A Most Unconventional Courtship

‘They are honest, intelligent, loving, loyal children and they are mine and I love them. If you will not allow them to accompany us to England, then I am staying here.’

Lady Blackstone went white. ‘Impossible.’

‘Why?’ Alessa was beyond deferring to her aunt now. ‘You were willing enough when we first met for me to stay here and for you to arrange to have my inheritance sent to me.’

‘That was before anyone else knew about you, foolish girl. Think of the scandal if I leave you here now. The Lord High Commissioner knows about you, Lady Trevick knows about you, that mountebank of a Coun

t knows about you, the Earl knows—why, all of island society will know about you soon, if they do not already. I cannot possibly leave the granddaughter and niece of the Earls of Hambledon on a Greek island to earn her own living—it would be an outrage.’

‘I am afraid you do not have a choice, Aunt.’ Alessa drew herself up and met the older woman’s furious glare with hard-won composure. ‘Either you take us all, or we all stay.’

‘How dare you make me an ultimatum, you ungrateful chit!’

‘Aunt, I will quite happily return to my former life, with the addition of the inheritance from my father, to which I am entitled. I make no demands upon you or the family in England, I have no intention of boasting of my connections all around the island. In a few weeks there will be no gossip—people will find more important things to chat about.’

‘Here they may well do,’ Lady Blackstone retorted. ‘But when the news reaches London it will do the family great harm. Frances’s come-out might be compromised.’

‘Then take us all,’ Alessa said again, clasping her hands to stop them shaking. ‘I will not change my mind. Now, if you will excuse me, I must go and tell the children when I will see them again.’

She was hoping her aunt would call her back, but she found herself out on the terrace with only the sound of a sharp, exasperated sigh following her. There was no sign of the children. Puzzled, she walked to the balustrade and looked around, then she heard the sound of Dora’s voice raised in an excited shriek and saw them down on the beach.

Everyone was paddling, shoes and stockings off, trouser legs rolled up and skirts hoisted. Kate, her bonnet in her hand, was standing ankle-deep, fanning herself with the broad brim, Demetri was skimming stones and calling to Chance to admire the number of skips he was achieving and Chance was swinging Dora out over the incoming wavelets with his hands under her arms. She was laughing with delight and Alessa felt tears start in her eyes.

With the exception of old Agatha, everyone in the world she loved was on that beach, laughing and playing, and behind her the representative of her real family was making decisions based on nothing but prejudice and a concern for what other people would think.

Angrily she dashed the back of her hand over her eyes and ran down the exterior stone staircase at the side of the house. By the time she reached the beach she had regained her composure and was able to find a smile for Kate. Chance, Dora clutching his hand, was pursuing Demetri along the beach, waving a clump of slimy seaweed.

‘Look at him!’ Kate mopped her face and stuck the bonnet back on her head. ‘Nothing but a big boy himself. He’s wonderful with those children, you know.’

‘I can see.’ Chance had caught up with Demetri and they were now having a mock swordfight with pieces of driftwood, cheered on by Dora.

‘He took one look at our faces when we came out and took them straight down here, telling the footman to bring along the tray.’ Kate grinned and nodded towards an expressionless footman setting out lemonade and biscuits on a flat-topped rock. ‘Told me he thought it would be a good idea to take their minds off that starched-bum of an old besom.’

‘He never said that!’ What a wonderful description…

‘No, but it was what he meant, and she is too, isn’t she?’

‘Absolutely,’ Alessa said with a sigh. ‘My aunt wants the children to stay here. She thinks that even though they are a credit to me, they remain Greek peasant brats and the best they can hope for in England is a future as upper servants.’

‘What? Load of nonsense! That boy’s going to end up an ambassador, and Dora’s that sweet and pretty she’ll marry a duke.’

They stood and studied the future star of the diplomatic service and future duchess as they chased a peer of the realm though the shallows, screaming at the tops of their voices.

‘What are you going to do, then?’

‘I told her that we all go or none of us goes.’

‘Bet that pleased her.’ Kate studied the trio romping in the surf. ‘Do you think he has any idea how hard it is to get salt-water stains out of wool cloth?’

‘None at all. What man would? As for my aunt, she is afraid people will think they are my illegitimate children if I take them, and that she will be accused of abandoning me if she does not bring me back.’

Kate’s response was unladylike. Chance stripped off his coat and cravat and rolled up his shirtsleeves, the better to grapple with Demetri, who was scaring Dora by pretending to have a crab in his hand. ‘Blimey. Do you think he’ll take any more off?’ Kate asked hopefully. ‘That is a very beautiful man.’

‘That,’ retorted Alessa tartly, largely to disguise the fact that she was admiring the breadth of Chance’s shoulders and the muscles in his forearms, ‘is a man who asked me to be his mistress.’

‘He never did!’ Kate’s tanned, freckled face was a picture of speculation. ‘What did you say?’

‘No, of course. The Count warned me what would happen, and he was quite right.’