your brother would be there to give you
away?"
"Oh, no. I would rather he not attend."
"Cordelia." Her sister admonished.
"You don't want your brother to come?" he asked,
completely happy with the situation. He didn't want to deal with a man who had
virtually abandoned Cordelia to survive on her own the last few months in
London. That made him less than a man in Nico’s estimation.
"Of course she wants him to come," Diana said.
"No, not particularly."
"You have been living in his house for the last few
months."
"So nice of him to allow poor little Cordelia to live
in a house and not on the street. He deserves an award," Cordelia said,
sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
Diana glanced at him, and he surmised she did not want to
air dirty laundry in front of a stranger. Yes, he was going to marry Cordelia,
but they didn't know him. There was also a part of her that probably thought he
would break off the wedding if he heard the rumors about Cordelia's birth.
He didn’t want to leave, but he sensed he needed to allow
the sisters to talk. He finished his tea and set it on the tray.
“I must be off to the newspapers to set the announcement,
and I need to send a message to my parents so they can prepare for their
journey.”
Cordelia looked relieved. Aggravation wound through him. She
should want to be near him, need him, as he needed her. Now she looked so happy
he was leaving.
He stood and walked to her chair. He took her hand and
raised it to his mouth. He did not kiss above her hand as was society’s way. He
pressed his lips on her flesh. The scent of her blood had his body reacting.
His own blood quickened, and his fangs started to descend again. He pulled
himself back, figuratively and physically.
Cordelia rose, and he shook his head. “Stay with your sister.
I can find my own way out.”
By the time he reached the street, he was feeling somewhat
normal again. He drew in a deep breath of London air and immediately regretted
it. He hated the city. Too many people, too much dirt…and a man to hunt. Once
he had everything secured with Cordelia, he could focus his entire attention on
the mystery.
All would be easy once he could settle Cordelia. Once she
was officially his, life would be easier for him.
* * * *
As the door shut behind Nico, Cordelia waited for her sister
to say something. Diana always had an opinion, and she rather liked letting
Cordelia know what it was. It did not take her long.
"Really, Cordelia, do you not have a thought for your
future? You are marrying a commoner."
She frowned at her sister. "What is so wrong with that?
You did."
"There is a difference between someone like Michael and
that man."
Yes, there was in Cordelia's mind. Michael had never been
much of a man, and he definitely could not compete with Nico. On any level.
There was something so good…so right with Nico. She could not understand what
it was about him, but something told her he was someone who always honored his
promises. It went beyond his proposal of marriage.
"I would think you would be happy for me. At least now
the poor relation will be taken care of."
Diana pursed her lips, a sure sign that she was angry. Diana
controlled so much, from her own household to her emotions. It had not always
been that way. There had been a time when she was Cordelia’s entire world, but
marriage had changed her—and not for the better. Now Cordelia always felt
stifled in her presence.
Everyone could tell they were sisters. As their father had
told them in many of his drunken tirades, they both had the look of their
mother. Diana, though, just as their mother apparently had, knew how to make
the most of her attributes. The outfit she wore was perfectly suited to her
petite, rounded frame. The color of gray would make a lot of women appear worn
out, but of course it was perfect for Diana. She had been outside on a windy
day, and she did not have a hair out of place. She had her long blonde locks
trapped
away?"
"Oh, no. I would rather he not attend."
"Cordelia." Her sister admonished.
"You don't want your brother to come?" he asked,
completely happy with the situation. He didn't want to deal with a man who had
virtually abandoned Cordelia to survive on her own the last few months in
London. That made him less than a man in Nico’s estimation.
"Of course she wants him to come," Diana said.
"No, not particularly."
"You have been living in his house for the last few
months."
"So nice of him to allow poor little Cordelia to live
in a house and not on the street. He deserves an award," Cordelia said,
sarcasm dripping from every syllable.
Diana glanced at him, and he surmised she did not want to
air dirty laundry in front of a stranger. Yes, he was going to marry Cordelia,
but they didn't know him. There was also a part of her that probably thought he
would break off the wedding if he heard the rumors about Cordelia's birth.
He didn’t want to leave, but he sensed he needed to allow
the sisters to talk. He finished his tea and set it on the tray.
“I must be off to the newspapers to set the announcement,
and I need to send a message to my parents so they can prepare for their
journey.”
Cordelia looked relieved. Aggravation wound through him. She
should want to be near him, need him, as he needed her. Now she looked so happy
he was leaving.
He stood and walked to her chair. He took her hand and
raised it to his mouth. He did not kiss above her hand as was society’s way. He
pressed his lips on her flesh. The scent of her blood had his body reacting.
His own blood quickened, and his fangs started to descend again. He pulled
himself back, figuratively and physically.
Cordelia rose, and he shook his head. “Stay with your sister.
I can find my own way out.”
By the time he reached the street, he was feeling somewhat
normal again. He drew in a deep breath of London air and immediately regretted
it. He hated the city. Too many people, too much dirt…and a man to hunt. Once
he had everything secured with Cordelia, he could focus his entire attention on
the mystery.
All would be easy once he could settle Cordelia. Once she
was officially his, life would be easier for him.
* * * *
As the door shut behind Nico, Cordelia waited for her sister
to say something. Diana always had an opinion, and she rather liked letting
Cordelia know what it was. It did not take her long.
"Really, Cordelia, do you not have a thought for your
future? You are marrying a commoner."
She frowned at her sister. "What is so wrong with that?
You did."
"There is a difference between someone like Michael and
that man."
Yes, there was in Cordelia's mind. Michael had never been
much of a man, and he definitely could not compete with Nico. On any level.
There was something so good…so right with Nico. She could not understand what
it was about him, but something told her he was someone who always honored his
promises. It went beyond his proposal of marriage.
"I would think you would be happy for me. At least now
the poor relation will be taken care of."
Diana pursed her lips, a sure sign that she was angry. Diana
controlled so much, from her own household to her emotions. It had not always
been that way. There had been a time when she was Cordelia’s entire world, but
marriage had changed her—and not for the better. Now Cordelia always felt
stifled in her presence.
Everyone could tell they were sisters. As their father had
told them in many of his drunken tirades, they both had the look of their
mother. Diana, though, just as their mother apparently had, knew how to make
the most of her attributes. The outfit she wore was perfectly suited to her
petite, rounded frame. The color of gray would make a lot of women appear worn
out, but of course it was perfect for Diana. She had been outside on a windy
day, and she did not have a hair out of place. She had her long blonde locks
trapped
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