Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

I t was more than a day's travel from Brighton to Bath, which meant Emily had an immense amount of time with her husband all to herself. Their first carriage ride together after the wedding had been full of anger and animosity, and the ones that followed not much better, including when he had been sick. But now, they were able to pass time together in comfortable silence, or even in pleasant discussion. There was plenty of time for dozing off, including when Alex claimed a headache, and rested his head on her leg again, but she hadn't minded too much. It gave her an opportunity to look at his face unabashedly, to trace every line and contour of what made him so despicably handsome.

They'd had to stop at an inn for the night, but she hadn't been too worried about the sleeping arrangements, considering they were both so exhausted from their travels. And when they arrived in Bath, it was already nightfall. They could have stayed with his sister or his mother in their guest rooms, but they'd decided once again to patronize an inn. The solitude suited them.

The next morning, when they arrived at his sister's townhouse in the Royal Crescent, Alex knocked on the door, then looked over at her with a wry smile. "Don't forget, you must pretend you don't hate me."

He chuckled when she gasped, remembering their similar discussion the day she had first met his mother. "I don't hate you," she mumbled, tucking her hand into his arm. She hardly remembered those emotions from before, as her feelings for him now were so very different.

When the butler opened the door and showed them in, Emily should not have been surprised when they were greeted with three different high-pitched squeals, belonging to that of his two sisters and his mother. They all greeted her with enthusiastic hugs, even before the introductions, until Alex broke them all apart.

"Give her some room to breathe, you zealots," he told them with a laugh.

"We're only so excited," one said, clapping her hands as evidence.

"Mother said you were perfect for our Alex, and to be sure you are!" said the other, a darling baby resting in her arms.

Alex stifled a grin. "First, let me present my wife, Emily Westcott."

Emily dipped in a curtsy, struggling to maintain her balance at hearing him call her his wife, with such a pleasing, confident tone. "I am so pleased to meet you both."

"My sister, Edwina Westcott," he gestured toward the taller of the two women, "And my other sister, Dorothea Lewis." The shorter one who held the baby reached out her other hand.

"I cannot tell you how delighted I am to see my elder brother so happily settled."

"Indeed, we thought he'd never have a chance for how long he waited," Edwina tacked on .

"And she is darling, isn't she?" Mrs. Martin stepped forward, a smile lighting her eyes.

"How good to see you again, Mrs. Martin." Emily was happy to see a familiar face amongst all the newness.

"She really is, Mother!" Dorothea said brightly. "And she brought Alex back from the brink as well?"

"Indeed. Come here, my boy, and let me have a look at you," Mrs. Martin moved to greet her son. "You do not appear any worse for the wear, so that means Mrs. Westcott has taken very good care of you."

"She has indeed." Alex winked at Emily, then placed his hands on his mother's shoulders. "I am well, Mother. Please do not worry yourself."

"In that case, come inside and have a seat, dear." Mrs. Martin took Emily's hand, leading her into the drawing room. "We must visit so you have to tell me all about your travels. I want to hear every detail."

Emily looked back at her husband, who was the last to follow along, but he just shrugged. "I warned you, they're going to adore you."

He said the final words with a certain tone, and the look in his eyes made her wonder how he meant them. But she did not have time to examine his intentions further, for she was ushered into the parlor, and seated on a beautiful chair. The three women gathered around on the settee, expectant eyes waiting for more information, and Alex settled in the chair beside her, looking as if he was holding back a laugh.

"I must say, I had never traveled so far south before," Emily explained. "Brighton is beautiful, but I would have liked to visit on more favorable circumstances."

"You were very wise to take him there, my dear," Mrs. Martin said. "Even if it was against the doctor's wishes."

"He did not favor the idea, but he eventually decided to help when I insisted. And thankfully, it was the right decision, for Alex has improved a great deal since then." Emily looked over at Alex, and he seemed to match his mother's fondness.

