Page 68 of An Unlikely Debutante

Chapter Twenty-One

‘What an adventure you’ve had!’ Aunt Lucy exclaimed, her eyes shining as Alex finished telling her about their eventful journey home from the races. He’d glossed over the part where he and Lina had spent the night in each other’s arms, completely naked, with just one another’s bodies for heat. Although Aunt Lucy was a free spirit when it came to matters of the heart and matters of the bedchamber, Alex didn’t want to embarrass Lina by giving his aunt too many details.

They’d arrived back at Whitemore House just before lunch, exhausted and filthy. Luckily, as they’d returned to the damaged carriage on the road near the barn McManus and Kitsworth had arrived on horseback, with a friendly farmer driving his cart behind them. The coachman and the groom had spent most of the night trawling the local area, desperately trying to find someone who would open their door to two strange men in the middle of the night in the storm. Alex was pleased he’d taken Lina to shelter in the barn rather than ride for help the night before. He’d been unsure about his decision, but seeing the pale, drawn faces of his coachman and groom, he knew he’d made the right choice.

On arriving home he’d first instructed McManus and Kitsworth to take at least a week off to recuperate and then he’d sunk into a hot bath, making sure not to get his injured arm wet. Lina had still not emerged from her bedroom, where every so often a maid would disappear with a fresh bucket of hot water, so no doubt she was still soaking in the tub that had been carried into her room. An hour ago the doctor had arrived and quickly cleansed and sutured Alex’s wound, declaring he should make a full recovery as the bullet had only grazed him, passing cleanly through the skin and top layer of muscle.

‘It was certainly an eventful night,’ Alex said, leaning back in his chair. He felt tired, his eyes heavy and his body weary. He hadn’t slept a wink, finding it impossible to relax with Lina’s body pressed against his, having her so tantalisingly close but unable to act out his deepest fantasies. Every time she’d shifted, every time she’d wriggled in her sleep, Alex had fought to maintain his control. The worst part was that he’d seen the desire in her eyes, known that all it would take was one carefully timed kiss and she would melt into his arms, willing and ready to give in to the passion between them.

‘It’ll be a story to tell your grandchildren,’ Aunt Lucy said, a hint of mischief in her eyes.

‘Aunt Lucy...’ Alex started, his voice stern.

‘Anyone can see the connection you two share.’

Alex sighed, looking down at his hands for a few moments. He loved Aunt Lucy, she’d been wonderful after the death of his parents, ensuring both he and Georgina wanted for nothing whilst they mourned the loss, but sometimes she was a little too free with her opinions.

‘I like Lina,’ Alex said slowly, choosing his words so she couldn’t misinterpret anything. ‘I enjoy spending time with her. She’s fun and amusing and I find myself happier when I’m in her company.’

‘What more could you want from a mate?’

‘You know she’s a completely unsuitable companion.’

‘I can see the spark between you, the desire that is simmering just beneath the surface.’

‘That is not enough to base a lifetime together.’

Aunt Lucy shrugged. ‘It’s a good start. I’ve been married three times, Alex, and my happiest time was when I followed what my heart was telling me.’

He couldn’t believe they were talking about him having a future with Lina. It wasn’t even something he had contemplated, not seriously. In the dark hours in the middle of the night he had indulged in a few fantasies, scenarios where he woke up to Lina in his arms every morning and made passionate love to her every night, but he knew they were just that: fantasies.

‘She’s a gypsy.’

‘Why should that matter?’

It was the way of the world. Perhaps people would be much happier if the social order was not such an important consideration, but in today’s world it was.

‘If I chose to spend my life with Lina, we would be snubbed by society. She’d never fit in.’

‘That’s only a problem if you care about those things.’

Despite knowing it could never happen, despite knowing his life and Lina’s could never slot together, Alex felt a flicker of hope and anticipation. There would be something wonderful about spending each and every day with Lina, watching her face as he gave her a racehorse to break in and train, persuading her to swim naked again in the lake, indulgently kissing every inch of her body first thing each morning...

‘These last few weeks you’ve come alive again, Alex, after retreating into yourself for so long. If Lina can do that for you, imagine what happiness you could have if you just forget about what society expects of you and focus on what is really important—love.’

Distractedly he shook his head. He didn’t love Lina. He liked her, he cared for her, he certainly desired her, but after Victoria had nearly broken him, he’d vowed never to open his heart to love again.

It was true he loved certain things about Lina—her inquisitive nature, her inherent kindness, her ability to shrug off other people’s opinions—but that wasn’t the same thing as loving her. Or at least...

Alex shook his head, this was not a path he should go down. If he loved Lina, things would get a lot more complicated, a lot messier.

‘All that can be obtained without marriage,’ Alex said slowly, an idea forming in his mind. When he’d asked Lina to become his mistress before, he’d tried to persuade her it would just be for a short time, that they could take their pleasure and break away cleanly, both moving on with their lives. Over the past few weeks Alex knew his affections for Lina had grown, he couldn’t stand in the same room as her and not want to wrap her in his arms. Perhaps the solution to their difference of opinion when it came to Lina being his mistress could be solved by him admitting he didn’t just want a short-term affair.

‘She won’t have you any other way,’ Aunt Lucy said bluntly.

‘You don’t know that.’

‘She’s a sensible girl—already she’s at a huge social disadvantage being from a gypsy family. All she has is her virtue and her self-respect. If she agrees to be your mistress, she will lose that.’