A Stolen Heart

Thorpe smiled fondly. “Yes. She is indeed my Countess.”

They started across the room toward the group. Thorpe said as they walked, “Her granddaughter, Penelope, is a pleasant girl, but don’t expect much from Lady Ursula. She was never fond of me—always thought I was a bad influence on her son, Artie.”

“And were you?”

“Doubtless,” he responded, smiling. “But, then, Artie desperately needed a bad influence. Poor lad, he grew quite dull after I left.”

They drew close to the group. Lady Ursula turned and saw them, and her mouth drew up like a prune. “Thorpe,” she said without enthusiasm.

The Countess turned at her daughter’s words, smiling brilliantly. “Thorpe! How wonderful to see you.” She held out her hands to him. “I didn’t expect to find you here.”

Thorpe stepped forward, between Alexandra and the older woman. He took the Countess’s hands and raised them to his lips. “My lady. I, on the other hand, had hoped that I would find you here. There is someone I would like you to meet.”

He stepped aside at his words, holding out a hand toward Alexandra. She moved toward them. “Countess, allow me to intro—”

The Countess looked beyond him to Alexandra, and the blood drained from her face. “Simone!”

She crumpled to the floor.

CHAPTER FOUR

FOR AN INSTANT THE GROUP WAS FROZEN in horror, staring at the Countess in a heap of silver gauze upon the floor.

“Countess!” Thorpe moved first, going down on one knee and gently lifting her upper torso from the floor, his arm around her shoulders.

“Mother!” Lady Ursula declared in startled accents. “Good God, why did she—” She bent over her mother. “Is she all right?”

Thorpe felt the older woman’s pulse. “I think she just fainted. Let’s get her out of here.”

“Yes, of course.” Ursula glanced uneasily around at the room, where faces were turning curiously toward them.

Thorpe put his other arm under the Countess’s knees and stood up, lifting her easily.

“What made her say that name? It’s so bizarre.” She turned to look accusingly at Alexandra, as if somehow the incident were her fault. She stopped in midsentence, staring at Alexandra. “Good God!”

Alexandra gazed at her wonderingly. The other woman whirled abruptly and hurried after Thorpe.

“Wait here.” Thorpe tossed the words over his shoulder toward Alexandra, and then he was gone, striding out the door with Lady Ursula, her husband and her daughter scurrying after him like a flock of agitated chickens.

Nicola and Alexandra turned toward each other in astonishment.

“How extraordinary,” Nicola commented. “I’ve known the Countess all my life, and I’ve never seen her faint. She’s a very strong woman.”

“She seemed to, ah, find the sight of me disturbing.”

“I am sure it wasn’t that,” Nicola reassured her.

Alexandra, however, was not so sure. Lady Ursula had reacted strongly to the sight of her, as well, even though she had not fainted. “Why do you think she said that name? Was she calling me Simone?”

“I don’t know. Why would she call you that?”

Alexandra shook her head. “Perhaps I reminded her of someone?”

Nicola shrugged gracefully. “I don’t know of anyone named Simone among our acquaintances. It sounds French, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, it does.”

Alexandra glanced to the side and saw a man making his way purposefully toward them. It was the Earl of Exmoor, to whom Thorpe had introduced her earlier in the evening. Nicola let out what sounded very much like a curse beneath her breath.

“I hope there was nothing wrong with the Countess,” the man said smoothly as he joined them.

“I am sure she will be all right,” Nicola said coolly. “No doubt it was the heat of the room.”

“Mm. I am sure you are right. The Countess is getting a trifle advanced in years, perhaps, to be attending such a crush.”

“You make her sound as if she were feeble, Richard. She’s a strong, vibrant woman.”

“My dear sister, I meant no insult to the woman. She is a remarkable woman, and I admire her tremendously.”

“I am not your sister.”

Alexandra glanced at Nicola, recognizing the iron in her voice. Thorpe’s earlier coolness toward this man was as nothing compared to Nicola’s obvious dislike.

“Come, come, Nicola, you will give our visitor here the wrong impression.”

“If I have given her the impression that I do not like you, then it is a very accurate one.”

Alexandra was impressed. Nicola might look as fragile as a flower, but her backbone was obviously made of steel. She stood facing the man, her body stiff, her arms rigid at her sides, her eyes flashing.

Exmoor made a wry face, looking at Alexandra. “I am sorry, Miss Ward. Miss Falcourt and I have the problem of perhaps being too close.”

His words seemed deliberately suggestive, and the look he shot Nicola was challenging.

Nicola answered by curling her lip into a sneer. “Don’t make a fool of yourself, Exmoor.” She turned toward Alexandra. “Please excuse me, Miss Ward.”

“Of course.” She watched the other woman walk away. Then she turned toward the Earl. He certainly did not seem to be a popular man.

He shrugged and smiled. “Nicola and I have always had our little disagreements. Still, we are family.”

“Oh?”

“Yes. Her sister is my wife.”

“Oh.” Alexandra was taken aback. There was certainly no love lost between these in-laws.

“Perhaps that explains her antipathy toward me. She and Deborah were quite close growing up. It can often cause jealousy in a younger sister when the older one marries.”

“I suppose it can,” Alexandra replied noncommittally.