AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Since Jack had died, Emily had learned that life was fragile. A man or woman might be hale and hearty and laughing with you one day and gone the next.
Emily wandered rather aimlessly in one of the palace corridors, ostensibly admiring the paintings, though seeing nothing but her memories of earlier. Finally, she turned with the purpose of finding her lady’s maid and asking for a cup of tea. Emily was cold and the tea would warm and perhaps soothe her as well. She could hint that Pratt might spill a few drops of brandy in the tea and no one would be the wiser.
Her new route took her past the prince’s study, and she heard male voices rumbling through the partially open door. Emily did not slow. She had no intention of eavesdropping, but when she heard her own name it was impossible not to listen.
“I believe Lady Averley suggested the outing,” the prince was saying.
“That’s Lord Averley’s widow?” another man asked. It sounded like the prime minister.
“Yes.” The prince spoke again. “She suggested a ride in the park. After the recent rains, we had all been craving an outing.”
“But it was Lady Averley who suggested the park?” the prime minister asked.
“It was. You cannot possibly suspect Lady Averley of having a part in this, though.”
Emily closed her eyes, thankful that the prince at least was on her side.
“I am not accusing her of anything.” The prime minister must have been moving about the room because she caught a glimpse of him as he passed the doorway. “I am suspicious of everyone.”
“And you must admit”—this was a new voice, one Emily did not know—“her late husband was not the most loyal of the queen’s subjects.”
“What are you saying?” the prince asked. “The Earl of Averley may have been a vocal opponent of some of the queen’s policies, but he was not a traitor, and neither is she.”
“Someone betrayed the queen.” The prime minister passed by the door again, but this time he happened to look out, and his gaze met Emily’s. He moved toward the door and grasped the handle. “And we must be vigilant.” His eyes never left Emily’s as he closed the door with a final thud.
“LADY AVERLEY, MIGHTI introduce my good friend Mr. Willoughby Galloway?”
Emily had been staring at her fan, turning it this way and that in her hand so the gold scalloped edges might glint in the light from the drawing room chandeliers. She’d been dreading thisdinner for the past ten days, ever since the incident in the park. The prime minister would be in attendance, and she could still hear Lord John Russell’s words ringing in her ears—we must be vigilant.
As though she had anything to do with the shots fired in the park.
The queen was now saying it had probably been poachers who had fled when they realized their stray pistol ball had endangered the queen. Everyone had agreed with the queen publicly. Privately, Emily received more than her share of dark looks.
Emily looked up from her fan into the kind eyes of the prince. She did not think Albert suspected her, but she had not expected him to approach her. He generally took little interest in the queen’s ladies. The prince nodded at the man at his side and Emily offered a mild greeting, holding out her limp hand so the man might take it.
“Lady Averley, Mr. Galloway is the son of Viscount Smythe.”
She did not know the viscount, so she smiled at Galloway wanly. But the expression froze on her face as his eyes met hers. He had the most stunning eyes. They were a beautiful light brown with flecks of gold and dark gold lashes. He took her hand, and she almost gasped aloud. Something akin to lightning passed between them. She felt the zing of...connection even through her glove. Emily had the urge to tear her hand from his, to examine it, but she gritted her teeth and held still through the pleasantries.
“Lady Averley,” Galloway said, lowering his head to brush his lips over her gloved hand. Emily’s eyes widened. The gesture was completely unnecessary. Most men simply bowed and released her. But Galloway seemed to have no intention of releasing her, and her hand burned where his lips had touched the white leather. He looked up from the kiss, his light brown eyessparkling with mischief as though he knew she was burning from his touch.
“Mr. Galloway,” she murmured. “How lovely to meet you.” Now he would release her. Now she could pull her hand back and break this—this—she did not know what it was, but it unnerved her.
“The pleasure is all mine.” He straightened but did not release her. Emily cast a quick glance at the prince, but he did not seem to notice the impropriety. “I have been wanting to meet you for some time.”
“Oh?” She tugged her hand, attempting to release it, but Galloway held firmly and smiled. She couldn’t say what it was about that smile, but her breath caught at the sight of it. It wasn’t even a full smile, more of a crooking of his lips—his soft, full lips—in an upward motion.
“I’m pleased to report the rumors are not rumors at all.”
Emily stiffened, the heat from his touch and smile turning to ice. Now she did jerk her hand from his, though he pretended not to notice. She had a spotless reputation, so any rumors he mentioned must be concerning her being an accomplice to the shooting in the park.
“You are as beautiful as they say. More beautiful, if you do not mind me saying so.”
It took several seconds for Emily to comprehend him. She’d expected him to say something of the attempt on the queen’s life, to indirectly accuse her of complicity, but to compliment her—this she had not expected. When she did finally comprehend him, she was no less confused. She was no great beauty. Her hair was so blond as to be almost white and her eyes so pale a blue as to be almost translucent. More than one person had found her appearance unnerving. Jack had said she looked like an ice queen, and that had been as close to a compliment as she had ever received. It wasn’t that her features were unattractive. Hernose was small and unremarkable. Her lips were quite adequate, her brow high but not too high, her chin round but not too round, her eyes spaced well, her skin clear if not just a little too pale. But somehow the overall effect was not a pleasant one.
Knowing all of this from her earliest looks in the mirror, Emily concluded in less than a second that Willoughby Galloway was one of those men who set about charming women with lies and false flattery for their own nefarious purposes.
And she had been ensnared. Only for a moment, but her heart had definitely beat more quickly at the sight of such a handsome man smiling down at her.
