Chapter 2
“Collin, are you coming down?”
A smile stole over Collin’s face at the sound of his cousin’s shout echoing up the stairway and through the open library door.
“Collin?”
“Be right there.”
Tossing the book back onto the chair where he’d found it, Collin stepped out of the library and made a careful survey of the angled hall before choosing the stone archway to his left. Lucy’s home was massive and rambling, having been added onto at least a dozen times, and visitors often found themselves lost. Collin had been here for three days and he had yet to get his bearings.
“Oh, my word! Oh, I can’t believe it!”
He rolled his eyes at Lucy’s echo. She had never been the perfect example of a gentlewoman, perhaps because she was not very gently bred. No telling what had excited her into shouting this time, there were so many possibilities. A new kitten, a letter from a friend…perhaps even a tempting biscuit. Still chuckling when he found the stairs, Collin descended to the landing, looked down, and felt his tongue freeze to the roof of his mouth at the sight of Lucy’s latest thrill.
“Oh, you naughty thing!” Lucy sang, her red curls bouncing. “What are you doing here?”
Naughty thing indeed. Below him, radiant in a rumpled gown of aquamarine silk, stood the naughty Lady Alexandra herself.
“Good God,” Collin breathed, or perhaps just thought, he couldn’t be sure. His brain had stuttered at the unexpected sight of her. He watched his cousin hug her, coo over her, then made himself walk down the rest of the stairs. “Lady Alexandra,” he murmured when he reached the first floor.
She snapped around with a sharp gasp. “Blackburn!”
“But…You know each other?” Lucy asked, wariness tightening her voice.
“Aye,” Collin said just as Alexandra shook her head.
She shot a hot look in his direction. “I think ‘know’ is too strong a word.”
Lucy frowned, but before she could question them further, George walked in and swept Alexandra into his arms to twirl her about the hall.
“Put me down!” she ordered, though a hint of laughter bubbled through.
“Sorry. Forgot the wife was here,” George said, leering comically as he set her on her feet.
“Ha! You say that very convincingly for a man who hasn’t noticed another woman in ten years.”
George winked just before he spied Collin. A narrow look of worry descended over his face as he cleared his throat and turned Alexandra around.
“Lady Alexandra, may I present Collin Blackburn? He is Lucy’s cousin by marriage.”
“We’ve met,” she said evenly, then, “I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Oh, no, no, no,” Lucy chattered, plump cheeks reddening. “You’re both family. Why shouldn’t you have a nice visit? Um…There’s no reason…”
George smiled a sick smile and took his wife’s hand. “Alexandra is my second cousin, Collin.”
“Ah.” What else could he say?
George cleared his throat, obviously aware of the tension in the room and the reason for it. He’d sent a deeply sympathetic letter at John’s death, but he’d never told Collin of his connection to Alexandra. Of course, there’d been no mention of her role in the incident, not in polite company.
“Yes, well,” George boomed with a clap of his thin hands. “We were about to take Collin out for a ride to the village. Will you accompany us, Alex?”
Her eyes flitted from face to face and she looked so miserable that even Collin wanted to grimace.
“I do believe I’d rather stay and catch up with Alex,” Lucy said breezily. “You two go talk about manly things like fields and horses and fishing. We’ll get her settled and rested before dinner.”
George, nodding vigorously, had turned to the door before his wife had finished speaking.
Collin tried to catch Alexandra’s eye, though he didn’t know why. Only to read her, he told himself, not to reassure her. He owed her nothing.
She did not look at him, just let Lucy take her arm and guide her away without a glance in his direction. The set of her jaw bespoke anger, at him or the situation or both.
Collin glared at her back as she walked away, resenting the guilt that burned his gut. He’d done nothing wrong, certainly hadn’t known she’d be coming here. And now he would have to speak with her, try to make peace because they were both guests in George’s home. He didn’t want to make friends with the woman. He wanted to shake her.
“Collin?” George stuck his head back inside.
“Coming,” he muttered and followed his miserable host out to the waiting horses.
“Well, then. That was a little tense.” Lucy closed the door of the bedchamber with a soft click.
Alex groaned and threw herself face down on the bed. “What is he doing here?”
“Oh, Alex, he’s my cousin! Or not really. His aunt married my uncle…”
“I know. I mean, that is…I didn’t know. Lucy, why didn’t you ever tell me you were related to John?” She pushed herself up, miserable and fighting tears of frustration.
“I’m not. He and Collin were half brothers. I never even met John.”
“This is terrible! I should just go back to Somerhart.”
“No, I absolutely forbid it.”
She fell back upon the bed, covering her face with her hands. She had come here for comfort, for company and distraction, anything to avoid the regret that had fallen over her after Blackburn’s visit.
“Alex, what is it? Has he been cruel to you? I may have to stand on a chair to do it, but I’m not afraid to box his ears.”
A surprised laugh bubbled up from her throat at the image. “Really?”
“Please tell me what’s going on.”
“Oh, it’s nothing that terrible. I’m just overwrought. I only met him three days ago. He wished to speak with me about his brother’s death.”
“Why?”
She could almost hear her friend frowning. Sighing, Alex sat up, wondering if she looked like a melodramatic marionette as she flopped about on the bed. “He’s looking for St. Claire. Naturally, he wanted to speak with me. I gave him what I could and he left. The end.”
“Did he know you were coming here?”
“No, and I certainly did not know he would be here.”
“We never mentioned…That is…I could ask him to go.”
“No! No, of course not. He’s done nothing wrong. I believe that distinction belongs to me.”
“Oh, Alex, don’t say that, please. Men are solely responsible for those stupid games of honor that they play. That duel was between those two men and likely had little enough to do with you.”
That struck a little close to home. “You may be more right than you think.”
“Alex—”
A soft knock on the door saved her from explanation. A young footman entered, toting her trunk as if it weighed nothing. Alexandra stood, put a smile on her face.
“Don’t worry, Lucy. I was only surprised to see him. I’ll be fine. And next time I’ll inquire before coming to visit.”