by Connie Mason
“Gone,” mumbled Adam, reeling out of the chair. “To her lover, no doubt. Can’t blame her, though. I drove her to it.”
“Adam, you’re not making sense.” Mac sighed exasperated. “Alexa doesn’t have a lover. There’s only one man she wants and that’s you.”
“That might have been true once, Mac, but no longer.”
“Tell me what happened.” Adam’s slurred words were not always clear but somehow Mac pieced together all that had taken place that afternoon. “You’re a bigger fool than I thought.” He shook his head when Adam’s disjointed explanation came to an abrupt halt.
Adam nodded in complete agreement. “I love her, Mac.”
“It’s about time you admitted it.” Mac grinned. “Come on, I’ll help you up to bed. Things will look brighter in the morning.”
But in the morning Adam and Mac received word that the treaty committee was about to reconvene and they were expected at court immediately. The next few days found Adam too busy to do little more than rage inwardly over Alexa’s continued absence. He left the house early and did not return until late, usually too late even for supper.
One night after a particularly exhausting day, Adam was too keyed up to sleep. He longed to feel Alexa’s responsive body beside him, curled up warmly in his arms. If only these damned meetings he was obliged to attend would end, he fervently wished. Almost everything had been agreed upon and the king’s ministers had only to affix their signatures to the document to make it legal, thus freeing him to pursue his own business.
After pacing the floor for an hour Adam suddenly decided he was hungry and made his way through the silent house to the kitchen. A crack of light rimmed the door left slightly ajar and soft voices reached Adam’s ear. Owen and Bertha were seated around the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea before retiring to their own quarters. Adam was about to barge in when he heard Alexa’s name spoken and paused just outside the door to listen.
“The poor man.” Bertha shook her gray head. “It just ain’t right what Lady Alexa is doing to her poor husband.”
“It’s not for us to condemn or condone,” rebuked Owen gently. “Lady Alexa must have good cause to continue with this charade.”
Bertha clucked her tongue, evidently sympathizing with Adam. “She should tell Lord Penwell. He has a right to know about David.”
Adam froze, his imagination running wild. David! Was that the name of Alexa’s lover?
“Mind your tongue, Bertha.” Owen chided. “What my lady does in the country is her business. She’ll be back soon and she can explain to her husband why she took off so suddenly for the Ashley country estate.”
Adam did not wait around to hear the rest of the conversation as he rushed upstairs, needing privacy to ponder the servants’ words and their meaning. At least he now knew where Alex had gone and with whom. He trembled to think that even now she could be making love with some man named David. How long has the affair been going on? he wondered bleakly, suddenly recalling all those occasions he returned home to find Alexa gone. It was galling to think that all the time she was making tender love with him, she was giving herself to another. What a fool he was to trust her again!
The next morning Adam left as usual with Mac, but instead of attending the sessions, he asked to be pardoned for several days, citing a family crisis that called for his immediate attention. After some consultation, he was reluctantly excused and he hurried away leaving a bewildered Mac in his wake. Adam deliberately refrained from telling Mac what he intended for he knew his friend would attempt to restrain him from doing what he must, what his pride demanded. There was little doubt in Adam’s mind that he was on his way to kill the man he found with Alexa, though he had not yet decided what punishment he would mete out to his unfaithful wife.
Mounted on one of the finest horses from the stables at Ashley House, Adam set out for the country. His sword rode comfortably on his lean hips and as an extra precaution he jammed a pistol in his belt. His face was grim, his eyes flinty: a muscle twitched along the stern line of his jaw. Before too many hours had passed, Adam wagered, one man would lie dead, either Adam Foxworth or David.
On the day that she was summoned, Alexia reached the country house in record time to find the doctor from the village already attending her baby.
“Oh, my lady. I’m so glad you’ve come,” Maddy wailed the moment Alexa sped into the house. “The doctor is with Davie now.”
“What is it, Maddy? How sick is Davie?”
“He’s been feeding too little the past few days but we thought nothing of it until he broke out this morning.”
