A Most Unconventional Courtship

‘She called my children peasant brats,’ Alessa said. ‘I am sure the priest would say it was my duty to forgive her. He would also be shocked that she would think that way. Frances will be nice to them, I am sure,’ she added in an effort to be fair.

‘Yes, a sweet child, that.’

Just the sort of well-bred, very young lady you are looking for. Alessa stuffed that thought firmly away and brought out the more immediate one, the worry she could talk about. ‘I am still not certain my aunt will let me take them.’

‘Alessa.’ Chance swivelled round until he was facing her. Now she could no longer ignore the impact of his closeness, the effect on her senses. He smelt of the sea, there was a hint of fresh sweat from his exertions, intriguingly male, and he was warm, large, close and overwhelming.

‘Yes?’

‘I promise it will be all right. I promise you will go to England, and the children with you.’ He took her hand and raised it to his lips. ‘See? Sealed with a kiss.’

Chapter Sixteen

The kiss was the most fleeting caress. Barely a touch, in fact, Alessa told herself, retrieving her hand in what she hoped was a dignified manner. Chance’s brown eyes were serious.

‘You think I am flirting?’he asked in a disconcerting echo of her thoughts. ‘I am being quite sincere, Alessa. We should start again and forget sea bathing and questions asked, don’t you think? Start again and see what England brings. You will need friends there, as well as your family; I would not like to think I had cut you off from that because I let myself—’

‘Alessa!’

‘I am sure she went down here…’

It was the Trevick sisters and her cousin, laughing as they picked their way cautiously over the shingle to the firmer sand. ‘Oh, look, there she is, and the Earl. Hello!’ Helena waved gaily and Alessa waved back.

‘Miss Helena appears to have recovered from her wounded heart,’ Chance observed wryly. ‘And she seems to bear you no grudge for revealing her hero’s feet of clay.’

‘You realised she fancied herself in love with him?’ Alessa regarded Chance with surprise. Now was no time to puzzle over what he had been about to say just then.

‘As I was just saying—I have sisters and I recognise the signs of calflove. The real thing, for some strange reason, is much harder to detect.’

‘Ah, so you have not observed the one real case of love in our little party?’Up on the terrace she could see Mr Harrison leaning on the balustrade and watching the girls as they made their way across the beach.

‘No! Who?’ Chance demanded, just as the three reached them.

‘I am not telling,’ Alessa murmured, then raised her voice to call, ‘Come and join us, the stones are quite dry. I am keeping his lordship company while he recovers from his exertions.’

‘Really? What have you been doing?’ Helena asked cheerfully. Frances, perched a little way off on the end of the tree trunk, gazed soulfully at Chance who had got to his feet at their approach and now dropped back down besides Alessa.

‘No, surely you don’t mean…’ She followed his gaze, smiled brightly at Frances and hissed back.

‘Of course not. Calf-love.’

‘Did you say calf-love?’ Maria made herself comfortable next to Alessa, tucking her skirts neatly around her ankles, safe from the fretful breeze.

‘Calves’ foot jelly,’ Alessa improvised. ‘I was recommending it for its strengthening properties.’

‘Really?’ Maria glanced from Frances to Chance, caught Alessa’s eye and stifled a smile. ‘What have you been exerting yourself for that you are in need of such restoration, my lord?’

‘Playing with Miss Meredith’s delightful wards. They have made me feel my age, I must confess.’

‘Well, if you will insist on playing horses for Dora and duelling with Demetri, what do you expect?’ Alessa teased. Where had all the antagonism and tension gone? Was it simply that Chance had ceased to flirt with her, so she could relax? And to relax was what she wanted to do, very badly. To lean into the broad shoulder next to hers and rest her head on the crumpled white linen of his shirt. Alessa sat up straight.

‘I wish we could have met the children,’ Frances said, apparently beginning to recover a little from the impact of finding Chance in a state of exciting undress. ‘They look charming.’

‘Are they very excited at the thought of coming to England?’ Maria asked.

‘Yes, and a little daunted,’ Alessa confessed.

‘Then it is certain they are coming with us?’ Frances frowned. ‘I would love it if they were—I always wished for a little brother and sister—but Mama said they were not.’