A Scarlet Bride (34 page)

He glanced down at her, her eyes closed, a smile on her lovely face. God, but she evoked feelings in him he never remembered experiencing before. He wanted to protect her, shield her from all the cruelties of life. To protect her from the gathering storm
Hester's Revenge
would bring to their lives. He wanted them to have babies. He wanted them to grow old together. He wanted their lives to be happy and fulfilled. He wanted Alexandra.

She was more than he'd ever expected to find in a woman. Alexandra was giving and kind, with a witty sense of humor, and a keenness of mind that refused to buckle to him.

Somehow, he had to keep the truth regarding the reasons for their marriage from her. For if it were revealed, she would most assuredly force him to let her go.

***

The next morning Alexandra awoke to an empty bed. She stretched and yawned, feeling quite content. The indention of Connor's body was still upon his side of the bed, and Alexandra turned over, rubbing against the cotton sheets where he'd lain. She breathed deeply, inhaling his scent, letting the smell slide over her body in a sensuous way.

The scent brought memories of the night before to mind. The memory of Connor thrusting inside her body brought a smile of pleasure to her lips. She was acting like a schoolgirl, crazy, head over heels in love with her first beau. But this was her husband.

And it was right for a woman to love her husband. To give herself, as she had last night, to the man she was married to.

Did she love Connor? The thought had troubled her the last few weeks. After last night, she could no longer deny it. She wanted their marriage to last. She wanted to put the past behind them.
To forget about Gordon and Georgiana, the forced marriage and the bet.
To start fresh, just the two of them.

She loved Connor.

Her heart beat double time in fear and anticipation. They had the rest of their lives to look forward to. For the first time in years, the future didn't stretch before her like a long, dark void. It would be filled with love and laughter, hopefully babies, and her husband.

But how could she write such venom in another book when she felt as she did right now? Life with Gordon now seemed as if it had happened to someone else. She now perceived that part of her life like a spectator.

Yet her editor was expecting another book on her life with Gordon. And this time, her publisher wanted her to include Gordon's sexual perversions. She shuddered as she remembered the ugliness of that part of her past.

Alexandra threw back the covers and jumped from the bed. She loved her husband, and somehow, they would find a way to work out the problems of their marriage. After last night, surely he felt the same way she did.

"
Giddyap
," Connor called out to the horses as they pulled away from the graveyard where the service for Sydney
LaRoux
had just concluded. Alexandra sat beside Connor, her
redrimmed
eyes dry, her face pale with grief.

The last two days had been filled with visitors and friends coming to pay their last respects. Connor and Alexandra had remained at Summerwood, and would be there at least through tonight.

James Halsted III Alexandra's father, had arrived from New York late yesterday, and so far, father and daughter were at least being amiable toward each other. Connor couldn't help being concerned about staying under the same roof with Alexandra's father. The sooner they returned to River Bend the easier he'd rest.

If Alexandra knew the truth regarding their marriage, there was no telling what she would do. The anger she had felt over the bet would be nothing compared to the knowledge that her father had bought her a husband. The closeness they'd shared these last few days would vanish in a heartbeat.

His conscience
twinged
, guilt nagged him daily, yet he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth. He wished these secrets did not exist between them, prayed she never learned the truth. He swore to himself there would be no more lies or dishonesty, if only this one fact remained hidden away forever.
For she would never understand his reasons for marrying her.
She would never forgive him for using her to save his home.

The carriage hit a rut in the road and lurched to one side. Connor glanced at Alexandra. The noonday sun shone upon her pale skin. Dark circles shadowed beneath her eyes, and there was a greenish tint to her lovely skin.

''Are you all right?'' he asked, concern filling his voice.

She rubbed a hand across her forehead. "I'm feeling a little lightheaded."

"Did you eat anything this morning?" he asked, trying to control the horses while assessing Alexandra's condition.

She looked at him, a grimace on her face. "No. I couldn't. Not this morning."

Could it be illness or grief from losing her uncle? "You don't look as if you feel well."

She shook her head. "I think the strain of the last few days is catching up to me." She smiled at him. "And someone is keeping me awake at night, so I'm not getting much sleep."

Connor grinned. "That's not entirely my fault, Mrs. Manning."

"No." She smiled, yet her eyes remained dull, as if in pain. "Maybe I'll lie down and rest this afternoon."

"That's probably a good idea."

He pulled the carriage to a halt in front of Summerwood. People milled about the yard as they awaited the family's return. Aunt Clara had requested a few minutes alone at the graveside and had yet to arrive at the house.

A groom scurried up to the surrey. "I'll
unharness
the horses for you, sir."

Connor nodded and stepped down, hurrying around to help Alexandra alight from the buggy. He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her out of the buggy to set her on the ground. The feel of her beneath his hands was intoxicating, as if she were made especially for him.

"Thank you," she
said,
her voice
whisperlight
. He glanced into her eyes and felt as if he could spend the rest of his life swimming in those pools of green.

"I'll go in and make sure everything is set up," she said.

"Do you need my help?" he asked with concern.

"No. I'll be fine," she said, then ambled toward the house.

She seemed so tired and listless. The last few days had obviously taken their toll on her. He watched as she went through the throng of people, accepting condolences, making her way to the porch steps that led into the house.

