A Bride for Alfie (Yorkshire Brides) (3 page)
Read A Bride for Alfie (Yorkshire Brides) Online
Authors: Kimberly Luke
“Mr. Lockwood spoke of your son. You will be a busy woman once this little one comes along.”
“Yes, perhaps you and your family would like to come visit us at Lexington Hall when the baby is born. I can always use some motherly advice. My own mother passed many years ago, and my mother-in-law lives in London.”
“We would be honored.” Audra’s Mother said.
Audra was surprised by her mother’s quick reply.
She glanced at Mr. Lockwood; his anger was unmistakable.
After breakfast, Audra took Mrs. Winter for a short walk while Robert assisted Mr. Lockwood in gathering his things.
Mrs. Winter spoke first. “I interrupted something when I arrived?”
Audra looked down and smoothed a wrinkle. “My brother asked Dr. Shirley, when we were going to set a date for our wedding? I had not told Mr. Lockwood of my engagement, even though he made his feelings toward me clear.”
Mrs. Winter placed her hand over Audra’s. “That explains why Alfie is in such a hurry to leave. Are you happy with Dr. Shirley?”
“I am. I have known him since I was ten, and loved him all the while.”
“Then perhaps it is for the best your brother revealed your engagement.”
“But... I am afraid I have fallen in love with Mr. Lockwood. Is that possible, to be in love with two men?”
“All I can tell you Audra is when I fell in love with my husband, I knew I would never be able to love anyone else but him. I will tell you though. It was a long, and painful road to get where we are now.” Mrs. Winter stopped. “Alfie deserves a woman to love him completely.”
“He loves you Mrs. Winter.”
“Yesterday, I would have agreed with you. Today, I would say I have now simply become his sister-in-law.”
“You believe he is in love with me? We hardly know one another; I suppose it is childish on both our parts...”
“Alfie is not a man who angers quickly, for him to be this upset about your engagement tells me he has deep feelings for you.”
They walked quietly together a little longer before heading back.
Mrs. Winter’s male servant took Mr. Lockwood’s belongings.
Mr. Lockwood grasped Dr. Shirley’s hand. “Thank you for your expert care.”
He moved toward her brother. “Allan, it was a pleasure meeting you. Mrs. Parker and Elizabeth thank you for everything.” He turned, and approached Audra where she stood near Mrs. Winter.
He whispered, “Good bye Angel...” before walking away with his entourage.
Audra made no effort to stop him or to explain why she had not told him about her, and Robert being engaged. Mrs. Winter was right; he deserved someone to love him utterly, but she loved Robert too, didn’t she? Her head had begun to pound.
Audra placed her hand on her forehead. “I am going to lie down a while.” She saw the concern, and disappointment in Robert’s eyes, but she lacked the energy to console him right now.
Chapter 4
Alfie was silent all the way into town. Eva acquired a room for him, in addition to her own, they went their separate ways. That evening Eva came to check in on him. “You did not come down to eat, so I brought you something in case you are hungry.”
He started eating as best he could. Eva offered to help, but he refused. “I know you are angry with me Alfie, but please let me help you eat.”
“I am not angry with you Eva. You cared enough to risk your comfort, and your husband’s wrath, to find me. How could I be mad at you?”
Eva smiled as she gently took the fork from his fingers. “He will be angry, but he will get over it. I can soothe him given time.”
Alfie chuckled, “I bet you can.”
“Alfie!”
They eased into a comfortable silence as she fed him, but he knew she would not be able to let what she witnessed today go for long.
“You know Alfie, you left a beautiful woman back there who cared for you.”
“A beautiful, engaged woman...”
“Yes, but—
“Eva, you cannot match make for everyone. Just because it worked for your sister-in-law Celeste, does not mean it will work for me.”
“Very well...”
*
As the coach approached the village just outside Lexington Hall, Eva’s husband rode toward them; he did not appear to be pleased as he signaled for the driver to halt.
Alfie observed as Eva gave her husband a most seductive smile. She obviously hoped to appeal to his desire for her. “Garrick, you returned from Hull earlier than you expected.”
“Eva, you, and Alfie have some explaining to do.” He lifted Eva from the coach. His attention then turned to Alfie as he struggled down. “What in heavens happened to you?”
He needed to ease his brother’s anger toward Eva. “The copper-sorrel threw me; I broke both arms. A local surgeon fixed me up. I asked them to contact Eva to assist me in getting home.”
“Alfie it grieves me to hear you were injured, but it was inappropriate, and irresponsible to ask for Eva’s assistance.”
He turned back to Eva. “Dammit Eva, you should not have obliged him. You are as much to blame. Have you no care for yourself, and for our unborn child?”
Alfie began to defend her, but Eva quelled him with a look. Alfie knew Garrick did not honestly believe Eva had no care for their child, but his brother was a possessive, and jealous man when it came to her: Alfie was still a sore subject even though their brotherly relationship had greatly improved, it was far from ironclad.
