Two pairs of emerald green eyes flickedover Alexandra. Miranda’s held surprise, Lord Reynolds’s, a look ofdisgust.
Mr. Runyon implied something with hiswords. She supposed he meant she shared a love of books.
Lord Reynolds’s mouth formed into a grimline. A muscle ticked in his cheek. The air around the two men wasthick and black with tension, the heaviness suffocating Alexandra. A dull achestarted at the back of her head. She wanted her tea. Urgently.
“I dropped my books.” She swallowed,desperate to diffuse the hostility emanating from both men. “And..”
“I found Miss Dunforth lying in heap!”Miranda lied smoothly. “Thank goodness I saw you, Miss Dunforth.You could have injured yourself.” She walked confidently to Alexandra andknelt to assist her.
Alexandra noticed Miranda gave Mr. Runyona wide berth, walking as far from him as she could, not even allowing the silkof her skirts near him.
“Mother didn’t tell us you were in town.”Miranda spoke to Mr. Runyon in a frigidly polite tone Alexandra didn’trecognize. “Forgive our surprise.”
“Yes, Archie.” Lord Reynoldssnapped. “Perhaps you’ll come for tea. My grandmother will no doubtbedelightedto see you.” He smiled grimly at Mr. Runyon.“Alas, you’ll miss Elizabeth. She’s away at boarding school.” His tonewas ominous and deadly.
Alexandra sensed something hidden behindhis words.
Mr. Runyon jerked immediately, almostpulling Alexandra over as she attempted to stand. She gave him aquestioning look.He is afraid of Lord Reynolds.
“Miranda, we need to return home andleave Miss Dunforth and Archie to their…pursuits.” Lord Reynolds lookeddirectly at Mr. Runyon.
Miranda stood, backing smoothly away fromAlexandra. “I shall see you soon, Miss Dunforth.”
“Possibly you will see her.” Mr.Runyon snarled. “Miss Dunforth and I are quite busy. She is newlyarrived in London and I am showing her the sights. What free time I haveis devoted to my business pursuits. I am stretched to make time for mydear cousin’s birthday celebration.” Mr. Runyon’s pale slim hand grippedthe wolf’s head atop his walking stick so tightly Alexandra imagined the rubyred eyes of the beast bulging and popping out.
Lord Reynolds smiled wryly.“Pity. I shouldsoadore discussing old times with you. Myfather, before he passed away, regaled me with tales of your adventures inLondon while I was in Macao.”
Mr. Runyon blanched, becoming even paleras Lord Reynolds spoke. Alexandra could see a fine mist of sweatcollecting just above his perfectly groomed mustache. She could smell hisfear.
“Miranda?” Lord Reynolds gentlysteered his sister away from Alexandra and Mr. Runyon. His face held acontemptuous look. “I shall look forward to seeing you at Jeanette’sparty.” The dark head nodded to her. “Miss Dunforth. Youshould be careful where you step in the future.” He turned and strodeaway. Miranda hurried next to him, struggling to keep up with his longstrides.
Mr. Runyon watched them depart. Hesighed deeply, his body visibly relaxing as Lord Reynolds departed. Heturned to regard Alexandra, and a sad smile came over his features. “Comealong, my dear.” Mr. Runyon took the books from her, tucking them under hisarm, and steered her to a waiting clerk.
The scene Alexandra just witnessedreplayed in her mind. Mr. Runyon and Lord Reynolds obviously knew eachother. Hated each other. She wondered what had occurred between thetwo men to create such animosity. She thought of the look Lord Reynoldsgave her before he walked away. His green eyes had been filled with uttercontempt. His attitude angered her. His treatment of her unwarranted nomatter his issue with Mr. Runyon. And how exactly did the two men know anddespise each other? “Mr. Runyon? What is the nature of yourassociation with Lord Reynolds, if I may ask?”
Mr. Runyon hiccupped. He clearedhis throat as his shoulders sagged in defeated despair.
Alexandra touched his sleeve. Shedidn’t wish to upset him further but she needed to know. “Forgive me for askingbut -”
He stopped walking. He reached intohis pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, blotting his eyes. “I am sorry, MissDunforth. I am so sorry for that dreadful scene you witnessed and myungentlemanly behavior. Pray forgive my loss of composure.”
“It’s none of my affair.” She gave hisarm a squeeze. The poor man looked wrung out, like a damp napkin. “Let’s justgo back to my uncle’s. A cup of tea will restore your composure.”She waited as Mr. Runyon paid the clerk for the books. The clerk took histime wrapping their purchase and Alexandra took a moment to scan the bookstorefor any sign of Lord Reynolds and Miranda. Why did she feel the need to clarifyher association with Mr. Runyon to Lord Reynolds? Her mind whisperedback.Because you care what Lord Reynolds thinks of you.
“Shall we?” Mr. Runyon thanked theclerk and moved Alexandra towards the entrance.
“You have a right to know.” Mr. Runyonstopped just outside the door.
Alexandra looked up at him. Helooked sincere and very, very sad.
“Cam, or Lord Reynolds as you knowhim," he said, “is the stepson of my beloved cousin, Jeanette.”
Alexandra swallowed hard. TheMarchioness, that horrid woman who interrupted her tea with the Dowager atCambourne House, was Mr. Runyon’s cousin? The resemblance, once shelooked for it, was strikingly clear. Mr. Runyon and the Marchionessshared the same pale blue eyes and identical heads of wheat colored hair.
“So Cam and I are cousins of a sort,” Mr.Runyon continued. “I have not seen Lord Reynolds for many years,not since before he left for Macao. I fear that Cam and his family do notthink too highly of me. I had a misunderstanding with Lord Robert, that’sLord Reynolds’s father.” Mr. Runyon’s eyes began to fill with tearsagain. “Robert was a horrible man.” He winced. “I’m so sorryto speak ill of the dead Miss Dunforth, but Lord Robert always blamed othersfor his own failings. At any rate, I had only returned to my father’sgood graces when Lord Robert felt the need to give my father details of what heconsidered my character flaws. Very embarrassing.Humiliating. The Reynolds family, I fear, cost me dearly. LordRobert harbored an insane jealousy of my relationship with Jeanette.” Heshrugged. “Lord Robert loved my cousin madly. I fear it unhingedhim. He treated her terribly. Cam treated her even worse. Shetried to be a real mother to him. He threw all of her efforts back in herface. She cried on my shoulder many an afternoon. She so wanted tobe a true mother to Cam.
Alexandra thought of the cold, hard womanshe met at Cambourne House. Mr. Runyon’s seemed to be speaking of someoneelse entirely.
He patted her hand and gave another sadsmile. “I do not wish to say much for I am trying to put the past behindme. I tried to protect Cam, you know. We are only a few years apartin age, but worlds apart in every other way. While I studied, he seducedwomen and fought duels bringing dishonor to his family. Cam is a devil withwomen. His looks you know.” He shot Alexandra a speculative look. “You canimagine the pain his escapades brought my cousin. She caught him in anindelicate situation.” Mr. Runyon looked away. “I tried to helphim. He fled to Macao soon after. Robert blamed me for that, I’mafraid. Robert waited for years to make me pay. The next time heand I butted heads, it was quite a row. I decided to tour the Continentsoon after.”
