Double Deceit (29 page)

Like his love. It burned as bright as ever. Escape had not lessened the pain. The cruelest words had dimmed nothing.

That was her message, he realized on a surge of hope. No matter how vehemently others rejected him, she would not. Though angry words had buried their love, it remained undamaged, waiting to emerge into the light of day once they scraped away that obscuring veil of doubt and distrust. She was offering him a second chance.

What a stubborn fool he had been. He should not have quitted the field without a fight. Pride was an empty thing, especially when clinging to it consigned him to misery. How long would he have wallowed in grief before he admitted that he couldn’t live without her? Thank God she’d been forgiving enough to reach out.

By the time he finished packing, he was certain. Why would she have mentioned her father’s plans if she did not hope for rescue? And why search for an altar if not to wed…

* * * *

Tony reached Vale House five days later, hardly believing he’d shaved three full days from the journey. Of course, his carriage was still somewhere in the Midlands, and he’d managed very little sleep…

Murch’s greeting was curt. Only the fact that Jon was due within the hour kept the butler from turning him away.

Cursing himself for burning Jon’s letters unread, he checked his impatience. “When is the wedding?”

“Tomorrow.”

Murch made no attempt to mask his scorn, so Tony Linden’s standing must be even lower than he’d feared. Not knowing the date of his cousin’s wedding was yet another sin to hang on his conscience. Yet she’d sent him the amphora.

“Is Miss Alex at home?”

Murch glared, then jerked his head toward the wood before slamming the door in his face.

Why had he approached the house? He should have known she would be at the temple. If she hurt even half as much as he did, only constant work would keep her sane.

Shivers of excitement tickled his spine as his horse entered the wood, but trepidation grew stronger with each step. Had he misunderstood?

It was a question that had bedeviled him for days. He had flung the most hurtful words he could think of at her. Even if she knew he hadn’t meant them, the pain would remain. Forgiveness might be possible, but could she ever forget?

He stopped at the edge of the clearing and slowly dismounted, drinking in the sight of her, his hands shaking so badly, he could barely tether his horse.

She was kneeling near the temple, facing away from him, patiently scraping soil from a shard. Longing shuddered through him, freezing his tongue. He forced his feet closer.

Was he about to make an ass of himself? She looked calm, as if nothing mattered but the work at hand. Maybe she had put him firmly in the past. She must have sent that crate weeks ago. Did she still care?

Questions surged through his head, feeding his uncertainty until he wanted to flee. Perhaps it would be better to meet in the drawing room, where convention would cover any awkwardness. Or in church tomorrow at Jon’s wedding. Or in London next spring.

His foot stepped on a branch, cracking it. She jerked her head around and froze.

He cursed. She was too far away for him to read her expression. Thirty feet separated them, to say nothing of the gulf of harsh words…

A smile split her face as she sprang to her feet.

Unaware of moving, he caught her up in his arms, managing only, “I’ve missed you,” before his lips crushed hers.

* * * *

Alex threw her arms around his neck, hardly believing he was here. When she’d spotted him, it had seemed like yet another ghostly image of days long past. But he was real, in her arms, pressing her close to his hard body as his mouth devoured hers.

Their moans mingled.

“Alex… Alex…”

He trailed kisses across her face, murmuring her name again and again, distracting her from the knees that could no longer support her. She had yet to say a word.

Threading her fingers into his hair, she pulled his head up until she could see those incredible green eyes. “Tor— Lin—”

“Try Tony,” he suggested, the undercurrent of laughter back in his voice.

“Welcome home, Tony.”

His arms tightened. “This is hardly the proper time or place, but I must finish the business I meant to start at breakfast that day. I love you, Alex. I’ve tried living without you, and it doesn’t work. Will you marry me?”

She cupped his cheek. “I cannot think of a better place,” she murmured, then stiffened as his words sank in. “Dear Lord! What have I done?” He’d planned to offer for a companion? Abandon his inheritance and ignore his mother’s need so he could be with her?

He froze. “Is an offer so shocking?” His voice had turned brittle.

“No— Oh, God, I’m doing it again. Forgive me, please? I love you.”

