that I'd be tempted to fully wallow about in the rare and exceptional
opportunities I've been afforded."
"Rare and exceptional?" he repeated,looking up to meet
Sawyer's gaze.
Sawyer started to respond but his gaze suddenly shifted
to a point over Aiden's shoulder. A fraction of a second later
he snapped his mouth closed and drew himself up to his full
height.
"Pardon the intrusion, Mr. Terrell," she said from the
doorway. "I wasn't aware that your man had arrived."
Thanks to his man, he'd known she had. Bless Sawyer.
He turned and, indicating the butler with a genteel sweep of
his hand, began the formalities. "Miss Radford, may I present
Sawyer. Sawyer, Miss Alexandra Radford." The duchess,
he silently added.
"Emmaline speaks most highly of you, sir," she replied,
seemingly frozen to the spot in the hall. "It's indeed a pleasure
to meet you."
''And I you, Miss Radford." Sawyer gave her a respectful
bow and then a genuine smile. "May I say that your store is
a delightful feast for the senses."
She beamed back at him. ''Why, thank you, Sawyer.
That's most kind of you. I work constantly to keep it vibrant
and interesting. Would you care to join us for luncheon?
Preeya always cooks more than enough."
"My sincerest thanks, Miss Radford, but unfortunately I
cannot today. I paused briefly-at Emmaline's on my way
here and promised that I would share the noon meal with
her."
"Perhaps some other time then." At his slight bow and
nod, she added, "I'll look forward to it." Her smile wasn't
nearly as radiant when she turned it on him and said, ''When
you are free, please join us, Mr. Terrell."
She'd barely walked out of sight when Sawyer said softly,
"She seems to be quite down to earth and amiable, sir."
Yes, she could be delightfully pleasant when she wanted.
Which, so far, seemed to be when in the presence of anyone
except him. "I'll walk you down and let you out," Aiden offered,
scowling.
They were standing on opposite sides of the front door
when Sawyer cleared his throat and spoke again. ''I stand by
my earlier observations and recommendations, sir."
Something in his expression must have adequately conveyed
his confusion.
''Do make a point, sir," the butler said, a touch of exasperation
edging his tone, "of exploring the wonder of deeper
waters while you have the chance. You'll never forget or regret
the immersion. If you need anything I've neglected to
bring, send a runner and I'll see that the matter is rectified
immediately."
"Thank you for toting it all over here, Sawyer:' Aiden
replied, knowing that Sawyer meant well with his advice.
"I'll be dropping by the house from time to time, I'm sure."
He gestured toward the display table at his side, and with a
weak smile added, "One can only take so much of all this for
so long."
''Very good, sir. If you'd let me know when you'll be visiting,
I'll have Cook prepare you a beef dish." He bowed and
then turned crisply on his heel and strode off in the direction
of his sister's store.
Aiden closed the door and locked it, his mind racing.
Sawyer knew "about the Indian proscription of beef. Somehow
that realization placed all of what he'd said in a different
light. Aiden considered the rich array of color and
texture and pattern that surrounded him. It was a feast for the
eyes. And more. It somehow made the soul feel good, too.
Full and maybe even ..• He studied the feeling in his chest
and decided that "liberated" came closest to being the right
word. There was a quality to it all that seemed to say, "You
may indeed."
The thought came as a slow dawn, creeping over him,
gradually brightening the darkness that had been troubling
him before Sawyer's arrival. When he'd promised there
would be no other, he'd meant that he'd never love another
woman. There was a significant difference between making
love to a woman and actually loving her. Only very rarely
did the two go hand in hand. God knew he hadn't had one
flicker of true feeling for Rose beyond a wicked appreciation
for the fact that she was willing to do anything, anywhere,
anytime he wanted.
Of course it was a given that Alex Radford wouldn't be
the wanton Rose had proven to be, but if she was willing to
be seduced, then far be it for him to turn his back on the opportunity. It wouldn't mean anything beyond a brief physical
relationship. Bedding her wouldn't compromise his pledge
at all. He could plumb the depths of still waters without so
much as a single twinge of guilt.
And it was all the simplest of logic. Why he hadn't seen it
before now ... He sighed and half smiled as he shook his
head. He hadn't seen it because he'd· spent the last year so
blindly, roaringly drunk that he hadn't been able to see so
much as his own hand in front of his face. It was galling to
have to admit that maybe his father and Barrett were right
about the benefits of sobriety, but right was right.
