You, and Only You (23 page)

With her hand still pressed to her face, Tiffany stepped
back into her room and quietly closed the door.

Sitting in the peace and serenity of the rear garden,
Tiffany tried not to dwell upon the events of last night, but it was difficult
not to.
 
Picking up a fallen oak leaf,
she twirled it slowly between her thumb and forefinger finger, marveling at the
delicate variations in color as she struggled to redirect her thoughts.

“You’re looking rather somber this morning.
 
Is there anything I can do to help lighten
your mood?”

“Alex,” she said, rising to her feet.
 
“What a pleasant surprise.”

“I hope that I’m not disturbing you,” he replied with a warm
smile as he approached.

“Of course not.
 
I’m
delighted to see you.”

“I can’t stay long,” he said.
 
“But I wanted to see you before I left town.”

“You’re leaving?”
 
Tiffany’s heart seemed to plummet to her toes.

“Only for a few days,” he clarified.
 
“I have business in Gloucester, and
regrettably it is something that cannot wait.”

Tiffany felt relieved at once.
 
“Oh, I see,” she said smiling up at him.
 
A few days wasn’t so terribly long, she
reasoned.

Narrowing his eyes, Alex’s gaze suddenly focused upon the
slight discoloration upon Tiffany’s cheek.
 
“What happened to your face?” he asked in concern, drawing a step
closer.
 
Grasping her chin, he gently
tilted her head to the side, eyeing her cheek intently.

“My face?”

“You have a bruise on your cheek,” he clarified.
 
“Right here,” he said, brushing his thumb
ever so lightly across her left cheekbone.

“Oh,” she said in embarrassment, casting her eyes
downward.
 
“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” Alex prompted, dropping his hand and taking a
small step back.

“I merely tripped, that’s all,” Tiffany dissembled, “and
bumped my cheek against a doorframe.”

“A doorframe?”

Tiffany lifted her gaze back to his face, struggling to
appear nonchalant.
 
“Silly isn’t it?
 
I’m not usually so clumsy.”

She’s lying, Alex thought.
  
But why?
 
Well, whatever the reason, he could see that
she was clearly uncomfortable discussing the matter, so for the time being he
decided not to press her.
 
“Shall we walk
for a moment?” he asked, extending his elbow.
 
“I promise I won’t let you fall,” he said with a teasing smile.

Smiling in return, Tiffany eagerly took his arm.

After a brief stroll, Alex had left Tiffany alone in garden
once again, but not before he’d promised to take her to visit the Great
Exhibition upon his return.
 
Surprisingly, though he’d been before, he was looking forward to it
nearly as much as she was.

Reentering the house, he was presently making his way to the
foyer when he happened upon William in the hallway.
 
Considering the state he’d been in the night
before, the marquess’ haggard appearance was hardly a surprise, but it was the
ring on William’s right hand that abruptly drew Alex’s attention.
 
Recalling Tiffany’s unease when he’d
mentioned the bruise, he couldn’t help the sudden thought that passed through
his head.
 
Could
that
have been the cause of Tiffany’s bruised cheek?
 
Dear God, the mere possibility pained him
beyond measure.
 
It also had him seeing
red.

“Chesterfield, what brings you here this morning?” William
said dispassionately, as he noted his presence.

“I came to inform Tiffany that I would be leaving town for a
few days,” he replied.
 
“I have business
in Gloucester.”

William nodded disinterestedly.
 
“Well, pleasant journey to you,” he said, his
tone dismissive.
 

“Actually, I wonder if I might have a brief word with you before
I take my leave, Melborne?”

William quirked his brow questioningly.

“Perhaps it would be better if we spoke privately,” Alex
said, glancing up and down the hall.

 
The marquess
hesitated for a moment before answering, his expression ill-disposed.
 
“Fine,” he said in a peevish tone.
 
“We can talk in my study.”

As William led the way, Alex tried to control his escalating
temper, for he could be wrong, he reminded himself.

“Something to drink?”
 
William asked as they entered the empty room.

“No,” Alex responded as William pulled the door closed.
 
“This won’t take long.”

William motioned to the nearest chair, but Alex shook his
head.
 
“Like I said, this won’t take
long.”
 
