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Alex, ignoring the interjection, turned to Tess ‘Miss Ellery, may I introduce my sister, Lady Maria?’

‘How do you do?’ Close up the hazel eyes focused and the air of vagueness disappeared What had Alex said? That his sister was sensitive Tess had taken that asfoolish or hysterical, but she rather suspected he had meant she was attuned to other people ‘Mama told me what a fix you are in, Miss Ellery Such a pity Never mind, you’ll be comfortable here Shall we sit down?’ She went over to the sofa and held out her hand to Dorcas, who shot to her feet and took it as though it was red hot

Tess joined them, ready to deflect attention before Dorcas rowl sorateful to be able to sit down to listen to his words

‘Sit down, Weybourn’

Alex took the chair opposite his father anda wrinkle froave hi to do with his hands and, after all, one could not hit one’s own father, not when the old devil was ill

‘Why have you coise?’

‘Certainly I owe y for my absence,’ Alex conceded ‘I a From me, that is’

He had reainst his pale skin ‘You expect ise?’

‘It is nors another’ Alex kept his tone mild and found to his surprise that it was easy He was confronting the bogeyhtry man, old before his time Someone to be pitied, if he could find it in himself If he wanted to find the capacity to pity There was Peter to reround thanks to the man in front of him

‘But this is not solanced around hiht of Tess’s anxiety behind him She was upset and by more than tension over this scene or their deception He tried to recall when he had first noticed it, then set the puzzle aside He could not focus on it, not noith his father’s sardonic gaze on his face and the hostility co off Matthew in palpable waves

‘Certainly not in front of the ladies,’ his father agreed with a bitter twist of his lips that negated the reasonable tone and words ‘In my study at ten tomorrow’