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‘You just said you weren’t disreputable,’ he reminded drily. ‘Were you lying?’
‘Of course not! But you can tell your friend I’d not consider a man too timid to come in person and make up his own mind about me.’
‘He’d have very quickly made his mind up about you,’ Alex said sourly. ‘He’s not lacking courage, just sense. And I dare say he’d have been so smitten he’d have forgotten to enquire about your two-thousand-pound dowry.’
Elise whipped aside her face before he could see her stricken look. ‘We would not suit...you must make your friend clearly see that.’
‘You’d sooner I told him you’re a fright?’
‘I’d sooner you told him...’ Elise hesitated, trying to unscramble her wheeling thoughts. ‘I have already explained myself to you, sir. Please convey that I have found a suitor in the usual manner and I apologise to you both for every inconvenience suffered.’ She fumbled with tying her bonnet strings and made to hurry towards the main path.
In a couple of strides Alex was blocking her exit.
‘I don’t think there is anything more to say,’ Elise said coolly, attempting to dodge about the obstacle of his broad figure. ‘I have already apologised to you and it is all you will get.’
‘I think you owe me more than just an apology,’ Alex returned firmly. ‘I’ve had the decency to be honest with you, my dear, I think you owe me the same courtesy.’
A blush flooded warmly up Elise’s throat; he’d flatly let her know he’d not been taken in by her tale. ‘I’ve given you my explanation.’
‘Indeed...but now I’d like to hear the truth from you,’ Alex drawled.
Chapter Five
‘Are you accusing me of lying?’ Elise was unable to summon the audacity to continue with the deceit and avoided his eyes.
He’d explained his involvement moments ago and she’d believed him because his reasons for becoming embroiled in this ridiculous game were strikingly similar to her own. They’d both hoped to protect someone else and now were suffering the consequences of their concern. Yet, regrets aside, she knew she would remember for ever being kissed and caressed by a stranger who’d made her ache in an exquisitely pleasurable way.
‘I am not Lady Lonesome...’ Elise spontaneously volunteered, forcing her mind away from memories that had rushed blood to her cheeks. ‘I am very fond of...the person I am helping and was on my way to intercept her and bring her back to the safety of our group before she disgraces herself. If she is spotted dawdling about on her own or, worse, is accosted by a gentleman, she will ruin her future and that of her family.’
‘Your family?’ Alex suggested in a way that was sympathetic yet demanding.
A single nod from Elise answered him. ‘I must somehow slip back unseen to my friends or personally risk the shame I was dreading might befall my sister.’
‘Is your sister likely to still be waiting by the lake for Mr Best?’
‘I certainly hope not,’ Elise choked. ‘As you have not turned up I’m praying she has returned to our friends with no more harm done than a fit of the sulks got from imagining she was stood up.’
‘If your sister is as alluring as you, she has a right to feel miffed over it.’
‘Beatrice is a real beauty...’ Elise’s praise for her lovely sister tailed away. She didn’t want him to think she was fishing for more compliments. Charming this gentleman might now appear, his reputation would suffer no lasting damage from their meeting, should it be discovered. For her, however, it would be a catastrophe. It was imperative that she got back to the others. Verity would be unable to smooth over their absence for long and if Bea had returned while she had not, everybody would imagine harm had befallen her.
‘Might I ask you to stay here a while longer and give me a chance to head back first?’ It was a muted plea. ‘It will not do for us to be seen together.’
‘Why is your beauty of a sister forced to advertise for a husband?’
Elise made a hopeless little gesture. ‘It is a private matter, sir; I beg you will ask no more. I’m sure after this evening’s fruitless escapade she will understand how foolish she has been.’ She glanced at his angular features, half in shadow. Moments ago his face had abraded hers, his hands had stroked intimately against flesh no man had ever touched. Now they were as remote as strangers. ‘If you would deter your friend from any further communication with my sister, that would be appreciated.’
