A Scarlet Bride (31 page)

His own
period of being blackballed had been brought about by a selfish act, but Alexandra had done nothing wrong. Though Connor had doubted her innocence in the beginning, over the months he had begun to find her incapable of such wanton behavior. And to be accused of something she'd never done, a charge that caused everyone to turn away from her ... he could not imagine the betrayal she must have felt.

Now he knew she had been faithful, even though Gordon had been less than an ideal husband. Gordon's lascivious ways had been overlooked. No one had questioned when he'd married his mistress, or if they had, the gossip had died quickly.

Connor stood, walked to the window, and looked out at the sun, which was slowly peeking over the edge of the eastern sky. The first rays of sunlight touched River Bend's cotton crops. For a moment, Connor wished that sunlight could magically transform the sight into healthy fertile fields filled with a bumper crop.

But the sunlight only revealed the crop was small again this year and would not pay the taxes he owed. He desperately needed the funds Alexandra's father had promised once she became pregnant. But even that seemed a remote possibility now. Connor walked over to his breakfast tray. He picked up the paper and read the article on the front page. First Bank of New York was being investigated for fraud. Gordon Thurston was wanted for questioning.

The publicity was beginning to heat up.

He folded the paper. Leona came up the stairs, a breakfast tray in her arms. She glanced at him.

"Mrs. Manning's feeling poorly this morning, so I'm going to take her breakfast to her."

"Is she all right?" Connor questioned.

Leona smiled and reassured him."She's just a bit under the weather.
Nothing that a day of rest won't cure.
She'll be fine."

Connor laid the folded newspaper on the tray. "This should cheer her."

***

Alexandra lay with a book in her lap, rereading the same paragraphs over and over, her mind unable to concentrate. She had awakened feeling nauseous this morning, and didn't know if it was from something she'd eaten or from the memory of Gordon's visit that had haunted her all night. Connor now knew of
Hester's Revenge
, and would soon know the dirty details of her marriage to Gordon. The knowledge couldn't have come at a worse time.

Since the night of the opera when she'd realized he'd turned down Lizzie, there had seemed to be a quiet peaceful coexistence that had not been there since the morning she'd overheard Connor and William discussing that blasted bet. She and Connor had actually enjoyed each other's company lately, and had even gotten along reasonably well. At least until Gordon had showed up and possibly ruined everything.

She had been a fool not to tell Connor about her marriage to Gordon, or about the book. But she had not thought of this marriage as lasting. At the time, she had not cared about Connor's feelings regarding the ensuing scandal.

But now, she didn't want Gordon and
Hester's Revenge
to come between them. She wanted things to continue, though she was restless for something more. She craved Connor's attention, longed for his touch, and couldn't remember a time in her life when she had felt more aware of a man. She had vague hopes that left warm feelings. Feelings she'd never thought to experience.

The sound of boots bounding up the outside stairs had her jerking up her book. Only Connor came into the house sounding like a stampede of cattle. Only Connor approached life eager to greet each new day and discover the challenge of tomorrow. Only Connor made her heart race with excitement.

Yesterday afternoon, Nate had interrupted them with a problem in the fields. One of Connor's foals had finally delivered late last night. Like a coward, Alexandra had retreated to her bedroom and feigned sleep. Today, there would be no escaping Connor now that he knew of
Hester's Revenge
.

Connor opened the door to the sitting room and stopped. He stood staring at her, and she awaited the explosion of his anger. After all, she had never spoken the truth regarding her marriage and now Connor's life was about to be publicly scrutinized, all because of her.

How would she feel if Connor revealed a secret he had purposely kept hidden from her, one that would affect her socially?

Honesty and trust.
Their marriage lacked two essential elements, two necessary ingredients.

She glanced at her husband standing in the doorway, and swallowed nervously. "Yes?"

Connor stood before her, an inquisitive look on his face. "I wanted to check and make sure you were feeling better."

His inquiry threw her completely off balance. She was expecting a tirade and he asked about her health?

"I'm
ffine
," she stammered. She swung her legs over the chaise and stood. She'd been expecting him to lash out at her for keeping a secret this important from him. Instead, he'd greeted her with concern.

Alexandra watched as he walked around the room, his hands in his pocket, his head bowed in thought. Finally, he raised his gaze to her, his eyes dark with some hidden emotion.

"Why didn't you tell me, Alexandra?
Why didn't you tell me what Gordon had done?"
His voice was low, his tone deep and soothing.

She took a deep breath and stared at him, her pride stiffening her resolve. "At first, I really didn't care what you thought. I didn't feel that I owed you an explanation."

Here was where the yelling would begin. She straightened her spine, prepared for the onslaught. "Now I realize I should have told you about Gordon and
Hester's Revenge
months ago. I never thought it was wrong to keep the truth from you, until now."

Connor only stared at her. "I understand that he did terrible things to you.
Enough bad things to make you retaliate in a very public way."

She moved away from him to stand beside the window, and looked out, prepared for the worst. "I knew my marriage to Gordon was a mistake almost from the day I married him. It took me only six months to find out our marriage vows meant nothing." She wrung her hands. "The first time I caught him was the hardest. Nothing can prepare you for the sight of your husband with one of the maids in your own home."

Glancing at him, she watched as the muscle in his jaw tightened, and Alexandra had to force herself to continue. He was going to be so angry with her for keeping the truth from him.

"You don't have to tell me this."

His words shocked her.