“Broke out! Oh, my God, Maddy, is it smallpox?” Alexa asked, immediately thinking the worst.
“I … I don’t know, my lady, the doctor hasn’t come out of his room yet to tell us.”
Wasting no further words. Alexa rushed past the sobbing Maddy and into the baby’s room where the doctor was still bending over his tiny form. Alexa cried out in alarm when she saw the angry red pustules covering his tiny body. The doctor turned at the sound of her voice. “My lady, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Is he going to die, doctor?” Alexa asked, her eyes awash with tears. “Is Davie going to die?”
The doctor smiled indulgently and Alexa couldn’t help but wonder why he was smiling in the face of tragedy. If she lost Davie she felt her life would end on the spot. “Your child has chicken pox, my lady,” the doctor told her. “A common childhood disease.”
“Not smallpox? You’re certain?”
“Aye, my lady, not smallpox; although chicken pox can become quite serious I’m certain your son will have no lasting effects other than a small scar or two. He’s healthy and well-nourished and within a few days should begin to heal nicely.”
Alexa nearly collapsed with relief as she cuddled her son who began whimpering the moment he spied his mother. She had never been so frightened in her life, not even when she faced the hangman. Davie’s close call made her stop to think how very precious life was, and how short. It also made her realize how wrong she was not to tell Adam about Davie. Her son needed a father and Adam had a right to claim and love his son. As soon as Davie was well again. Alexa resolved, she would bring Davie back to London for the long overdue meeting with his father.
Just as the doctor predicted, Davie’s illness soon ran its course. The only visible scars were a tiny one just above his right eyebrow and another below his left ear. During those long days when she selflessly nursed her son back to health, all tension seemed to have drained out of Alexa, due, she supposed, to her decision to unite father and son. What she stood to lose in all this, Alexa did not know, for during her absence Fannie could have become deeply entrenched in Adam’s affections. He was more than likely to be enraged with her for disappearing so mysteriously without a word to anyone.
But now that she had reached her decision Alexa hoped Adam would come to understand what had driven her to leave with Charles. At least the motive behind her actions would finally be revealed and hopefully Adam would believe and forgive.
Once the doctor pronounced Davie well enough to travel Alexa informed Maddy of her plans. “Praise the Lord!” Maddy sighed, raising her eyes in thanks. “It’s about time Davie met his father. If you weren’t so stubborn Lord Penwell could be enjoying his son right now.”
“I had my reasons,” Alexa replied sourly. “But somehow they no longer seem important. Pack Davie’s clothes. We’ll leave tomorrow.”
Adam arrived that same afternoon to send the entire household into a tizzy.
Each mile Adam traveled seemed like ten, every minute like hours. He pictured Alexa’s lover in so many guises that the end he threw up his hands in disgust. He knew Alexa to be a sensuous and responsive woman, but somehow he liked to think she was that way only for him. When he had finally come to forgive her for Charles, this David came along and set them right back where they started. Did Alexa somehow find him lacking that she felt the need to seek out another man? His anger e
scalated until his fingers itched to feel his sword pressed against the throat of a faceless man named David.
Adam left his horse at the stables after apprising the astonished stableboy of his identity. Then he walked to the huge front door and calmly made his presence known. A few minutes later an elderly woman looked up at him inquiringly, her bright eyes shining at the sight of the powerfully built man who exuded strength and self-confidence.
“Can I help you?” Maddy asked, realizing immediately the identity of the handsome man despite the fact that she had never set eyes on Alexa’s husband.
“Who are you?” Adam asked curtly.
“Lady Alexa’s housekeeper,” Maddy replied proudly. “My name is Maddy.”
Adam pushed his way inside, past the surprised Maddy who was unaccustomed to such rudeness. “I’m Lord Penwell, Lady Alexa’s husband.” Adam announced, glancing furtively in all directions but seeing nothing amiss.
“I thought you might be.” Maddy smiled warmly. “My lady has spoken often of you. I … had not expected you to look so fierce.”
