping wood…
With that in mind, being on her best behavior would not only be difficult, but practically impossible.
Chapter Three
There were three sharp knocks on the front door and Alison felt each one as if a fist was striking her in the stomach. She could barely breathe. She could hardly stand straight because her knees were trembling. And despite the white powder she wore on her face, she was certain that her cheeks were as red as freshly plucked tomatoes.
“That will be him!” announced Lord Pemberton as he strode for the door. “Places, thank you. And remember…” He reached the door and turned to face his children and Alison, a warning scowl that spoke to the seriousness of the situation. “Best behavior.”
“Fear not, Father,” Felix chirped. “It will be as if the King is dining with us.”
“Lucky that he isn’t,” Nerissa added. “One look at your face and he might lose his entire stomach over the –”
“Enough!” Lord Pemberton snapped.
The four siblings stood together in the center of the foyer. Felix in the middle, Winnie and Alison on either side. As this was a non-formal occasion, they were not required to dress in their absolute best, but the women wore gowns, and Felix wore a smart suit that might have suggested they were about to attend a Seasonal Ball.
Alison had spent the entire day in a state of panic over what might happen that evening.
She still could not believe that the man who she had fought with over the music box was an Earl. If she had known…I want to say that I might have acted differently, but somehow, I doubt that to be the case.
What worried her was what would happen when he told her family what she had done. No doubt he would frame the incident to make her appear as if she was in the wrong, and even if she tried to justify her actions, she would still come across looking like the villain.
Her family already thought of her as different. They already sought to distance themselves from her, even if it was not always purposeful. And this single incident might cause them to take a further step away, confirmation that she was not one of them as she had always secretly suspected and felt like.
For this reason, her stomach twisted into knots of anxiety as one of the butlers opened the door and the Earl of Grayhill stepped out of the cold and into the foyer.
“Lord Grayhill!” Lord Pemberton greeted. “So nice of you to join us.”
“Lord Pemberton,” he said, his voice low but powerful so that it demanded attention. “Yes, well, you were rather insistent.”
“My wife.” Lord Pemberton led Alison’s mother forward. “Lady Pemberton…”
“It is a pleasure to meet you.” Lord Grayhill took her hand and gave it a kiss.
“The pleasure is all ours.”