Just as she reached the steps, she swayed, her hand stretched out as if grasping for support.

Like a puppet whose strings had snapped, she crumpled to the ground.

"Alexandra!" he cried, pushing people out of the way to reach her.

Two ladies knelt over her fanning her face by the time Connor reached her side. With a crowd of people gathering around them, he leaned down and felt her breath against his face, and a sigh of relief escaped his lungs. He held her wrist, and the steady throb of her pulse let him know she was in no immediate danger.

"Someone
find
Doc Brown!" he yelled. "He's here somewhere."

Slowly, Alexandra opened her eyes and glanced into his face. For a moment, she stared at him, bewildered. "What happened?"

"You fainted."

"I never faint." She glanced around, disoriented. "Where am I?"

"We're at your aunt's. Remember?"

"I think so." She put her hand to head. "I'm all right, really."

"The hell you are." Lifting her in his arms as if she weighed next to nothing, he strode into the house. His breathing was short and shallow as he raced up the stairs. ''The doctor—is going to take a look at you,'' he managed to say.

"I just need to rest," she whispered against his shirt.

"Don't
worry,
you're going to get plenty of rest. I'm putting you to bed now," he told her.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're bossy?" she asked with slight irritation.

Connor smiled down into his wife's green eyes.
"Suzanne, as a matter of fact.
But I don't let that bother me."

He kicked the door to Alexandra's room open. In two long strides, he reached the bed and gently laid his wife down.

"Do you hurt?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"No. I'm just exhausted," she said, her voice faint.

The same doctor who had treated Sydney strode through the door. "Well, my dear, you certainly caused quite a stir downstairs. So what's wrong with you?"

"She fainted, Doc," Connor blurted out, unable to contain himself.

"Now don't get too excited, son. Women are known to have these spells occasionally. Move out of my way and let me see to your wife."

Connor rose from the bed to stand next to the window, his eyes never leaving Alexandra as he watched the doctor.

"I'm just exhausted. There was no need for my husband to send for you," Alexandra protested weakly.

"I'll be the judge of that, young lady," the doctor said as he took out his stethoscope.
"How long have the two of you been married now?"

"Almost five months," Connor replied.

"Hmm."

The door opened and Alexandra's father stepped into the room, not bothering to knock. Connor felt a stab of frustration at the intrusion.

"Everyone is talking about Alexandra fainting," the older man said. "What's wrong?"

Doc Brown turned around, an exasperated expression on his face."Why don't you men leave me and my patient for a few moments? I think we need some privacy."

Connor nodded reluctantly before taking his
fatherin
law by the arm and leading him out into the hall, leaving the doctor and Alexandra alone.

"Is she pregnant?" James asked, not bothering to beat around the bush.

Connor looked at Alexandra's father, stunned.

No concern for his daughter's welfare!
Just consideration for his own
selfcentered
interests.
No wonder Alexandra despised her father.

Besides, Alexandra couldn't be in the family way. Until two nights ago they had only been intimate one other night. She couldn't have conceived that first time, could she?

"I doubt it, sir."

"Why else would she be fainting?" her father asked.

"She might be seriously ill," Connor said, exasperated. "Or she could be tired and overwrought. We've been here since the day Sydney took a turn for the worse."

But Connor's thoughts returned to Halsted's suggestion. What if Alexandra were pregnant? Though he wanted a son or daughter in the worst kind of way, they were happy. Even dealing with Uncle Sydney's death, they had found a new sense of closeness, a feeling of harmony between them for the first time in their short marriage. He didn't want anything to interfere right now, not even a child.

A faint trickle of unease shimmied down Connor's spine. He didn't need or want her father to taint what they had only recently achieved. He only wanted James Halsted III to go away and leave them alone.

Five minutes passed, then ten. Finally, Connor couldn't stand it any longer. "I'm going in there, alone."

He strode to the door and entered the room, shutting the portal firmly behind him. Alexandra was lying on the bed, an expression of awe on her face as the doctor talked to her softly.

The doctor turned to look at Connor. "Well, young man, congratulations. You're going to be a father."

Connor felt as if someone had thrown cold water on him. Shock flowed through his body, leaving him numb. Alexandra was expecting a baby.
Their baby.

An incredible sense of joy and happiness replaced his shock. He was going to be a father. Have a son or daughter. He felt like shouting for joy and couldn't quite contain the smile that lit up his face.

Rising from the chair he'd pulled up beside Alexandra's bed, Doc Brown grabbed Connor's hand. "This is the best part of being a doctor, telling people good news instead of bad. Near as I can tell, your wife is almost two months along. After everything settles down, I'll come by to see her in about a month. Until then, she's to take it easy." The doctor turned to face Alexandra.
"And no horseback riding, young lady."

"Thanks, Doctor," Alexandra said weakly from the bed. She glanced at Connor, a curious expression on her face.

As the doctor made for the door, Connor hurried to his wife's side, intent on sharing his joy with her. He leaned over and kissed her firmly on the mouth, her lips warm against his.

"You've made me so happy."

Alexandra laughed. ''I never thought this could happen. I'm so surprised.
A baby."
She looked at him uncertainly. "You're really happy about this?"

"Very."

The doctor had left the bedroom door open and in the background, Connor heard the doctor say, "Congratulations, Mr. Halsted. You're going to be a grandfather."