“I daresay I wasn’t expecting to see you today, but it’s a particularly lovely day.”
He didn’t wish to tarry any longer than necessary, so he said succinctly, “Indeed. I do leave the manor on occasion.”
He started to turn his horse around, but she said, “Is everything quite well between you and Alyssa?”
Travell hesitated. Any mention of Alyssa caught his attention. “Why do you ask?”
She shrugged. “Merely that’s she’s been spending more time at Breyton Hall rather than Rosewood, of late. I suppose all that nonsense about her roses needing such constant care was merely a lark to stay away from us, but then, we still don’t see her that often, for she generally takes her meals in her room, despite all my best efforts to coax her out. I’ve done everything I could to embrace her as family, and yet, she still retains such a distance.”
She sighed dramatically, and it was all Travell could do not to snort at the blatant lies that rolled so easily off of her tongue. He’d already discussed Alyssa with her, and it was obvious she cared more for her own comfort than the grief Alyssa still carried around with her.
Travell’s frown suddenly deepened, for he supposed he’d failed Alyssa as well. He’d been so focused on his own need for her, that he forgot she was still nursing some inner wounds of her own. Shame, hot and cutting, tore through him and he vowed that he would make it all up to her at the earliest convenience.
“I’m sure you understand my continued concern, Lord Curdiff.” Caroline batted her lashes at him.
“I do,” he returned tersely. “But I fear it’s misplaced. I admire Lady Alyssa. She’s always been an important part of my sister’s life.” He paused. “And mine. I told you before that you have no cause for worry. Now, if you will excuse me?”
He spurred his mount forward without even glancing back.
***
Alyssa turned away from the window in her bedchamber. She had witnessed the interaction between the two people on horseback and found a smile finally stretched her mouth. She knew the man was Travell, for he was the only one who might have ridden to the top of the hill and watch over the manor from a distance. With his dark greatcoat flowing in the breeze, she imagined that he was a highwayman, coming to rescue her from the tower of the mad witch.
But it wasn’t until the lady in question rode up beside him that Alyssa’s brief, childish fantasy withered and died. However, once it became apparent the viscount was in no mood to engage with Caroline, Alyssa’s heart lifted. As he rode away, she could see the stiff set to her cousin’s wife’s shoulders as she rode back to Breyton Hall alone.
No doubt Caroline would be in a sour mood to have been spurned by Travell once again, when it was obvious that she considered herself to be a gift when it came to the male species. The fact that Travell was immune to Caroline’s charms pleased Alyssa to no end.
But as she’d watched them converse, she could understand how Travell might have overreacted to the sight of her with Mr. Lyridon, especially after he’d had such a difficult day in London. Alyssa certainly hadn’t appreciated Caroline’s interference that day at Rosewood, any more than she wanted her to continue her pursuit of Travell right beneath her husband’s nose. Either James was ignorant of the fact his wife was hoping to obtain a lover, or else he preferred to turn a blind eye to her peccadilloes.
Either way, the last few days had been pure torture for her. Alyssa had told herself countless times that she was right in spending as little time at Rosewood as possible in an effort to avoid Travell’s advances. While she loved him with all her heart, she didn’t want to make a mistake that would be irreversible. She knew that if she gave in to her attraction to him that it would be wrong, because in time, he would grow distant and eventually tire of her. She’d seen the same pattern countless times through the years. He might imagine she was different, but until Travell could finally confront the demons from his past, he couldn’t truly open his heart to anyone. He might believe that he could, but she knew the truth, even if he refused to confront it.
Unfortunately, the key to everything depended on Lord Trenton and his ability to break through his own troubled mind, but with any luck, Mr. Lyridon would unlock that long closed door.
Feeling restless, Alyssa decided it was time to venture out beyond her bedchamber and since it was another sunny day, she decided she really should be taking advantage of this lovely fall weather, for these coveted days in England didn’t last long.
Deciding that she would take Posy out for a ride, she rang for Daisy, who assisted her into a plum velvet riding habit. “Are you going into the village, my lady?”
