The Confessions of a Duchess by Nicola Cornick

Author:Nicola Cornick [Cornick, Nicola]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780373773770
Publisher: HQN
Published: 2009-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“LAURA! HOW ARE YOU?” Alice Lister laid down a posy of pale pink roses on the hall table and stripped off her gloves before coming over to enfold Laura in an unexpected hug. She stood back and surveyed her friend with her shrewd brown gaze. “Oh dear! You look very drawn. Should you be out of bed today?”

“There is nothing wrong with me,” Laura said, laughing as she hugged Alice back. “At least there was nothing wrong until you arrived and told me that I looked like a hag!” She looked her friend up and down. Alice’s eyes were very bright and her cheeks very pink though it was not possible to tell if it was as a result of the cold wind or some strong emotion.

“I didn’t say you looked like a hag!” Alice protested. She frowned a little. “You look a little pale, that is all, and it is scarce surprising after the accident you had. Rachel told me that you had only just escaped a nasty injury.”

Laura wondered just what Rachel had told Alice the previous morning—and more to the point what Dexter had told Rachel to say to anyone who asked. It certainly would not be the truth, that he had spent all of the previous night with her. If that rumor circulated in Fortune’s Folly her reputation would be in the ditch and his prospects of marrying Lydia with it. She shrugged slightly, trying to shake off a feeling of blue devilment. Her shoulder gave a twinge, reminding her to be careful.

“I was lucky,” she said, smiling at Alice. “There was a masonry fall—”

“So I heard,” Alice said. “You were knocked unconscious and barely managed to struggle home alone. What a terrible thing!”

“Alone,” Laura said slowly. “Yes, yes, I was.” So that was the story Dexter had put about. She felt ridiculously disappointed that he had removed all reference to himself from the tale, as though those moments of extraordinary intimacy between them had counted for nothing. But perhaps they did not mean anything to him and anyway, he could hardly take credit for rescuing her without some difficult questions being asked. She swished crossly over to the bell pull and relieved her feelings by almost tugging it from its socket.

“Your cousin told me all about it,” Alice said. She bit her lip. “Lord Vickery is a very officious man. I met him in the lane just now and when I expressed my intention to visit you to see how you were, he quizzed me mercilessly about how I had heard of your accident, and who was talking about it and any number of things that are none of his business!”

“I see,” Laura said, suddenly understanding the cause of Alice’s pink cheeks and militant expression. “I am sorry. Miles can be very protective of my welfare.”

“He need not try to protect you against me,” Alice grumbled. “I am your friend! I find him very…” She stopped, frowning.

“Very overbearing?” Laura prompted, trying not to smile.

“Well, no,” Alice allowed.

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