Wickeds Scandal (The Wickeds) (19 page)

The Dowager’s mind raced.  She had
plans for Miss Dunforth.  Plans, which did not involve headaches or
special tea, but which did involve her grandson, Sutton.  Lord Burke was
no match for Donata Reynolds.  Nor, Archie Runyon. Miranda, her
chattering, but highly intelligent granddaughter, would no doubt be delighted
to help. 

Donata pasted a smile on her face. “Miss
Dunforth?  How would you like to go to the Royal Exhibition today? An
outing is just the thing to clear the cobwebs out of one’s head!  I’m told
Lord Bishop is lecturing on his travels to the Far East.”

Miranda clasped her hands. “Yes! 
You must come!.”

Alexandra’s face lit up.  “Oh, that
would be lovely. But I’m not sure my uncle -”

“Oh posh!  Lord Burke is likely at
his club and will never know you’ve gone, my dear.  I would so hate for
you to miss a lecture by Lord Bishop.  He’s famous you know!” Donata
detested dry, dull lectures.  But she was correct in assuming that
Alexandra did not.  Nor did her grandson.  He adored them.

“Alexandra?”   Miranda sounded
as if she were speaking from far away.

Alexandra dozed.  She snuggled
deeper into the leather squabs.   The green hills of Helmsby Abbey,
dotted with bluebells, lay before her.  She walked through the rolling
green grass.  Birds sang and swooped overhead.  She twirled and spun
amongst the grass until she fell to the ground.  The sweetness of the
meadow filled her nostrils.  She rolled over and Lord Reynolds, his
glorious green eyes watching her with warmth, lay next to her.  Bluebells
caught in his dark hair and fell down his chest.  He rolled on top of her,
smothering her with kisses, pressing against her.  Then he sat back,
slowly unbuttoning his shirt and pushed the fine lawn off his shoulders. 
The dragon’s tail was as green as his eyes and the meadow that surrounded
them.  Her fingertips touched the tattoo and the tail wound its way around
her fingers, pulling her closer to Lord Reynolds.  

“Alexandra?”  Fingers bit into her
knee as Miranda shook her.  “You must wake up.  We are nearly at the
Royal Exhibition.  I let you doze off.”  Her brow wrinkled in
concern.   “You seemed tired earlier.”

The dream faded. She wanted to cry out as
the dragon’s tail slipped from her fingers and floated back to Lord
Reynolds. 

“No.” 

“No?  No you don’t wish to wake
up?”  Miranda giggled.  “You must wake up.  This is an
adventure.  I don’t believe I’ve ever kidnapped anyone, although of course
my grandmother is quite good at it.”

 The last hour came back to Alexandra. 
The Dowager and Miranda unexpectedly appeared for tea. The two kidnapped her
from her uncle’s home for an excursion to the Royal Exhibition.  Well, not
truly a kidnapping.  Alexandra went willingly. Oliver Burke would likely
have a fit, but Alexandra didn’t care.  She felt good.  Not wonderful
but good.  The nap restored her.

“I like ‘shanghaied’ much better. 
It gives the impression I am dangerous and exciting.”  Alexandra grinned
back at Miranda.  The green gaze, so like her brother’s, gave Alexandra
pause. All of her dreams of late featured Lord Reynolds and the dragon
tattoo.  Quickly she looked out the window so Miranda wouldn’t see the
moisture in her eyes.  In spite of everything, Lord Reynolds held a wicked
fascination for her.  She imagined him seducing various widows and
torturing other virgins with his handsome face and teasing demeanor. 
Cutting a swath with a bevy of beautiful women.  Lord Reynolds only thought
her good enough to be his mistress.  She must remember he was a cad. 
A rake.  But still she craved him desperately.

“I find you terribly exciting, even
though you breed livestock and speak Latin.  I’ve never managed to master
that particular language myself.  Or, anything other than English. 
French, I’m passable in.  Grandmother says a proper lady must speak
French.”

Alexandra smiled.  Miranda was the
first real friend Alexandra ever had.  Except for Mrs. Cowries, the
housekeeper at Helmsby Abbey.  But Mrs. Cowries was at least sixty and
more mother than friend.

  “You will enjoy Lord Bishop’s
presentation very much,” Miranda enthused.  “He’s traveled all over the
world and brought dozens of exotic animals back with him.   My
brother knows Lord Bishop quite well.  Though I’m not surprised that my
grandmother deserted us.  She detests these type of things, but she knows
how Cam and I love them.”

