Dangerous Lover by Lancaster Mary

Author:Lancaster, Mary
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Romance, Historical
Publisher: Dragonblade Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2021-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

That afternoon, Alexandra took Evelina to the first of their arranged meetings with other children. It was an informal affair, the governesses sitting on benches, while their charges circled each other warily and eventually began to play. Since Miss Farnsworth had two pupils, Alexandra had worried that Evelina might be overwhelmed, and indeed she was, just at first, but she soon joined in the games, while the governesses chatted together and dispensed snacks as required.

As they returned home, Alexandra felt pleased with the outing, for Evelina had clearly enjoyed it. And for Alexandra, it had been a blessed relief from the oppression of her own feelings.

Back in the house, as they climbed the stairs, Alexandra laughing at one of Evelina’s stories about her new friends, she saw at once that the drawing room doors were open. And when Sir Nicholas strolled through them, her heart plunged. She felt like a trapped deer.

Fortunately, before she was forced to meet his gaze, Evelina flew at him with her usual joy, diverting all attention as she poured out to her father where she had been and whom she had met.

He listened patiently, even asking questions that made her laugh, while Alexandra stood awkwardly to one side, trying to make herself invisible. And then a female figure appeared from the drawing room.

“Griz?” Alexandra said faintly.

“Off you go to Anna,” Sir Nicholas said, “and I will hear the rest at dinner.”

So, he was going dine with them? The butterflies in her stomach began to panic.

“Miss Battle,” Sir Nicholas said amiably, “join us for a few minutes if you please. Lady Griz has a proposition you may happily reject.”

Alexandra glanced warily from one to the other, then at Sir Nicholas’s ironic bow, she followed Griz into the drawing room in front of him. Since Griz sat on the new sofa near the impressive but empty fireplace, Alexandra sat beside her, removing her bonnet, while Sir Nicholas chose to stand leaning negligently against the fireplace. She wished she wasn’t so aware of his presence, his tall, muscular body, which had been pressed so close to hers last night.

Griz spoke quietly and matter-of-factly. “Tonight, Sir Nicholas’s brother is paying the ransom for his son. The exchange is meant to take place in or near a coffee shop by Covent Garden. Dragan means to follow the kidnappers once young Henry is safe. I will watch from close by, but we thought it would be good to have someone else close by in a carriage, hopefully merely to look after Mr. Swan and Henry, but possibly to rescue anyone else in need of it, or even to follow the kidnappers if they have a vehicle of their own.”

Alexandra followed all this with unusual difficulty, finally working out who she had in mind. She blinked. “Me?”

“It is not part of your duties and not required,” Sir Nicholas said sternly.

Alexandra thought of Evelina’s abduction and Sir Nicholas’s terrible anxiety. His brother’s had been going on for several days, and the boy was still in danger.

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