criminal; what she had done was punishable by law. She turned cold and said in a small voice, “I beg you, please do not turn me over to the magistrate. I will slip away and go to Canada or anywhere you wish, only I’d rather not to go court and prison.”
“So you are aware that what you do is wrong?” Alexander studied the contrite face, the frightened eyes, and knew he could never expose her to such a fate. After all, she was fleeing a horrible marriage just as he did. Oddly enough, he did not doubt her tale; she had been too direct and straightforward to have been lying. Something about her eyes as well. She had stared directly into his with no sign of guile or evasion.
“Of course, but I could see nothing else to hand and this was extremely tempting.” She managed a wisp of a smile, and Alexander discovered an enchanting dimple nestled beside the left corner of her mouth. A very delectable mouth, he perceived.
There were several minutes of silence in the room while the pair contemplated a possible solution.
“Let me sort this out. Mrs. Bassett and others believe I am your estranged husband. Correct?” He glanced at Juliet, who nodded vigorously in reply.
“True. I suspect they feel sorry for me, alone and unwanted as it were.”
“Which undoubtedly places me in the role of a cad and a bounder to send my dear little wife to the ends of the earth while I live it up in the city.” Alexander grimaced at the image that scenario prompted and winced at her eager agreement.
“I believe you have the right of it,” she said in a subdued voice. “Mrs. Bassett is even now likely wondering if you are about to scold me.”
“Perhaps we could help each other?” he mused and was startled at the instant flame of hope on her face. It was as though someone had lit a candle behind each of those remarkable eyes.
“How? Oh, I’d do anything to avoid marrying Lord Taunton. I will not be his wife and stuck in a country house with a cluster of babies and no money, for you must know that as a gamester and all he would go through my fortune in no time.” She stretched out a dainty but capable hand to touch Alexander on the arm, then hastily withdrew it as though she had been burned by the contact.
Alexander cleared his throat at the image presented of Juliet surrounded by a cluster of babies and continued. “We can proceed with the deception as begun. You will portray a dutiful wife, and I the husband who is making an attempt at a reconciliation.”
“We do not have to marry? I have no wish to many you. Forgive me if you do not like that, but it is true.” She gave him a clear look that revealed she spoke the truth, however uncomfortable she felt in doing so.
“No,” Alexander replied gently. “I believe we can manage to avoid that distasteful state. We can take things day by day, see how we get along.”
“There is a dinner party tomorrow evening at the Tackley’s. I am invited, and I expect you had best make an appearance if we are to make a success of this. Must I pretend to be in love with you?” she said with a blush staining her delicate cheeks.
“Not if you find it disagreeable,” he said and found he was rather put out that she objected to even pretending to be in love with him.
“And I shan’t have to kiss you or hang on your arm?” she demanded in her direct manner.
“That does not appeal to you? There are many women in London who would leap at the chance,” he found himself saying to his chagrin.
“Perhaps so, but I do not love you, and I could not kiss you if I had no love for you, you see.”
“I am not encumbered with such nicety,” he observed, “and if the situation arises where I deem it to our mutual advantage, I may kiss you. Is that acceptable?” Alexander thought this had to be the strangest conversation he had ever held in his life.
“Very well.” She rose from her chair and took a step toward the door. “Why do you not settle into your room and we can discuss
“So you are aware that what you do is wrong?” Alexander studied the contrite face, the frightened eyes, and knew he could never expose her to such a fate. After all, she was fleeing a horrible marriage just as he did. Oddly enough, he did not doubt her tale; she had been too direct and straightforward to have been lying. Something about her eyes as well. She had stared directly into his with no sign of guile or evasion.
“Of course, but I could see nothing else to hand and this was extremely tempting.” She managed a wisp of a smile, and Alexander discovered an enchanting dimple nestled beside the left corner of her mouth. A very delectable mouth, he perceived.
There were several minutes of silence in the room while the pair contemplated a possible solution.
“Let me sort this out. Mrs. Bassett and others believe I am your estranged husband. Correct?” He glanced at Juliet, who nodded vigorously in reply.
“True. I suspect they feel sorry for me, alone and unwanted as it were.”
“Which undoubtedly places me in the role of a cad and a bounder to send my dear little wife to the ends of the earth while I live it up in the city.” Alexander grimaced at the image that scenario prompted and winced at her eager agreement.
“I believe you have the right of it,” she said in a subdued voice. “Mrs. Bassett is even now likely wondering if you are about to scold me.”
“Perhaps we could help each other?” he mused and was startled at the instant flame of hope on her face. It was as though someone had lit a candle behind each of those remarkable eyes.
“How? Oh, I’d do anything to avoid marrying Lord Taunton. I will not be his wife and stuck in a country house with a cluster of babies and no money, for you must know that as a gamester and all he would go through my fortune in no time.” She stretched out a dainty but capable hand to touch Alexander on the arm, then hastily withdrew it as though she had been burned by the contact.
Alexander cleared his throat at the image presented of Juliet surrounded by a cluster of babies and continued. “We can proceed with the deception as begun. You will portray a dutiful wife, and I the husband who is making an attempt at a reconciliation.”
“We do not have to marry? I have no wish to many you. Forgive me if you do not like that, but it is true.” She gave him a clear look that revealed she spoke the truth, however uncomfortable she felt in doing so.
“No,” Alexander replied gently. “I believe we can manage to avoid that distasteful state. We can take things day by day, see how we get along.”
“There is a dinner party tomorrow evening at the Tackley’s. I am invited, and I expect you had best make an appearance if we are to make a success of this. Must I pretend to be in love with you?” she said with a blush staining her delicate cheeks.
“Not if you find it disagreeable,” he said and found he was rather put out that she objected to even pretending to be in love with him.
“And I shan’t have to kiss you or hang on your arm?” she demanded in her direct manner.
“That does not appeal to you? There are many women in London who would leap at the chance,” he found himself saying to his chagrin.
“Perhaps so, but I do not love you, and I could not kiss you if I had no love for you, you see.”
“I am not encumbered with such nicety,” he observed, “and if the situation arises where I deem it to our mutual advantage, I may kiss you. Is that acceptable?” Alexander thought this had to be the strangest conversation he had ever held in his life.
“Very well.” She rose from her chair and took a step toward the door. “Why do you not settle into your room and we can discuss
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