Alyssa's Autumn Affair

by Tabetha Waite

  “Of course. Just let me get changed.”

  As Alyssa turned and headed back to her room, she could only imagine what she would find when she arrived, but she wouldn’t let Travell down again.

  ***

  Travell was pacing the front hall when Alyssa arrived with Daisy. At first glance, he found it difficult to look at her; she was such a sight for sore eyes. He thought he had memorized everything about her, but when she removed her redingote to reveal a lavender gown, his attention was drawn to her rather curvaceous figure. He blinked, recalling that lovely form was even more tempting than before, but then it had been days since he’d laid eyes on her.

  Today, even though his father’s deteriorating condition worried him, she was impossible to ignore.

  “It’s good to see you again, Lady Alyssa.” Ives bowed respectfully. “We’ve missed you.”

  She smiled at the butler and Travell had to remember how to breathe. “Thank you.”

  When she turned her gaze on him, he stepped forward almost hesitantly. “I’m glad you were willing to come.”

  “Of course.” She nodded, but before she could say anything else, a gruff shout came from upstairs. Her green eyes filled with compassion. “I’m sorry the earl has suffered a relapse, but Mr. Lyridon said it could happen.”

  “Indeed.” Travell sighed heavily. “I just imagined it wouldn’t be so soon.” He swallowed heavily. “I thought I would have… more time.”

  She walked over and touched his arm. “He will return. I know it.” With that, she started for the stairs, while Travell and Dr. Perimore followed.

  There was no one standing guard outside Lord Trenton’s chamber today. There was no need, for the earl was restrained to his bed once more, his sudden violent outburst causing one of the footmen to sport a rather nasty bruise.

  Alyssa opened the door and stepped inside. Travell watched his father thrash about on the bed and he had to glance away. It was difficult to see someone you loved tied down like a rabid animal, but he’d been left with no other choice but to bring the bonds back. It was either that, or send him away, and he wasn’t prepared to do that. Not yet. He kept telling himself that there was hope.

  “Lord Trenton, can you hear me?”

  Travell turned back to Alyssa who had taken a seat on the edge of the bed.

  The earl turned his wild eyes to her and spat, “What is the meaning of this, Sophie?”

  The hairs on the back of Travell’s neck stood on end. It was the first time his father had spoken the servant’s name since the day he’d claimed she was a spy. While Travell had reached out to his fellow agent, Logan Montgomery, to look deeper into the matter of the errant maid who had seduced the earl away from his family, other than a short acquiescence, as yet, nothing further had been forthcoming. But just like his father’s eventual recovery, he had faith that Logan would come through for him.

  “Where are you and Sophie now, Lord Trenton?”

  Dr. Perimore’s soothing voice dragged Travel back to the present. He watched carefully as the mesmerist entered the conversation. It hadn’t taken long for Travell to realize that the man was just as adept at his craft as Mr. Lyridon had been, even if his father had suffered a temporary setback. Even then, it was obvious that each session improved his father’s reality. This minor defeat was only because they were delving further into his psyche, where the mystery of the past seven years could finally be resolved.

  “You know damned well where I am!” Lord Trenton roared, struggling against his bonds once more. “Release me this instant!”

  Alyssa reached out and laid a gentle hand on his chest. “My lord, you must calm yourself.”

  “Why?” he snapped. “So you can poison me again? Keep me trapped in this… place until it suits your whim to let me go?”

  Travell glanced away. Each time his father demanded freedom was another knife shoved into his chest. The feeling of betrayal pulsed through his veins with every beat of his heart.

  “Why is it so important for you to leave Rosewood?” Dr. Perimore asked.

  “Leave Rosewood?” The earl blinked rapidly. “You damned fool! You know I’m doing my best to get back there!”

  ***

  Alyssa looked over at Travell who had frozen in place. She turned to Dr. Perimore and murmured, “As much as I hate to say it, I think a bit of laudanum may be in order to keep him settled so that he can rest.”

