“I’ll be up shortly, Alex.” Suttonspun on his heel and headed down one of the darkened corridors of GrayCovington. Alexandra regarded Sadie who watched Sutton with an adoringlook. Alexandra shrugged and started up the steps. Half themaids at Gray Covington sighed over him in such a manner. Sutton seemedoblivious. The situation would only be worse in London.
“Ahem.” Alexandra cleared her throat fromher position on the steps to encourage the maid to follow her.
The maid startled, giving Alexandra aguilty look. Sadie was a sweet girl with bright red hair and a dense collectionof freckles about her nose. She also possessed a mischievous dispositionand the ability to tame the wildness of Alexandra’s hair when not mooning overSutton.
Alexandra tried to look stern but endedup smiling. The Dowager had instructed her to not be quite so familiarwith the staff, although the Dowager’s rules did not seem to apply to theDowager’s relationship with Harry, the footman.
“Sorry, my lady. Lord Reynolds fairtakes your breath away,” Sadie said in a conspiratorial whisper. “And nowhe’s your husband.”
Alexandra placed a hand on her stomach toquell the mix of nervous excitement. “Indeed he is.”
Sadie nodded and took a lamp off a nearbytable. She led Alexandra up the sweeping grand staircase of GrayCovington towards the family wing. The room Alexandra occupied for thelast few weeks as she went through the laudanum withdrawal was on the otherside of the staircase. Her brow wrinkled. Those were darkdays for Alexandra. Sweating, sleepless nights where she dreamed thatshe’d married Runyon and he’d tortured her endlessly.
“Here we are.” Sadie stood betweentwo doors and opened the one on the right.
Alexandra regarded the second door.She knew that must be her husband’s bedroom but she refused to contemplateit. Thinking of Sutton’s dragon tattoo winding about his body madeAlexandra blush to her toes.
“Lead on,” she instructed Sadie.
Several lamps flickered in the darkness,giving the room a haloed glow. A fire crackled in the hearth. Lightshone on walls hung with green damask, embroidered with the woodland animalsand insects Alexandra remembered from the Dowager’s parlor. Alexandraturned her back to Sadie to allow the maid help her undress when a knocksounded.
Both women looked up as a connecting dooropened to reveal Sutton. He no longer wore a coat and even in the dimlight, the outline of the dragon tattoo could be clearly seen beneath the finelawn of his shirt. He sauntered towards them, his eyes never leavingAlexandra’s face. The look he gave her made her feel…unclothed.She blushed.
Sadie stood agog next to Alexandra.
Sutton ignored the maid.
“Hello, Badger.” He snapped afinger at Sadie. “Bring up a hot bath in two hours. To my room.”
Sadie jumped at his command, noddedmutely, and scurried out the door.
“You’ve frightened Sadie,” Alexandra saidstupidly as her husband maneuvered her to the connecting door leading to hissuite of rooms.
Sutton shrugged. “After you.”When Alexandra faltered, Sutton gave her a not so gentle push.
She turned to glare over her shoulder athim.
He was grinning at her. Hisfingertips ran along her arm. “Come, Alex. Come into the dragon’sden. I promise I don’t bite. Much.”
Horrid man! Teasing her at thismostinopportunemoment. Torn between a sharp retort or simplypressing kisses all over his face, she did neither. The conflict was mostdisconcerting.
The room before her left no doubt itbelonged to the master of Gray Covington. Dark burgundy drapes hung fromthe windows, matching the coverlet on what was the largest bed Alexandra hadever seen. She would be lost between the covers of the bed in a thriceand Sutton would never find her. An expedition would be launched to locate herwhereabouts in the giant bed. She giggled.
“I see you find our wedding nightamusing. Not quite the reaction I sought but..”
Alexandra gave his stomach a soft punch,surprising him.
He grabbed her hand. He kissed thetip of her fingers, sucking on digit into his mouth.
Alexandra pulled her hand back, feelingthe touch of lips and tongue down the whole of her body.How was thatpossible? “I was thinking, that I shall become lost in the depths ofthat giant bed. It will swallow me whole. Not even your Lord Bishopwould be able to find me.”
“But I would. I am an expert athunting Badgers.”
Sutton’s playful words warmed her.Some of the tension over this evening faded. Alexandra let her gaze run overthe rest of the room. Maps covered one far wall along with a large stackof periodicals and books. Sheaves of paper and several inkwells werescattered across a desk that looked as if the legs had been gnawed on by beavers.The room was at odds with the image of Satan Reynolds. This room declaredwho her husband actually was, not the cultivated image thetonsaw.
Two portraits sat on the large woodenmantel above the fireplace. She wandered over, conscious of Sutton watchingher. She stood on tiptoe to get a closer look at the two tinyportraits. Alexandra knew who they were immediately. Sutton’sface stared at her from the miniature. No, she thought, not his faceexactly but his resemblance to his father was markedly strong. The otherminiature must be Sutton’s mother. Another portrait of Madeline hung inthe music conservatory. The Dowager told Alexandra that Jeanette had triedmightily to have the portrait taken down, but Sutton’s father forbade it.Alexandra looked closely at the miniature. The winsome beautyseemed to be laughing at some private joke, her eyes crinkled, and a slightsmile touched her mouth.
“My parents. Robert andMadeline.” Alexandra could hear the slight ache in his voice from acrossthe room. She knew what it was like to not know one’s mother.
