seemed to cave in all around her.
So lost was she in the fever of the kiss that she failed to hear the gasp and flurry of movement that came from behind her.
And so did Simon.
The slam of a door was jarring. Anne felt him stiffen. Slowly he raised his head. Eyes narrowing, his gaze stabbed into the haze of lights that burned from the house.
“Good Christ,” he cursed.
Anne’s lips were still throbbing. Her head whirled dizzily. She stared up at him dumbly. “What?” she said faintly.
He yanked her stole up over her shoulders. His tone was grim. “There was someone here.”
Comprehension was slow to arrive—but her brother was not. By the time Anne had gathered her wits, Alec was there, with Lillith Kimball beside him—smirking! Anne knew then—knew that Lillith had done this on purpose, followed her and Simon on purpose…then run back to Alec.
Alec said something to Lillith. She gave a slight nod, pouting, then gathered up her skirts and headed back toward the house.
Alec’s gaze went from Anne’s flushed cheeks to Simon’s, and back again.
“What the devil is this?”
Anne stood as if frozen. Simon’s fingertips hovered almost protectively on the small of her back.
Alec’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll thank you to remove your hands from my sister.”
Silence descended, a silence like no other.
Simon’s hand fell away.
“Alec? Alec, what’s going on?”
It was her mother. And now Caro was here too.
Dear God, had Lillith told anyone else? The notion flashed through Anne’s head.
She shouldn’t have looked at them. Any of them. But she couldn’t help it. Yet when she did, her face grew scalding hot.
“Anne,” Vivian said faintly. “Oh, Anne.”
What little aplomb Anne possessed began to crumble. It took a supreme effort of will not to cry.
Alec was stony-faced. Caro and her mother were still stunned. All but Alec. He was scowling at Simon in thin-lipped disapproval.
Indeed, it almost appeared a contest as to which would break the stillness. It was Simon who said in a voice of deadly quiet, “I believe we should have a word, Your Grace.”
“And we shall. We shall indeed, sir. But this is a social occasion. Neither the place nor the time to discuss this…matter.”
“I quite agree. Tomorrow morning?”
Alec nodded. “My town house,” he said tersely. “I shall send my carriage round.”
“There’s no need.” Simon was just as curt. But he made no attempt to leave. Anne was aware the instant his gaze slid back to her.
He cleared his throat. “Lady Anne—”
Anne couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move. She certainly couldn’t look at him.
“I shall take care of my sister,” Alec cut in. “You need not concern yourself.”
She could have sworn she heard Simon’s jaw snap shut. She was distantly aware of the two men confronting each other. She had the oddest sensation they were only a hair away from blows.
Alec’s jaw locked. “If you please, sir.”
Finally Simon executed a low bow and was gone.
Alec bestowed on her a glare from icy blue eyes. He had laced his hands behind his back. Anne thought half hysterically that it was the only way he could stop them from curling around her neck.
She lifted tear-bright eyes to his. “Alec,” she said helplessly. “Mama—”
“I believe you’ve said enough, Anne. I believe you’ve done enough.” Alec glared at her.
Anne longed to sink through the earth and disappear into its depths forever. Red-hot shame consumed her.
It was Caro who stepped forward and took her hand. “Come, love,” she said gently. “I’ll help you to bed.”
In her room, Caro dismissed the maid and helped her from her clothing. Anne did not speak. But when she slipped into bed, the turmoil of the last hour caught up with her. “Caro,” she said desperately. “Oh, Caro—”
She did something she never expected, something she did but rarely.
She burst into tears.
Caro’s arms closed around her. “Hush, Annie,” she soothed.
So lost was she in the fever of the kiss that she failed to hear the gasp and flurry of movement that came from behind her.
And so did Simon.
The slam of a door was jarring. Anne felt him stiffen. Slowly he raised his head. Eyes narrowing, his gaze stabbed into the haze of lights that burned from the house.
“Good Christ,” he cursed.
Anne’s lips were still throbbing. Her head whirled dizzily. She stared up at him dumbly. “What?” she said faintly.
He yanked her stole up over her shoulders. His tone was grim. “There was someone here.”
Comprehension was slow to arrive—but her brother was not. By the time Anne had gathered her wits, Alec was there, with Lillith Kimball beside him—smirking! Anne knew then—knew that Lillith had done this on purpose, followed her and Simon on purpose…then run back to Alec.
Alec said something to Lillith. She gave a slight nod, pouting, then gathered up her skirts and headed back toward the house.
Alec’s gaze went from Anne’s flushed cheeks to Simon’s, and back again.
“What the devil is this?”
Anne stood as if frozen. Simon’s fingertips hovered almost protectively on the small of her back.
Alec’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll thank you to remove your hands from my sister.”
Silence descended, a silence like no other.
Simon’s hand fell away.
“Alec? Alec, what’s going on?”
It was her mother. And now Caro was here too.
Dear God, had Lillith told anyone else? The notion flashed through Anne’s head.
She shouldn’t have looked at them. Any of them. But she couldn’t help it. Yet when she did, her face grew scalding hot.
“Anne,” Vivian said faintly. “Oh, Anne.”
What little aplomb Anne possessed began to crumble. It took a supreme effort of will not to cry.
Alec was stony-faced. Caro and her mother were still stunned. All but Alec. He was scowling at Simon in thin-lipped disapproval.
Indeed, it almost appeared a contest as to which would break the stillness. It was Simon who said in a voice of deadly quiet, “I believe we should have a word, Your Grace.”
“And we shall. We shall indeed, sir. But this is a social occasion. Neither the place nor the time to discuss this…matter.”
“I quite agree. Tomorrow morning?”
Alec nodded. “My town house,” he said tersely. “I shall send my carriage round.”
“There’s no need.” Simon was just as curt. But he made no attempt to leave. Anne was aware the instant his gaze slid back to her.
He cleared his throat. “Lady Anne—”
Anne couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t move. She certainly couldn’t look at him.
“I shall take care of my sister,” Alec cut in. “You need not concern yourself.”
She could have sworn she heard Simon’s jaw snap shut. She was distantly aware of the two men confronting each other. She had the oddest sensation they were only a hair away from blows.
Alec’s jaw locked. “If you please, sir.”
Finally Simon executed a low bow and was gone.
Alec bestowed on her a glare from icy blue eyes. He had laced his hands behind his back. Anne thought half hysterically that it was the only way he could stop them from curling around her neck.
She lifted tear-bright eyes to his. “Alec,” she said helplessly. “Mama—”
“I believe you’ve said enough, Anne. I believe you’ve done enough.” Alec glared at her.
Anne longed to sink through the earth and disappear into its depths forever. Red-hot shame consumed her.
It was Caro who stepped forward and took her hand. “Come, love,” she said gently. “I’ll help you to bed.”
In her room, Caro dismissed the maid and helped her from her clothing. Anne did not speak. But when she slipped into bed, the turmoil of the last hour caught up with her. “Caro,” she said desperately. “Oh, Caro—”
She did something she never expected, something she did but rarely.
She burst into tears.
Caro’s arms closed around her. “Hush, Annie,” she soothed.
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