Page 34 of Alessandra (Chisholm Manor #1)

The following day, Edward took Alessandra to the Pump Room at her request, to support her wish to watch all the people there.

It wasn't an amusement he gained joy from, but he was very content watching her watch everyone else.

Once settled in a comfortable spot, Edward left her to go and get her a refreshment.

Almost immediately after he'd walked off in one direction, Alessandra found herself approached by Tom.

"Alessandra," he said quietly.

As she turned, she was surprised to see Tom Missinger looking around guiltily.

"Tom, you seem to be appearing everywhere," she said to him, not unkindly but certainly not in a friendly manner.

Upon seeing him, she realised that every tiny bit of feeling she'd ever had for him had disintegrated.

"Alessandra, I cannot stop thinking about you," he said, blushing furiously.

His words surprised Alessandra, as he'd always seemed to be the confident one of the two of them. "I wish..."

He stopped talking mid-sentence, but in her curiosity, Alessandra didn't let it end there.

"You wish ... what? That you and I were married?" she asked.

"Yes ... no ... oh, I do not know what I want.

All I know is that you are on my mind all the time. Please..."

"Please, what?" Alessandra asked him, wondering why he was showering all this attention on her now, when so much time had passed.

"Please ... I would like to spend some time with you," he blurted out, not even knowing himself what he meant by such a declaration.

Alessandra looked at him closely.

He was a handsome man, and yet when she looked at him now, she did not see attractiveness.

She knew that she was now incredibly happy that he'd taken himself off when he did to get married.

Edward was ten times the man that Tom was.

"Tom, you are married, and I am married.

Not only am I happy in my marriage, but I am also expecting a child.

I am living a life that I love.

Please do not talk to me anymore. It makes me uncomfortable, given what my feelings for you were before, and I am doing what I can to remain calm, for the sake of my baby," she said as plainly as she could, all the while seeing him look at her belly.

"You are with child?" he asked, with an incredulous tone in his voice.

He could not believe that so much that he wanted in a wife appeared to be standing right in front of him.

Behind Tom, Alessandra saw Katherine approaching so nodded in response to his question and informed him quietly.

"Your wife approaches," she said.

She saw recognition in his eyes before he turned and started walking away, meeting his wife in the process, and avoiding her coming face to face with Alessandra again.

Just as Tom walked away, Edward came up behind Alessandra, startling her.

"Are you alright?" he asked, not giving any indication if he had seen Tom or not.

Alessandra smiled at him, appreciating yet again what a good, loving man he was.

"Yes," she said.

"Tom just approached me again, but I have told him not to do so anymore."

Edward had no response except to hand her the refreshment she had wanted.

Both of them then determined to put Tom Missinger out of their minds for good.