A Leap Into Love by Alina K. Field

Author:Alina K. Field
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: 0
Published: 2018-02-22T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

“When he and my niece—my grand-niece, actually—married, I went along on the honeymoon. And never left. He was kind to her, though she didn’t deserve it, and she didn’t repay it. Oh, she shared his bed when she was in her good times, but when her mood was dark, there was no consoling her. Alexander never laid a hand to her. Never spoke a harsh word to her, except once when she went after William.”

Wills’s mother had been a dark-haired beauty, the ladies had whispered. Married to a handsome and charming man, with a beautiful child, and a home. And yet, she was so unhappy. “Was it…was it a love match?” She gave her head a quick shake. “Oh, I beg pardon. That is none of my business. Only one wonders why…”

“Why he married such a miserable girl?”

“As I said. It’s none of my business.”

“She wasn’t always miserable. She was always too pretty for her own good, and, aye, she was head over ears in love.”

Myra held her breath. Alexander’s wife had loved him, and it had gone terribly wrong. As it might have had Arthur’s father married Myra. Love matches didn’t always endure.

And of course, in spite of his early declarations, Arthur’s father had not loved her after all. When she’d fallen with child, he’d hinted it, then he’d said it outright, and in the end he’d proved it in the worst way possible.

“She was head over ears in love with Alexander’s older brother, and when he got her with child, the old man refused to allow a wedding.”

Myra’s chest tightened. “Wills—”

“Is not Alexander’s. He will never tell anyone that, and somehow, I think you will keep his secret.”

“Of course.”

She would. Unspoken was the fact that Myra had secrets of her own. Everyone believed she was a young seaman’s widow, an orphan with no family or friends. Well, and that much was true now.

“So why did he marry her?”

Auntie Liv sighed. “You can imagine that Alexander had more girls chasing him than anyone could count, and some with sizeable dowries. My niece had very little but her respectability, and that she tossed away for a charmer.”

“Alexander, er, Mr. Grant, is a charmer.”

“Alexander has a conscience. Alexander has honor. That’s why he convinced her to marry him, for the sake of the babe. William is a Grant, and may well inherit the laird’s grand estate if his scapegrace of a father can’t get a child that will live on his wife. Alexander was thinking of the child and the future of the Grants.”

A shiver went through her. Mr. Grant was a wealthy laird’s younger son. “I suppose he moved away because of the…connection.”

“He was cast out. Forbidden to marry the girl. He did so anyway. Sold his commission, took the money, and came south to find a position. Eventually…oh, it was after Waterloo…he found his home here. And good thing, as his father cut him off.” She grumbled. “Though he sends that interfering man down often enough to spy on Alexander.

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