Before The Scandal by Suzanne Enoch Read Free Book Online

said it was you?”
    Alyse felt her cheeks warm. “I would say, Phin Bromley, that ten years haven’t erased my intelligence. You didn’t know I would be here.”
    “Witty and beautiful,” he drawled, clearly undaunted. “I nearly embraced you last night, Alyse. To find you here…” He cleared his throat. “It’s good to see you again.”
    Her heart shivered. “And you,” she returned, seeking the wit on which he’d just complimented her. “What brings you to Lewes, again?”
    “Back on the trail, are we? Then the wish for fresh air brings me here,” he replied. Alert eyes scanned the street around them. “I swear this town has grown again by half.”
    “I think it has,” she agreed, more at ease now that she was no longer the subject of the conversation. “That’s Warner’s mare you’re riding, isn’t it?”
    His grin deepened. “Yes. Daffodil. I would have arrived in town earlier, but I’m afraid sending her into a trot would cause her to drop dead. Apparently Warner travels everywhere very slowly.”
    Alyse smiled back at him. She couldn’t help herself. “That uniform suits you.”
    “It is a universally acknowledged fact,” he drawled, his gaze lowering to her mouth, “that given the choice of two otherwise equal gentlemen, a woman will choose to flirt with the man in uniform.”
    There was something disconcerting about the attention he paid her. With a laugh she shook her head at him. “You’ve made a scientific study of this, I assume?”
    Miss Jane Austen has. I am a simple soldier, Miss Donnelly.”
    “You’ve never been a ‘simple’ anything, Phin. Or rather, Colonel Bromley.”
    “Phin, please,” he returned. “You’ve put mud down my back, after all.”
    She laughed. “Ah, yes, but I was nine years old at the time. And you were, what, eleven?”
    “Good God. Yes, I believe so.” He glanced past her at the busy shops along the street. “Are you here with friends?”
    He truly didn’t know. For a moment she wished she could keep it that way. “No. I’m with my aunt. She’s sent me to the bakery after biscuits.”
    Swiftly he held out an arm to her. “Allow me to accompany you, then.”
    “That’s not necessary.”
    “Which makes me amazingly gallant, I think.” He shook his fingers in her direction, and with another smile she hoped wasn’t too wistful, Alyse wrapped her hand around his arm. It had been nearly five years since anyone had troubled themselves to be gallant on her behalf.
    “If I may be so bold,” she ventured as they strolled along the street, Daffodil in tow, “your family seemed surprised to see you.”
    “A miscommunication,” he said promptly. “I thought I was expected.”
    “Is it true, what Beth said, that you’ve received five field promotions? You must be quite heroic in addition to being gallant.”
    He chuckled. “Thus far I’ve excelled at not being killed.” Abruptly he sobered. “Again, I’m sorry about your parents. No one informed me, or I would have written.”
    Would you have? “Thank you. They both caught that awful fever going about five years ago, and never recovered. I am glad they went together, though. For their sakes.”
    “Your cousin inherited the title, then?”
    She nodded. Richard had inherited much more than the title of Viscount Donnelly, but she wasn’t going to regale Phin with her tale of woe. Certainly not when she hadn’t seen him for ten years.
    “It’s good that you didn’t have to leave Donnelly House.”
    He really did know nothing. Torn between wanting to pour out her troubles and laughing, Alyse released his arm. “Thank you for your escort, Phin,” she said aloud, trying to keep her voice steady, “but my aunt hates to be kept waiting.” With a half smile she continued down the street.
    After a half dozen steps his hand came down on her shoulder, bringing her to a halt. “Alyse,” he said again, his voice lower and more intimate, “might I ask you a question? Just between us. It