Page 25 of Lyon’s Obsession (The Lyon’s Den Connected World #91)
“You be confident you’re not sweet on the gal?” Lionel asked.
Alexander stopped his friend’s progress. It was time he took another into his confidence, and he knew Lionel could be trusted. “I have something to confess, for I suspect I will require your assistance to keep me sane in this matter.”
“I’ve already promised to protect the girl, Axe,” Lionel said in obvious embarrassment: They rarely discussed women. “What you do with her afterwards will be your business.”
Alexander said in quiet tones, keeping his voice low, as if releasing his secret upon the world would bring about a disaster. “Miss Moreau is not an ‘Audrey.’ She is my sister ‘Annalise.’ If I am unable to do the deed myself, I am begging you to protect the last of my family with your life.”
“It is no problem,” Theodora told Emma, whose sensibility had disappeared, for today was Richard and Emma’s wedding day.
“I cannot believe I forgot to retrieve Richard’s telescope,” Emma bemoaned.
“You permit Mrs. Chester and Marjory to assist you and attend you properly. My dress is prepared and is, thanks to you, the loveliest one I have ever owned. I shall retrieve the telescope, return to Duncan Place to dress, and follow you to the church with plenty of time to stand up with you.”
“You are the absolute best friend anyone could name,” Emma said as she hugged Theodora again.
Dora fought back the tears, for she had easily become accustomed to having Emma at her side every day.
Yet, after Emma’s marriage to Richard, Dora and Emma’s cozy talks would not disappear, but they would be fewer and farther apart.
Even Lord Donoghue meant to depart for the Continent tomorrow.
Emma privately complained how her father had never fully addressed her mother’s divided affections, but her friend meant to permit them a wide berth.
“I do not know how to forgive her,” Emma said often. “Only time will tell if I ever will.”
It would only be Theodora and her father at meals going forward. Though she wished never to leave her father’s side, Dora would be required to do so soon. Today’s wedding was the beginning of all the changes coming to their lives.
Gathering her belongings, she kissed Emma’s cheek. “I have everything under control. My father is to stand with Richard, and you know he tolerates no missteps when it comes to family.”
“I cannot believe that within a few hours, I shall officially have four brothers and a sister and a father-in-marriage. I never thought it possible,” Emma declared with tears in her eyes.
“No crying,” Theodora ordered. “Now, I must hurry.”
“I love having you as a sister,” Emma called as Theodora exited the room and hurried down the stairs.
“I must fetch Lord Orson’s telescope at the jewelers. Emma forgot to retrieve it, so do not lock everything, for I must return to dress afterwards.” The majority of the household servants would attend the wedding and then rush back to Duncan Place for the reception.
“Do you want someone to escort you, my lady?” Mr. Fields asked.
“You have your hands full with the wedding reception,” she told her father’s butler.
“The shop is less than a half mile removed, and no one shall think twice about my being out and about today. All of London knows of the wedding.” Without more discussion, she set off in the direction of the corner where she would turn north to reach the jeweler who was to clean and polish Richard’s instrument and have it engraved, labeling it as a gift to his future children.
There was a steady stream of walkers and carriage riders traveling in the opposite direction, but Dora’s mind was on a familiar subject. She assumed Alexander would attend the wedding, and she had not seen him for a few days.
As she walked, likely too briskly to be ladylike, but necessary for the little time she had, she scanned the street for a familiar face, but no one of her acquaintance was taking in the beautiful London morning.
Without apparent provocation, she reached for her heart, for it had suddenly hitched higher in anticipation, but she saw nothing unusual to warrant the condition.
Though she studied both sides of the street, often glancing behind her, it was obvious the mad rush of a few moments prior had instantly dwindled to a mere trickle of pedestrians and carriages along the corridor.
A feeling of anxiousness had her stopping suddenly and turning in a slow circle.
No one was close enough even to recognize their presence.
Then she noticed him. Lurking in the shadows of a shop entrance, a man stood motionless, but she instinctively knew he watched her.
Was he the one who had brought her unease to the forefront?
Dora sucked in a slow breath in an attempt to steady her heart’s pace.
Even when a carriage passed, blocking her sight for a matter of seconds, she did not move, for she knew, when it cleared, he would still be there.
And he was. Still standing where he had been, not moving an inch from the shadows.
“I am not afraid of you,” she murmured. “I know who you are, and I have taken your measure. The shadows do not keep your identity from my notice.”
Catching her reticule and looping its strings twice about her wrist, she crossed between a carriage and a cart pulled by a man selling vegetables. “Do not move,” she murmured. Theodora was determined to face her fear. “ Simple as coming face-to-face with the man ,” her mind announced.
Within an instant, she reached his side of the street. When he stepped out before her with his hat pulled low on his head to prevent her from viewing his features, fear, unfortunately, skittered up her spine. “I should have thought more on this venture,” she mumbled.
“Looking for me, my lady?” a familiar voice asked as a hand touched her shoulder.
Theodora could not stifle a “yelp” as she turned to find Alexander smiling down at her.
“Did you see him?” she demanded, instead of answering his question.
“See whom?” Alexander asked, as he caught her closer to him. He searched the street for something unusual, while she sucked in his familiar scent, the one that always made her feel safe. “Describe him,” he ordered, his eyes still on the street.
“A man with his hat pulled down low over his forehead,” she explained as Alexander continued to look for someone she had seen, but he had not. “He was hiding in the shadows of the bookseller’s entrance.”
“Do you know this man?” he asked with a frown forming on his forehead.
“I believe it was Lord Almano,” she admitted.
“Then I have interrupted something,” he said with a hint of accusation.
“You have ‘not’ interrupted anything of that nature,” she growled. Why was her world turned upon its head again? “I… I have made it known to Lord Almano I would not be accepting his calls at Duncan Place.”
“And do I have the right to know the reason for your rejection?” he asked suspiciously.
“You do not,” she announced.
“As you wish, my lady,” he said without argument.
“Yet, I cannot, as a gentleman raised by a Scot, permit said Scot’s daughter to walk London’s streets unescorted.
May I offer you my arm?” He matched his words to his gesture.
“Should you not be at the church? I understood you were to assist our brother’s new-to-be wife,” he asked, as he tucked her closer to his side.
“I was to retrieve Emma’s gift for Richard,” she explained, but Dora still had the feeling she was being watched.
“And where is Richard’s gift?” Alexander asked casually.
“At the jeweler’s,” she provided. “Along the street.”
“A ring for Richard?” he questioned.
“No. Emma claimed the telescope my mother gave Richard when he was young. The first one,” she emphasized. “The one he and Lady Elsbeth often shared together. Emma had it cleaned and a new and stronger lens installed. The jeweler was to engrave it for Richard’s future children from their father.”
“How absolutely perfect!” Alexander declared. “Lady Emma truly understands Richard. I am exceedingly glad they have found each other.” He sighed, as did Dora. “Might I escort you to the jewelers, and then I will see you to the church. Is that what you plan to wear?”
“You know it is not,” Theodora said testily.
“Then we should hurry our steps, for I wish to know why you thought that Lord Almano was following you, and do not think I will forget to ask for an explanation, Theodora. You remain very precious to me.”
Dora knew she should swallow her words, but they rushed out just the same. “Yet not as precious as Miss Moreau.”