Alice couldn’t hold herself back any longer. The tale ripped her to shreds, bringing tears to her eyes even though she knew she had no right to cry. She laid a hand on his arm and when he looked up at her in surprise, she squeezed very gently. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured.
“There is no need to be. It occurred years ago and I’ve finally grown to accept her death.” Finally, a smile broke out on his face. It was like the sun peeking out among dark, tumultuous clouds. “Ever since then, however, I’ve never allowed myself to get close to another lady again. I enjoy their company, but falling in love is something I do not wish to happen again.”
“Is that what happened with Lady Susan?” Alice blurted out before she could stop herself.
She withdrew her hand, shame washing her cheeks with heat when she’d realized what she’d just said.How insensitive! He just told me something so heartfelt and sad and the only thing I can think about is what Lady Susan said to me?
Lord Erlington seemed surprised as well, but then he shook his head. “I was never interested in Lady Susan. Her Father is close with mine and so we shared a dance once, at a ball years ago. She grew enamored with me, however, though I have never once given her the impression that I feel the same way.”
“Ah, I see.”
“She is not unlike the other ladies I have met,” Lord Erlington said. His tone was lighter now, not as weighed down by the sadness of his past. “They have all been bewitched by my wonderful looks, but they have never truly cared to know who I was. It has been rather lonely. In fact,” he caught Alice’s eyes and her heart began to race, warmth spreading throughout her chest, “I have never shared that part of myself with anyone else before.”
And for that, Alice felt like the most special woman in England. A part of her knew she should not pay much attention to what he said, that it could all be a ploy to get her to lower her guard. But she didn’t want to give in to her cynical side. She wanted to believe him, to trust the pain she’d heard in his voice and saw in his eyes. She wanted to enjoy this happiness she felt at being the only person he’d told about his past.
Suddenly, she was hit with the urge to do the same. Only Emma and her father knew of how she’d struggled following her mother’s death, and she believed only Emma truly understood the fear of love she’d developed. She’d never wanted to tell someone who was not a part of her family such an intimate detail about her life before. Alice hesitated.
Lord Erlington’s head whipped around to the shrubs, his eyes narrowing. He was already rising to his feet and, afraid of his odd reaction, Alice did the same. “What is it?” she whispered.
“I saw something,” he whispered back. “Stay here.”
Alice’s heart leaped into her throat when Lord Erlington began to move away from her. She nearly reached out to grab his jacket, keeping him by her side. But, then, she didn’t have to. He’d taken two steps ahead and then, without warning, whirled back to face her, throwing his arms around her body and burrowing her face into his chest.
Then, the shot of pistol rang through the air.
Chapter 10
It might have been the thunderous pounding of her heart that rang in Alice’s ear. It might have been the fear that rendered her speechless and unable to move, unable to do anything but curl herself within Lord Erlington’s arms. But she knew that it was the lingering echo of the pistol shot that had turned her into such a quivering mess.
For a moment, neither of them moved. And then she heard it, the telltale signs of the intruder running away. Lord Erlington let go of her right after, turning around as he tried to catch a glimpse of the culprit, but there was nothing but shadows and silence now.
Alice was suddenly gripped with another breed of fear that he would leave her to go after the man who’d shot at them, so she kept a grip on his sleeve, not allowing him to go more than a few steps away. She swallowed passed her dry throat, willing herself to get out of that fear-filled state. It would do her no good to give in to her fear right now, but that sane thought wasn’t registering very well.
Lord Erlington turned back toward her, putting his large hands on her shoulders. Alice felt safer already, though it didn’t alleviate her fear. “Are you all right?” he asked her worriedly, studying her. “Are you hurt?”’
“N…no,” Alice stammered. She gripped his arm, trying to give herself courage she did not feel. She looked up into his concern-filled eyes. “Did it—”
“No,” he told her, shaking his head. “He missed. I am unharmed.”
A sigh of relief rushed out of her. Her knees buckled but Lord Erlington was quick to catch her before she slipped to the ground. Being in his arms a second time made her feel as if this suddenly dangerous world was nothing to be afraid of, but she knew she had to pull away.
“Come,” he told her, taking her hand in his and not allowing her to pull away. “It isn’t safe out here.”
Alice nodded in agreement as Lord Erlington quickly pulled away from the clearing, going back to the path they’d taken before. His steps were quick but not so fast that Alice could not keep up. She was content to let him take the lead, letting the warmth of his hand travel through her body to chase away the bitter cold that lay there.
Someone shot at me. Someone tried to kill me.
It was all she could think. Now, Alice knew there was absolutely no hope for sleep.
She didn’t feel any safer until they were inside the manor once again, but Lord Erlington didn’t slow until they made it to her bedchamber. Only then did he let out a breath, running his hand through his hair. Alice watched as he walked away, as if he was trying to bring himself back together. She couldn’t tell if he was angry, afraid, or as shaken as she was. Perhaps all?
She couldn’t blame him. She hadn’t seen anything. She hadn’t known there’d been a threat, that a pistol had been pointing their way, until he threw himself before her. Her chest felt as if it caved in at the thought of what would have happened had the intruder not missed. Lord Erlington would have taken a bullet for her.
Alice put her back to the wall, her legs growing weak once more. Lord Erlington stopped pacing at that moment and looked at her. Their eyes met, something moving in her at the emotions brewing in his soft gaze. This was not the same man she’d convinced herself she did not like. After learning about his past, after all he’d done to protect and help her tonight, all Alice wanted was for this man to put her arms around her again.
She held her thoughts in check as they stared at each other. When the Marquess made his way back over to her, not taking his eyes off her, she shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind. “You could have gotten badly hurt,” she told him, needing to fill the silence. “You could have died.”
“I know,” was all he said. Alice’s heart thudded painfully against her chest. She licked her lips, finally looking away.
