Page 20 of The Lady Was Lying
“I’m not sure when I would have asked my mother to explain if you hadn’t forced my hand.” It was embarrassing to admit, but it was true, and now that it had happened, a burden had been lifted.
“My father was always so proper and upstanding. A love child is completely out of character.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “Sorry. You probably don’t want to talk about it.”
“I’m curious about him. But also not.”
“Understandable. I’m sure it was a shock. Thankfully, my awkward behavior last evening appears to have gone unnoticed by society. I would feel terrible if I had inadvertently caused talk.”
“Even if you had, it would be difficult for anyone to learn the truth.” He hoped.
“I suppose so. It is quite an unexpected secret. You don’t have to worry about anyone finding out,” she assured him. “You are part of the family now, and families protect each other.”
A wave of emotion hit him like a runaway carriage. At no time in his life had he felt so much joy at once. It was overwhelming to the point that he wanted to cover his face with his hands and sob like a baby.
“Thank you,” he managed in an almost steady voice.
“It’s my pleasure. Our father—” She stopped, a line appearing between her brows. “Even though he is our father, I believe I should refer to him as my father?”
He nodded. “My father was the Duke of Avondale. I will continue to refer to him as such both for the sake of privacy and because he was a wonderful father.” As enormously grateful as he was for her acceptance, and as eager as he was to have siblings, he couldn’t disavow his past.
“Of course,” she said softly. “I’m not sure if it matters to you, and I’m not sure what my brother told you, but my father was troubled when he became the viscount. Danford Hall was the last place he wanted to be, and I can’t help wondering if he knew about you or if he was simply caught up in memories of the past.”
“My mother says he didn’t know she was with child when she left.”
“And you believe her?”
“Mm-hm,” he murmured, distracted by movement in the doorway. He turned his head reflexively. His lips parted and his heart stopped as the woman from the garden sailed into the room like she owned the place.
After she’d fled the garden, he’d convinced himself that his memory was faulty because there was no possible way she could be as stunning as the moonlight had made her appear.
How wrong he’d been.
With a single curl resting on her shoulder, her lips rosy, her cheeks flushed, and her luminous green eyes blazing, she was a vision by candlelight. A siren. A temptress. Completely unprepared to see her again, he felt the impact of her beauty like a bludgeon.
Swallowing thickly, he forced himself to hold her gaze when it met his. Her eyes sparkled in challenge. Why was she looking at him with such fierceness?
Panic and something he didn’t care to identify clawed up his neck. Even though he still didn’t know for certain who she was, it was impossible to miss her resemblance to both Greydon and Jane now that they were all in the same room. If he’d been thinking properly, he would have noticed it the night before.
“My lady,” he said politely, inclining his head in her direction and breaking their silent standoff. After he spoke, Greydon moved quickly, halting next to the mystery woman and whispering in her ear.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” she asked. The sultry tone he remembered had been replaced by frostiness. It did nothing to detract from her appeal, but it did confuse him.
Was she still angry that he hadn’t kissed her? Would she tell everyone they had been alone in the garden?
The last thing he wanted to do was explain what had happened between them especially when he still didn’t completely understand. Even though nothing untoward had actually occurred, she might be able to turn her family against him if she revealed they’d been alone together, and he was loath to lose what he’d just found.
“Your Grace,” Greydon said. “Allow me to present the eldest of my sisters, Lady Belinda.”
Emmeline shifted to James’ side and placed her hand on his forearm as if he required support for a simple introduction. It was more than a little strange the way the countess and earl seemed to brace themselves as they waited for him to respond. What were they worried was going to happen?
He smiled and bowed his head instead of reaching for Belinda’s hand. Afraid of his reaction, he didn’t even want to feel the heat of her palm against his fingers. Touching his lips to any part of her would have been foolhardy last night, and it would be even more disastrous now.
“A pleasure,” he murmured.
Her right eye narrowed slightly as she offered a half-hearted curtsy.
“The pleasure is mine,” she responded in such a way that left absolutely no doubt in his mind that she was angry with him.
The quiet night he’d imagined disappeared like smoke drifting into the sky.
