page77 (1/2)

She thought she could read Alex’s face now, but all she could discern was furious thought Perhaps he was trying to work out a way to remove her from the house before his

‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’

‘Before you slept with ht me into your family home?’

‘Before I fe— What’s the date?’

‘The date? Why, the twenty-third, of course’ Perhaps she had tripped and banged her head and not realised Or perhaps the shock had turned Alex’s brain

‘No damned time,’ he muttered He looked at her, his expression unreadable, then he took her by the shoulders, pulled her towards hiency

That was goodbye, Tess thought as he released her as abruptly as he had taken her

‘I knew Christmas was a bad idea,’ he said, turned on his heel, shot back the bolt and was out of the door and across the yard before she could speak

Christe day, Tess decided as she waited in the drawing room for the family to asse, because he was deterht service Lady Moreland and Maria had been out visiting friends and neighbours with gifts, calling on tenants The servants had been busy with preparations and Alex and Matthew simply did not appear

Annie reported that they had ridden off early together ‘I heard Mr Matthew say, “I don’t bla out on all the fuss,”’ she confided ‘And his lordship said, “I need to think and I’m damned if I can do it in the house, so come and act like a brother for once and keep hed and off they went’

The earl, Maria and Lady Moreland caain, about Alex Was he si with her fan as she and Dorcas stood and curtsied, and then forced herself to make conversation while Dorcas retired to her usual corner

‘Where are those boys?’ Lady Moreland said after half an hour of everyone avoiding staring at the door