  The mesmerist’s expression turned grim. “I think you may be right, my lady.”

  She stood up as he reluctantly reached for the brown bottle on the side table. As he tended to the earl, Alyssa took Travell’s arm and gently led him out into the hallway. She quietly shut the door behind her and then looked at him in concern. His lack of color worried her, but after a moment, he didn’t appear quite so white.

  However, when he spoke, his voice was strained. “All this time I imagined that he left us. It never occurred to me to think he was… taken against his will.” He turned away and gripped the newel post of the staircase.

  It wasn’t until he bowed his head, as if the weight of the world rested solely on his shoulders, that Alyssa went to him. It pained her to see him so tormented. She rested her head against his arm and whispered, “Is there anything I can do?”

  “You’re already doing it by being here.” He turned to face her, wrapping her within the circle of his arms. He rested his chin on her head with a heavy sigh, his breath stirring her hair. “Promise me that you won’t stay away so long again.”

  Her heart wrenched in her chest. “I promise.”

  “Then that’s all I need.”

  Alyssa didn’t want to imagine that she was finally getting through to him, that she was able to find a way past the walls he didn’t even realize he’d built around himself. But his words gave her cause to hope.

  As the door opened and Dr. Perimore joined them, Travell slowly released her. “The earl is sleeping now.”

  Travell nodded. “It’s for the best. Thank you.”

  The older man nodded as he headed downstairs. Once he was gone, Travell turned to her. He lifted his hand and brushed his fingers lightly down the side of her cheek. Alyssa’s breath halted, for this touch wasn’t one of lust, but caring, and that meant more to her than anything else.

  As he let his arm drop back to his side, he said, “I imagine you’d like to tend to your roses now.”

  He appeared so morose that she shook her head. “Actually, I thought we might take a walk. Perhaps return to the ruins?”

  That made him smile. “Feeling adventurous today?”

  She shrugged. “Not really. Just… content. With you,” she dared to add.

  He offered her his arm. “In that case, I wouldn’t dream of disappointing such a gracious lady as yourself.”

  “You’re too kind, Lord Curdiff. Or should I say Sir Dashing?” she teased.

  She couldn’t tear her gaze away from him as he laughed, the sound so rich and deep it vibrated all the way to her toes.

  In spite of all the recent upset — her aunt’s sudden death and Lord Trenton’s shocking resurgence — Alyssa found that she had never been happier than in that moment.

  ***

  After five days of continual rain, as Travell stepped outside with Alyssa at his side, the sun began to shine. It was like a positive omen that good things were on the horizon. Good God, I really am starting to sound like a poet. He winced inwardly at the thought, but at the same time, if spouting sonnets would keep Alyssa from staying away so long again, he might not be above quoting Byron.

  Damn, but he’d missed her. It was strange that he could go weeks without setting eyes on her in London, but he always knew that she was there and that gave him some semblance of peace. While he should feel the same relief that she was at a neighboring estate, he also knew the sort of people that she was surrounding herself with and that didn’t set well with him. He didn’t care for the way Caroline treated her. That nonsense about ‘Little Mouse’ still made him itch to call
out the baron for allowing such crass behavior to continue in his household. He still might, just for the simple fact he kept making unwanted advances at Alyssa.

  He expelled a heavy breath, releasing the tension in his chest. Again, he reminded himself that it wasn’t his place to interfere. He might chafe at the fact Alyssa continually allowed herself to be subjected to her cousin’s conduct rather than wed him, but that was her choice. She’d declined his offer more than once and he wouldn’t do her the dishonor of pressuring her to accept his hand. If going to America would make her happy, then he would do everything in his power to ensure that was what happened. He wouldn’t be selfish in his desire to keep her in England, just to bear witness to her marrying another man in due course. He’d rather that she was far away, where he didn’t have to watch her become a mother and raise a family that he would always imagine could have been his.

  “That’s a rather dark frown you’re wearing, Lord Curdiff. Is there something else troubling you?”

