Imitation of Love by Sally Quilford Read Free Book Online Page B

King and the fact that
he was holding a parade before Easter.
     
    “Will we be in London then?” asked
Alyssa. “I should love to see it.”
     
    “Yes, I see no reason why we can’t leave
a little earlier,” said Oakley. “In fact, Andrew and I have to leave in the
morning on Court business. I’ll make sure my house in London is ready for your
arrival in a few days.”
     
    “You’re leaving?” said Mrs. Somerson,
with her customary pout. “But Xander, I’ve hardly seen you since I arrived.
Perhaps I should return to London.”
     
    “Don’t cut short your visit on my
account,” said Mr. Oakley. “I’ll be far too busy with His Majesty to entertain
you all. Why don’ you stay on here, and travel down with the Miss Willoughbys
and my aunt on Wednesday?”
     
    Mrs. Somerson looked as if she’d rather
do anything but. “Whilst I’m sure their company will be delightful.” She said
it in the manner of someone who’d just been offered a dead cat for her
breakfast. “I too have things to take care of in London this week. Lord
Granchester has invited me to dinner on Tuesday evening.” She gave Mr. Oakley a
look that was at once pathetic and comical.
     
    “I’m sure you’ll enjoy that very much.”
He put down his napkin and stood up. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going
riding. Does anyone wish to join me?”
     
    As most of the guests were still feeling
the effects of the night before, they refused. Catherine was sorely tempted to
ask if she could join him, so they could speak, but when she tried to catch his
eye again, she felt sure he pointedly ignored her and left the room.
     
    She thought to go with him anyway, but
before she could, Phoebe Somerson followed him out, so she lost her chance.
     
    ***
     
    “Xander… Xander, wait,” said Phoebe.
“You are being so mean to me this weekend.”
     
    Xander was already on his way out of the
front door. “Don’t make a scene, Phoebe,” he said, in mild but firm tones. His
groom was waiting with his horse, and Xander wasted no time in mounting it. He
hoped that Phoebe was too self-absorbed to notice him wincing. His side still
hurt, and he knew he probably shouldn’t be riding at all, but he was desperate
to get away on his own for a while. He could see that Catherine wanted to speak
to him, but he couldn’t deal with her until he had worked out a plan of action.
He’d seen the realization in her face when she heard about the Captain’s injury.
He had to find a way of putting her off that track, before she shared her idea
with someone else.
     
    “I’m not making a scene,” said Phoebe.
He had almost forgotten she was there. “No one else is here.” Clearly his groom
didn’t count as somebody, which annoyed him greatly.  “I expected you to come
to me last night, and you didn’t.” The well-trained groom moved away, and went
around to the side of the house.
     
    “And neither did I intend to. You must
see the impropriety of such behaviour when I am responsible for two young girls
living in my house.” He was beginning to see that inviting Phoebe at all had
been a bad idea. He had mistakenly thought she would take the girls under her
wing and perhaps even help him with to guide them in society. Whilst she’d made
a fuss of Alyssa to begin with, she had soon grown bored of playing the big
sister, and he couldn’t help noticing that she’d been particularly rude to
Catherine from the very beginning.  The weekend was probably the longest he’d
spent in Phoebe’s company. Before then, they’d either met at functions in Court,
surrounded by many others, and during the times they’d been alone, they hadn’t
done much in the way of talking. Familiarity had made her seem tiresome. Or
perhaps, if he were more honest, comparison with Catherine had brought that
about.   
     
    “Fatherhood has turned you into a bore,”
said Phoebe.
     
    “I’m their guardian, not their father.”
Did she have to insist on reminding him of