Pinning William with his piercing
gaze he asked bluntly, “What happened to Tiffany’s face.”

“Excuse me?” William replied, clearly taken aback by the
question.

“What...happened...to...Tiffany’s...face?” he repeated,
enunciating each word in a steely tone.

Alex watched as understanding entered the marquess’
eyes.
 
He could see the guilt that
sparked there as well, and his fury mounted.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” William replied,
his expression suddenly wary.

“I think you do.” Alex’s own expression was hard and
uncompromising as he took a step forward.

“What did she tell you?” William demanded, his eyes
narrowing as his demeanor rapidly grew defensive.

“She said that she tripped and bumped her cheek against a
doorframe,” Alex said quietly, noting the look of surprise that crossed
William’s face.

“Well then why-”

“Don’t,” Alex said harshly, cutting him off.
 
“You put that bruise on her cheek and we both
know it.”

“How dare you,” William spluttered.
 

Alex took another step forward, his hands curling into fists
at his sides.
 

“Damn you, Chesterfield,’ William began, squaring his shoulders,
“you have no right to question me about-”

Alex grabbed him then, his hands ruthlessly gripping the
marquess’ jacket as he shoved him back against the wall.
 
Eye to eye, toe to toe, he glared at William
in fury.
 
“I have every right,” he ground
out.
 
“And if you
ever
so much as lay a finger upon her again, I will make sure that
you regret it for the rest of your miserable life,” he continued, his tone cold
and menacing.

Assured that Tiffany would suffer no further abuse from his
father, Alex finally exited the house a few minutes later.
 
But even so, as he entered his waiting coach,
leaving her behind was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do.

The following week, just as he’d promised, Alex took Tiffany
to visit the Great Exhibition.
 
And it
was even more spectacular than she’d imagined it would be.
 
From the beauty of the building itself, to
the priceless works of art showcased throughout, the Crystal Palace was truly
remarkable in both its design and visual appeal.
 
Strolling past the various exhibits housed
within its glass walls, she was amazed by the sheer size and scope of the
exhibition as well.
 
Numbering over
thirteen-thousand, the exhibits showcased everything from metal presses and
firearms to envelope making machines and furniture.
 
There was also an area set up for visitors to
watch the entire process of cotton production from spinning to finished
cloth.
 
But it was the wide variety of
scientific displays and demonstrations that truly captured her interest.
 
There were
electric telegraphs, microscopes, air pumps and barometers, as well as
musical, horological and surgical instruments, all of which she found extremely
fascinating.
 

Fortunately, Alex
was the perfect companion, for much to her delight his interests seemed to
parallel her own.
 
However, despite her
desire to carry on, after several hours of touring the exhibition, she was
beginning to tire.

“Have you had
enough for today?” Alex asked, eyeing her perceptively.

Tiffany
nodded.
 
“I think so,” she acknowledged
with a touch of regret, for there was still so much she hadn’t seen.
 
All in all though, it was a day that she
would never forget, and she would be forever grateful that she had been able to
share such a wonderful experience with Alex.
 

“Shall we go and
fetch Lucy then?”

“Yes, let’s do.”

As his aunt Rose
hadn’t felt up to the day-long excursion, Lucy, the housemaid who’d been sent
out to the garden to keep watch over them that first day, had accompanied
Tiffany and Alex on their present outing.
 
Sending her off with a handful of coins, the delighted young maid had
been allowed to tour the exhibits on her own, with instructions to meet them
later on at the central fountain.
 

When they reached
the agreed upon meeting spot minutes later, Lucy was there waiting for them.

“Did you enjoy
the exhibition, Lucy?” Tiffany asked as they made their way to the exit and
Alex’s waiting carriage.

“Oh yes, my
lady,” she replied, bobbing her head enthusiastically.
 
Holding two small packages in her hands, she
then turned to Alex.
 
“And thank you ever
so much, my lord,” she continued shyly.

“You’re more than
welcome, Lucy,” Alex said with a smile, glad to see that she’d spent some of
the money he’d given her.

Tiffany hid a
grin as she watched Lucy’s face.
 
It was
clear that Alex’s smile had the same effect upon Lucy that it seemed to have on
virtually every other woman he encountered.
 
