you’d
suddenly start asking questions about how to attract a man’s attention, is that
it?’ She gave a friendly laugh. ‘Do you have a young man?’
‘No,’ Phaedra said hastily and firmly.
Alicia wasn’t convinced. She said nothing for a moment, a
finger pressed thoughtfully to her lips. Phaedra could practically see her
thinking. ‘It’s not Mr Basingstoke, is it?’ she asked, a hint of caution evident
in her tone.
Phaedra’s silence condemned her.
‘He’s a dangerous sort of man, I feel compelled to warn you,’
Alicia offered quietly.
A cold knot formed in Phaedra’s stomach. Had she been naive
enough to think his attentions were exclusive? ‘Has he made improper advances?
If so, I shall dismiss him,’ Phaedra said with admirable calm.
‘No, it’s nothing like that,’ Alicia assured her. ‘It’s just
that he’s such a handsome man with the devil’s own dose of charisma. It’s
obvious he’s a complete rogue when it comes to women.’ Alicia paused before
adding, ‘I’ve known men like him before. They’re absolutely charming, they make
your insides melt and they make you promises they don’t intend to keep, only
that’s not so clear at the time.’
‘I shall be sure he doesn’t interfere with any of the maids,’
Phaedra said stiffly, hoping her aloof demeanour would fool Alicia.
Alicia persisted. ‘I don’t mean to dash your hopes, but I would
think twice about getting involved with Mr Basingstoke. Truly, my dear, what do
you know of him? Do you know where he’s from? Who his family is?’
Phaedra shrugged. ‘It hardly matters, he’s only here for a
short time.’
Alicia smiled gently and took back the reins. ‘It’s best you
remember that. I have to get back to young Crispin. I’ll have a groom look after
Makepeace. Thank you for the walk, it was nice to have some company.’
There was more Phaedra wanted to say as they parted. Alicia
seemed like a good person to whom bad things had happened. She wanted to invite
the young woman to the house for dinner, wanted to offer to give her riding
lessons, but all of that was out of the question. ‘Alicia,’ Phaedra called out
as she moved off with the gelding. ‘Thank you for your advice. I wish things
could be different.’
Alicia nodded. ‘I do too. Have a good evening.’
It would have been wonderful to be able to look upon Alicia as
a sister. She would have been able to if Jamie had lived. He would have brought
Alicia home with great fanfare. Aunt Wilhelmina would have planned a grand
party. Instead Alicia had been tucked away as an embarrassment. What would Jamie
think of the way the family was treating his wife?
Sometimes Phaedra wondered why Giles remained suspicious.
Alicia was a decent human being, a good mother to her son. It was impossible to
fathom why a thoughtful, lovely woman would be capable of such an enormous
duplicity. To claim to be married to a future duke was an enormous lie to tell,
one that could see her imprisoned or transported, perhaps even her child taken
from her. Phaedra could not conceive of a reason someone would take such a
risk.
Other times, Phaedra wondered how Alicia knew so much of the
world. She’d told Giles she’d been raised as a vicar’s daughter and that she’d
found genteel employment as a lady’s companion. Those were not worldly positions
and yet Alicia had seemed quite worldly today about the nature of men, as if she
had personal experience with less than honourable gentlemen on more than one
occasion. I’ve known men like him before. They’re
absolutely charming, they make your insides melt and they make you promises
they don’t intend to keep.
The question was how did she know
them? Surely Alicia didn’t classify Jamie among their number, which suggested
this roguish calibre of men were men she’d known before. Again Phaedra was back
to how. How did a discreet lady’s companion meet gentlemen of questionable
repute and not only meet them but consort with them
suddenly start asking questions about how to attract a man’s attention, is that
it?’ She gave a friendly laugh. ‘Do you have a young man?’
‘No,’ Phaedra said hastily and firmly.
Alicia wasn’t convinced. She said nothing for a moment, a
finger pressed thoughtfully to her lips. Phaedra could practically see her
thinking. ‘It’s not Mr Basingstoke, is it?’ she asked, a hint of caution evident
in her tone.
Phaedra’s silence condemned her.
‘He’s a dangerous sort of man, I feel compelled to warn you,’
Alicia offered quietly.
A cold knot formed in Phaedra’s stomach. Had she been naive
enough to think his attentions were exclusive? ‘Has he made improper advances?
If so, I shall dismiss him,’ Phaedra said with admirable calm.
‘No, it’s nothing like that,’ Alicia assured her. ‘It’s just
that he’s such a handsome man with the devil’s own dose of charisma. It’s
obvious he’s a complete rogue when it comes to women.’ Alicia paused before
adding, ‘I’ve known men like him before. They’re absolutely charming, they make
your insides melt and they make you promises they don’t intend to keep, only
that’s not so clear at the time.’
‘I shall be sure he doesn’t interfere with any of the maids,’
Phaedra said stiffly, hoping her aloof demeanour would fool Alicia.
Alicia persisted. ‘I don’t mean to dash your hopes, but I would
think twice about getting involved with Mr Basingstoke. Truly, my dear, what do
you know of him? Do you know where he’s from? Who his family is?’
Phaedra shrugged. ‘It hardly matters, he’s only here for a
short time.’
Alicia smiled gently and took back the reins. ‘It’s best you
remember that. I have to get back to young Crispin. I’ll have a groom look after
Makepeace. Thank you for the walk, it was nice to have some company.’
There was more Phaedra wanted to say as they parted. Alicia
seemed like a good person to whom bad things had happened. She wanted to invite
the young woman to the house for dinner, wanted to offer to give her riding
lessons, but all of that was out of the question. ‘Alicia,’ Phaedra called out
as she moved off with the gelding. ‘Thank you for your advice. I wish things
could be different.’
Alicia nodded. ‘I do too. Have a good evening.’
It would have been wonderful to be able to look upon Alicia as
a sister. She would have been able to if Jamie had lived. He would have brought
Alicia home with great fanfare. Aunt Wilhelmina would have planned a grand
party. Instead Alicia had been tucked away as an embarrassment. What would Jamie
think of the way the family was treating his wife?
Sometimes Phaedra wondered why Giles remained suspicious.
Alicia was a decent human being, a good mother to her son. It was impossible to
fathom why a thoughtful, lovely woman would be capable of such an enormous
duplicity. To claim to be married to a future duke was an enormous lie to tell,
one that could see her imprisoned or transported, perhaps even her child taken
from her. Phaedra could not conceive of a reason someone would take such a
risk.
Other times, Phaedra wondered how Alicia knew so much of the
world. She’d told Giles she’d been raised as a vicar’s daughter and that she’d
found genteel employment as a lady’s companion. Those were not worldly positions
and yet Alicia had seemed quite worldly today about the nature of men, as if she
had personal experience with less than honourable gentlemen on more than one
occasion. I’ve known men like him before. They’re
absolutely charming, they make your insides melt and they make you promises
they don’t intend to keep.
The question was how did she know
them? Surely Alicia didn’t classify Jamie among their number, which suggested
this roguish calibre of men were men she’d known before. Again Phaedra was back
to how. How did a discreet lady’s companion meet gentlemen of questionable
repute and not only meet them but consort with them
Similar Books
