Chapter Twenty-One
‘What an adventure you’ve had!’ Aunt Lucy exclaimed, her eyes shining as Alex finished telling her about their eventful journey home from the races. He’d glossed over the part where he and Lina had spent the night in each other’s arms, completely naked, with just one another’s bodies for heat. Although Aunt Lucy was a free spirit when it came to matters of the heart and matters of the bedchamber, Alex didn’t want to embarrass Lina by giving his aunt too many details.
They’d arrived back at Whitemore House just before lunch, exhausted and filthy. Luckily, as they’d returned to the damaged carriage on the road near the barn McManus and Kitsworth had arrived on horseback, with a friendly farmer driving his cart behind them. The coachman and the groom had spent most of the night trawling the local area, desperately trying to find someone who would open their door to two strange men in the middle of the night in the storm. Alex was pleased he’d taken Lina to shelter in the barn rather than ride for help the night before. He’d been unsure about his decision, but seeing the pale, drawn faces of his coachman and groom, he knew he’d made the right choice.
On arriving home he’d first instructed McManus and Kitsworth to take at least a week off to recuperate and then he’d sunk into a hot bath, making sure not to get his injured arm wet. Lina had still not emerged from her bedroom, where every so often a maid would disappear with a fresh bucket of hot water, so no doubt she was still soaking in the tub that had been carried into her room. An hour ago the doctor had arrived and quickly cleansed and sutured Alex’s wound, declaring he should make a full recovery as the bullet had only grazed him, passing cleanly through the skin and top layer of muscle.
‘It was certainly an eventful night,’ Alex said, leaning back in his chair. He felt tired, his eyes heavy and his body weary. He hadn’t slept a wink, finding it impossible to relax with Lina’s body pressed against his, having her so tantalisingly close but unable to act out his deepest fantasies. Every time she’d shifted, every time she’d wriggled in her sleep, Alex had fought to maintain his control. The worst part was that he’d seen the desire in her eyes, known that all it would take was one carefully timed kiss and she would melt into his arms, willing and ready to give in to the passion between them.
‘It’ll be a story to tell your grandchildren,’ Aunt Lucy said, a hint of mischief in her eyes.
‘Aunt Lucy...’ Alex started, his voice stern.
‘Anyone can see the connection you two share.’
Alex sighed, looking down at his hands for a few moments. He loved Aunt Lucy, she’d been wonderful after the death of his parents, ensuring both he and Georgina wanted for nothing whilst they mourned the loss, but sometimes she was a little too free with her opinions.
‘I like Lina,’ Alex said slowly, choosing his words so she couldn’t misinterpret anything. ‘I enjoy spending time with her. She’s fun and amusing and I find myself happier when I’m in her company.’
‘What more could you want from a mate?’
‘You know she’s a completely unsuitable companion.’
‘I can see the spark between you, the desire that is simmering just beneath the surface.’
‘That is not enough to base a lifetime together.’
Aunt Lucy shrugged. ‘It’s a good start. I’ve been married three times, Alex, and my happiest time was when I followed what my heart was telling me.’
He couldn’t believe they were talking about him having a future with Lina. It wasn’t even something he had contemplated, not seriously. In the dark hours in the middle of the night he had indulged in a few fantasies, scenarios where he woke up to Lina in his arms every morning and made passionate love to her every night, but he knew they were just that: fantasies.
‘She’s a gypsy.’
‘Why should that matter?’
It was the way of the world. Perhaps people would be much happier if the social order was not such an important consideration, but in today’s world it was.
‘If I chose to spend my life with Lina, we would be snubbed by society. She’d never fit in.’
‘That’s only a problem if you care about those things.’
Despite knowing it could never happen, despite knowing his life and Lina’s could never slot together, Alex felt a flicker of hope and anticipation. There would be something wonderful about spending each and every day with Lina, watching her face as he gave her a racehorse to break in and train, persuading her to swim naked again in the lake, indulgently kissing every inch of her body first thing each morning...
‘These last few weeks you’ve come alive again, Alex, after retreating into yourself for so long. If Lina can do that for you, imagine what happiness you could have if you just forget about what society expects of you and focus on what is really important—love.’
Distractedly he shook his head. He didn’t love Lina. He liked her, he cared for her, he certainly desired her, but after Victoria had nearly broken him, he’d vowed never to open his heart to love again.
It was true he loved certain things about Lina—her inquisitive nature, her inherent kindness, her ability to shrug off other people’s opinions—but that wasn’t the same thing as loving her. Or at least...
Alex shook his head, this was not a path he should go down. If he loved Lina, things would get a lot more complicated, a lot messier.
‘All that can be obtained without marriage,’ Alex said slowly, an idea forming in his mind. When he’d asked Lina to become his mistress before, he’d tried to persuade her it would just be for a short time, that they could take their pleasure and break away cleanly, both moving on with their lives. Over the past few weeks Alex knew his affections for Lina had grown, he couldn’t stand in the same room as her and not want to wrap her in his arms. Perhaps the solution to their difference of opinion when it came to Lina being his mistress could be solved by him admitting he didn’t just want a short-term affair.
