Page 24 of A Stolen Heart

Alexandra gasped and stepped back, jolted from her haze of passion by the sounds. She put her hand to her mouth, her eyes huge, looking at Thorpe.

Fury stabbed through Thorpe, and he wished the servants and Aunt Hortense to hell for interrupting them. He wanted to reach out and pull Alexandra into his arms, ignoring the world outside the room, but then reason returned to him. This was hardly the time or place for lovemaking. Anyone could walk in at any moment, and the scandal would be all over London within a day. He realized, too, with something of a jolt, that he was acting like a cad. Alexandra had just gone through a frightening experience; she was unusually vulnerable—and he was taking advantage of that vulnerability. He certainly had no qualms about having a mutually satisfying affair with a woman, but he knew that it would be unfair and dishonest to lure her into lovemaking when she was so shaken and frightened by an attack.

Irritated at himself, he turned away, saying gruffly, “Forgive me. I should not—”

Alexandra wrapped her arms around herself, feeling very empty and alone. She cleared her throat, telling herself not to be a fool. “There’s no need. I was not myself. The circumstances were—”

“What happened?” He turned, seizing on the topic. It was doubly irritating, he found, that he was still throbbing with desire, even if his good sense had taken over enough to stop him before they tumbled together on the floor.

“I’m not sure.” Alexandra frowned. “He jumped out at me from behind some shrubs. He followed me—at least, I think he did. I started hearing footsteps, and then they were gone, and the next thing I knew, he was rushing out of the shrubs down the street. He grabbed me from behind and he said—this is what is so very strange—he said, ‘Go home!’”

“’Go home?’” Thorpe repeated in disbelief.

“Yes. Or go back where you came from. Something like that.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I am!” Alexandra snapped. “I could scarcely mistake something like that. He distinctly told me to leave. Why would anyone care? Why would someone attack me just to tell me to go back to the United States?”

Thorpe stared at her dumbfounded. “I cannot imagine. You must have heard him wrong.”

“I did not hear him wrong. That is what he said.”

Thorpe looked at her for a moment. He felt quite sure that the man had not grabbed her to tell her to leave the country. It was absurd. No doubt his intent had been to rape her; Alexandra was probably just too naïve to realize that. The thought made his blood boil. He thought with great satisfaction of what he would do to the man if he had him in his hands.

Frustrated, he snapped, “What the devil were you doing out there in the first place? Haven’t you any sense?”

Stung, Alexandra retorted, “I was walking home. If you will remember, you left me at the ball.”

“I told you to wait.”

“I didn’t feel like it. I was tired, and I didn’t know anyone. The footman told me you had gone away in the carriage with the Countess, and I had no idea when you would be coming back—or even if you would.”

“You think that I would simply abandon you there?”

“Well, you did.”

“I was coming back. I wanted to see the Countess home, to make sure she was all right. I specifically told you to wait. If you had listened to me instead of charging off on your own, it wouldn’t have happened.”

“Oh!” Alexandra glared at him. “Now you are blaming me because some man decided to attack me?”

“I’m not blaming you. I am simply saying that it was foolish of you to walk home without an escort.”

“May I remind you that I am perfectly able to take care of myself. I don’t have to sit around kicking my heels, waiting for my escort to reappear and trundle me home like some piece of baggage.”

“Able to take care of yourself?” He raised a scornful brow. “It hardly appears that way.”

“What do you mean?” Alexandra clenched her hands, jutting her chin forward pugnaciously. “I did take care of myself. I kicked him and tore away from him and ran to the house. No one helped me but myself!”

“The point is that you wouldn’t even have been attacked if you had not been walking alone. He probably thought you were—”

“Were what?” Alexandra’s eyes flashed fire, and she set her hands on her hips.

“Easy prey,” Thorpe said, tight-lipped. “And, blast it, you were.”

“I think it’s time for you to leave,” Alexandra said coldly.

Thorpe started to speak, then stopped. “Yes. No doubt you are right. I will take my leave of you.” He turned and strode toward the door. He stopped as he reached it and turned. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon,” he said peremptorily. “I promised the Countess that I would bring you over then. She wants very much to meet you.” He gave her a nod and added, “Good night. Make sure all your doors are locked.”