  Yes. “No.” He shook his head and patted Alyssa’s hand like the friend she had decided that was all he’d ever be. And since he felt the need to give some sort of explanation for his temporary upset, he said, “I wanted to tell you that I enlisted the help of an acquaintance in London to help me find Sophie.”

  Her eyes widened slightly. “Has he found anything?”

  “Not yet, but I have every confidence that he will come through. He has certain… abilities in finding people who don’t want to be found.”

  He had to be careful when it came to speaking about anything regarding his work for the Home Office, for when it came to delicate matters that involved the safety of the country everything was at risk, especially a fellow agent. While he had every confidence that he could trust Alyssa with his secrets, he didn’t want to put her in a position to worry about him even more, or put herself in danger where her knowledge could be used against him.

  “I am certain you chose the best,” she noted.

  He didn’t reply as they crested the top of the hill and the Roman Ruins were on bold display before them. “What shall we imagine today, my lady?”

  She smiled. “You know, I didn’t always act out my Medieval fantasies when I came here.” She disengaged herself from him and sat down on one of the boulders. “I used to just sit by myself and think.” She glanced out across the expanse beyond the estate grounds. “It was always so quiet and serene. It helped to clear my head.”

  “Ah.” He sat down next to her. “So that’s why you brought me here, to ease my turbulent thoughts?”

  “No,” she said, surprising him. She turned to him then, her green eyes shining, reflected like emeralds in the sunlight. “I wanted to bring you to where I was the happiest.”

  He watched her closely. “Then surely we should be in the conservatory?”

  “No.” She glanced down and rubbed her hand along the stone beneath her. “These ruins were my sanctuary in times of trial.” A crease appeared between her brows, a few delicate wisps of dark hair escaping her bonnet to caress the area near the tempting mouth that had haunted him for countless days and endless nights. “Do you know that after my father died, the first place I came to for comfort was right here?”

  “You are welcome here anytime,” he murmured.

  “It’s strange, but when I returned to Breyton Hall after Aunt Pearl’s death, I had nearly forgotten about this place.” She returned her gaze to him. “But after that day you brought me here, it was as if… all those years of feeling alone were suddenly gone.”

  It was his turn to frown. “You’ve never been alone, Alyssa.”

  “Haven’t I?” She smiled with a tinge of sadness. “I’m an orphan who just lost the last member of my family that was special to me. And while Triana and I are great friends, she is a married duchess now.” She sighed heavily. “I feel as though I’m the last woman standing.”

  Travell studied her closely and then reached out and held her chin in place with his finger. “You have never been anything less than perfect in my eyes.” He rubbed the tip of his thumb across her lower lip. “And you know all you have to do is say the word and I’ll procure a special license this very afternoon.”

  A sparkle of moisture glinted in her gaze. “You would save me from the barren life of spinsterhood?”

  He swallowed heavily. “You know I will. Haven’t I said as much so many times?”

  She smiled, and then said, “Kiss me, Travell.”

  She didn’t have to ask him twice. He’d been dreaming of the moment when she asked for his touch.

  He slowly lowered his head to hers, his eyes drifting shut…

  The sound of a man clearing his throat made Alyssa turn her head to the side. Travell cursed under his breath as he faced the speaker, which was one of his footmen. “What is it?”

  The servant bowed lightly. “Pardon the intrusion, my lord, but Ives asked me to fetch you. The Duke and Duchess of Chiltern have just arrived.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alyssa had a bit of trepidation as she followed Travell back to the manor, which was nonsensical, of course. Triana had been her dearest friend for more than two decades. And yet, as she walked inside the foyer with Travell, the butterflies in her stomach were insistent.

  However, the instant Travell’s sister spied Alyssa she rushed over and enveloped her in a firm hug. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here with Lady Alwan died.”