Alyssa considered that. Perhaps another visit to the vicar would soothe her wayward thoughts. “Maybe I will.”
“You should. Today is the annual harvest fair, a reaping celebration to give thanks for a good crop.” Daisy reddened slightly. “I’ve heard the other servants talking about it here and at Rosewood.”
“I see.” Alyssa frowned slightly. “I’m confused. Isn’t that what Michaelmas is for?”
Daisy laughed. “They aren’t passing up the opportunity to pluck a fattened goose during the harvest moon, but from what I understand, that day is a bit more reserved, which is why they host the fair.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “The scullery maid said it’s just an excuse for the men to get soused on ale and act the fools.”
“I see.” Alyssa smiled as Daisy handed her a matching bonnet. “I daresay it won’t be quite as grand as the Bartholomew Fair going on in London this month, but I’m sure it’s worth checking out.”
“If I might be permitted, I’d like to go this evening.” Her maid’s eyes practically gleamed. “There’s talk of a dance.”
Alyssa winked at her. “Of course. I daresay you shouldn’t miss it. And I’m sure there will be several gentlemen who will ask you to partner with them.”
The younger girl’s face instantly brightened. “Thank you, my lady.”
As Alyssa made her way to the outskirts of the village, she saw that it was rather crowded. Vegetable stalls surrounded the main thoroughfare with men and women alike hawking their wares, as children scurried about, their laughter making Alyssa smile. One buxom woman walked by pulling a young boy with one hand while holding her skirts up with the other. She didn’t look happy.
Alyssa realized that this was the distraction that she’d needed.
She led her mare over to the church and tied Posy’s reins to a tree. As she dismounted, the door to the chapel opened and the vicar walked out. As he spied her, he offered her a welcoming grin. “Lady Alyssa. It’s good to see you again.” He gestured to the buzz in the marketplace. “And you’ve arrived at the perfect time.”
“Mr. Adams.” She inclined her head. “I daresay the fair looks very intriguing.”
“Indeed, it is.” He held up a hand. “But be cautious. Some of the folk tend to allow the celebration to warp their good sense.”
“Thank you for the warning, Mr. Adams,” she returned.
He clasped his hands before him. “I hope you found the answers you were seeking the other day.”
Alyssa’s face warmed slightly as she recalled her interlude with Travell inside the church, where he’d made that ridiculous proposal. “I fear it will be a work in progress,” she demurred.
He smiled, his wizened eyes appearing to see more than she imagined he might. “God answers our prayers in His own time.”
Alyssa watched as he walked away, and then she headed toward the merriment.
She strolled along the stalls and even purchased an apple, which she munched on happily. When she spied a cluster of bright purple blooms, she walked toward them. She bent down and inhaled their unique scent.
“Those are the Michaelmas daisy, miss.” A woman in a plain, gray dress and a white apron walked over to her with a kind smile. Her graying brown hair was pulled back into a bun.
“I know.” Alyssa shrugged. “Studying flowers is sort of a hobby of mine.”
&n
bsp; “A bouquet for the lady, please.”
Alyssa’s breath left her lungs in a rush as she slowly turned to meet that familiar, hypnotic blue gaze. Travell was looking at her with a heated stare, but when the woman handed a bunch of the daisies to Alyssa, tied up into a neat purple bow, he broke contact to hand the woman a gold guinea.
The seller’s eyes instantly lit up. “Oh, thank you, my lord!”
He turned back to Alyssa and held out his arm. “Shall we, my lady?”
Alyssa could tell a blush sufficed her face, for her cheeks warmed traitorously. But then, Travell had always had that effect on her. As they began walking, she said, “Thank you for the flowers.”
He inclined his head. “They pale in comparison to your beauty.” He suddenly winced. “That rather sounded like something Byron might say, didn’t it?” he murmured.
