Wicked Siren by Eliza Lloyd

Author:Eliza Lloyd
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc.
Published: 2015-06-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Alex was several years older than his two sisters, Rose and Doreen. There’d been two other Preston children, another brother and another sister, both of whom had died in their youth. His sisters were married and between them had seven children. They were the reason he enjoyed Kent—his closest family lived here. Near him.

His vision of a contented life had been thoroughly shattered by Viviana Love. He would never be perfectly happy in Kent without her.

Celebrating his marriage would have been the excitement of the year for his sisters and he wasn’t sure why he had asked them to his home to reveal the news now. They sat wide-eyed and slack-jawed.

His marriage was still a matter of doubt, even to him. Viviana seemed no more his than a whiff of air, dancing away, or rather pushing him away without the slightest effort or remorse.

Was he foolish to think of Viv with fondness? His face heated as he thought of her—he’d blurted out a declaration that had no place in their agreement. The giddy sentiment was one meant for the young, not an established and respectable baron with responsibilities.

There was silence in the room when he finished the brief account, leaving out the details of their impassioned carriage ride that had started it all. His sisters glanced at each other and then back at him.

“You are married?”

“Yes.”

“And your wife is enceinte?”

“Nearly five months.”

“Do you love her?”

“She is my wife.” Alexander lost track of which sister was asking questions, for it seemed they both had the same response to his surprising news.

“Alexander! Why are we just now hearing this? And when do we meet her?”

They sat side by side in his back sitting room. They had been enjoying tea until he broke the news to them. Now their cups sat on the rectangular table, forgotten.

His sisters’ hands were entwined and they glanced at each other like two excited schoolchildren. They were happy for him, and that made him happy in return.

“I hope soon.”

“Well, where is she?” Rose demanded.

“I am returning to London shortly…”

“Has Robert been causing Aunt Tessa more anxiety? Really the boy should be thankful you are assisting.”

“I believe he is getting along,” Alex said. The transition had gone smoother than he had hoped, but then having meaningful, gainful employment went a long way toward directing wayward impulses. Now if Robert would just find a wife.

“Will they be spending Christmas with us?”

“Aunt Tessa says they will be here. And that brings me to why I invited you today.” His sisters doted upon him but that didn’t mean they would take to his new wife. Who knew how Viviana would react when he insisted she spend a few weeks with him. Here. At his home.

“Well?” Doreen said for both of them.

“I wish this year to be special.”

“Oh yes,” Rose said, taking Doreen’s hand again. “We can have a grand celebration with this year’s ball.”

“We must have a yew tree.”

“A tree? That’s not what I had in mind,” Alex said.

“But good Queen Charlotte always had a tree at Windsor.

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