Part 19 (1/2)

She shook her head. How could he think she would just leave and waste this heaven-sent opportunity to get to know each other? He was the only real sibling she had. Nick's att.i.tude had brought it home to her, as nothing else could have done, that she had to stop regarding Hugh Bredon's sons as her brothers.

Though even if she had had wanted to leave, she had nowhere else to go and no means of getting any where. She was wanted to leave, she had nowhere else to go and no means of getting any where. She was not not going to turn up on Monty's doorstep, in only the clothes she stood up in, and grovel to him for admittance! Not when she knew she was the very last person he wanted to see. going to turn up on Monty's doorstep, in only the clothes she stood up in, and grovel to him for admittance! Not when she knew she was the very last person he wanted to see.

She took a sharp breath, raised her head and stared sightlessly out of the window. She had hoped that after a good night's sleep, she would have come up with some notion of what she ought to do next. But the sad truth was that she had no idea how she was going to get out of this fix.

The same tree that obscured the view from her bedroom window grew right outside this room. But by pressing her nose against the window pane, she could make out an area of greenery in the centre of the square. That was what she would do! Take a walk: maybe that would clear her mind. At least it would be better than moping about indoors, feeling sorry for herself.

But when she opened the door to the hall, she found Akshat standing right outside.

'Are you leaving, Mem Sahib? Is there any message you wished to leave for Stephen Sahib?'

'N-no!' she denied hotly. 'I just thought I would get some fresh air. It is such a lovely day, and there seems to be a sort of little park area just outside?'

The servant's stance relaxed. 'Please wait here, Mem Sahib, while the girl fetches your bonnet and coat.'

'Oh, but I don't have a coat with me!'

'Stephen Sahib has provided all you may need,' he stated firmly.

He certainly had! Midge's throat felt thick with emotion as she backed into the library to wait for the maid who brought her some very serviceable out door clothing. Surely, this must mean that his att.i.tude towards her was mellowing?

'I am to accompany you, Mem Sahib,' Akshat informed her, as he opened the front door.

'Oh, I am sure there is no need for that. I am only going to take a turn about the square!'

'Stephen Sahib has ordered me to guard you with my life while you are his guest.' His hand made a slight movement towards his waist, and she saw, with astonishment, the jewelled hilt of an oriental-looking dagger tucked into the belt.

Midge blinked. His statement and his gesture towards the knife belt seemed rather melodramatic to her, but she had no intention of wounding the sensibilities of a servant who was so determined to carry out his master's orders to the letter. Besides, she had had read recently that two people had been killed by soldiers when a mob had attacked a Tory minister's home. She was not certain how far from this area that event had taken place, but she supposed it might have left Londoners a little nervous. read recently that two people had been killed by soldiers when a mob had attacked a Tory minister's home. She was not certain how far from this area that event had taken place, but she supposed it might have left Londoners a little nervous.

It felt unreal, going down the front steps, carefully wrapped up against any chance breeze, and duly escorted by such an exotic armed body guard. She stifled the urge to giggle. Why, her own aunt had not had her chaperoned so zealously!

Though the area was not a fas.h.i.+onable one, all the houses that stood round the square, Stephen's included, looked as though they belonged to prosperous families.

He must, she thought with some surprise as she craned her neck to look up at the window of the room she'd slept in the night before, be quite a wealthy man.

So why had he turned up at her wedding, wearing clothing that made him look like a vagrant?

She could not understand him at all. One minute he was wrecking her wedding, the next he was providing her with a body guard. He dressed like a Gypsy, yet lived in a house fit for a gentleman.

She shook her head, feeling suddenly over whelmed by it all. And she was so tired! All she wanted to do was crawl back to bed, pull the covers over her head and shut out every single one of her problems. Akshat shadowed her back to the house and handed her over to the maid.

She fell deeply asleep the moment she laid her head on the pillow and did not wake until the maid came clattering in with a can of hot water.

Midge sat up, rubbing her eyes and pus.h.i.+ng her hair from her face.

'What time is it?'

'Time to be getting dressed for dinner, Miss,' the woman replied with a hint of reproach in her voice. 'Mr Stephen is back from work and waiting for you.'

The woman clearly adored Stephen, she thought, rather startled, as she got out of bed and stumbled to the wash stand. She seemed to think Midge should have been eagerly awaiting his return, not lounging about in bed.

Stephen had provided her with another outfit, this one suitable for evening wear. When she looked at herself in the mirror, Midge thought she could have dined anywhere in such a beautifully tasteful garment. The under skirt was of pale blue satin, with a gossamer-fine silk over dress in an even lighter hue. She caught a wistful expression on the serving woman's face, as she set about brus.h.i.+ng her hair, and wondered if she was the one who had been sent out to buy the gown.