She couldn’t help but laugh. “It did, rather, but I appreciate the sentiment, nonetheless.” As he turned his head to glance at her, her stomach fluttered. She quickly faced forward and attempted to steer the subject to neutral ground. “Were you aware of the fair today?”
“I was,” Travell admitted. “Although it’s been years since I’ve joined in the festivities, I always give my staff at Rosewood leave to attend.”
“That’s very kind of you,” she said sincerely.
“It would be,” he returned. “If I could get Ives to leave his post.” He blew out a breath. “If you haven’t noticed, he’s particularly stubborn, especially now that my father is in residence. He doesn’t want to ‘shirk his duties’ to the earl. As if there is a more faithful servant in all of England. I doubt even the Regent has such a devoted man as Ives.” He shook his head. “Even Mr. Lyridon declined the offer to join the festivities. I nearly stayed behind as well, but they both practically shoved me out the door. No doubt they are tired of my constant hovering.”
Alyssa laughed, and then the conversation between them fell silent. But instead of scrambling for something to fill the void, they both seemed content to allow the lull.
Finally, Travell paused and turned to her, regret filling his gaze. “I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting lately. My recent behavior has been… boorish and insensitive, and I have not engaged in the proper conduct of a gentleman. I know that you’re still feeling the loss of Lady Alwan and you’ve needed a friend. For that, I humbly apologize.” He exhaled heavily. “If only Triana were here, she would know what to say.”
He offered her a crooked grin and Alyssa’s throat tightened, truly touched by his words. She reached out and grasped his hand. “That was a perfectly lovely apology. I’m not sure your sister could have done any better. “She squeezed his hand. “You have always been a dear friend to me, Travell. And I know what you’re going through at the moment. Such trials can wear on the most honorable of souls.” She tilted her head to the side and glanced at him coquettishly to add, “As far as your boorish conduct is concerned, you haven’t always been that difficult to endure.”
“Indeed?” He started walking again, but he didn’t release her hand, and that thrilled her more than she wanted to admit. “In that case, my lady, perhaps you might allow me a brief kiss behind the old oak tree later?” he teased.
Her lips twitched. “Perhaps.” But of course, the answer would be yes.
***
Travell’s chest was lighter than it had been in days. It was rather freeing to confess his transgressions, even though he wasn’t in the presence of a priest. At least the tension between him and Alyssa had finally been broken. He was worried that he’d overstepped those bonds too far and he might never be able to regain her trust, but he should have known her heart was large enough to forgive his blundering. And although he would like to lay all the blame at his father’s feet, it wasn’t his sire’s condition that had caused him to act so rashly, but rather his growing awareness of Alyssa.
For years he’d overlooked a treasure that had been right in front of him the whole time. She had merely been hidden behind Triana’s shadow. But the recent dreams he’d harbored about the lady had been anything but “sisterly.”
Even now, his cock stirred with eagerness, just by walking beside her and catching a whiff of her violet perfume and that unique, feminine allure that belonged only to her. A stray strand of her dark hair blew across her cheek and he yearned to brush it back behind her ear. Her eyes sparkled with emerald fire as she took in the sights of the fair, pointing out various things they passed.
However, it was her mouth that tormented him more than anything. He recalled the taste of those pink, petal-soft lips and would have found a way to give her the moon for just another chance to take her in his arms.
But he wouldn’t. Not yet. Not until he could prove to her that his attentions were sincere, that he wasn’t just looking to add her to his list of sexual conquests. He wasn’t such a rutting boar that he couldn’t control his baser urges around her. He’d done it many times before when his work for the Home Office required complete focus, so he was confident he could do it now. Unfortunately, no other woman had succeeded in breathing meaning back into his life, when he hadn’t even realized he hadn’t been truly living, merely just existing.
Nevertheless, he would woo Alyssa the way a lady was meant to be courted, and pray that this second chance she’d bestowed on him wouldn’t go to waste.
He spied a small theatre some distance away and pointed. “I do believe we may get to see a puppet show.”