Alexandra’s heart leapt at the mention of
Lord Reynolds.  She folded her hands sedately in her lap and pretended to
be engrossed in a fight outside the carriage between an orange girl and a
customer.

  “I told Cam to be late.  Lord
Tasterly is expected to be in attendance.  He is absolutely terrified of
my brother.”  Miranda smoothed her skirts.

Lord Reynolds is attending the lecture?
Not usually a fainter, Alexandra wished she could faint now and avoid seeing
Lord Reynolds. Her glance flew to her friend’s reticule and wondered if there
were smelling salts hidden in its depths.  She may need them. 

“I was unaware that your brother would be
attending.”

Miranda cocked her head and gave a silly
laugh.  Her eyes, like bits of emerald glass, bored into Alexandra.

“Cam will likely see us home as
well.  I do so hope he doesn’t scare away Lord Tasterly. I must confess to
a fondness for Lord Tasterly, though Cam finds him a bore and a fortune
hunter.”

Alexandra’s stomach fluttered
uncomfortably.  The feeling was like being at the edge of a precipice and
wanting to jump.  But, afraid to take the plunge. 

“May I ask you something, Alexandra?”

The fear of seeing Lord Reynolds warred
with a light giddiness at the thought of seeing him.  She couldn’t
breathe. “Yes!” The word snapped at Miranda like a whip.

 Miranda sat back and raised one
perfectly shaped dark brow.   “I hope that you don’t mind me asking,
but I am curious about your association with Mr. Runyon.  Did he explain
his relationship to my family?” 

“Yes.”  Cautiously, she took a
breath, waiting for Miranda to continue.  Alexandra hoped she and Miranda
could enjoy the outing without the subject of Mr. Runyon popping up, but she
saw that was not to be the case.  Her hand trembled in her lap.  How
to explain the situation in such a way that Miranda would understand? Her
stomach contracted and not with excitement.  The slow hum of a headache
made its way through her temples. Would she understand the need Alexandra had
to keep Helmsby Abbey safe?  Her betrothal could not be kept a secret
forever.  Mr. Runyon intended to announce the betrothal to everyone at the
Marchioness’s birthday ball at Gray Covington, the Cambourne estate, next week. 

Miranda, beautiful, titled, and
loved.  She had a family.  Miranda possessed several homes.  The
desperation Alexandra felt would be foreign to her friend.  She stifled
the bit of jealousy rearing its ugly head as she looked at Miranda. 
Sutton’s sister was a vision in light yellow with tiny peridots dangling from
her ears.  Did Miranda ever want for anything?

Alexandra cleared her throat and said
softy, “Mr. Runyon is courting me.”

Miranda sat back in a whoosh against the
squabs. Abruptly, she turned her head to gaze out the coach's window. 
Gloved hands twisted the reticule in her lap as if she were trying to strangle
it. 

“Miranda,” Alexandra spoke haltingly, “he
has been unfailingly kind to me.  My uncle supports the match.  I
know that there is a….a difference of opinion between him and your
family.  I truly hope –“

“While I do not know the exact nature of
my brother’s dislike, my father shared the feeling.  Grandmother forbids Mr.
Runyon’s presence at Cambourne House. Over Mother’s objections.

“Your father and he disagreed, that much
I know. I’m sure if Mr. Runyon and your brother sat down.–“

Miranda held up her hand, effectively
silencing Alexandra.  “I wish to hear no more. “ Miranda’s expression
became thoughtful. “My mother and Archie were raised together – like
siblings – even though they are cousins.  Ten years separates
them.    They are much alike.  Two peas in a pod.”  Miranda
stared at Alexandra.   “Ask yourself, Miss Dunforth, how you can
dislike my mother and not see her in Archie? ” At Alexandra’s murmured protest,
Miranda shook her head.  “Something happened to make Cam hate him. 
There are rumors about Archie.  Where there is smoke, there is often fire.”

“What are you saying?  He has been
nothing but kind to me.  A friend where others have not been.  What
would you have me do?”  Alexandra almost revealed that he would return
Helmsby Abbey to her.

Miranda, as sharp as the Dowager said,
“What has he promised you?”