His eyes warmed as he relaxed. “Then what was that all about?” He released her, stepping back as he ran his hands through his hair – and treading on his hat. She’d knocked it off.

“I just realized I was more in need of forgiveness than I’d thought. I never considered the possibility that you might offer for a companion, particularly one with so many faults.” She’d hurt him worse than she’d known. No wonder he’d fled.

“What faults?” he demanded, grasping her shoulders so she had to meet his gaze.

“Too tall, too—”

He snorted. “And Jon claims
I’m
blind. Alex, my love, you are perfect. Surely you noticed me drooling over you from the moment I saw you. Rigging you out in my clothes was the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Having to look at you every day nearly drove me insane with desire. I tried to pass it off as lust, but that horse wouldn’t run. So no more talk of faults. I would change nothing, for you are beautiful, desirable, intelligent, loving, caring, a true original—”

“I also have a temper,” she said dryly, as heat poured into her face.

“I love it, for I will never be able to ride roughshod over you the way my father always did to my mother. Now, let’s return to business – in proper order this time. Please accept my heartfelt apologies for my cruel words at our last meeting. I meant none of them, but struck out to hide my own pain.”

“As did I,” she admitted. “Let’s put the incident behind us and try to stick to truth in the future.”

“Gladly. So on to more important business. I love you, Alex. Two months without you make hell look benign. Will you marry me?”

“I love you, Tony. I never want to go through such misery again. Yes.”

This kiss was even headier than the others. His hands roamed her back, inciting waves of heat that melted her legs until she was hanging onto his shoulders to keep from falling.

“You’ve lost weight,” he said a long time later, scooping her into his lap as he settled onto a pile of stones.

“So have you, and your eyes look so tired.” She ran a finger over the circles that spoke of sleepless nights.

He grinned, looking every inch the rakehell she’d once thought him. “Not as tired as they’ll be by morning.”

“What
do
you mean?” But her shocked tone carried little weight, for her hands were buried in his hair.

He pulled out a special license.

“Is that still good?”

“Barely. It expires in two weeks, so we cannot take a chance on another argument postponing the ceremony. What do you say to an immediate wedding?”

“I would be delighted, but I doubt you can convince the vicar.”

“The last time I checked, Jon was a duly ordained representative of the Church of England, authorized by the archbishop himself to administer sacraments. According to your estimable butler – whose eyes tried to cast me into eternal perdition when I showed up on your doorstep unannounced – Jon is due any minute. Considering the number of missives he’s sent me in the past two months, I doubt he would object to marrying us.”

“Nor do I.”

“Once Jon and Sarah are wed, we will tell your father to cancel your Season, then head for an estate I recently bought in Somerset. It includes a most intriguing mound.”

She glanced at the villa. “What about—”

He sighed. “It isn’t ours, Alex. We should fill every remaining hole and allow winter to hide evidence that anything has been disturbed. Sir Winton would not appreciate it.”

“I agree. But the estate is entailed, so Richard will eventually inherit it. Perhaps he will let us excav—” She lost track of her words as his hand teased one breast, raising so much heat she wanted to tear off her cloak. There were definite advantages to being a lady – especially Tony Linden’s lady. “We’ll cover the site tomorrow. But I’m keeping Minerva – she brought us together.”

“And the amphora, which will keep us that way. Love can survive the harshest challenges, and it endures even beyond time.”

“I knew you would understand.”

Setting an arm around her waist, he led her to the horses. “We have many years of excavating ahead of us, love. And we’ll do it in the open. I’ve already begun redeeming my reputation.”

“And you’ve made peace with your father.” When he raised his brows, she laughed. “You aren’t the only one Jon has been plaguing. I cannot think of a more fitting parson to spring this mousetrap. He has fought tooth and nail to bring us together.”

“Thank God.”

Exchanging one last kiss, they headed for home.

Copyright © 1999 by Susan Ann Pace

Originally published by Signet Regency (0451198549)

Electronically published in 2006 by Belgrave House/Regency Reads

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This is a work of fiction. All names in this publication are

fictitious and any resemblance to any person living or dead is coincidental.