‘She won’t have you any other way,’ Aunt Lucy said bluntly.
‘You don’t know that.’
‘She’s a sensible girl—already she’s at a huge social disadvantage being from a gypsy family. All she has is her virtue and her self-respect. If she agrees to be your mistress, she will lose that.’
Alex shook his head, about to protest.
‘You know what I’m saying is true. And if she were to become your mistress, everything is taken out of her control. It wouldn’t be her deciding on how long to prolong your affair. She would be entirely at your mercy and that is a frightening prospect for a young woman.’
‘I’d never hurt her.’
‘Yes, you would. In a few years, you will want to marry. The urge for a domestic life will grow and you will want heirs of your own flesh and blood. You are not the sort of man to keep a mistress when a wife warms your marital bed and Lina knows it.’
Alex could hardly deny it. He wasn’t sure he ever would want to marry, but if he did, his conscience wouldn’t allow him to keep a mistress at the same time.
‘I love you very much, Alex. You know I look upon you and Georgina like the children I was never blessed with. I just want you to be happy.’
He was happy. The past few weeks he’d felt more content than he had done in years.
‘Consider what would truly make you happy, then find a way to ensure it happens and damn the rest of society and what they think.’
* * *
Lina sat on the terrace, running a comb through her wet hair, feeling completely rejuvenated and relaxed. All in all, she’d spent over an hour in the bathtub, the maids obligingly bringing her fresh buckets of hot water whenever the chill began to set in. In return, Lina had regaled them with the story of what had happened on the trip home, adding a few embellishments here and there to keep her audience enthralled. By the time her skin was so soft it was beginning to wrinkle, the maids were giggling in delight as Lina described how Alex had saved her life one last time.
Now alone, she allowed her thoughts to turn to Alex—and more specifically the undeniably chaste night they had just spent together. She’d been so close to giving in to her desire, so close to brushing her lips against his whilst urging him to make love to her. The lack of control was frightening and Lina knew she would have to be very careful these next couple of weeks or she would find herself in Alex’s bed with no way of protecting her future.
‘I’m here to collect,’ a low voice growled suddenly in her ear.
Only the hand Lina covered her mouth with stifled the high-pitched scream of shock as her uncle grabbed her wrist. He looked dishevelled, desperate even, and the wild darting of his eyes made Lina pause for a moment. Her uncle had never been a warm or loving relative, more interested in what he could take from people than in building relationships, but never had he been quite so cruel, quite so persistent. Ever since she’d made and lost the wager with Uncle Tom, Lina hadn’t stopped to consider why he was quite so desperate for the debt to be paid or the details of how to get his hands on Alex’s money.
‘You owe someone money,’ Lina said, recovering from the initial shock of being pounced on.
‘That’s none of your concern,’ Tom hissed, although by the expression on his face Lina could see she was right. No wonder he’d been so persistent.
‘I’ve got most of what I owe you,’ Lina said.
‘Most isn’t good enough.’
Quickly Lina reached for the stack of notes she’d kept hidden under her skirts throughout the ambush the night before. It was her winnings from the bet on Dawnbreaker at the races. Twelve pounds—more money than she’d ever possessed—but right now she didn’t care. All she wanted was for Uncle Tom to leave her alone.
‘We agreed on fifteen pounds,’ Tom said, counting the notes greedily.
‘Take this,’ Lina said after a moment’s hesitation. It was the silver comb Alex had given her after their first dinner party. She was loath to part with it, but if it meant getting Uncle Tom to leave her alone once and for all it was a small price to pay.
‘It’s not enough.’
Lina frowned. The hair clip was solid silver and of an intricate and beautiful design. It would certainly cover the outstanding three pounds she owed him.
‘I need more, much more.’
There was pure fear in Uncle Tom’s eyes now and Lina felt a flicker of sympathy for the man, despite never liking him much.
‘What have you got yourself mixed up in?’ she asked softly.
‘Nothing you need to know about,’ Tom said, squeezing her shoulder roughly. ‘Just keep your end of the bargain and there will not be a problem.’
‘I’ve paid my debt. We’re even.’
‘I need more money and you’re going to help me get it. Where does your toff keep his stash?’
‘I’m not telling you.’
Anger and desperation flared in his eyes and Lina flinched as he raised his hand to hit her. The blow was stinging, delivered with the flat of his hand to her cheek. Lina started to rise, ready to kick, hit and scratch her way out, but before she could start her assault Tom went flying backwards, travelling across the terrace at high speed. He let out a low howl which was cut short as he made impact with the wall of the house.
Before Lina could rise to her feet, Alex was by her side, crouching down next to her and checking she was not too badly injured. His fingers felt cool on the warm, sore patch of cheek where Uncle Tom’s palm had connected with her flesh.
‘What did he do to you?’ Alex asked, his voice low and soft, but with an undertone of repressed anger.
