Castles (22 page)

“Do you happen to know a lady named Victoria Perry?” she asked.

Jade shook her head. “The name isn't familiar to me. Why do you ask?”

“I'm worried about her,” Alesandra confessed. She explained how she'd met Victoria and what she had learned since she'd last received a letter from her.

“My dear, I don't believe it's a good idea to pursue this further,” the duchess announced. “Her mother must be heartbroken. It's cruel to dredge it all up again.”

“Colin said the very same thing to me,” Alesandra said. “Perhaps you are right. I should let the matter rest. I wish I could quit worrying about her.”

The duchess turned the conversation then to the topic of her eldest daughter. This was Catherine's year for coming out and she was full of plans for her first ball.

Caine didn't say a word throughout the rest of the meal. He kept his gaze on his brother.

Colin wasn't giving anything away. His expression could have been carved in stone.

Alesandra actually began to relax a little when dessert was served and Colin still hadn't brought up the topic of marriage. She thought he'd probably had enough time to think the matter through. Yes, he'd come to his senses.

“Have you had time to talk to Alesandra, son?” the Duke of Williamshire asked.

“Yes,” Colin replied. “We've decided . . .”

“Not to marry,” she blurted out.

“What's this? Colin, I thought it had all been decided,” his father protested.

“It has been decided,” Colin agreed. He reached over and covered Alesandra's hand with his. “We're getting married. Alesandra has agreed to become my wife.”

She started shaking her head in denial but no one seemed to be paying any attention to her.

“Congratulations,” her guardian announced. “Gweneth, this calls for a toast.”

“Don't you think Alesandra should agree first?” Jade asked just as her father-in-law started to stand up with his water glass in hand.

He sat back down. “Yes, of course,” he replied.

“She'll marry me,” Colin said, his voice hard, unbending.

She turned to him. “I won't let you make this noble sacrifice. You don't want to get married for another five years, remember? What about your schedule?”

She didn't wait for Colin to answer her question but turned her attention back to Uncle Henry. “I don't want to marry him, Uncle, and you did promise me I could choose.”

Her guardian slowly nodded. “I did agree to let you select your husband. Was there a specific reason why you refused Colin?”

“He won't agree to a financial arrangement,” she explained. “He wants other benefits.”

“Benefits?” Caine asked, his curiosity pricked. “Such as?”

She started blushing. She looked at Colin, hoping he'd explain. He shook his head at her. “You started this, you finish it,” he ordered.

The sparkle in his eyes indicated his amusement. She straightened her shoulders. “Very well,” she announced. She couldn't quite look at Caine when she gave him her answer, however, and stared at the wall behind him. “Colin would demand . . . intimacy.”

No one knew what to say to that confession. Her guardian looked thoroughly confused. He started to open his mouth to say something, then changed his mind.

“Aren't most marriages intimate?” Caine asked. “You are referring to the marriage bed, aren't you, Alesandra?”

“Yes.”

“And?” he prodded.

“My marriage will not be intimate,” she announced, her voice emphatic. She tried to change the subject by adding, “Colin didn't want to marry me until after he'd talked to his father. Now he's feeling honor bound. Clearly, he's marrying me out of duty.”

Her guardian let out a sigh. “I did give you my word,” he admitted. “If you don't want to marry Colin, I won't force you.”

The duchess was fanning herself with her napkin. “Jade, dear, I believe you should be the one to have a private talk with Alesandra. You're younger and not as set in your ways as I am, and it should be a woman to discuss this topic I have in mind. Alesandra seems to harbor some fears about the . . . marriage bed . . . and I don't feel qualified to explain . . . that is . . .”

She couldn't finish her request. The duchess was violently fanning herself now and her face looked like it was on fire.

“Mother, you've had children. I believe that makes you very qualified,” Colin told her.

Jade poked her husband in his side in a bid to get him to quit laughing.

“I believe Morgan Atkins will be suitable,” Alesandra blurted out. “If he needs my inheritance, he'll agree to my terms, and I don't mind bowlegged children. No, I don't mind at all.”

“If you aren't going to be intimate with your husband, how the hell are you going to have children?” Colin asked.

“I was thinking into the future,” Alesandra stammered. She realized the contradictions in her argument but couldn't seem to think of a way to straighten it all out. Why would she want to be intimate with a man she didn't know? The very thought made her stomach twist.

“Jade, I believe you should have that talk with Alesandra directly after dinner,” the duchess interjected.

“Yes, Mother,” Jade agreed.

“Has anyone ever discussed the facts of marriage to you?” Caine asked.

Alesandra's blush was hot enough to scorch the tablecloth. “Yes, of course. Mother Superior told me everything I need to know. Could we please change this topic now?”

Her guardian took mercy on her. “So it's Morgan you've chosen?” he asked. He waited for her nod, then continued. “Very well. We'll invite him over for supper and take his measure.”

“I'll want to talk to him too,” Colin announced. “He'll need to know, of course.”

“Know what?” his father inquired.

Caine was already grinning. He knew his brother was up to something, but he couldn't imagine what it was. Only one thing was certain in Caine's mind. Colin had made the decision to marry Alesandra, and he wasn't going to let her get away now.

“Yes, son,” his mother said. “What is it Morgan needs to know?”

“That Alesandra and I slept together.”

The duchess dropped her napkin and let out a little screech. Jade's mouth dropped open. Caine started laughing. The Duke of Williamshire had just taken a swallow of water when Colin made his announcement. He started choking.

Alesandra closed her eyes and fought the urge to scream.

“You slept with her?” his father demanded in a strangled roar.

“Yes, sir,” Colin answered. His voice was very pleasant, cheerful in fact. He seemed completely unaffected by his father's wrath. “Several times in fact.”