"But I must. I must tell you everything, so you'll understand." She took a deep breath. "The next time I caught him with a female guest who was staying overnight.
An old friend of the family.
Later I learned she was his
exmistress
who just happened to be in town, and needed a place to stay."

She glanced down at her hands. "I
kept believing
it was all my fault. I wasn't doing something a good wife was supposed to do. I had never been with a man before, and didn't know the ways between a man and a woman. He was so unnatural when it came to sex, and I was naive enough to believe every man was that way.
Until our night together."

She blushed and walked around a table. "I blamed myself until the trial. I knew then there was nothing I could have done to save my marriage. He accused me of adultery so that he could marry his mistress. He didn't want me. He wanted his mistress all along."

Connor took two long strides to reach her. "You don't have to say anything more. I finished
Hester's Revenge
this morning."

"You read my book?" She gazed at him in surprise. "Where did you find a copy?"

He glanced down at her hand and brushed his fingers against her knuckles. "I sent a servant into town yesterday."

"Oh," was all Alexandra could manage as she stared at him.

"Gordon Thurston is a stupid, vile man who doesn't realize what he's lost," Connor said quietly.

She felt her heart leap at his words and swallowed convulsively. "You believe me? You don't think I committed adultery?"

He gazed into her eyes. "Damn right, I believe you. Any person who accepts Gordon's story after reading this book is a fool."

Alexandra stared at Connor in disbelief. Even her own father had not believed her, choosing to think she was an
adulteress
. Friends and family had trusted Gordon, until finally she had given up and kept to
herself
, a social reject accused of a contemptible act of which she was innocent.

Tears pricked her eyes, welling up from her heart to fall. One drop beaded on her eyelid before rolling down her cheek. Connor reached out and swiped away the moisture with his thumb.

"Don't cry," he whispered. "I should have known from the very beginning. I should have realized you could never commit adultery.

"After reading this book, I know you were accused falsely just so that Gordon could get his divorce," he said gently.

Her bottom lip trembled. Connor believed her. Truly believed she was innocent, and he was being sympathetic, not angry as she'd feared. His tender response was enough to send her over the edge. Tears rolled unheeded down her cheeks.

Connor took one step closer and folded her in his arms, letting her sob out her hurt and anger against his shirt. His sincerity, his caring, touched her, even though she knew her book was going to make his life a living hell, and hurt Suzanne's chances in society.

"I'm so sorry what I've done is going to hurt you and Suzanne," she sobbed. "I never meant to cause the two of you any pain."

"I know." Connor kissed the top of her head. "We'll deal with those problems when they occur. Today, I want you to rest and take it easy. You may need your strength in the days to come."

"There's something else I need to tell you, Connor." She had to tell him about the second novel. After his acceptance of
Hester's Revenge
, he had to know she was not through with her retaliation, even though it bothered her that she was hurting the people she cared about.

He put his fingers to her lips. "You're not feeling well. We'll talk more
later
. For now, I only want you to rest."

She gazed up into the bluest eyes this side of the Atlantic and felt her
heartbeat quicken
, sending a warm feeling rushing through her limbs. His head lowered towards hers, his lips meeting hers halfway.

His kiss was heated and tender, yet firm and urgent at the same time. It was a sealed promise as his lips moved over hers.
A promise of so much more to come when the sun went down.

His lips relinquished hers abruptly, leaving her with an unsatisfied hunger, a burning for more. She opened her eyes, feeling as if her world was teetering off balance. He took both of her hands in his, brought them up to his lips, and kissed the back of each hand.

"I have to go back out to the fields. Lunchtime is over, and I must have every man working right now." He gazed at her quizzically. "Will you be all right?"

His thoughtfulness touched her deeply, leaving her completely off balance. "I'll be fine. You go back to your work. I'll see you tonight."

"Tonight."
He didn't have to say anything else. She knew, and anticipated the evening hour.

***

Connor rode
Merrily
, a chestnut bay gelding, around the field watching his workers pick the white fluffy cotton. There would be barely enough to cover expenses for the next year, let alone the taxes that were now delinquent. He was sure the only reason he had not been contacted was because the county knew the end of the
cottongrowing
season was at hand and they were waiting to see how his crop fared.

Otherwise, why hadn't he heard from them regarding the sale of River Bend? The thought of losing River Bend was more than he could bear. Thanks to Alexandra's father's offer, he would not have to worry about forfeiting his home to the bank if he could get her with child. But the thought of taking money from James Halsted III was starting to grate against his nerves like squeaky metal.

Yet his biggest concern was Alexandra finding out. He would do everything in his power to keep the knowledge of the arrangement with her father a secret. She didn't deserve that kind of pain. Right now, all he could do was get the crops in on time and hope he wouldn't need her father's money.

The sight of a rider spurring his horse up the lane drew Connor's attention. An uneasy feeling overcame him as he watched the rider approach. The boy pulled to a halt in front of him, the horse panting from the exertion. Connor recognized the youth as a servant from Summerwood, Alexandra's aunt and uncle's home.

"Excuse me, sir. But I have a message for you."

The lad handed Connor an envelope, which he quickly took. Ripping open the envelope, he pulled out the note.

Uncle Sydney has had a bad spell with his heart. I don't think he'll last the day. Come quickly.

Clara

A pang of worry rocked Connor.
Concern that Sydney
LaRoux
was so terribly ill.
He folded the note and put it in his pocket. Of all the times Alexandra needed someone by her side, this would be it.