‘He just slapped me, truly it wasn’t even that hard.’
For a moment Lina wanted Alex to beat Uncle Tom; she wanted him to hurt him, to punish him for the slap and for the threats he’d been making the last few weeks. As her pulse slowed her anger subsided and gently, she laid a hand on Alex’s arm.
‘It was just a little slap,’ she repeated. ‘He’s a desperate man.’
‘That’s no excuse.’
Alex kissed her forehead, rose and walked over to where Tom was struggling to get up. There was naked fear in the older man’s eyes, as well as a hint of regret. Alex grasped him by the edges of his shirt and dragged him back towards Lina.
‘I should beat you to a pulp for what you just did,’ Alex said.
‘Please,’ Uncle Tom whispered, his voice barely audible. ‘It was a mistake. I’m sorry.’
For a long moment Alex eyed the man in his grasp, before disgustedly letting go of his shirt and pushing him none too gently into a chair.
‘I want to know everything,’ Alex said. ‘Why you’re trespassing on my property, why you hit Lina and why you broke into Lina’s room a few weeks ago. I assume that was you?’
Both Lina and Uncle Tom gave small nods and Lina felt her cheeks colouring.
‘She owes me money,’ Tom said.
‘I’ve paid you.’
‘Only just. You’re a slippery little fish, I wouldn’t have seen a penny if I hadn’t chased you.’
‘Why did she owe you money?’
‘We made a wager, she lost.’
‘Is this true?’ Alex asked, turning to Lina.
She nodded, unable to meet his eye.
‘So all this time you’ve been following Lina to remind her to pay you?’
‘It was my money. She lost the wager, she had to pay.’
‘And now she’s paid the debt?’
Uncle Tom nodded, his fingers darting to the pocket where he’d stashed the stack of notes Lina had handed over a few minutes before.
‘So why hit her?’ Alex asked, frowning.
Neither Uncle Tom or Lina spoke, both pressing their lips together, but for different reasons. Lina didn’t want Alex to know she’d even contemplated helping her uncle steal from him and Tom was no doubt still sore from when Alex had catapulted him across the terrace not ten minutes earlier.
‘Tell me,’ Alex said, his voice soft, directing his words to Lina.
‘When I couldn’t pay Uncle Tom straight away I made a deal,’ she said, looking down at her hands as she spoke. ‘We agreed I would have four weeks to find the money and instead of the ten pounds that I owed him I would pay fifteen.’
Alex nodded as Tom shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
‘The only way Uncle Tom would agree to the extension period was if I agreed to do something else for him...’ Lina paused, took a deep breath, then continued, ‘He wanted me to find out where you kept your money, so he could sneak into the house and steal it. I was also meant to let him know when the house would be empty so he was less likely to get caught.’
Biting her lip, Lina risked a glance up. Alex’s expression was inscrutable, but he didn’t look happy.
‘You were planning to rob my house?’
‘It’s not like you’d miss a few pounds here and there,’ Uncle Tom said belligerently, although he cowered as Alex leaned in towards him.
‘What I don’t understand is why you didn’t just take a few valuables when you broke into the house a few weeks ago. You’d already risked getting caught by entering, why didn’t you steal something then?’
Uncle Tom looked down and refused to speak, pushing his lips together in a manner that suggested he wasn’t going to say any more on the matter.
‘I think he’s been in trouble with the magistrate, caught with stolen goods. He’s worried if he gets caught trying to sell anything stolen again in this area, then the punishment would be harsh and swift.’
‘But money cannot be traced,’ Alex said, nodding his head. ‘Right, come with me.’
Alex stood, bodily hauling Uncle Tom to his feet and holding his arms in a way that meant the older man had no hope of escape.
‘What will you do to him?’ Lina asked. She didn’t like her uncle—even less so after the slap that had hurt her cheek so badly—but she didn’t want Alex to do anything too drastic. Uncle Tom might be a low-life scoundrel, but he was still family.
‘I will send one of the footmen for the magistrate, Sir Peter Lawson. He’s a good man, a friend of my father’s when the old man was still alive. He can decide what to do with this criminal.’
Within her family, and the larger group they travelled with, all disputes were settled without the outside meddling of the law. Lina felt a little uncomfortable allowing her uncle to be handed over to the magistrate, but she doubted he would suffer more than a firm warning. It wasn’t as though Uncle Tom had actually stolen anything, despite his intentions.
‘So what was this wager?’ Alex asked when he returned a couple of minutes later.
‘Promise you won’t laugh?’
‘I can do no such thing.’
‘I bet Uncle Tom ten pounds that I could mount and ride a wild horse the length of a field.’
‘You didn’t manage it?’
‘I was thrown about eight feet from the end.’
‘I’m impressed that you managed to mount a wild horse, let alone ride it.’
‘Does this mean I’m allowed to ride your Arabian?’
Alex laughed. ‘No. Not even if you were the finest wild-horse tamer in England.’