child.
Alexander stared at the woman who stood behind the Duke of Mercia and his wife. It could not be her.
This woman was elegant, womanly…sensual.
He shook himself. These were not the thoughts appropriate for a man of the cloth! To feel such …well, attraction. Attraction to Pru? It was nonsense.
“–snow poured down heavier than we thought,” Charlotte was saying. “But we thought you would still be able to make it through, and we are glad you have. Of course, in a few hours…”
Alexander nodded mutely, grateful Charlotte was carrying the conversation. His own mind was still reeling from the sensation of Pru’s arms around him, the way she had crushed her body against his own…
He swallowed. This was madness. He was here for Christmas with old friends, people he had known since they were all young. It was ridiculous to think of Pru Lennox–Lady Prudence, as she was now–with anything other than brotherly affection.
His gaze slipped to her, and his stomach lurched. The last time he had seen Pru, she had been but seventeen, still a wide-eyed innocent.
This woman was surely no longer that naïve. There was too much of her, which made his body cry out for another embrace, no matter how shocking that was.
Alexander cleared his throat as William picked up the conversation. “Yes, ’tis strange actually. There is always snow at Pendle Hall at Christmas. Apparently, the locals have a tradition…”
He could not drag his gaze from her, and worse, she had spotted it. Without saying a word or drawing attention from the others in the hall, Lady Prudence–was smiling.
That smile. It was intoxicating. Alexander rarely allowed himself a drink of any liquor, but the last time he had accepted a large glass of brandy from a parishioner, his head had spun, and his heart fluttered wildly.
This was worse.
How was it possible that any woman could have this effect on him? He knew he caught the eye of some of the ladies in his congregation. He was not blind to his own charms but always kept a respectable distance from the young debutantes of the Season. He had nothing to offer them.
Damnit! Pru’s smile was widening. Everything in him wanted to shift toward her, close the gap between them. It was only a foot, a mere twelve inches. If he side-stepped…
No.! He had managed to remain single, purposefully so, for years. He was not going to allow his head to be turned by a chit of a thing now. Even if that chit was Pru.
He forced his face into solemnity, wrenching away his gaze and paying more heed to the duke’s words.
“–but I think little of it,” he finished with a smile. “Come, your Reverence–”
“Oh, no,” Alexander said awkwardly. It was bad enough his childhood friends should be elevated to such high titles. The last thing he wanted was for his own mediocre title to be thrown about. “Michaels will be absolutely adequate.”
There was a snort, but not from the three around him. Alexander’s gaze lifted above William’s shoulder and saw his brother, John, lounging in a seat by the fire.
John always was a jester, but now it was usually at other peoples’ expense.
“Michaels,” Alexander repeated, more strongly this time. “We must preserve the ranks of distinction, mustn’t we, Your Grace?”
Was that a look of mirth from the duke’s face? A look of surprise from Charlotte? Disappointment from Pru?
“Yes, well, Michaels,” William said graciously. “I hope you brought enough luggage for your visit, I only saw one trunk brought in by Chalmesbury.”
Alexander forced himself to attend. He was a guest here, and it was time he acted like it. “Yes, just the one. I am careful with my choice of packing, and was able to keep it to just the one trunk.”
“Much cheaper to travel with,” came John’s voice from the chair by the fire.
“Indeed, yes,” Alexander nodded. “Much more convenient.”
There was a moment of ear-splitting silence, in which his swallow echoed around the hall.
“I must say, I am impressed. I have never been able to travel with fewer than three trunks,” said Charlotte with a smile. “Whenever I consider what to take with me…”
That was not what he was here for, he told himself as he tried to follow Charlotte’s conversation. He was here for patronage. It was time he put his acquaintance, friendship, whatever you wanted to call it, with the house of Mercia to good use.
After all, he needed to gain more coin if he was to–
“Enough talk in this cold hall.” John strode over