O Night Divine A Holiday Collection of Spirited Christmas Tales - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,65

Alice turned and dawdled back along the path. He said they would not meet again. Her well-meaning but foolish act had caused more harm than good. Now there was an unbreachable gulf between them. She was impulsive, blurting things out, which should remain unsaid. Her mother often told her she must learn the proper way to conduct herself in Society. London. Alice held onto that thought, although it didn’t excite her in the same way it used to. At least Marian could not have seen Lord Gifford with her in the garden. The hedge must have screened them from view.

She mounted the porch and smiled at the footman who opened the door.

Heloise, Marian’s personal maid, waited for her in the hall. “Lady Belfries wishes to see you in her sitting room, Lady Alice.”

“Thank you.” Alice dreaded what lay in wait for her. Her steps slow and heavy, she mounted the stairs.

Marian sat on the sofa dressed in a spring green morning gown. She patted the space beside her. “Come and sit beside me, Alice.”

“How well that color becomes you, Marian.” Alice sank onto the sofa.

“We have a fine view of the garden from this window,” her sister said.

“Oh.”

“You and Lord Gifford together? To say it shocked me is an understatement.”

Alice dragged in a breath. “Yes, he came to speak to me about a matter…”

“He kissed you. Did he force himself on you?”

“No! No! Oh, Marian. Lord Gifford is so angry with me.”

“I am angry with him. With both of you.” Marian’s green eyes were condemning. Alice clutched her hands together to stop them trembling. She had never been on bad terms with either of her sisters.

“I’ve made such a mess of things, Marian.”

Marian frowned. “How could you? Lord Gifford arrived only yesterday. I’m not sure if Gerald has met him. I am surprised at you, Alice. Men, well, they will take any opportunity offered to them.” She huffed. “But I did not expect such behavior from you.”

“I wrote to tell him his grandfather was lonely. And he came straight away.”

“What? Did the earl ask you to do that?

“No.”

“How did you get Gifford’s address if the earl didn’t tell you?”

“It’s a secret. I’d rather not say, Marian.”

Marian frowned. “What’s this nonsense about a secret? This is a serious matter.”

Alice sighed, realizing the hopelessness of it. “I’d best tell you then. I shall have to apologize to Gerald, though.”

“Gerald? What does my husband have to do with this? Let’s have it all. Now, please!”

Hugh roamed the lawn. He should not have kissed her. Was he mad? He suspected where Alice Dountry was concerned, he was a little mad. The foolish notion of marriage had entered his head. He’d never given it a thought before this. Wedlock lay far ahead, years from now. After which, he would settle down, tackle the responsibilities which came with the earldom, whether he had much money left to him or not. Become a pillar of society. As things stood, he had nothing to offer a young woman like Alice.

A diamond of the first water, she would take London by storm. And there was so much more to her. She was caring and strong, sweet.

He was furious with himself. He’d made a hash of his life up in Oxford when he’d got involved with the wrong company. A schemer had attempted to blackmail him, accusing him of having an affair with his wife. It had been a swindle. A net which caught up several of his friends. But he’d merely been present when they’d succumbed to the lady’s considerable charms, and though he quit the place speedily, they tarred him with the same brush. Now his grandfather, of whom he was excessively fond, no longer respected him. And this extraordinary girl who had stolen his heart at first glance, was as far from him as the stars in the sky.

Chapter Four

“Gerald asked you to keep a secret from me?” Marian’s eyes were full of fire.

“No, no,” Alice said hastily. “He merely asked me not to worry you with the matter when you had so much to do with the children and Christmas dinner.”

“I see,” her sister said, slightly mollified.

Alice dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. “I only wanted to help poor Lord Hawkinge. He is only bad-tempered because he is lonely.”

“But don’t you see, my pet, you interfered in another family’s affairs,” Marian said, gently. “You did it for the best reasons, I quite see that. But the outcome may not be the one you hoped for. And