Part 30 (1/2)
”No.” Strath's gaze narrowed. ”Tell me something: was it worth it?”
”A thousand times yes.”
Strath didn't look convinced. ”She'll not have you, you know. I've heard she's only coming to refuse you.”
”Then I will change her mind.”
”Good luck. The Murdoch women are a stubborn lot.”
”They are Scottish. I expect no less.”
Strath laughed. ”I suppose so. Just . . . don't do anything rash. You could make this offer, let her refuse you, then go on your merry way, free and unfettered.”
”Free and unfettered do not have the benefits I once thought.”
”Amen,” Strath muttered under his breath. ”I must say, you are the most willing of unwilling grooms I've ever encountered. You are positively aglow with-”
”Your Highness!”
They turned to find Lady Malvinea. Though always stiff in bearing, she was even more so tonight, her hands clasped tightly before her.
Alexsey looked past her but there was no one there. Pus.h.i.+ng his impatience aside, he bowed. ”Lady Malvinea, where are your lovely daughters this evening?”
”Sorcha and Mairi were both dancing when I last saw them.”
”And Bronwyn?”
”That's what I came to tell you. She-” Lady Malvinea looked at Strath, who was pretending not to listen but obviously was. She frowned. ”Lord Strathmoor, I would like to speak to His Highness in private.”
Strath flushed. ”Since I was standing with him when you addressed him, I could hardly leave without being rude.”
”You may leave now.”
Strath's mouth grew white, but without a word, he turned on his heel and left.
Alexsey frowned. ”Strathmoor is a good man, my lady.”
”If you knew how many times he's-” She closed her lips. ”It doesn't matter. If we may walk and converse, there will be fewer interruptions.”
He escorted her away. ”Well?” he said as soon as they were distant from the crowd. ”Where is Miss Bronwyn?”
”She refused to come.”
He'd never considered that a possibility. He'd been certain that she would at least attend the dinner. He'd imagined it all-she'd arrive, they'd talk, even argue, she'd perhaps even leave with things unresolved. But he'd never imagined that she might not even speak to him. What if she refuses to ever speak to me? His heart grew cold.
Lady Malvinea watched him closely. ”That upsets you, I can see.”
”I must speak to your daughter, Lady Malvinea.”
The older woman sighed. ”If only it were that easy. Your Highness, she will not marry you. She's determined to free you from this situation and move on with her life.”
His chest tightened with each word. ”She has told you this?”
She nodded. ”Bronwyn does not wish to correspond in any way. She asks only that you respect her wishes and leave as soon as possible, so that she may continue her life as it was before.”
His heart sank and he fought for breath. He realized Lady Malvinea was waiting for him to speak. ”I am sorry, but this news . . . I cannot accept it.”
Her expression softened. ”Perhaps . . . perhaps we can ask for some a.s.sistance. Bronwyn has a fondness for Sir Henry. We could ask him to speak to her on your behalf. She might be willing to see you then.”
Why not? ”Yes. That would be good.”
”Here's the library. Why don't you wait there, and I'll fetch Sir Henry. I just saw him by the stairs, and it would be better if I asked for his attendance. He's not happy that the incident happened under his roof. He's a bit irritated with you now, but once he knows you wish to make things right, I'm sure he'll come around.”
Alexsey didn't have anything to lose. ”I will wait here.” Hopefully there would be some scotch in the library.
As she left he went inside the room, only to find it quite dark, lit by only one candle.
Frowning, he took a step toward a lamp beside the candle.
”h.e.l.lo?”
He turned at the sound of a woman's voice. Squinting into the gloom, he saw someone rise from the settee beside the fire, the high back having obscured her from view. He frowned. ”I'm sorry. I thought this room unoccupied.”
”Oh! Your Highness, I didn't realize it was you.” She dropped a curtsy.
”Sorcha?” Alexsey frowned, walking closer. ”What are you doing here?”
”Mama has a headache, and she told me to wait here while she fetched some hartshorn.”
He froze in place. ”Your mother?”
”Yes. She said she'd . . . return . . .” Her words diminished to a whisper, her eyes widening.
”d.a.m.n it!”
He turned toward the door, but before he could take more than two strides, Tata Natasha and Lady Malvinea entered, Sir Henry behind them. Sir Henry was in the middle of telling the ladies a story about a fish he'd once caught, but he came to an abrupt standstill when he saw Alexsey and Sorcha.
It looked d.a.m.ning-the empty room, him and Sorcha in the near dark- ”Well!” Tata Natasha said, satisfaction on her face. ”What have we here?”
Lady Malvinea's eyes gleamed, though she shook her head in condemnation.
”d.a.m.n you, sir!” Sir Henry stomped forward, his face obviously flushed. ”How many Murdochs are you trying to ruin?”
Lord Thomas leaned closer. ”Roland, I will tell you an ancient secret. There are two ways to woo a woman. The first is to use all the weapons at your disposal. The second is to never run out of weapons.”
-The Black Duke by Miss Mary Edgeworth Alexsey seethed. Was nothing to go right today?
Lady Malvinea turned to Sir Henry. ”The prince has ruined Sorcha. I demand an accounting.”
The words sounded as contrived as they were.