Adam’s features immediately softened. No sense in frightening the servants, he decided, realizing that Maddy was the woman who had been like a mother to Alexa. Often in the past Alexa had spoken of her warm regard for the kindly housekeeper. “Where is my wife?” Adam asked, a harshness creeping into his voice despite his resolve to tread lightly before the woman.
“She’s in the bedroom with David,” Maddy beamed.
Her words brought a ferocious scowl to Adam’s face and Maddy wondered what she had said to cause it until Adam bellowed. “My God! Has the woman no shame? Has she now descended to cavorting openly before the servants?”
Before Maddy could explain he bounded up the stairs two a time, determined to break down every door if need be until he found Alexa and her lover. “Third door on the left,” called out Maddy, sensing Adam’s intent. “But you’ve got it all wrong, David is not …” Poor Maddy got no further as she heard a loud crash and Alexa’s startled scream.
Sagely, Maddy decided to retreat and allow Alexa time alone with her husband so that they might come to terms with their feelings. Besides, Alexa had much explaining to do. She realized, and rightly so, that finding out about Davie would present quite a shock to Adam and Maddy wanted no part of what was bound to follow. She advised the rest of the servants accordingly and they quickly vacated the front part of the house, leaving Alexa and Adam quite alone.
Alexa lay full-length upon the bed, cooing love words to her son. She loved to watch him smile and gurgle nonsense in return. “My darling David,” she murmured, tickling his chubby stomach, “I love you more than my life. I’d do anything to keep you safe and happy.”
Adam paused before the door long enough to hear Alexa’s startling words before outrage turned him into an avenging angel. His sword flew out of its scabbard as he raised one booted foot and kicked the door open, chagrined to find it had not even been locked and he could have pushed it open with a lot less bravado. His icy gaze settled on Alexa reclining on her side in bed, her lover shielded by her shapely form.
The moment the door crashed inward Alexa’s first thought was for Davie as she bent over him protectively, craning her head sideways in an effort to identify the source of the danger. What she saw made her gasp in shock.
Sword drawn, thunderclouds gathered in his gray eyes, his thatch of tawny hair falling across his forehead, Adam stood poised in the shattered doorway. “I’ve caught you red-handed. Alexa! Let loose of your lover so that he can defend himself. Or is he a coward who prefers to hide behind a woman’s skirts.”
“Adam!” Alexa gasped, startled. “We were coming back to London tomorrow.”
“We! Were you bringing your lover with you? Move aside, Alexa, and let him up. I want to see the man’s face before I kill him. No one takes my wife from me!”
Alexa began to giggle, unable to control her mirth as laughter bubbled up from her throat. “Adam … I … I …”
“What’s so damn funny, Alexa?” stormed Adam angrily. “Who is the bastard? You belong to me, Alexa. I love you!”
“What? What did you say?”
“I said I wanted to kill the bastard who thinks himself man enough to steal the woman I love!”
“Do you mean it? Do you truly love me?”
Still wielding the sword aloft in a ridiculous pose, Adam paused thoughtfully. “So what if I do?” he asked evasively. “Don’t think you can use my love for you to protect your lover.”
Slowly Alexa pushed herself into a sitting position, suddenly drained of all laughter. “I’ve always loved you. Adam. But we can talk about that later. There is someone I’d like you to meet.”
“Ah, the elusive David, I presume,” Adam gritted out, clutching his sword tightly. “Let me at the bastard!”
Alexa reached around and scooped up Davie, thrusting him forward for Adam to see. “Meet your son, Adam. His name is David but I call him Davie. And he’s no bastard. His father is the ferocious Fox, his mother, the Vixen, Fox’s mate.”
Adam’s sword slipped through numb fingers, clattering noisily to the floor where it lay unheeded at his feet. His mouth gaped open and his eyes glittered dangerously. A baby! David was only a baby, and if Alexa could be believed, his own son! Walking on legs suddenly gone rubbery, Adam gingerly approached the bed to gaze longingly at the babe. A pair of gray eyes to match his own stared soberly up at him. Adam poked a tentative finger at him and Davie immediately clutched at it, attempting to bring to his pink mouth. He laughed merrily at his father, who, enchanted by his son’s antics, immediately fell in love.