He headed toward the stairs and lunch with a widening
grin. Just because you'd realized that someone had been
right all along didn't necessarily mean that you had to share
that bit of news with them. At least not right away. What did
matter was that you used the newfound understanding to
improve the general conditions of your existence. To be ...
Aiden chuckled, remembering Sawyer's choice of words.
Yes, one should strive to be well and truly comfortable. As
often as humanly possible.
Of course, there were a good number of steps to be taken
before that was even remotely possible. Gaining Alex's trust
was the first. That wasn't going to be easy. And to make matters
ever more frustrating, he didn't have a clue as to how to
go about it in any sort of deliberate fashion. Being nice to
Mohan might be an effective avenue, but the idea of gritting
his teeth in silence didn't appeal in the least. In fact, just
thinking about it made his jaw ache.
He'd come up with something else, he promised himself
as he stepped into the doorway of the dining room. Alex sat
at one end of a linen-covered table, a silver dome-covered
plate before her. Preeya sat in the center of one side with her
own covered plate. Places had been set opposite them both.
The one opposite Preeya consisted only of a linen napkin and
a set of silverware. The other had all that and a covered plate.
Aiden paused, uncertain as to which place was his. Preeya
solved his dilemma by gesturing to the seat opposite Alex.
Smiling his thanks, he took his seat saying, "My apologies
for having kept you waiting, ladies;'
Preeya said something and a rapid exchange in Hindi ensued.
At the end of it, Alex said in English. "Preeya says that
she doesn't at all mind waiting for the company of a handsome
&nbs
p; man."
"Did you tell her that she was unnecessarily feeding my
already grandiose sense of self?"
"Something along those lines:' she replied. removing her
plate cover and setting it on the brass holder.
Preeya did the same and Aiden followed suit, confused
yet again. "Is Mohan not joining us?”
Alex didn't look at him as she placed her napkin in her
lap and replied, "He's dining in confinement today."
If she'd taken him food, she was far more lenient than his
parents had been. The belief in the Terrell household was
that if you'd behaved badly enough to warrant being banished
to your room, you'd also behaved badly enough to
miss a meal. In his experience, the second part of it made the
first part hellish enough to bring about-and rather quickly the
required change in attitude. Aiden knew, however, that
sharing that perspective with her wouldn't go toward garnering
her trust.
"I gather," he said, hoping to be blandly conversational,
''that his time of personal reflection wasn't all that productive."
Her smile was taut. "Today is shaping up as one of his
more beastly ones."
And the odds were that the boy was just beginning to cut
his teeth where defiance was concerned. Ten-year olds were
like that. Deciding that she probably didn't want to hear that
bit of reality, either, he considered his food and the direction
he ought to take the conversation. The fare was some kind of
steamed fish with a rice side dish that looked to have bits of
fruit in it along with a heaping portion of a spice that not
only made it a bright yellow but perfectly suited for clearing
any stuffiness his nose might have been suffering. He picked
up his fork and flaked off a bit of the fish, asking, ''How does
Mohan usually spend his days? In formal studies?"
''Generally the mornings are spent with the books and slate
boards:' Alex answered. ''The afternoons are typically elevated
to the conduct of Blue Elephant business. The evenings
to reading and various board games."
God, he felt sorry for the child. If there wasn't anything
more than that, the boy was utterly and completely bored out
of his ... That was it! he realized. The way to take control of
this entire mess. Alex would be grateful and out of that would
come trust. And trust was the key. He didn't have to grit his
teeth and endure Mohan. He simply had to take control of the
boy's existence. It was a brilliant plan. Absolutely brilliant.
Barrett was right; when he put his mind to something ...
Lord, it was going to be so incredibly easy.
Chapter 6
Alex's stomach turned to lead even as her heart swelled and
flip-flopped in her chest. Good God, the man had a smile
that could tatter pantaloons at fifty paces. And those green
eyes when they sparkled with devilment ... If she didn't
steel her resolve, she was going be lunch instead of the fish.
"Well, no wonder the boy's beastly," he said with a flourish
of his fork. ''I would be, too. In fact, if you made me live
like that I'd either run away or slit my wrists."