She looked utterly dazzled.
 
She
could hardly blame her though, for no matter how many times Alex’s smile was
directed at
her
, the result was
always the same.
 
Looking at him now, it
was hard to
believe that he might one day be hers, for despite all that
had occurred during the past week, at times she still couldn’t help wondering
if it was all just a glorious dream.

Shortly after
depositing Tiffany and Lucy at the Marlowe residence, Alex was seated in his
study, reviewing the daily correspondence that had been placed atop his
desk.
 
Aside from a handful of business
related communications, there wasn’t much of interest.
 
Tossing the document he’d been reviewing for
the past several minutes onto the desktop, he leaned back in his chair.
 
Laying his head against the top of the
backrest, he simply allowed his thoughts to wander.
 
Not surprisingly, they soon turned to his
impending marriage, and ultimately to Tiffany.
 
Though he didn’t blame her, he had to admit that there was still a small
part of him that resented the circumstances that had brought about his upcoming
trip to the altar.
 
Hells bells, a mere
month ago he would have laughed outright at the notion that he was to become
permanently leg-shackled within the year.
 
Nevertheless, here he was.
 
It
defied all reason.
 

And yet, if he
was to acknowledge the one blessing in the situation, it was surely Tiffany
herself.
 
Throughout the course of the
past two weeks, they’d spent a significant amount of time together,
properly chaperoned of course
, and in
that time he’d learned a great deal more about her personality.
 
He had to admit, he wasn’t disappointed.
 
In addition to their undeniable physical
attraction to one another, they had quite a few similar interests, as well as
several shared character traits.
 
Like
him, she was an avid equestrian, extremely well-read, she shared his interest
in astronomy as well as philosophy and she had a keen interest in social reform
as well.
 
In addition, she had a kind,
generous nature, she exhibited a delightful sense of humor as well as a modest
and unassuming graciousness, and she was fiercely loyal to her friends.
 
In truth, aside from her self-confessed lack
of musical talent, inability to sew a straight line, and a mediocre artistic
ability, she possessed virtually all of the qualities a man could possibly ask
for in a wife.
 

She was also in
love with him.
 
He’d suspected as much at
Sethe, but now he was certain of it, and that knowledge made protecting her all
the more important.
 
He hated the
damnable charade he was playing, but he knew that it was necessary.
 
If she discovered what her father had done,
that he’d
wagered
upon her future so
callously, it would surely cause her a tremendous amount of pain.
 
And of course, to learn of
his
part in it, would only make it that
much worse.
 
Though he wasn’t ready to
classify his own feelings as love, he cared about her far too much to ever let
that happen.

Hearing the
unmistakable approach of footsteps on the marble floor outside the closed door
of his study, Alex’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
 
Turning his gaze to the raised wooden panel,
he watched as the door swung open.

“Alexander Thomas Warrene, this had better not be a
jest!”
 
Still garbed in her coat and hat,
Cecelia Warrene abruptly burst through the door without so much as bothering to
knock, waving a wrinkled sheet of paper in the air.

“Mother, you’re home,” he said, stating the obvious as he
rose to his feet.
 
She must have
scheduled their return from France the moment she received his letter.

“Alex, is it true?” Lizzie and Amelia chorused excitedly as
they entered the room close on their mother’s heels.
 
“Are you really going to be married?”

“And hello to you too,” he replied with a teasing smile.

“Alexander!” the countess exclaimed, her voice raising an
octave, demanding his attention.
 
Thrusting the paper forward, she eyed him impatiently.

“I see you received my letter,” he said, walking leisurely
around the side of his desk to stand before his mother and sisters.
 

“Is it true then?”
 
His mother’s eyes were wide.
 
“You
intend to marry the Marquess of Melborne’s daughter?”

“Yes mother, it’s true,” he said, his tone purposefully
nonchalant.
 
“Your wish has finally been
granted.”

“Oh, how wonderful,” Lizzie cried, clapping her hands
excitedly.
 
“Are the two of you in love?”

“Oh yes, is it to be a love match, Alex?” Amelia queried
expectantly, her eyes wide.

He hesitated for a moment, uncertain how best to
answer.
 
His gaze bouncing back and forth
between his sisters, he finally turned to his mother for assistance.