But Alexa did not fare so well in Adam’s regard. “Why, Alexa? Why didn’t you tell me about Davie? Do you hate me so much to punish me so heartlessly?”
Alexa felt herself grow crimson beneath Adam’s furious scowl. “It was the other way around, Adam. You hated me. I intended to tell you about Davie once you came to realize that you loved me and believed that I had never become Charles’s mistress.”
“Damn it, Alexa, that is no excuse!”
“I was afraid, feeling as you did, that you’d take Davie away from me!” Her obvious anguish tore at Adam’s heart. Had he really been so inflexible in his attitude toward her?
“My God, Alexa, for a man to be denied knowledge of his own son … His own flesh and blood!” The statement hung in the air like dense fog between them.
Adam reached out for Davie and Alexa gladly placed him in her husband’s arms, watching the play of naked emotion on his face. She knew now how wrong she had been to deliberately separate father and son but at the time it seemed the right thing to do. While Adam held and cuddled his son. Alexa began speaking softly, telling him why she had acted as she did to protect Davie when she learned she was pregnant. She also thought she was saving Adam’s life.
“I was going to tell you that I was carrying your child but the British arrived at Foxworth that night before I had the opportunity. I ran out the study doors and right into the arms of Charles Whitlaw who had come out to Foxworth to warn me when he heard that troops were on the way to arrest us.
Once he learned I was the Vixen it fired his imagination and he decided he wanted me for himself. He took me to Savannah and insisted I return to England with him.”
“You went with him because of the baby,” Adam said, comprehension finally dawning.
“For myself, I would have gladly died at your side, but I couldn’t condemn your child to the same death. He deserved to live. In order to gain my compliance Charles hatched this elaborate plot in which you would be allowed to go free. I … I readily agreed to become his mistress, even marry him, to save your life.”
“Only Charles never intended for me to live,” Adam said bitterly. He sat on the edge of the bed, carefully placing the baby between them. “And he gained himself a mistress.”
“No!” cried Alexa. “I was never Charles’s mistress! He did not fancy taking a woman already swelling with another man’s c
hild. He agreed to wait until after the baby was born. Then the war ended and I was free of him. I no longer had anything to fear from him.”
“I was told he went to India.”
Alexa laughed uproariously. “The coward! When he told me you were dead I promised him I would come back to kill him once my child was born, and he must have believed me. He had one clash with the Vixen and evidently that was enough.”
“Would you? Have killed him, I mean?”
“Without a qualm,” Alexa assured him, her chilling tone reminiscent of the Vixen who had killed often in the name of freedom. “He told me you were dead, that he paid to have you killed, and my hate for him knew no bounds. I think, my love, if I hadn’t been carrying Davie. I might have taken my own life, such was my grief.”
“Thank God for Davie.” Adam murmured gratefully. “And thank God for Mac or I wouldn’t be here now.”
“Amen,” agreed Alexa solemnly.
“Have you two managed to make up without doing each other bodily harm?” Maddy stood in the doorway calmly surveying the shattered door that still hung loosely on its hinges. Other than that nothing else appeared damaged.
“Maddy, how did you ever manage to control this hellion?” Adam asked, his harsh voice edged with humor.
“Now you know what to expect from Master Davie,” chuckled Maddy. “And speaking of the young man, it’s time for his nap.”
Reluctantly Adam passed the child into the housekeeper’s waiting arms. But not before he fixed her with a stern look and said. “It’s only because I’m in an expansive mood, having just discovered I am a father, that I am inclined to forgive you for aiding Alexa in her harebrained scheme to keep me and my son apart. But if you or anyone else should conspire against me again I won’t be so lenient.”
Properly chastised, Maddy could only nod in agreement. “Aye, my lord.” Then she carried her small charge out of the room, carefully closing the ruined door behind her.
“That goes for you, too, my love,” Adam admonished sternly, winding a hand through her luxurious hair and tugging gently until she was forced to lean into him. “Don’t you ever try to keep anything from me again.”