He didn't give her a chance to say that she considered the
assertion overdramatic. "He's bored out of his skull, Miss
Radford. Books, business, and board games? Little boys have
to run and play. They have to go and do. They have far too
much energy to be contained inside four walls every hour of
the day."
"Mohan's hardly a prisoner," she protested, aware of
Preeya's quick glancing between the two of them. "We frequently
venture out into the city."
''To do what?"
''We attend auctions;' she supplied. ''We watch the ships
come into port and the lords and ladies parade along their avenues.
We go to the market daily. From time to time we attend
a play."
"Be still my heart;' he countered dryly. ''I can scarcely
bear the excitement of it all."
No, it 'wasn't exciting, but it wasn't meant to be. It was
safe and largely designed to fulfill the tasks required for
daily living. ''And what would you have him doing with his
time instead?" she asked, not really sure she wanted to know,
but unwilling to back away from his open challenge.
"Has anyone taught the boy to ride a horse?"
Of all the silly notions. ''We don't have a horse, Mr. Terrell."
''Does he know how to play cricket?"
''With whom would he play?" she asked. ''And where? In
the street, between the passing carriages?"
"Good God, no," she exclaimed, appalled at the very notion
of Mohan being involved in such violent, dangerous sports.
He took a couple of bites of his food, but what hopes she
had of the interrogation being over were dashed when he
asked, ''What about sledding and ice skating? They're not
terribly manly pastimes, but they're something children usually
find amusing. Especially in the dead of winter when
there isn't much else to do."
''Mohan isn't interested in sports of any kind," she announced
with all the firm politeness she could muster. "It's
pointless to inquire after any others."
''Does he have any pets? A dog? A cat? Maybe a lizard or
a snake or two?"
Slithering things? As pets? Alex suppressed. a shudder.
"He's expressed no interest in having one. Or two. Of anything."
Again he paused to eat. This time she knew' better than to
hope. The man didn't relent, he simply shifted directions
ever so slightly. She consumed some of her own lunch, waiting
for the inevitable resumption of their contest
Preeya continued to look back and forth between them,
slowly eating, but saying nothing. In the aftermath, the first
time the two of them were alone, Preeya would want a summary
of all that had been said. She'd also remember specific
words and ask what they meant Not that she'd ever do anything
with them. Which, in this particular situation, was
most definitely a blessing. Preeya's refusal to learn English
meant that she didn't know just how inept her mistress was
at fending off persistent men.
"He doesn't know how to hunt, to fish, or to sail either,
does he?"
Well, he was indeed predictable. "Mr. Terrell," she said
on a sigh, "Mohan is going to be a raja someday. He doesn't
need to know how to do those things."
"He'll be the most boring-and bored!-man to ever occupy
a throne," he countered, his tone that of a man of clear
and unshakable convictions. "More importantly, at the moment
he's an exceedingly bored little boy. He behaves badly
simply because it's something to do that affords some degree
of excitement. God knows there's nothing else that
qualifies in his existence. Why has he been so boxed up? Is it
that you can't afford to hire a riding or a sailing instructor?"
What was it about the men who carne through her life?
Were all men determined to be overbearing? Or was there
something about her in particular that attracted such men?
“We have considerable financial resources, Mr. Terrell," she
answered, squarely meeting his gaze across the length of the
table.
"It's a matter of Mohan's safety. Lal--the guard who recently
returned to India-maintained that Mohan would be
considerably easier to kidnap or harm if he were out and
about in the city, that he was far safer when within the walls
of this house. I happen to think that he's correct."
"Well, if I were bent on kidnapping him," he quipped, "I'd
certainly appreciate knowing where I could always find him."
"And there is the matter of protecting him from accidental
injury," Alex went on, committed to making him see the wisdom
in the pattern of their lives. "He could be thrown from a
horse and break his neck. He could fall out of a sailboat and
drown. We will not even venture into a discussion of the
types of injuries commonly suffered by the reckless, self-destructive
fools who play football or rugby. I promised his
father that I would keep him safe from all harm."
"Then you'd best tell Preeya to put out the cooking fires,"
he instantly countered, his smile wide and altogether too confident,
"because every time she lights one the kitchen stands
a chance of going up in flames that could very well spread to