Page 10 of A Christmas Temptation for the Duke
“Our children…” Lord Pemberton turned and swept his hand across the foyer to indicate the four of them standing there in wait.
Lord Grayhill was dressed in a dark suit, which matched his dark eyes, which matched the darkness that seemed to sit on his shoulders like an old friend. His hair was messy as it had been in the markets, but his face bore the same sharp lines as if to get too close might see one cut.
Lord Pemberton led him to the four of them, where he started to make introductions. And as he did, Alison looked down at her feet, her heart thumping painfully, her nerves growing so she worried she might explode.
“And finally, my stepdaughter, the daughter of the late Earl of Selkirk, Lady Alison Collins…”
Alison’s eyes turned wide, and she felt the Earl watching her. She took a deep breath, forcing her head up to meet him. She saw immediately the recognition, as she did the smirk on his lips which was both knowing and mocking.
She tried for a gracious smile, unable to avoid the feeling that everyone was watching them. It was as if her siblings could sense something was off. Silence descended on the scene, heavy and damming. Alison held her smile, refusing to look away, waiting for Lord Grayhill to say something…
He nodded once and turned away, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
If he does mean to expose me, perhaps he will do me the courtesy of waiting until I have a full stomach.
“Shall we?” Lord Pemberton indicated across the foyer for Lord Grayhill to follow. “Supper is almost ready. I hope you enjoy lamb!”
“He is handsome,” Winnie giggled once there was room to do so.
“And dreamy,” Nerissa said.
Felix scoffed. “He is rather stiff.”
Alison said nothing, watching the back of Lord Grayhill as he walked, while unable to escape the sense that this evening was going to get worse long before it got better.
The next sign that this was going to be a most awkward affair came when Alison’s mother directed her to take a seat beside Lord Grayhill.
Alison hesitated. “I… I thought I might sit with Winnie.”
“Do not be silly.” Her mother took her hand and led her to where Lord Grayhill was alreadysettled. “As the oldest, your place is here.”
Alison did not want to make it obvious how nervous she felt, but she could not help it. Her entire body was trembling as she approached her chair.
What frustrated her most of all, although she could not say why, was that Lord Grayhill did not once look at her. He seemed set on ignoring her entirely, happy to give his attention to Lord Pemberton who was already blustering about their plans for Christmas while asking Lord Grayhill what he meant to do over the holidays.
Someone else who treats me as if I do not exist. Why am I even surprised….
“I enjoy my privacy,” Lord Grayhill answered simply.
“Ah, yes, don’t we all,” Lord Pemberton answered with a nervous chuckle because Lord Grayhill was giving him nothing to work with.
Dinner started with the first course, pea soup. Throughout its serving, and then eating, Lord Grayhill avoided so much as glancing at Alison. She helped with this, leaning back, careful not to find herself in his gaze. But soon she began to wonder why he was acting this way.
It is rather childish. Is he really that upset with me? Perhaps he is waiting for me to apologize? Which I will not be doing!
As supper stretched on, Alison began to grow frustrated. Lord Pemberton did most of the speaking, but Felix joined in and Nerissa too. Conversation flowed, and Alison found herself apart from it, ignored as she always was, left out because she was not a part of this family. And not once did anyone try and involve her.
She kept her cool, however, thinking it best to remain invisible and be grateful that this night was not derailed. That was until the main course was served…
It was the rack of lamb that did it. Placed before her, Alison was not thinking as she reached for a cut with her fork, having to lean forward and stand up a little.
“Alison,” her mother said. “Perhaps wait until Lord Grayhill is served before you snatch for your food?”
“It is quite alright,” Lord Grayhill said. “If she wishes to steal from me, there is little I can do to stop her.”
Alison froze, half-standing, fork on its way to the lamb. That comment… she did not have to guess at its meaning. And when she looked back and found Lord Grayhill watching her with a raised eyebrow and a satisfied smirk, she simply could not help but retort.
“It is not stealing to take something which belongs to no one.”
