Evening Star (Star Quartet 1)

“Madam,” Herbert said, bowing.

“Thank you for having everything in readiness, Herbert. You may dismiss the staff.”

“It was our pleasure, ma’am.” He turned and clapped his hands. “You may return to your posts, ladies.”

“Where is Leah, Herbert? And Miss Guthrey?”

Herbert lowered his gaze to the parquet floor for an uncomfortable moment. “Miss Leah is, I believe, sir, in the nursery, Miss Guthrey with her.”

Giana saw Alex’s jaw tighten.

“Miss Guthrey has been in a regular snit, sir, ever since we got your letter about your marriage.”

“Oh dear,” Giana said, touching her hand to Alex’s sleeve. “It must have come as quite a shock. Shall we go to the nursery and see her?”

“No. Herbert, send Ellen to fetch my daughter down. I will see her in the library in five minutes, Miss Guthrey with her.”

“Very good, sir,” Herbert said.

Alex ushered her into his library, a dark masculine room with heavy leather furniture, a massive oak desk, and dark burgundy velvet curtains that fell ceiling to floor along one wall. There were a globe, a dictionary open on its stand, and a table stacked with newspapers beside the fireplace.

Giana felt Alex’s hands slide up her arms, and she leaned willingly against him. “Your home is beautiful, Alex. You must be very proud of it.”

“I suppose I am. Now, you, madam, are looking a trifle peaked.” He closed his arms about her back. “I’m putting you through too many paces today, I fear.”

“I am not a horse, Alex,” she said, nestling her cheek against his broad shoulder.

“No, you’re a stubborn little mule. After you’ve met my daughter, I’ll take you upstairs. We’ll have a quiet dinner in our room tonight.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer to dine with Leah, Alex?”

Before he could reply, there came a scratching knock on the library door. It opened and a tall, attractive woman with honey-blond hair and doe-brown eyes swept in, a thin child peeping from behind her voluminous skirts.

Alex slowly released her. “Miss Guthrey,” he said, his voice cold. “Why were you not downstairs?”

Amanda Guthrey eyed the small Englishwoman with great composure. “Leah wasn’t feeling well, Mr. Saxton.”

“Leah,” Alex called. “Come here and meet Giana, your new stepmama.”

Giana returned Amanda Guthrey’s scrutiny. Alex had said something to her, she remembered, about blond women. Miss Guthrey was certainly blond, and quite attractive. Her eyes followed Leah as she skipped happily toward her father. The child was ruffled to her eyebrows with a ridiculous array of bows, flounces, and lacy insets. But she had her father’s eyes, Giana saw, and her father’s firm chin. Her hair was a soft brown, and styled in little sausage ringlets around her thin face, a fashionable style, but one that made her seem too sharp-featured.

Alex dropped to his haunches and drew Leah into his arms. “It’s been a long time without you, puss. She is quite pretty, isn’t she,” he continued, seeing that she was staring toward Giana. “Give me a kiss and we shall talk to her.”

Leah gave her father a wet kiss and wrapped her thin arms about his neck. “You will stay home now, won’t you, Papa?”

“I’ll be hanging about like a heavy rock,” Alex said. “Her name is Giana, puss. It’s a trifle odd, I know, but you’ll get used to it. She is rather nice, and fond of little girls.”

“Hello, Leah,” Giana said, extending her mittened hand. Leah placed her own small hand in Giana’s, and eyed her curiously a moment. “You are not nearly as large as Papa, ma’am. Does he crush your ribs like he does mine when he hugs you? Does he hug you?”

“Occasionally,” Giana said, smiling up at him. “He is rather like a huge bear, isn’t he?”

Leah was still studying her new stepmama, her dark eyes wide with curiosity. “Is it true that you’re English, Giana, and you’re very rich?”

“Where did you hear that, puss?” Alex asked his daughter.

“Miss Guthrey told me.”

Alex said smoothly, his eyes meeting Miss Guthrey’s, “Your governess is well-informed, it appears.”