London Husband

Chapter 3: He Kissed Her

Emma tried to get up and immediately felt dizzy.

"I have to go home," she said, trying to get up and reach for the door. His cousins warned her that the streets of London were teeming with dangerous people, but no one had said what danger could be hidden in a nobleman's carriage.

Alex hastily grabbed her hand and again set her on the seat.

"You will not go anywhere; there was still not enough that on the way you lost consciousness. Now I'm taking you home. Besides, my sister went to buy eggs, and we'll have to wait for her."

- Eggs! Emma sighed and leaned her head against her arm. "I completely forgot about them. Now the cook will take my head off, that's for sure."

The Duke, squinting, watched her. Perhaps Sophie is right and Meg is being treated badly. He should not just sit and do nothing when such a fragile girl is in danger. He really will hire her and will not allow him to return to his former painful existence.

In the meantime, Alexa was tormented by agonizing doubts. Of course, he can not hire her, otherwise the matter will end with the fact that in a few days she will be in his bed. Sophie is right: Meg should go to the service to her - there she will not be endangered by such as he. It's good that he had little conscience left; In general, those times when he showed concern for any woman, with the exception of mother and sister, have long passed.

Everyone in London was well aware that Alex was a convinced bachelor. Of course, at some point in his life he will have to marry at least for the sake of producing an heir, but there is no reason why this sacrifice should be brought so soon. That's why Alex stayed away from secular ladies, preferring them to the society of courtesans and opera singers. On the rare occasions when he attended socialite evenings, women always surrounded him, despite his alienated appearance and cynicism, but Alex rarely evoked pleasant thoughts. If a noble lady started flirting with him, he came to the conclusion that she was either too stupid, or she knew exactly what she wanted. Sometimes he made concessions and spent time with such a lady in bed, but nothing more of this should be.

The Duke looked thoughtfully at Meg, who was now staring fixedly at her hands, folded on her knees.

"You should not be afraid of me, Meg: I will not kiss you again."

Emma lifted her violet eyes and said nothing. In truth, she doubted that she could say something.

"I said that you have no reason to be afraid of me," Alex repeated. "In my society, your virtue does not threaten anything, at least for a few more minutes."

Noticing that Emma's lips tightened and turned away, Alex finally felt like a rascal. But she was delicious. Meg's hair, which looked bright red when the sun was falling on them, now, when he lowered the curtains on the windows, looked dark chestnut, and his eyes became completely black.

Emma took a deep breath, trying to cope with the anger already known to all of her households on both continents. She lost this battle, and it was not happy at all.

"You should not talk to me in such an outrageous tone," she said in a trembling voice. "Will you take advantage of my weakness in such an obscene way? I'm sitting here, my head throbbing with pain, not to mention the fact that I have to endure the society of the most disrespectful person I had the misfortune to meet. And all this only because I saved your nephew from imminent death."

Emma leaned back against the pillows, quite pleased with her speech, and looked at the duke with the most fierce glance she was capable of.

Alex was stunned by her tirade, but still managed not to show his astonishment.

"Listen, Meg," he said slowly, "where did you learn to speak so well?"

- It's none of your business! "Emma tried desperately to come up with a reasonable explanation, but her head refused to work as she wished.

"You see, I'm very curious." Will not you be so kind as to tell me anything about yourself?

- Well, my mother worked as a nanny and looked after three young children, and their parents gave me the opportunity to get education with them.

It sounded plausible, and Alex nodded rather:

"Very noble of them."

"Alex!" A piercing voice was heard nearby. - I'm back! We bought twelve dozen eggs: I hope that's enough.

Twelve dozen! Emma's heart sank. How will she deliver such a number? Now she will have to let the duke take her home in his carriage.

The door of the carriage swung open, and Sophie's face appeared in her opening.

"Thank God you came to your senses!" She exclaimed, glancing at Emma. "I do not know how to thank you." My name is Sophie Leewood, I'm Countess Wilding, and I'm in debt to you. She put a business card in Emma's hand. "You can visit me any day, if you need anything."

Emma silently looked at the green-eyed woman, and the one, pausing to take a breath of air, immediately continued:

"Oh, God, I have manners!" What is your name?

"Her name is Meg," Alex said politely. - But she did not name her name.

Emma flushed. The Duke did not ask her name.

"It does not matter, my dear," Sophie continued to chatter. "You do not have to tell us anything about yourself, if you do not want to." I'm without it your friend for the rest of my life, and you can count on me if necessary.

"I'm sincerely grateful to you, my lady," Emma said quietly. "And now I would like to go home: the cook is probably angry and can not understand where I went."

- Tell us who you work with? Alex looked forward to the answer.

Emma looked at him in displeasure.

"Count and Countess Wurth."

Alex immediately gave the address to the coachman, but Sophie kept on chattering all the time while the carriage was on its way to Blaydon Mansion.

When the carriage stopped, Emma tried to jump out of her.

- Wait! Alex screamed, and Sophie grabbed her arm.

"First, I must give you a proper thank you." If I do not, I will be tormented by nightmares. She reached out her hands to her ears, swiftly pulled the diamond earrings from them and slipped them into Emma's hand.

"Please, take this." Just a small token of attention, but maybe it will help you, if you find yourself in need.

Emma was stunned. Well, how could she tell this woman that she is the heir to the owner of a giant company. At the same time, she understood that Sophie really wants to give her something as a token of gratitude.

"God bless you," Sophie said, kissing Emma on the cheek and again sitting down in the carriage.

Emma turned to the coachman to pick up the eggs, then smiled at Sophie and headed for the back door.

"Not so fast, darling," Alex said, suddenly appearing beside her. "Let me take them."