Alyssa’s gasp of pleasure nearly made him groan. “Punch and Judy!” she exclaimed. “Did you know that they started out as marionette’s, but because of their violent actions, they have been turned into gloved performers?” She laughed. “I never tire of watching them. I’m still fascinated when the showman changes Punch’s voice by a swazzle to deliver that gleeful cackle. It’s just spectacular!”
Travell told himself that he might as well start figuring out a way to travel to the moon, so that he could bring it down for her, as he could deny her nothing. “I would hate to disappoint a lady,” he murmured.
Together, they settled in for the performance.
Chapter Fourteen
Alyssa rode back to Breyton Hall beside Travell and barely withheld a sigh of contentment. Today had been one of the most enjoyable days she’d had since returning to her father’s former estate. While she still felt her aunt’s loss rather keenly, for Pearl had always enjoyed the Bartholomew Fair and its entertainments in London, at least today was the first time Alyssa hadn’t fought the urge to burst into tears when she thought of the lady.
She glanced at Travell who had insisted on escorting her home before he headed for Rosewood, even though she’d assured him that she would be perfectly fine, though it was starting to become dusk. However, it was evident that she wouldn’t have any trouble on the road, for as the vicar had said; most of the villagers were already deep in their cups once the nightly entertainment had begun.
Once their identities had been discovered, the villagers were more than welcoming, many of them Travell or Lord Lockley’s tenants. But while Travell was well received, the baron and his wife were not. “They never bother t’ step foot ‘ere.” The blacksmith had said, as he’d spit on the ground. “Tha’ wife o’ his thinks she’s too high in th’ instep t’ mingle wit’ us common folk.”
This hadn’t settled well with Alyssa, for she knew her parents had always joined the local festivities. In the morning, she intended to have a word with her cousin.
As they rode up in front of Breyton Hall, a groom took the reins from her as she dismounted. As he led Posy away, she glanced up at Travell. “Thank you for seeing me home, even though I told you it wasn’t necessary.”
“Your safety is my main priority,” he returned firmly, the possessiveness in his voice causing her toes to curl in her boots.
“I appreciate your concern,” she returned politely. “Good night, Lord Curdiff.”
His blue eyes caught the light of the moon and twinkled like the night sky. “Sw
eet dreams, Lady Alyssa.”
Alyssa wanted to hug herself as she strode up the steps to the manor, but she forced herself to retain her outward poise. She heard Travell ride off as she walked in the foyer.
“Alyssa? Is that you?”
Her bubble of happiness dissipated at the sound of Caroline’s voice coming from the front parlor. “Yes.”
The baroness appeared in the doorway like an ethereal being in her light blue dress, her hair styled becomingly, like a golden halo atop her head. “I’d like to speak with you, if you have a moment.”
“Of course.” Alyssa wanted to sigh as she walked toward the parlor. She should have known that after Travell accompanied her home she wouldn’t be able to go to her room without any interruption. The woman had likely been watching for her return from the window.
As they settled across from one another, Alyssa couldn’t help but think she was facing off with an adversary. While Caroline’s face was perfectly serene, it was her blue eyes that sparked with malicious intent. “I see that you were out riding with Lord Curdiff this afternoon.”
“Actually,” Alyssa corrected. “We’d just returned from the village festival.”
Caroline tossed her head. “Those commoners send us an invitation to their little gathering every year. As if I would attend without a single member of the gentry present.” She snorted. “However, if I would have known the viscount would be attending, I might have persuaded James to go.”
Alyssa clenched her hands in her lap. “Lord Curdiff believes that a little goodwill inspires loyalty in his tenants.”
“They will be loyal to Breyton Hall if they don’t wish to be evicted,” Caroline shot back.
It was all Alyssa could do not to get up and walk out. The woman was insufferable. “And does my cousin share your opinion?”
Lady Lockley’s eyes filled with a haughty ire. “My husband stands by me in all things. I was an earl’s daughter before I married him. While I lowered myself to do so, his wealth was a powerful incentive.”
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