"I had not been to Brighton in some time, and it has changed so much, Mother. You would hardly recognize it, especially now that Mr. Miller is gone. Or perhaps that is just my perception since being there as a young child."

"Of course. I imagine I would feel the same going back to that musty old house in the country," Edwina said.

"How did you like Markham Estate?" Dorothea asked. "I remember it being very drab and spooky as a child."

The thought made Emily chuckle. "I suppose it could be seen that way. It is an old house, but the staff do a fine job of keeping it. And the countryside is beautiful. I enjoyed a good deal of it with my horse, but I don't imagine we'll be returning any time soon."

"That is probably wise," Mrs. Martin said with a slow nod.

But Emily would not allow a somber mood to settle over the conversation. She did not want to damper their enthusiasm. Rarely was she able to enjoy the company of such amiable ladies in London. "Perhaps you will tell me about your families. I believe two of you have recently married?"

Edwina's eyes lit up. "Oh yes. Mother married several years ago. Mr. Martin is a Spanish merchant, very sophisticated and well to do, and diligent in his profession. And he dotes on her so!"

From what little Emily had heard about the woman's previous husband, this news was a balm to her heart. How pleasant to be so well matched in a second marriage.

"Mine was more recent," Dorothea explained, "Almost a year ago in August. I married a naval officer, and he's simply delightful. Very often the highlight of my day."

Emily smiled. "How lovely."

"I suppose that leaves me as the last one," Edwina said with a shrug. "I had been courted for a short time by the Baron Frampton, but we did not suit in the end."

Ah yes, Emily remembered meeting him.

"It's just as well," Dorothea said, giving a teasing nudge with her elbow. "For her heart is otherwise occupied."

Edwina shushed her sister, and Alex placed a hand on her arm.

"Do not give up hope, Edwina," he asked earnestly. "I am making progress with Mr. Grisham's father, and I do not believe it is a lost cause."

Mrs. Martin leaned forward to whisper in Emily's ear. "My first husband left quite a sour taste with most of society in London, making it difficult for the girls to have their seasons and find a husband. Dorothea was lucky to find a gentleman here in Bath from Alex's efforts, but Edwina has a childhood friend she's very fond of."

"I see," Emily said with a nod. Is that what he had been doing in London, when going out on business? Trying to find a match for his sister? Everything Emily thought she had known about his character in the beginning was so different now. He was more generous and self-sacrificing than she had ever given him credit for, and not just for his family, but for her as well.

She let her eyes linger on him, her lips forming an appreciative smile. He met her gaze and lifted a quizzical brow, but it only lasted a moment, for Dorothea appeared at her side.

"We've recently added this lovely ball of joy to our family."

She pulled down the blanket in her arms to reveal a tender baby face, scrunched up and still sleeping.

Emily gasped. "I don't think I've ever seen a baby so tiny! How precious."

"Would you like to hold him?"

"I would, but I think his uncle should hold him first," Emily said, casting a cheeky glance at her husband.

"Oh, that will not be necessary." Alex immediately started to rise out of his seat in protest, but Emily caught his arm, pinning him to his chair. Dorothea immediately hurried to his side, enjoying teasing him, and placed the baby in Alex's arms, despite the blatant grimace of hesitation on his face.

But Emily suddenly realized her mistake. Upon insisting Alex go first, she had brought to life the vision of something she had not yet dared to imagine. The sight of her husband holding a child.

The thought of Alex being a father.

The emotions Emily thought she had suppressed enough came rushing to the surface. She had to repeatedly blink the burn away and clench her jaw to swallow the sensations. Long ago he had mentioned having an heir, and the thought terrified her. She could not bear the thought of having a husband who might not love her, and therefore might not love her children. If she did have a family, she desperately wanted a man, a husband, who would help her in creating a loving atmosphere, the home she had been denied in her childhood. But could she have that with Alex?

Watching him with a baby in his arms was a sharp reminder that she wanted it desperately.

Perhaps she would not be able to wait until London to have a talk with him after all.