"I would prefer that you do not do this." If they find out about Charlie in the kitchen, they will not like it.

"Nonsense," Alex said, and immediately took Emma's eggs with the confidence of a man accustomed to having his orders executed.

Emma felt that she was seized by despair. If the duke takes her into the house, God will begin there knowing that Bell, whom he undoubtedly had already been introduced, will call her by name.

- You are welcome. She looked pleadingly at Alex. "Please go away, otherwise I'll have trouble."

It seemed to Alex that he saw in her eyes genuine fear, and he again thought that, probably, they were mistreating her.

- Good. It was nice meeting you, Meg.

Tightly pressing her bag of eggs to her, Emma ran to the back door, feeling the back of her escort with her back.

When she finally appeared in the kitchen, she had a feeling that she had escaped from purgatory.

"Emma, where have you been so long?" Strictly asked Bell. - We all were terribly worried about you.

Emma with a sigh put the bag with the eggs on the counter.

"Let's discuss this later, sister."

She looked intently at the faces of the servants, who were openly staring at her.

"All right," Bell agreed. "And now we'll go upstairs."

Emma almost moaned. Suddenly she felt terribly tired: she was buzzing in her head, besides, she did not know what to do with these f*****g earrings, and all this led to the fact that she again lost consciousness.

Alex stood in front of the back door of Blydon Mansion. Although he had often met Count and Countess Huert at secular evenings, he realized that too few knew them. Moreover, Alex had no idea about their family way of life, and his way of life was frightened by the thought that Meg could punish or even beat. He felt a strong urge to go into the kitchen of the Blaydonov and make sure that they were being treated properly: as with the heroine, which she was in his eyes. Annoyed by the measure of his interest in the girl, Alex sighed. He was not at all sure that Meg completely recovered from the consequences of the fall. He wanted very much to take Meg into his arms, take her to her room and put him to bed; if he managed to get her to bed, he would hardly limit himself to contemplation and did not try to lie down next to her.

"Brother!" Sophie poked her head out of the window of the stroller. - What are you waiting for?

Alex barely looked away from the house.

"Nothing, Sophie, absolutely nothing." Just a little worried about Meg. Do you think she'll be all right? What kind of people are these Count and Countess Huert?

"Oh, they're lovely." I met them several times in the evenings, and I had the best impression of them.

- I also met them, but they did not seem to me a model of virtue.

Sophie sighed.

"If you had a minute at the party, you would have made sure that Werthes are wonderful people, very kind and not at all tedious. Mom is very attached to Lady Huert, and they drink tea at least once every two weeks. I do not think it's worth worrying about Meg, since she's in this house."

"I hope you're right." We owe her a lot, and the least we can do is take care of her well-being.

"I agree, dear brother. I'll visit Lady Wirth this week and tell her how the brave girl saved Charlie. I'm sure she will not allow such courage to remain unrewarded."

Alex climbed into the carriage and settled on a soft seat.

"Good idea, Sophie."

"Of course, I would have visited her this evening, but I think you should not do this."

- And where are you going in the evening?

"Really, Alex, you must remember what is happening in society. Lady Wert arranges a big reception today: she is sure that you are invited too. Understand, if you do not start to be in society ...

"Please, spare me another sermon." I have already heard them many times, and I'm not interested.

Sophie gave her brother an irritated look.

"But you can not always be a bachelor!" All that you do is binge with buddies, exactly the same cheats.

Alex answered with a wicked smile:

"Really, Sophie, I'm not at all ignored by the women's society."

- It depends on what is meant by women's society! - Sophie even began to stammer with indignation. "You say it, just to annoy me. And please, never mention these women in my presence!"

Women as women. The Duke laughed good-naturedly. "They do not want anything from me, except for a couple of trinkets, and that's why I spend time with them in bed. At least they are honest and do not hide their mercantile aspirations."

"Again you are for yours! I hate talking about your sultry intrigues! Right, Alex, I'll poke your ears somehow!"

"Stop it, Sophie: we both know that you like to listen to my so-called sultry intrigues, but it's too cutesy and prim-ass to admit it."

Charter to argue, Sophie fell on the cushions of the seat, Alex is absolutely right: she likes to listen to his adventures and love affairs. Yet Sophie did not want to please him, admitting it. In addition, she had to continue to attack his brother and persuade him to marry.

She made one last attempt:

"Alex, you need an heir, am I not right?"

The Duke smiled nonchalantly.

"I'm physically able to conceive a son even after ten or fifteen years, but if you want, I'll tell you the name and address of my current mistress. I'm sure she'll reassure you about my masculine abilities."

- Mom, what are masculine skills? - Charlie's thin voice was heard nearby.

"The time will come, you'll find out," Sophie's son reassured her. "And I conjure you, brother, please, watch your speech with the child." Now the next month the boy will tell all our maids about your masculine abilities.

In response, Alex only laughed:

"Well, I promise to protect our maids from the danger of becoming victims of carnal lust, and you be a good girl and tell me what a grand ball is planned for tonight."

Sophie's eyebrows shot up.

"Are you interested in secular life?"

"I just want to find out more about Meg and see if she's all right. I'll be there for about fifteen minutes, and that's all."

"Lady Wert is going to introduce her American niece to the public," Sophie explained. – I heard that the ball will indeed be grandiose.

"Then why do you want to neglect them?"

"What a shame that I'm waiting for the child again ..."

"Oh, baby, that's wonderful!" Exclaimed the duke, and his face lit up with a sincere smile. He impulsively took his sister in his arms, then quickly pulled away and looked out the window.

"Here we are," he said as the carriage stopped in front of Sophie's house. "Take care of yourself, sister, and do not let anyone bother you."