Only, how would a woman who worked in a bachelor house hold know what to buy for a lady? She looked at the woman out of the corner of her eye with misgiving. Although she spoke politely enough, her voice was quite coa.r.s.e, her accent reminding Midge of the women who sold flowers and fruit outside the theatres she had attended whilst staying with her aunt.

Better not ask too many questions, she decided as the maid draped a matching shawl about her shoulders. A man as blatantly virile as Stephen was bound to have a mistress. Though, she frowned, this gown had surely been purchased for a lady of quality, not a lady of the night.

Stephen was sitting in the small parlour Akshat had taken her to the previous night, tapping one forefinger irritably against the arm of his chair.

'I must thank you for your generosity, S-Stephen,' she stammered as he got to his feet. 'For taking me in last night, when I was in such distress, and having me cared for today with such kindness.'

'It is no easy matter to ignore blood ties,' he said gruffly, gesturing towards the open dining-room door impatiently. Midge could see a table had been laid for two.

He held her chair for her, and when she was seated, took the place opposite her and flicked his napkin across his lap with a snap.

'I find it significant that our paths should cross at this time,' he said enigmatically as a young footman in smart green-and-gold livery ladled soup into her bowl.

Midge stared at Stephen. He spoke as if their meeting had been some kind of chance event, but he had deliberately revealed his existence on her wedding day.

'Where does your destiny lie now, I wonder,' he said, once the servant had departed soundlessly. 'You have run away from your husband. Do you now wish to make your home with me?'

Midge dropped her spoon into her bowl with a splash. She had not not run away from Monty. Not intentionally. But, oh, dear, that was how it was going to look. She felt her cheeks heating as she clumsily tried to retrieve the spoon without getting soup on her fingers. Her aunt had always chided her for acting without thinking, warning her that one day her impulsive behaviour would lead to disaster. run away from Monty. Not intentionally. But, oh, dear, that was how it was going to look. She felt her cheeks heating as she clumsily tried to retrieve the spoon without getting soup on her fingers. Her aunt had always chided her for acting without thinking, warning her that one day her impulsive behaviour would lead to disaster.

She rather thought this might be a disaster of some magnitude. She had already decided she had too much pride to go round to Hanover Square. Slinking back to Shevington Court, knowing what she knew, would be even more demeaning.

But if she stayed here with Stephen, everyone would would a.s.sume she had left her husband! a.s.sume she had left her husband!

Which was a totally outrageous thing to do. Her aunt had warned her that the heir to the Earldom of Corfe would expect his wife to look the other way when he began to have affairs. Walking out of a marriage of convenience, on the flimsy pretext that she could not bear to think of Monty with a mistress, would create a scandal that would make his stepmother's affairs pale into in significance.

She extricated the spoon and held it, dripping, over the bowl, her mind whirling.

'You may do so, if you wish.'

She looked up, startled. 'I had not thought that far ahead,' she admitted, worrying at her lower lip. As usual, she had not been thinking at all. Only reacting to the news that Gerry was dead, and she was all alone. Her instinct had been to fly to the only person in the district she felt she had any connection to. And then, when Nick had repulsed her, she had done the same thing again. Exhausted, distraught, all that was in her head was the knowledge that Stephen was nearby.

A smile tugged at the corner of Stephen's mouth. 'If you lived with me, I would let you do whatever you wanted,' he murmured seductively.

She set down her soup spoon firmly, her heart sinking as everything suddenly became clear. Everything he had done, from the moment they had met, had stemmed from a spirit of hostility! He was not inviting her to stay because he had suddenly developed fond feelings for her. He was just thoroughly looking forward to watching Amanda Hebden's daughter scandalizing the Ton.

By coming here, she had played right into his hands.

She picked up a napkin to wipe her sticky fingers clean, her appet.i.te ruined. His att.i.tude hurt her almost as much as Nick's rejection.

'I wish I could stay with you, but not like this!' she said. 'I only want to get to know you. Because you are my brother. Even though you harbour so much bitterness towards me. Stephen-' she reached her hand out towards him across the table '-none of what happened to you when we were children was my fault! And it makes me want to weep to learn of the terrible things you have been through-'

He reared back from the table so suddenly that his chair over turned.

'I do not want your pity!'

'What do do you want then?' Why was it that she always seemed to be the one holding out her hand, reaching out to others, and they always, in the end, recoiled from her like this? 'Why did you contact me again, after all these years?' you want then?' Why was it that she always seemed to be the one holding out her hand, reaching out to others, and they always, in the end, recoiled from her like this? 'Why did you contact me again, after all these years?'