“Hush girls,” Cecelia ordered, accurately reading her son’s
expression.
 
“Do not be impertinent.”

“But mama,” Lizzie began, while Amelia merely quirked her
brow, regarding Alex curiously.

“That’s enough girls, off you go for now,” Cecelia directed,
shooing them toward the door.
 
“I wish to
speak with your brother in private for a moment.”

Frowning in consternation, the girls grudgingly left the
room.

Alex watched them go, but knowing his sisters he doubted
they’d go far.
 
In all likelihood, they
would soon be taking turns listening at the keyhole.

Once the door was firmly shut, Cecelia immediately turned
back around to Alex.
 
“So,
are
you in love?” she asked in a hushed
voice.

Considering his prior reluctance to marry, the question
wasn’t altogether surprising.
 
“Have a
seat mother,” he said, motioning to the dark leather sofa.
 
“Shall I summon Hastings to take your hat and
coat?”

“That won’t be necessary,” she replied, shrugging out of her
coat and laying it across the arm of the sofa.
 
Sitting down, she removed her hat and placed it atop her coat, and then
pinned him with her steady gaze.
 
“Are
you avoiding the question?”
 

“I could use a drink.
 
Shall I pour you a sherry, Mother?”

“No thank you,” she replied, her tone growing impatient.

Pulling the stopper from the decanter, he poured himself a
brandy and then turned back to face his mother, raising the glass to his lips.

“Considering your disinclination to answer my question, I
can only assume that it is
not
a love
match,” Cecelia said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
 
“Shall I expect to welcome my first
grandchild within the upcoming months then?”

In the midst of swallowing, the unabashed question caught
him completely off guard.
 
As a result,
he choked and spluttered, which quickly progressed into a full on coughing fit.

Rising anxiously from her seat, his mother hurried over and
began thumping him soundly upon the back.
 
“Good heavens, dear.
 
Are you
quite alright?”

Seconds later, once he’d gotten himself under control, he
regarded his mother in utter disbelief.

“There is no need to appear so shocked, Alexander,” she
stated unflappably.
 
“Do you think that I
am unaware of your
reputation
?”

“For God’s sake, mother!”

“It’s a reasonable question,” she insisted.
 
“And one you have yet to answer, I might
add.”

He ran his fingers through his hair in agitation.
 
“No, you will not be becoming a grandmother
within the next nine months,” he assured her.
 
Although, he reminded himself guiltily, if things had progressed much
further at the cottage, his mother’s assumption might not have been entirely
off the mark.

“Well then, if not love or necessity, what
is
it that has prompted this sudden
change of heart,” she asked pointedly, resuming her seat.

“Is it so difficult to believe that I have simply reassessed
my outlook on the matter?”

The countess emitted an unladylike snort, eyeing him
dubiously.

“Bearing in mind that you have been beleaguering me for
years to marry and start a family, I thought that you would delighted with my
decision.
 
Was I mistaken in my
assumption?” he asked, meeting his mother’s gaze with a look of feigned
incredulity.

“You are not mistaken, and of course I am delighted by your
decision,” she replied in a more agreeable tone.
 
“I’m merely surprised, that is all.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that is to be expected,” he
acknowledged.
 
“Although, you may be even
more surprised to learn that
Aunt Rose
has been put into service as our chaperone these past weeks,” he said, smiling
good-humoredly.

“You’re joking?”

Alex chuckled.
 
He’d
known that particular bit of information would easily serve to redirect his
mother’s thoughts.
 
“As Tiffany has no
female family members residing in London, I was forced to make do.”

“Good heavens!
 
Much
as I adore her, your Aunt Rose is an absolute featherbrain,” Cecelia said,
looking aghast.
 
“The poor girl must
surely think us a family of clodpolls by now.”

“Hardly,” Alex said with a laugh.
 
“As a matter of fact, Tiffany seems quite
fond of her.
 
I believe she’s taken a
similar liking to Romeo and Juliet as well,” he added devilishly.
 
As he’d anticipated, his mother looked even
more horrified.

“Oh my,” she said, shaking her head in obvious dismay as she
once again rose to her feet.
 
“Clearly, I
must remedy the situation at once.”