“How could you deliberately . . .” Alesandra couldn't go on. She was so mortified, she couldn't seem to catch a thought long enough to speak it.

“How could I lie?” Colin asked her. “You know better. I never lie. We did sleep together, didn't we?”

Everyone was staring at her now, waiting for her denial.

“Yes,” she whispered. “But we . . .”

“For the love of God,” her guardian shouted.

“Henry, calm yourself. You're going to make yourself ill,” his wife advised when she saw how mottled his complexion was becoming. The duchess was once again frantically fanning herself with her napkin in an effort to remain composed.

Colin leaned back in his chair and let the sparks fly around him. He looked bored. Caine was thoroughly enjoying himself. Jade kept trying to make her husband take the matter more seriously by poking him in his ribs.

“Colin, have you nothing to say to straighten out this misconception?” Alesandra demanded in a near shout so she would be heard above Caine's laughter.

“Yes,” Colin answered.

She sagged with relief and gratitude. The feeling was short-lived, however.

“If Morgan still wants you after I've explained how we spent the last week, he's a better man than I am.”

“You don't have to tell him anything.” Alesandra tried to control the anger in her voice. She didn't want to lose her dignity, but, Lord, Colin was making that difficult. Her composure was in shreds and her throat was aching with the need to shout.

“Oh, but I do have to explain the situation to Morgan,” Colin said. “It's the only honorable thing to do. Isn't that right, Caine?”

“Absolutely right,” Caine agreed. “It's the only honorable thing to do.”

Caine turned to his wife then. “Sweetheart, I don't believe you'll need to have that private talk about the marriage bed with Alesandra after all.”

Alesandra glared at Caine for that comment, because she could tell from his grin he was jesting.

“Dear God, what must Nathaniel be thinking? He's looking down from heaven and probably shaking his head in regret for leaving his daughter in my hands.”

“Uncle Henry, my father wouldn't have any regrets,” Alesandra announced. She was so furious with Colin for getting his own papa upset her voice crackled with tension. “Nothing sinful happened. I did go into his room and I did sleep with him, but only because he was so demanding and I became so weary . . .”

The Duke of Williamshire covered his forehead with his hands and let out a low groan. Alesandra knew she was making a mess out of her explanation and tried to start over. “I kept my clothes on,” she blurted out. “And he . . .”

She was going to explain that Colin had been ill and had needed her help, but she was interrupted before she could finish.

“I wasn't wearing anything,” Colin cheerfully informed his family.

“That's it,” his father bellowed. His fist came down hard on the tabletop. The crystal goblets clattered together in reaction.

Alesandra jumped, then turned to glare at Colin. She'd never been this angry in all her life. Colin had deliberately twisted the truth to his advantage and now her guardian thought she was a trollop. She decided she wasn't going to sit there another second. She threw her napkin on the table and tried to leave. Colin caught her before she'd even pushed her chair back. He put his arm around her shoulders and hauled her into his side.

“You two are going to be married in exactly three days' time. Caine, you see to the special license. Colin, you keep silent about what happened. I won't have Alesandra's reputation in tatters because of your lust.”

“Three days, Henry?” Gweneth asked. “The church is reserved for the Saturday after next. Couldn't you reconsider?”

Her husband shook his head. “Three days,” he repeated. He noticed Colin had his arm around Alesandra's shoulders and added, “He can't keep his hands off her as it is.”

“But, Henry . . .” his wife pleaded.

“My mind's set, Gweneth. You may invite a few close friends if you're wanting to, but that is the only concession I'll allow.”

“No, Father,” Colin said. “I don't want the news of the marriage to get out until it's over. It's safer for Alesandra that way.”

His father nodded. “I'd forgotten,” he admitted. “Yes, it would be safer. All right then, only the immediate family will be here.”

He turned his full attention to Alesandra. “I want your agreement to wed Colin,” he commanded. “And I want it now.”

“Do you agree?” Colin asked.

He'd won and he knew it. She slowly nodded. Colin leaned down and kissed her. She was so startled by the show of affection she didn't pull away.

“That's quite enough of that,” Henry snapped. “You won't be touching her again until you're married.”

Alesandra turned to Colin. “You're going to regret marrying me.”

He didn't seem overly worried about that possibility. He wouldn't have winked at her if he'd really been concerned.

Jenkins appeared in the doorway. “Begging your pardon, your grace, but we have a visitor at the door. Sir Richards is requesting an immediate audience with your son, Colin.”

“Show him into the salon, Jenkins,” Colin called out.

“Why would the director of security be wanting to see you?” his father demanded to know. “You told me you'd quit the department.”

The worry in his voice confused Alesandra. She started to ask her guardian why he was so concerned, but just as she opened her mouth to say something, Colin tightened his hold on her shoulders. She turned to look at him. His expression didn't give anything away and she knew no one else at the table realized he was silently ordering her to remain quiet.

“After what happened to your leg, I can't imagine why you would continue working for the director,” his mother interjected.

Colin tried to hold on to his patience. “The director had nothing to do with my injury.”

“It was a long time ago,” Jade reminded the duchess.

“By God, he's finished with that cloak-and-dagger business,” his father announced.

Caine leaned forward, drawing Colin's attention. “Why exactly is Richards here?” he asked.

“I requested his help,” Colin answered. “And he was also going to gather some information for me.”

“Regarding?” Caine asked.

“Alesandra.”

Their father looked relieved. “Well, then, that's quite all right. Yes, Richards is just the man to ask about the general. Shall we go into the salon and hear what he has to tell us?”

“We aren't going to be left out, Henry,” his wife announced. She stood up to face her husband. “Come along, Jade. You, too, Alesandra. If the matter concerns one of us, it concerns all of us. Isn't that right, Henry?” Then she and the others left the room.