The Untamed Earl (30 page)

Lavinia clapped her hands, her mouth shaped into an unpleasant pout. “Please excuse us, madame, mademoiselle.”

The modiste and her assistant exchanged wide-eyed glances. “Of course, my lady.” The two Frenchwomen hurried out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Alex strolled closer to her sister and crossed her arms over her chest. “I'm sorry. I didn't realize it wasn't ‘entirely official,' or I wouldn't have mentioned it in front of them.”

Lavinia's eyes flared. “I didn't mean that. I meant—”

“No. You know what is ‘entirely official,' Lavinia?”

Her sister blinked at her.

“It's entirely official that you are a viper. A snake in expensive clothing.”

Lavinia's mouth fell open. Her face turned red. “How dare you?” she thundered.

For the first time in her life, Alex turned fully toward her sister and matched her raised voice. “No! How dare
you
! How dare you lie to me? How dare you do it just to be mean? Just because you're pure evil. Owen never wanted you. And he certainly never asked you to marry him. And why did you do it? Because you fell in love with him? Couldn't live without him? No! You did it because you found out he wanted
me,
and you couldn't stand that. You're so selfish and awful that you simply couldn't bear to know he wanted me and not you. You're spiteful and you're hideous and you deserve nothing less than to spend your life alone.”

Lavinia's eyes took on a wild look, and her face contorted with rage. “You've never appreciated me, you awful little brat.”

“I can appreciate how hideous you are, believe me. But what I cannot for the life of me understand is
why.
Why would you lie to me when you knew you'd be found out eventually? You knew you weren't going to marry Owen. How did you expect to keep up the charade?”

Lavinia stuck her nose in the air and took a deep breath. “He
will
marry me. Father will see to it.”

Alex backed away. Her sister couldn't possibly be that delusional, could she? “No. He's already told Father he won't marry you. You're insane.”

With a loud snarl, Lavinia gathered the skirts of the gown she wore in her hands and ripped at them. The unfinished pieces came apart, and she flung them across the room in Alex's direction. “I am not! He
has
to marry me. Father is a duke. And I want it. I always get what I want!” She was screeching at the top of her lungs, and Alex backed away slowly. Lavinia had a feral look in her eyes, and she stamped her foot, spittle flying from her lips.

The door flew open, and their mother came hurrying in. “Lavinia, please!”

Both girls spun around to face the duchess.

“Tell her, Mother!” Lavinia screamed. “Tell her Lord Owen is going to marry
me.
”

Mother shook her head. “No, Lavinia. It's not true. I've always worried that I indulged you too much, that I gave in to your every whim to your detriment, but I've been blind to how truly awful you've become.”

“Mother!” Lavinia clenched her fists in her hair and screamed loud enough that the King's horses in the royal mews must have heard it. “I don't care what you say. I
will
marry Lord Owen.” She flung herself to the floor and kicked and screamed, rolling around on the remnants of fabric that had been discarded during her fittings. “I will. I will. I will!”

Her mother calmly walked over to her eldest daughter and eyed her carefully. “Get up. You're making a complete fool of yourself. I've indulged your temper for far too long because I felt such guilt over your nearly dying when you were a child, but I refuse to indulge you for one minute longer. I've done you no favors. No one can stand to be in the same room with you.”

Lavinia stopped screaming and rolled over to look up at her mother. Her hair was in disarray, and her face was blotchy and red. “I cannot believe you're taking the side of that little mouse, Alexandra.”

Mother sighed. “It's high time I took Alexandra's side. She's been forced to suffer your tantrums for years. Not only am I taking her side, but your father and I have already agreed that she's free to marry Lord Owen regardless of
your
marital prospects. I daresay Alexandra shouldn't have to suffer and wait for someone to actually
choose
to marry you. With your spoiled disposition, no doubt she'd be waiting till death.”

A wide smile covered Alex's face.

Mother turned to Alex. “I'm sorry, Alexandra. Can you ever forgive me?”