“Garrick, Alfie is lying to you. A letter came to Lexington Hall stating he had been seriously injured. Alfie was there for me, for you, and for our son when we needed him. I was not going to abandon him when he needed me. He was angry when I arrived, and he insisted we return immediately. Please, let us get him home.”
Garrick assisted in retrieving their belongings from the public coach, and loaded them into his own, along with his wife, and brother.
Eva had not told Alfie’s sister, Nora, of his accident. When they arrived, Nora winced upon seeing his condition. All was soon explained though, and forgiven.
That evening, his beautiful angel, came to him in a dream. She told him she had fallen in love with him. It was a wonderful dream, but one that would never come true. He had been furious when he realized she was engaged. Why had she not told him? She had allowed him to kiss her, twice, and she had said nothing. He questioned himself. Could he have been wrong about her nature?
After weeks of healing, and feelings of perplexity over Miss Parker, Eva brought him a visitor. “Alfie, look who I found on my doorstep.”
It was Dr. Shirley. “How are you getting along Mr. Lockwood?”
“I will leave you two alone,” Eva said.
“I thought I would come see if you were ready to free up those arms.”
“Actually, I am. I thought of seeing a physician in the village.”
“Yes, well, I do not often have patients leave before I have followed through on their care, so I thought a trip was in order.”
“Where are you staying?”
“I was planning on staying at the coaching inn, but Mrs. Winter insisted I stay at Lexington Hall.”
“Once freed from his constraints Alfie, and Robert walked the property.”
“You have made a nice place here for your sister, Mr. Lockwood.” Alfie remained silent; he could see the good doctor had something more on his mind than pleasantries.
“I thought you may ask about the Parkers.”
“Forgive me, it did occur to me to ask, but I did not know if it is a topic you wished to discuss.”
Dr. Shirley came to a halt. “Mr. Lockwood, Alfie, I realize you became fond of Audra during your stay; I cannot offer you any explanation as to why she did not tell you of our engagement other than she shared your infatuation.”
Alfie interrupted. “How did you know she had not told me?”
“I am afraid it was painfully obvious from the expression on your face when you heard. Look, I have loved Audra since she was a girl. Even as a child one could see the woman she would become. When she came of age, I asked for her hand. Her brother approved, and she accepted. I wanted to hold off until I had a proper home for her. The renovations on my family’s home are complete now; we will be setting a date for the wedding soon.”
“Why are you telling me this if you thought what I felt for her was merely an infatuation, doctor?”
“Please call me Robert.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I have waited a long time to have her in my arms, to watch her bear my children, to wake every day just to see her beautiful face in the morning, but I want her to be happy. When you left she changed, I am unsure if she has fallen in love with you, or simply fills guilt over her infatuation with you, but something is different. Tomorrow I will be going on to Edinburgh for a few weeks. When I return I would hope the two of you have resolved any unfinished business, one way or another.” Robert walked away.
Astonished, Alfie knew how hard it must be for Robert to give him this window of opportunity to usurp him. He was a good man.
*
Nora returned that afternoon. She and Eva had been spending most of their days of late planning Nora’s wedding. He loved his sister, and had happily approved of the young man who asked for her hand. A young tenant farmer himself who would be taking over Nora’s father’s lease from Alfie after the marriage.
Alfie motioned for her. “Nora, may I speak with you.” Nora crinkled her eyebrows in curiosity.
“Of course, is something wrong?”
They sat together over a pot of tea. “It was a young woman, and her maid who found me the night I was thrown.”
Nora raised one sable brow, but undeterred he continued his tale. “She cared for me along with her mother, her sister, and their local surgeon.”
“The surgeon who came to Lexington today?”
“Yes, Dr. Shirley”—Alfie took a long sip of his tea—“I fell in love with the young woman.”
Nora understood the importance of that statement for she knew just how much he had loved Eva over the last two years.
Alfie gazed out at the moonless night. “She let me kiss her, but failed to tell me she was engaged to the good doctor.”
Nora brought her hand to her mouth. “Alfie. I am sorry. How did you find out?”
“Her brother brought it up the day Eva came to retrieve me.” Alfie scooted back from the table and placed his hands on his thighs. “When he came today he told me he was going to Edinburgh for a few weeks; he expects a resolution to whatever is between Miss Parker, and myself, whatever the outcome”
Nora leaned closer, laying her hand on his arm. “You mean he is giving you the opportunity to take her from him if you can.”
“Precisely...”
“Yet you hesitate.”
“I cannot justify in my mind why she would allow me to kiss her, and not tell me she was engaged.”