  Tears immediately stung Alyssa’s eyes. “Thank you.” As they pulled apart, she realized now how much she’d truly missed another woman to talk to, one that she could trust. Looking into Triana’s blue eyes, her black hair styled in a becoming chignon on her head, Alyssa realized that while this woman might be a married duchess now, she was still the same dark haired girl she’d run through the woods with.

  Triana must have felt the same, for she squeezed Alyssa’s hand and said, “It’s so good to see you. I’m glad you were here when we arrived.” She glanced warily at Travell, who was in conversation with the duke. “I hope my brother hasn’t been too unbearable.”

  “Not at all,” Alyssa returned. “In fact, we had just returned from a walk to the Roman Ruins.”

  This caused the other woman to laugh. “Oh, I haven’t thought of that place in years! It was definitely one of your favorite places.” She tilted her head to the side. “How is it being back at Breyton Hall? Is your cousin a kind man?”

  “Everything is fine.” Alyssa attempted to reassure her friend, but Triana looked at her steadily, having known her long enough to know when she was trying to conceal the truth. So, in an effort to turn the subject away from her, she waved a hand. “Enough about me. I want to hear all about your adventures in Italy.”

  Alyssa watched as Triana’s face became animated as she spoke of the various cafes she’d traveled to, and the marked differences between the continent and England. “Certainly the weather was more improved. It didn’t rain continuously!” As she continued to speak, it was readily apparent that she truly was a happily married woman. Her eyes shone with a continuous twinkle and when she spoke of her husband, her cheeks turned a becoming shade of pink.

  After a brief recounting, Triana promised her that they would continue their conversation when they could sit down and catch up thoroughly.

  She turned to Travell and said, “I was surprised to return and discover that you weren’t in London. I thought nothing could drag you away from the city.”

  At this point, Travell rubbed the back of his neck. “Indeed. About that—”

  “Perhaps we should retire to the parlor?” Alyssa suggested.

  Travell looked at her gratefully. “Yes. I think that would be best.”

  Triana glanced between them and narrowed her blue eyes suspiciously. She had always been rather keen on ferreting out secrets. “Am I missing something?”

  Alyssa walked over and threaded her arm through hers. “Dearest, I really think you should sit down.”

  Half an hour later, Triana was sitting ra
ther silently, her husband’s arm around her waist for support, while Alyssa and Travell sat across from the newly married couple and did their best to ease the shock of the earl’s return, and his current condition.

  Finally, Triana’s blue eyes beseeched her brother’s. “Does… Mama know?”

  “Not yet.” Travell released a heavy breath and Alyssa ached to comfort him, but other than a light hand on his arm, she dared not offer anything further, for something more would suggest a closer acquaintance. “I’ve left word at Abernathy House, but you know as well as I do that our mother doesn’t appear with a simple summons. She will be along in due time.”

  “Indeed.” Triana obviously couldn’t disagree, for she changed the subject, asking, “Could I speak with this… mesmerist? I should like to hear his opinion.”

  “Of course.” Travell rang for the butler, and when Ives appeared, he said, “Please send for Dr. Perimore.”

  “Yes, my lord.”

  In the silence that followed, Triana stared at the clasped hands in her lap, and then lifted her gaze to Travell. “I can’t believe that you’ve been dealing with all of this on your own.”

  “But I haven’t been alone,” he countered, shooting Alyssa a look that warmed her midsection. “Alyssa has been a great help to Father.” He paused with a slight lift of his lips. “And to me.” He turned back to his sister. “She’s been here nearly every day to check on us.”

  “I see.”

  Alyssa knew that tone and her gaze quickly shifted to Triana, who was watching her with a rather knowing expression. “My Blue Ladies are here,” she rushed to add, and even added Travell’s title for further confirmation that they were still only friends. “Lord Curdiff was kind enough to allow me to use the conservatory at Rosewood, now that Caroline has remodeled the one at Breyton Hall.”

  It was enough for the gleam in Triana’s eyes to dim to a sympathetic sparkle. “I know it must have been difficult for you to leave London.”