Alex reached out and squeezed her mother's hand. “Thank you for doing the right thing.”

Her mother searched her face. “You do want to marry Lord Owen, don't you?”

Alex beamed. “Very, very much.”

Lavinia jumped up and ran screeching from the room, a broken, mad doll.

 

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Owen had been sitting in Cass's empty ballroom for the better part of a quarter hour when he decided he'd had enough. He stood, adjusted his cravat, and took off toward the door to find his sister and inquire as to what the devil she'd been thinking, asking him to meet her here and then failing to appear.

He'd made it halfway across the wide expanse of parquet before the door to the ballroom opened and Alex came rushing through it. She was dressed in a gown of white, with her hair piled atop her head, and a daisy stuck fetchingly in the knot. She was clutching a leather-bound journal, and her cheeks had a bit of color to them. When she glanced up at Owen, she blushed gorgeously.

“Alex?” Owen breathed. “What are you doing here?”

Alex swallowed and bobbed a curtsy. “I must admit, I've learned that having friends is good for some things. Quite good for certain things. Like luring your intended bridegroom to his sister's deserted ballroom.”

“Intended bridegroom? What the devil—?”

Her words came out in a rush. “I asked Cass to invite you here, because I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to apologize.” She glanced down at her white slippers.

Owen clenched his jaw. “Funny. The last time I spoke with you, I was under the distinct impression that you detested me.”

“I know. I—I was wrong. Quite wrong. You see, Lavinia told me that you'd offered for her. After we…”

He opened his mouth to speak, but Alex stopped him. “I know I should never have believed such a lie, but she can be quite convincing and I
never
thought she would lie about something like
that
and—Oh, Owen, it's always been difficult for me to believe that someone like you would choose someone like me and—I'm sorry.” Breathless, she stopped and searched his face.

He furrowed his brow. “Someone like me? What do you mean?”

Alex shrugged. “You're so dashing and handsome and well dressed and well everything. I'm not willowy or ethereal, I spill soup on my gowns, and my slippers are often scuffed and I … I just couldn't believe you'd want me. But I remembered what you said about my being different—and that being why you loved me. I realized that I've spent my whole life trying to be like Lavinia. And … oh…”

He took a step toward her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Slow down. What are you trying to say?”

“I told you once that I wrote a list when I was fifteen. I wrote it the night I saw you under my window, actually.”

He watched her cautiously. “The list of the things you hoped to accomplish in life?”

“Yes.” She tipped down her chin and looked at the leather-bound journal she was clutching to her chest. “A list that included four things. I told you two of them. You asked me what the others were.”

Owen stepped back. “What were the others, love?”

Alex bit her lip. “I remember them … mostly … but…” She tentatively offered him the journal. “I'm a bit frightened to look, to be honest.”

“Frightening things are always better when you get them over with,” Owen replied with a lopsided smile.

“Oh, are they?” She smiled back.

“Yes. Here, do you want me to read it for you?”

Alex closed her eyes and handed him the diary. She nodded. “Yes, please. The list is on the first page.” Then she promptly covered her face with her hands.

Owen opened the book and cleared his throat. “‘Become brave and daring like Thomas,'” he read.

Alex peeked out from behind her fingertips. “That one's not so bad.”

“‘Become beautiful, willowy, and poised like Lavinia,'” Owen read with a scowl. “Now, that one was entirely unnecessary.”

“I quite agree,” Alex replied, pulling her hands away from her face and plucking at her skirts instead. “I'm never going to be like Lavinia in either looks or temperament, and that is perfectly acceptable.”

Owen stepped toward her again and pushed up her chin with the thumb of his free hand. “It's not only acceptable. It's preferable, Alex.”

“Go on,” she prompted, nodding toward the journal again.

He reopened the book and scanned the page. “‘Have a come-out during which an exceedingly eligible gentleman asks me to dance, thereby making the affair a smashing success.'” Owen glanced up at her, and his face softened. “I'm sorry that didn't happen for you.”

“But it did! Just a few months after my
actual
come-out,” Alex replied with a laugh.

