stairs.
He watched her as they passed the turn off to her family’s cottage. She took notice, but as they passed Dr. Shirley’s newly renovated home, and surgery in the village, she could not completely stay her emotions. His heart ached as a lone tear slipped down her cheek. He remained quiet.
Once they reached the edge of his brother’s land he pulled the ring box from his pocket. “Audra, I understand you refused my grandmother’s ring because you felt you needed to control something of this marriage, but I am asking you now if you have ever had any care for me, please wear this ring while we are here.”
She remained still.
“If you truly do not want to have more attention brought on us than what already will be, please behave as if all is well with us.” Alfie said as he extended his outstretched hand a little closer to her.
She took the ring from his palm and placed it on her finger. “I will wear the ring, and behave as your loving wife, for your sister’s sake.”
“Thank you.” He would have to be satisfied with that for now.
They came to a stop in front of the cottage. Nora was at the door of the barouche before they could exit. He climbed down, and she immediately pulled him into her arms. “I have missed you Alfie. You must tell me how—” He placed a finger to her lips.
He turned, and took Audra by the hand; he assisted her down. “Nora, I would like you to meet my wife, Audra.”
Nora pulled her into her arms. “Welcome to the family.” Nora looked at him with all too familiar tears in her eyes. “She is beautiful Alfie.”
Nora looped her arm through Audra’s and entered the cottage. He followed.
“When was the wedding?”
Alfie had answered before Audra had the chance. “Four days ago.”
“It was not our intent to distract from your day. I apologize…” Audra said.
“Don’t be silly we will all celebrate together.”
Alfie knew Nora would corner him later for all the details, but she was as gracious as she could be with Audra, and he was thankful.
Nora escorted Audra to his old chamber; they left her to freshen up for dinner with his brother, and Eva.
Nora urged him out, and into the garden. “Alfie...”
“I know. I know. I should have sent word to you. It all happened so fast.”
Nora twisted her hands together. “How is the doctor? He appeared to be a good man—I feel for him.”
“He just wanted her to be happy.”
If only she were happy, he thought.
*
Jamieson, the butler at Lexington Hall, escorted Alfie, Audra, and Nora into the parlor.
“Mr. and Mrs. Winter will be with you shortly Mr. Lockwood.”
“Thank you, Jamieson.”
Nora kept close to Audra. She seemed to sense all was not well with Audra. Garrick and Eva joined them shortly after. Garrick was cautious as usual, and Eva the gracious host.
There was a time when Eva took his breath away, but now his heart, his body, and his soul belonged to Audra alone.
“So you are the mysterious guest,” Eva said as she pulled Audra in her embrace.
Alfie took Audra’s left hand in his, taking note of its cold temperature. “Garrick... Eva, please let me introduce my wife, Audra Lockwood.”
Eva hugged them both as best she could with her burgeoning belly. “I am so happy for you both. I knew the two of you would come together.”
Garrick gave him a rare grin, and slapped him on the back, before bestowing a kiss upon Audra’s hand, and congratulating her as well.
Eva thankfully did not push for details of their short engagement, and private wedding. She too catered to Audra seeming to grasp the delicateness of the situation.
Garrick granted him no such quarter, after the two of them retired to the library after dinner. “Do not mistake me Alfie, I am thankful to see you no longer pine for my wife, but what in the hell is going on? I believe it is clear to everyone something is amiss. Is this not the young woman who cared for you; the woman who was to wed your Dr. Shirley?”
“Despite
He watched her as they passed the turn off to her family’s cottage. She took notice, but as they passed Dr. Shirley’s newly renovated home, and surgery in the village, she could not completely stay her emotions. His heart ached as a lone tear slipped down her cheek. He remained quiet.
Once they reached the edge of his brother’s land he pulled the ring box from his pocket. “Audra, I understand you refused my grandmother’s ring because you felt you needed to control something of this marriage, but I am asking you now if you have ever had any care for me, please wear this ring while we are here.”
She remained still.
“If you truly do not want to have more attention brought on us than what already will be, please behave as if all is well with us.” Alfie said as he extended his outstretched hand a little closer to her.
She took the ring from his palm and placed it on her finger. “I will wear the ring, and behave as your loving wife, for your sister’s sake.”
“Thank you.” He would have to be satisfied with that for now.
They came to a stop in front of the cottage. Nora was at the door of the barouche before they could exit. He climbed down, and she immediately pulled him into her arms. “I have missed you Alfie. You must tell me how—” He placed a finger to her lips.
He turned, and took Audra by the hand; he assisted her down. “Nora, I would like you to meet my wife, Audra.”
Nora pulled her into her arms. “Welcome to the family.” Nora looked at him with all too familiar tears in her eyes. “She is beautiful Alfie.”
Nora looped her arm through Audra’s and entered the cottage. He followed.
“When was the wedding?”
Alfie had answered before Audra had the chance. “Four days ago.”
“It was not our intent to distract from your day. I apologize…” Audra said.
“Don’t be silly we will all celebrate together.”
Alfie knew Nora would corner him later for all the details, but she was as gracious as she could be with Audra, and he was thankful.
Nora escorted Audra to his old chamber; they left her to freshen up for dinner with his brother, and Eva.
Nora urged him out, and into the garden. “Alfie...”
“I know. I know. I should have sent word to you. It all happened so fast.”
Nora twisted her hands together. “How is the doctor? He appeared to be a good man—I feel for him.”
“He just wanted her to be happy.”
If only she were happy, he thought.
*
Jamieson, the butler at Lexington Hall, escorted Alfie, Audra, and Nora into the parlor.
“Mr. and Mrs. Winter will be with you shortly Mr. Lockwood.”
“Thank you, Jamieson.”
Nora kept close to Audra. She seemed to sense all was not well with Audra. Garrick and Eva joined them shortly after. Garrick was cautious as usual, and Eva the gracious host.
There was a time when Eva took his breath away, but now his heart, his body, and his soul belonged to Audra alone.
“So you are the mysterious guest,” Eva said as she pulled Audra in her embrace.
Alfie took Audra’s left hand in his, taking note of its cold temperature. “Garrick... Eva, please let me introduce my wife, Audra Lockwood.”
Eva hugged them both as best she could with her burgeoning belly. “I am so happy for you both. I knew the two of you would come together.”
Garrick gave him a rare grin, and slapped him on the back, before bestowing a kiss upon Audra’s hand, and congratulating her as well.
Eva thankfully did not push for details of their short engagement, and private wedding. She too catered to Audra seeming to grasp the delicateness of the situation.
Garrick granted him no such quarter, after the two of them retired to the library after dinner. “Do not mistake me Alfie, I am thankful to see you no longer pine for my wife, but what in the hell is going on? I believe it is clear to everyone something is amiss. Is this not the young woman who cared for you; the woman who was to wed your Dr. Shirley?”
“Despite
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