“Perhaps she fell in love with you as well, unexpectedly. Nevertheless, she clearly felt an obligation to her fiancé, but was not ready to take the chance of losing you before she had time to think about what she was doing. There could be any number of legitimate reasons, Alfie.” She leaned toward him as if she were going to tell him a secret. “You have several weeks before you have to be here for the wedding. Go see her.”
Alfie left the following morning for Lockwood Farm.
Chapter 5
Elizabeth came running into the house that afternoon. “Audra! Audra you have a letter. I bet it is from Robert.”
Audra tried to grasp the letter as Elizabeth danced around her. “Is it from Edinburgh, Lizzy?”
Elizabeth stopped and took a look. “No...”
“Let me see it.”
Audra took the letter, and saw it was delivered from a village to the north. It had to be Mr. Lockwood. He had finally made it to his father’s home. She went for a walk so she could read the letter in private.
Miss Parker,
I have fully recovered from my injuries, thanks to Dr. Shirley, and your family. I arrived at Lockwood Farm just hours ago. If you would allow, I would like to call upon you soon. I feel we left some things unsaid.
Please let me know when would be an appropriate time.
Alfie Lockwood
Audra suspected Robert visited him on his way to Edinburgh, but what had passed between them she did not know. Nevertheless, she would not deny him, or herself the chance to see each other one more time. She returned to the cottage. “Mother, Mr. Lockwood has made a full recovery and finally made it to his father’s home. He has asked we visit him.” Which was not entirely false, he did want to visit with her.
“Oh wonderful Audra, I did want to speak to him about a possible match between him, and Elizabeth when she is old enough.”
Appalled, Audra responded. “Mother, I do not think—”
Her mother laughed, and caressed her cheek. “Audra, do you really think me that blind? I know you are in love with the man.”
“Mother, I do care for him, and that is why I must go. I need to explain to him face to face why I did not tell him I was engaged to Robert. I owe him that.”
“You still intend to marry Robert when he returns?”
“I have loved Robert since I was a girl, and he has loved me just as long. I cannot walk away from him now.”
“Audra, you do not see a difference in the way you feel about Robert, and the way you feel about Mr. Lockwood?”
“I do see a difference, but—”
“You are a fool my little girl. Robert wants to see you happy, even if it means losing you.”
“I cannot do that to him Mother.”
“Lizzy, and I will be ready to go in the morning. What have you told your brother?”
“Only that we are going to visit a friend. He is busy with the store.”
*
Audra, her mother, and Elizabeth arrived at Lockwood Farm late afternoon. Mr. Lockwood’s butler, Michaels, took care to see to their needs then Audra asked to be taken to him. Michaels informed her Mr. Lockwood was overseeing some work. A young groom walked with her a ways before Mr. Lockwood’s familiar form came into view. Unmistakably surprised by her presence, he excused himself and came towards her. Her escort turned back.
“What are you doing here Miss Parker?”
“I received your letter.”
Alfie leaned toward her. “I requested you inform me of a good time to come, and visit you there.”
I did not want you to make the trip, Mr. Lockwood. I am sure you are still experiencing some pain. Besides, I felt an urgency to speak with you, to explain...”
He took her arm and walked further away from the men at work. “Miss Lockwood, I had an agenda. You understand”—he reached for her hand—“I wanted you to know I had fallen in love with you before you engaged in any actions that could not be undone.”
Stunned, Audra replied. “You cannot just tell me you love me. You know Robert, and I are engaged. It is all so confusing”—she let out a big sigh—“you begged your brother’s wife to stay with you in your sleep.”
“I did? I did not know. I dreamt of her that first night, but—”
“You are in love with her Mr. Lockwood.”
“I was, yes, and she will always be special to me, but it is different.”
Audra looked away. “Did you... I mean to say, were the two of you ever intimate?”
Oh goodness, why did I ask him such an inappropriate question?
He chuckled. “No, I assure you if I had ever acted upon my feelings for her at the time I would not be standing before you now. My brother, Garrick, would have killed me.”
His smile faded. “I am sorry if you misunderstood my relationship with Eva, but I do not see how it compares to you allowing me to kiss you, twice, yet never telling me you were engaged to the man seeing to my injuries.”
“I allowed you to kiss me because I was overwhelmed by your interest in me, the desire I saw in your eyes. No one has ever looked at me that way, and I fell in love with you.”
One corner of his mouth rose in a playful grin. “You love me?”
Her sister’s young voice rang out. “Mr. Lockwood...”
Elizabeth came running. “They told me you have a new foal. May I feed her?”
“Yes you may.”
“I am sorry she is a naughty girl.” Audra tugged on one of her little sister’s curls. “I asked her to wait.” Her voice quivered giving away her emotional state.
Over Elizabeth’s head, their eyes locked for what felt like an eternity.
He took Elizabeth by the hand then. “I will take you to see the foal if you wait until after dinner.”
Audra quickly interceded. “I will take her. I should not have interrupted you; we can talk later.” She could see he was not pleased she was putting him off.