Lost In Temptation by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Twenty-eight

Alexandra sighed as she watched the last of their guests’ carriages roll out of the quadrangle. “Why do I think they’re all going to gather at the end of the road and have a good gossip?”

“Because they will,” Juliana said.

“The repercussions have begun already.” Alexandra turned to follow her siblings back inside. “They didn’t even stay long enough to finish breakfast.”

“That is only because it was stone-cold,” Corinna said, sitting on an old, ornate treasure chest.

“No, it wasn’t.” Tired and demoralized, Alexandra plopped onto one of the walnut hall chairs. “No one wants to associate with us. Dear God in heaven. What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to marry Tristan tomorrow.” Griffin sat on the third step of the staircase, leaning forward with his elbows on his spread knees, his hands dangling between them. “And you’re going to be happy. I demand it.”

“How can I be happy when the rest of you will be miserable?” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

An expression of horror came over his face. He sat up straighter. “You are marrying the man you claim to love. There is no crying allowed. You hear me?”

“She’s not crying for herself,” Juliana said, moving to pat Alexandra on the shoulder. “She never cries for herself. She’s crying for us.”

“I am not crying,” Alexandra said, swiping at the rogue tear with a frustrated motion.

In truth, she wasn’t sure why she was crying. She was a bundle of emotions. One moment she was elated to be marrying Tris, the next racked with guilt that it meant making pariahs out of her siblings. And she was humiliated beyond belief—absolutely mortified that half of society had seen her naked in her bedroom.

“I’m sorry.” She gave a long, wretched sniff. “I’ve ruined all your lives.”

“Good God,” Griffin said. “Cheer up, will you? You don’t see any of us crying.”

“We’re thrilled for you,” Juliana put in.

Alexandra looked around at all the grim faces. “Indeed.”

“We are,” Corinna insisted. “We’re just a little . . . shocked. You’ve always been the good sister.”

“Well, I’ve been changing, in case you haven’t noticed. It seems my transformation is now complete. From a paragon of traditional femininity to an utter tart, and all inside of a single summer.”

“No one thinks you’re a tart,” Juliana said.

Corinna nodded. “A little fast, perhaps, but—”

“She’s about to be a married matron,” Juliana interrupted, glaring at her younger sister. “There is nothing fast about that. Griffin, you did exactly the right thing.”

“Thank you,” he said dryly.

Alexandra sighed. “There was no right thing.”

“Does Tristan really sleepwalk?” Corinna asked her brother.

He nodded. “All of his life.” His jaw clenched. “I’m going to kill him.”

Alexandra jumped up. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Sit down. I was jesting.” He rubbed the back of his neck and added, “I’d like to kill him, but I’ll restrain myself. For your sake.”

“Thank you.” She plopped back down.

“Just be happy. That is all the thanks I require.”

But she couldn’t be happy—not when she’d ruined her family’s reputation. She wouldn’t be happy until she fixed that.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.