He’s bound to hear the news. Do you honestly think he’ll suddenly forgive and forget? Can you even imagine the Linleys and Belingtons in an orgy of blissful forgiveness and good will?”
Sobered, Alex asked, “Then why did you go to the ball in the first place?”
Douglas allowed a long silence before he answered, “I should not have gone to the ball. I wasn’t thinking. I may have gotten Lucinda Linley into a great deal of trouble by doing so.”
“Don’t tell me you weren’t thinking,” Alex replied in that acutely perceptive way he had. “You knew what you were doing. Admit it, you couldn’t stay away from her.”
For a time only the sound of clopping hooves along the road broke the silence. When Douglas finally spoke, his voice was filled with weariness and discontent. “Right as usual, Alex. I do like her, more than I care to admit. She’s the most charming woman I’ve met for a long time —if ever, actually. I must put her out of my mind, though. Only a fool would continue a relationship as doomed and dangerous as this one would be.”
“That’s wise.”
“I’m meeting her tomorrow in the woods.”
“What!” Alex swung around in his saddle to stare at his brother in the moonlight. “But you just said how dangerous such a relationship would be.”
“I know. I’ll see her one more time, then that will be the end of it. No more. It’s too dangerous.” After a moment he asked softly, “And what of you, Alex?”
“We’re both fools,” Alex said, heaving a heavy sigh as they turned their horses up the long driveway to Ravensbrook. “You’ve chosen the right course. As for me, I shall be seeing Alethea at Lady Atherton’s soiree in York this very next Tuesday. Edgerton be damned, we shall dance every dance.”
“Reckless.”
“I know and I don’t care.”
“Foolish.”
“I’m not as wise as you, Douglas, nor as practical.”
Practicality be damned, Douglas thought to himself as a vision of a girl in a white lace gown danced before his eyes, and he knew he would have a great deal of trouble getting to sleep tonight.
Chapter 7
Later that night, Alethea slipped into Lucinda’s bed chamber. One look told Lucinda her cousin was bursting to talk.
“I couldn’t say a word in front of Mama,” gushed Althea, her eyes bright with excitement. “She says she won’t tell Papa and I believe her, but she might let something slip.”
Lucinda, who was sitting at her dressing table, brushing her hair, turned and remarked, “You know how foolish you’re being, but we’ve already discussed that, haven’t we?” She smiled at her exuberant cousin. “Let’s just hope we —you—don’t get caught.”
“You?” asked Alethea, catching the slip. “I do recall seeing you dance with” —a look of realization crossed her face—“Lord Belington! I saw you dancing with him and then in the garden with him later on. Oh, don’t tell me—”
“I am not telling you anything because there’s nothing to tell. Although...” Lucinda could not keep her news to herself. She lowered her voice . “He’s a most intriguing man. We plan to meet just once more, tomorrow, in the woods.”
Alethea gasped in surprise. “Oh, Lucinda, you, too? But it’s too risky —much more so than my meetings with Alex. You must not.”
“I fail to see your reasoning. How can my meeting Lord Belington be any worse than your meeting with Alex?”
“Alex is but a third son. Douglas holds the title, so he’s the one who represents all that Papa loathes and detests about the Belingtons.” Alethea’s face filled with worry. “For me, it’ll be bad enough if Papa finds out about Alex, but if he discovers you’re seeing Douglas Wyndham, Earl of Belington, he will...” Alethea shut her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to blot out the frightful image that had formed in her head. “I cannot bear to think of it!”
A wave of impatience flooded over Lucinda. “It’s time I knew about the
Sobered, Alex asked, “Then why did you go to the ball in the first place?”
Douglas allowed a long silence before he answered, “I should not have gone to the ball. I wasn’t thinking. I may have gotten Lucinda Linley into a great deal of trouble by doing so.”
“Don’t tell me you weren’t thinking,” Alex replied in that acutely perceptive way he had. “You knew what you were doing. Admit it, you couldn’t stay away from her.”
For a time only the sound of clopping hooves along the road broke the silence. When Douglas finally spoke, his voice was filled with weariness and discontent. “Right as usual, Alex. I do like her, more than I care to admit. She’s the most charming woman I’ve met for a long time —if ever, actually. I must put her out of my mind, though. Only a fool would continue a relationship as doomed and dangerous as this one would be.”
“That’s wise.”
“I’m meeting her tomorrow in the woods.”
“What!” Alex swung around in his saddle to stare at his brother in the moonlight. “But you just said how dangerous such a relationship would be.”
“I know. I’ll see her one more time, then that will be the end of it. No more. It’s too dangerous.” After a moment he asked softly, “And what of you, Alex?”
“We’re both fools,” Alex said, heaving a heavy sigh as they turned their horses up the long driveway to Ravensbrook. “You’ve chosen the right course. As for me, I shall be seeing Alethea at Lady Atherton’s soiree in York this very next Tuesday. Edgerton be damned, we shall dance every dance.”
“Reckless.”
“I know and I don’t care.”
“Foolish.”
“I’m not as wise as you, Douglas, nor as practical.”
Practicality be damned, Douglas thought to himself as a vision of a girl in a white lace gown danced before his eyes, and he knew he would have a great deal of trouble getting to sleep tonight.
Chapter 7
Later that night, Alethea slipped into Lucinda’s bed chamber. One look told Lucinda her cousin was bursting to talk.
“I couldn’t say a word in front of Mama,” gushed Althea, her eyes bright with excitement. “She says she won’t tell Papa and I believe her, but she might let something slip.”
Lucinda, who was sitting at her dressing table, brushing her hair, turned and remarked, “You know how foolish you’re being, but we’ve already discussed that, haven’t we?” She smiled at her exuberant cousin. “Let’s just hope we —you—don’t get caught.”
“You?” asked Alethea, catching the slip. “I do recall seeing you dance with” —a look of realization crossed her face—“Lord Belington! I saw you dancing with him and then in the garden with him later on. Oh, don’t tell me—”
“I am not telling you anything because there’s nothing to tell. Although...” Lucinda could not keep her news to herself. She lowered her voice . “He’s a most intriguing man. We plan to meet just once more, tomorrow, in the woods.”
Alethea gasped in surprise. “Oh, Lucinda, you, too? But it’s too risky —much more so than my meetings with Alex. You must not.”
“I fail to see your reasoning. How can my meeting Lord Belington be any worse than your meeting with Alex?”
“Alex is but a third son. Douglas holds the title, so he’s the one who represents all that Papa loathes and detests about the Belingtons.” Alethea’s face filled with worry. “For me, it’ll be bad enough if Papa finds out about Alex, but if he discovers you’re seeing Douglas Wyndham, Earl of Belington, he will...” Alethea shut her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to blot out the frightful image that had formed in her head. “I cannot bear to think of it!”
A wave of impatience flooded over Lucinda. “It’s time I knew about the
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