Punish Me With Roses - a Victorian Historical Romance by Juliet Moore Page A
Authors: Juliet Moore
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Anything else you need to know?"
" Murdered! I had no idea."
"No. You didn't." He was at the door. "If you'll excuse me, I'll see you at dinner."
He left before she could answer.
* * *
Alexander watched Victoria as she stood in front of the unkempt grave, her face thoughtful. He'd followed her there, just he had the first time he'd seen her. She looked just as tempting, even if it was in a different way. The sun glinted off her long, dark hair and when she squinted her eyes against the sun, he'd swear she was smiling internally.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you."
Her entire body jerked when he'd started to speak. He had startled her. "And what, pray tell, will you do if you are disturbing me?"
"That's not a very ladylike thing to ask," he replied, but without any harshness.
She looked at the grave with a charming smile playing about her lips. "And I don't believe it's very gentlemanly to follow someone."
He coughed behind his hand, trying to obscure the abrupt choking sound he'd made at the back of his throat. "Could it not be possible that the reason we always end up in the same place is pure coincidence? What would make you think up such a wild fantasy?"
"The way you happen to appear everywhere I go," she said, the smile quickly disappearing. "The tendency you have to not look the least bit surprised when we do run into each other."
"All coincidence."
"The surprise too?"
He stalled by looking at the grave marker closest to him, then replied, "I'm usually so happy to see you that it obscures the wonder."
"I hope you don't expect me to believe that nonsense."
He smiled. "I was visiting someone, as I'm sure you are as well."
"Who, pray tell, are you visiting, Mr. Trevelyn?"
Good question. "An old friend. Whom are you visiting?"
"I was thinking more along the idea of a name."
"Who's name were you thinking of?"
She picked up her skirt and tried to walk past him then. But he wouldn't move aside and her skirt, with the multiple petticoats beneath, was too wide for her to slip by. "Mr. Trevelyn, you might try to distract me with silly questions, but I have no doubt that you've been following me. There's no one for you to visit in this part of the cemetery because we all know that an illustrious family such as your own wouldn't have anyone buried in the unholy corner of the yard."
It was hard to look into her eyes and see hurt within their depths. "I did come to visit you, Miss Fyn."
"Then you are following me." Her eyes narrowed with triumph.
"I suppose I'll have to admit it now that you've caught me." He bowed, gallantly removing his hat with a flourish. "Forgive me, my lady."
"But why are you doing it?" she asked in a softer tone. She shielded her eyes with one gloved hand and he couldn't tell whether the pink spot on her cheeks were from the sun or from her embarrassed curiosity.
"You captivate me, Miss Fyn," he said. As the words escaped his lips knew they were completely honest. "I know that I've been improper, but you must believe me when I insist that I've never meant you any harm."
Her eyes glittered and her hand fell to one side. He met her gaze for a moment before hers fell to the ground. She whispered, "Yes, well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions."
They'd come close to getting somewhere only two days previous and he let that experience inspire him. If Michael hadn't happened upon them, he would have kissed her until her lips were sore. He took a chance then and cradled her chin with his hand so that she would look at him.
Her eyes were glossy and wide. But in contrast, her mouth was pursed and uncompromising. It was obvious that she was fighting against something. What exactly, was a mystery.
"You're not a conventional lady, my dear."
"I--"
"You would never let societal conventions and foolish rules get in your way, would you?" Alex smiled and moved his thumb from side to side, hoping so much that he could win her over. "Surely a woman like that can forgive a man for
" Murdered! I had no idea."
"No. You didn't." He was at the door. "If you'll excuse me, I'll see you at dinner."
He left before she could answer.
* * *
Alexander watched Victoria as she stood in front of the unkempt grave, her face thoughtful. He'd followed her there, just he had the first time he'd seen her. She looked just as tempting, even if it was in a different way. The sun glinted off her long, dark hair and when she squinted her eyes against the sun, he'd swear she was smiling internally.
"I hope I'm not disturbing you."
Her entire body jerked when he'd started to speak. He had startled her. "And what, pray tell, will you do if you are disturbing me?"
"That's not a very ladylike thing to ask," he replied, but without any harshness.
She looked at the grave with a charming smile playing about her lips. "And I don't believe it's very gentlemanly to follow someone."
He coughed behind his hand, trying to obscure the abrupt choking sound he'd made at the back of his throat. "Could it not be possible that the reason we always end up in the same place is pure coincidence? What would make you think up such a wild fantasy?"
"The way you happen to appear everywhere I go," she said, the smile quickly disappearing. "The tendency you have to not look the least bit surprised when we do run into each other."
"All coincidence."
"The surprise too?"
He stalled by looking at the grave marker closest to him, then replied, "I'm usually so happy to see you that it obscures the wonder."
"I hope you don't expect me to believe that nonsense."
He smiled. "I was visiting someone, as I'm sure you are as well."
"Who, pray tell, are you visiting, Mr. Trevelyn?"
Good question. "An old friend. Whom are you visiting?"
"I was thinking more along the idea of a name."
"Who's name were you thinking of?"
She picked up her skirt and tried to walk past him then. But he wouldn't move aside and her skirt, with the multiple petticoats beneath, was too wide for her to slip by. "Mr. Trevelyn, you might try to distract me with silly questions, but I have no doubt that you've been following me. There's no one for you to visit in this part of the cemetery because we all know that an illustrious family such as your own wouldn't have anyone buried in the unholy corner of the yard."
It was hard to look into her eyes and see hurt within their depths. "I did come to visit you, Miss Fyn."
"Then you are following me." Her eyes narrowed with triumph.
"I suppose I'll have to admit it now that you've caught me." He bowed, gallantly removing his hat with a flourish. "Forgive me, my lady."
"But why are you doing it?" she asked in a softer tone. She shielded her eyes with one gloved hand and he couldn't tell whether the pink spot on her cheeks were from the sun or from her embarrassed curiosity.
"You captivate me, Miss Fyn," he said. As the words escaped his lips knew they were completely honest. "I know that I've been improper, but you must believe me when I insist that I've never meant you any harm."
Her eyes glittered and her hand fell to one side. He met her gaze for a moment before hers fell to the ground. She whispered, "Yes, well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions."
They'd come close to getting somewhere only two days previous and he let that experience inspire him. If Michael hadn't happened upon them, he would have kissed her until her lips were sore. He took a chance then and cradled her chin with his hand so that she would look at him.
Her eyes were glossy and wide. But in contrast, her mouth was pursed and uncompromising. It was obvious that she was fighting against something. What exactly, was a mystery.
"You're not a conventional lady, my dear."
"I--"
"You would never let societal conventions and foolish rules get in your way, would you?" Alex smiled and moved his thumb from side to side, hoping so much that he could win her over. "Surely a woman like that can forgive a man for
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