Alexandra looked away.  Miranda’s
guess at the truth made her squirm. “Nothing.  He is a decent man.”
Alexandra looked down into her lap.  “I am very sorry you do not approve
my choice, Miranda.  Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but I am not exactly
inundated with offers for my hand.  You wouldn’t understand. You who have
been given everything.”  Alexandra wished the words back the moment they
left her lips.

Miranda reacted as if she’d been
slapped.  Her face became carefully composed, a look no doubt cultivated by
the nobility for just such an occasion as this. 

“You are right.  I do not
understand.  I would ask you to consider one thing – and this is no
reflection on you or your social standing.  But, ask yourself, Alexandra,
why the cousin of
the Marchioness of Cambourne
cannot find a woman of
his class to marry him. 
He
should be inundated with girls eager
for a match.  Yet, he is not. “

Alexandra’s hackles rose up.  Lord
Reynolds and his sordid proposition filtered through her mind.   The
headache rose to a crescendo at the back of her neck, the tentacles of it
covering her scalp and piercing her temples. 

“It is not your concern, Lady Reynolds,
whom I wish to befriend, or whom I allow to court me.” 

“As you will, Alexandra.”  Miranda
smiled grimly.  “I meant no insult.  But you are an intelligent
woman.  Please start acting like one.”  She glanced out the
window.  “Oh!  We’re here.” 

The carriage rolled to a stop in front of
the Royal Exhibition.  Alexandra had never been here, but she’d read about
it.  Her aunt Eloise received some of the London papers and Alexandra read
about the adventurers who had lectured here, the exotic beasts that were kept
as part of the zoo, and the amazing exhibits put together by the Royal Academy
of Sciences.  The Royal Geographical society gave lectures here on a
regular basis and sponsored several expeditions to the jungles of Africa, India
and the Far East.  Alexandra wished she were visiting these hallowed halls
under better circumstances.  The adventure of the day dimmed with
Miranda’s condemnation of Alexandra’s association with Mr. Runyon. 
Alexandra determined she should enjoy herself, no matter the
circumstances.  There was a treasure trove of knowledge waiting for her
inside these walls.  If only she could have some tea for her headache.

The Cambourne footman climbed down from
atop the coach and guided the ladies out.  As Miranda and Alexandra made
their way towards the tall, wooden doors they passed several groups of
gentlemen milling around the front of the building.  A young boy ran among
the men passing out flyers and receiving a coin here and there for his
troubles.  Miranda gave the boy two coins.  She handed a flyer to
Alexandra, keeping one for herself.

Miranda looked took Alexandra’s arm. 
Her face was perfectly composed, the false sense of gaiety evident in her
tone.   “Come.  You will enjoy this greatly, I promise.” 

Alexandra followed her in, a sinking
feeling infusing her entire being.  It struck her that this may likely be
her only visit to the Royal Exhibition with Miranda. Perhaps Mr. Runyon would
bring her in the future.  The thought of never seeing Miranda saddened
her. The conversation inside the coach left no room for debate.  The
Marquess of Cambourne and his family did not tolerate their cousin.  That lack
of tolerance would extend to Alexandra once she married Mr. Runyon.

The crowd inside the hall was thick where
they entered.  Alexandra saw several other ladies in attendance, but women
were definitely in the minority.  A lecture did not take precedence over
shopping on Bond Street it seemed or making calls.  Miranda pulled her
along  as they moved through a large atrium that comprised the main
foyer.  Four hallways veered off in separate directions and Miranda led
her towards an entrance on the left.  The lecture hall.  The marble
floor vibrated with the footsteps of dozens of people.  Titled gentlemen
mixed with scholars and well-heeled businessmen swung their walking sticks and
chatted with members of the government.  Lord Bishop was well known in London
and revered for his scientific explorations.

Alexandra paused to push a curl off her
cheek. Her neck prickled.  Someone was watching her.  Scanning the
crowd, her eyes lit on a tall dark form.  Lord Reynolds.  His arms
were clasped across his chest and his face carefully devoid of any emotion. But
he watched her.  His green gaze lingered on her, following her progress
with Miranda.

Nervously, she looked away, pretending she
didn’t notice him, even though her entire body flamed to life at the sight of him. 
She focused on a fresco adorning the far wall.  She suspected Miranda saw
her brother, but she made no move to greet him.  When Alexandra dared look
again, Lord Reynolds was gone.  Her heart fluttered and she pressed her
free hand to her chest, hoping to ease the sensation.