Where you can be whomever you want…
He had forgotten the glimmer of sympathy in her dark eyes. His anger began to slowly fade then, replaced by understanding. By possibility.
“Wake up, my boy.” His father’s voice echoed through his mind, as if it came from a great distance. It seemed to drag him to the surface of consciousness, but the realization came along with him.
Alex had seen something in him that night. Seen him in a way Freddie never had. Lucien slowly blinked awake and winced. The curtains had been thrown back and the room was awash in morning sunlight. His father hovered in the doorway staring at him anxiously. Before he could ruminate on the strangeness of the situation, alarm shot through him.
Lucien sat up. “What is it? What’s happened?”
But his father crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “I was hoping you could tell me.”
“What?” He squinted, both in confusion and because the room was so damnedbright.
“Oh, Leonard. Give the boy a moment, will you?” Mrs. Holloway called out from the kitchen. “I’ve brought over some breakfast. Come when you’re ready, Lucien,” she added.
His father gave him a warning look. “Mrs. Holloway has to get back to the house.Someof us can’t lay abed all day.”
Lucien rubbed his face. Judging from the sunlight, it couldn’t be much later than nine o’clock. But to a man like his father, it might as well be noon. “I’ll be right there.”
“Five minutes,” he warned, then closed the door and shuffled back down the hall.
Lucien rushed through his toilette and threw on the crumpled trousers and shirt he’d worn the night before. When he entered the kitchen, his father was sitting at the table with Mrs. Holloway, an impressive spread of breakfast items before them while they whispered to each other and shared an intimate smile. The tender scene filled him with unexpected warmth. When Lucien’s mother had died nearly ten years before, his father had been so broken for so long. But now it was a relief to see him happy again and to know that he had someone to watch over him when Lucien would inevitably leave once more.
They both looked up and his father immediately frowned. “Sit, please,” he said sternly and pointed to the chair across from him. Lucien automatically lowered his head, as if he had been caught in an act of boyhood mischief. Still, he dutifully obeyed. But Mrs. Holloway was all smiles as she poured him a cup of tea and passed him a plate loaded with teacakes and currant buns.
Lucien murmured his thanks and took a sip.
“So,” his father prompted. “How long have you two been carrying on?” Lucien set down the teacup, genuinely puzzled, but before he could answer, his father continued: “Is that why you came back? It’s fine if it is, but I don’t understand why you neversaidanything. Did you think I couldn’t keep it to myself?” His agitationgrew with each word until Mrs. Holloway placed a gentle hand on his arm.
“Leonard. Let him explain. You’ll work yourself into a fit.” Then she fixed Lucien with a pleading look. “Go on, love.”
His eyes darted between them. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t the faintest idea what you’re talking about.”
They fell into a stunned silence until his father could take no more.
“You’re courting Alexandra Atkinson!”
Lucien went still. “Where did you hear that?”
His father made a chortling sound. “Wheredidn’twe hear it? My God, the whole estate has been twittering about it since last night.”
Lucien’s hands tightened on the hard edges of the chair. So much for having the evening to think it over. Alex certainly worked quickly. She must have spread the news herself so he wouldn’t have the chance to back out. Or explain himself to Freddie first. He let out a huff. The woman wasdiabolical.The vulnerability. The nervousness. The hesitation. It had all been an act. And one that he had completely fallen for.
Lucien would not make that mistake again.
“Well? Aren’t you going to say anything?” his father pressed. “At least tell us how it happened.”
“I… I can’t really explain it,” Lucien said with a strange little laugh and shook his head. There. That was the truth, at least.
A kind of understanding flickered in his father’s eyes as he sat back in his chair. “Then it’s true,” he murmured.
Lucien stared at him. He hadn’t really considered all that this agreement would require of him.
I will introduce you to my contacts in London and help you secure investors.
It could be even bigger than before.
You’ll need to court me. Publicly.