“I wish I'd been at the first one.”

“Read the last one,” Alex prodded.

Owen turned his attention back to the journal. “‘Marry my true love. Must be handsome, dashing, witty, kind, true, and honorable.'” He cleared his throat. “Seems you've crossed out ‘name to be determined later.'”

“Yes,” she replied, and pressed her lips together. “I did that after I saw Adonis beneath my window that night.”

Their eyes met.

“Keep reading,” she prompted.

Owen bent his head toward the journal once more. “Lord Owen Monroe.” His voice cracked. He snapped the book shut and pulled her into his arms and kissed her, then hugged her fiercely.

When he pulled away, tears were shining in Alex's eyes. “I told you I've loved you since I was fifteen.”

He grinned at her. “Are you saying you love me now?”

“Yes, and I can only hope you still love me.”

Owen kissed her again, and when he finally pulled his mouth from hers, Alex was staring deeply into his eyes. She traced the outline of his jaw with her fingertip. “I love you, Lord Owen Monroe.”

“And I love you, Lady Alexandra Hobbs,” he whispered.

Alex cleared her throat and stepped back. “I must admit, hearing that list again makes me a bit sad.”

Owen reached out and pulled her hand into his. “Why, my love?”

“Because it's so clear to me how desperately I wanted to be someone else. I think I've wanted that my whole life. My brother and sister always seemed so much more than I was.”

He squeezed her hand. “On the contrary, dear Alex, you're one who is concerned about charities and children and doing good things that make a difference in the world. You've always been perfect, just the way you are.”

“Owen, promise me we'll always be happy. Promise me we'll always be in love. I tend to worry that—”

“Ah, ah, ah.” He swung her arm with his. “Someone quite wise once told me that in life, some things are more important than worry.”

Alexandra smiled at him. “That someone was quite wise, indeed.”

“Yes.” He squeezed her fingers again. “She was.”

A mischievous look sparkled in Alex's eyes. “I have one final lesson for you, my lord. That's why I asked you to meet me here, in the ballroom.”

He laughed out loud, and the sound echoed across the large empty room. “I see. What is it?”

“Your final lesson.”

He arched a brow. “What's that?”

“How to be a good husband, of course.”

His face turned serious. “I'm not certain I know how, Alex. But I promise you, I will spend the rest of my days trying.”

“You'll learn. We'll learn. Together. That's the lesson, for both of us. We simply must do the best we can and help each other.”

He handed her the journal and then picked her up and twirled her in his arms. “Yes, my love. I agree.”

When he set her back down, Alex said, “Mother and Father have already told me they approve of the match and I need no longer wait for Lavinia to marry first.”

Owen slid a hand into his pocket. “That's excellent because my father came to visit me yesterday and informed me that he respected the hell out of me for standing up to him. I have his blessing and approval. Apparently, your father spoke with him as well and told him he approved of our match.”

Alex's eyes widened. “So you won't lose your allowance by choosing me?”

“No, but if I did, rest assured, I'd still choose you a thousand times.”

“I'd choose you, too, Owen.”

He pulled her back into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “So, how do we begin?”

Tears welled in Alex's eyes. “I do believe you may begin by formally asking me to marry you now.”

“By all means.” Owen fell to one knee and took her free hand in his. “Lady Alexandra Hobbs, I think you're the most perfect lady in the entire kingdom. You're beautiful, intelligent, witty, and kind. I don't pretend to deserve you, but I would be thankful for you for the rest of my life if you would do me the honor of becoming my bride. Will you marry me?”

Alex leaned down and stroked his cheek, her fingers pausing at his dimple. “Yes, my lord. I've been waiting for three years to say yes to you.”

The door to the ballroom opened then, and Cass and Julian strolled in arm in arm. Alex glanced up guiltily from Owen, who was still on his knee.

“How is the newly engaged couple?” Cass called. “I'm not assuming too much by seeing you on bended knee, am I, Owen? I mean, I do hope that's what you're about … the business of a proposal.”