Forever My Love(100)
"Poor Thalia," Rosalie said sadly, wrinkling her forehead. "Couldn't you ask one of your friends to dance with her, darling? As a favor to me?"
Berkeley stared at her for a minute and then whis-pered an oath, loosing her arm. "Go with her up-stairs," he said to Mira, and shook his head as he left them, muttering under his breath.
"He is concerned for you," Mira said.
Rosalie smiled wryly. "Don't attempt to explain my husband to me," she said, patting Mira on the arm and then pressing her temples to restrain a headache. "I know him very well—he knows that something is going on, and he doesn't like the fact that I won't tellhim about it." She sighed. "I can't think about that now. I must speak with Canning about my father."
They made their way through the crowded ballroom, and Mira became mildly disturbed as she realized that Rosalie's paleness had increased. "You really aren't feeling well," she said, wondering why Rosalie's expression was so weary… was it a result of tension or actual illness?
"The air was so thick with incense I could hardly breathe!"
"It's better out here," Mira replied, and they paused as they turned right to face a long hallway and rows of small rooms.
"Second door on the left. He said he would wait in here for a few minutes." Rosalie hesitated before the elaborately carved doorknob. "Suddenly I feel so guilty… but I'm not doing anything wrong! It's not as if this is some sort of tryst. I'm trying to help my father."
"Would you like me to go in with you?"
"No… please don't. I told Canning that this is a private matter."
"Well, then, what should I do? I can't go back into the ballroom—I'm supposed to be with you."
"Could you manage to stay out of sight for a while?"
"Of course."
"I'll meet you here at eleven o'clock."
"Good luck," Mira said, watching as Rosalie slipped inside the room. Venturing down the hallway, she tried a few of the doors until she found one that opened. Peering inside, she discovered that it was a small portrait gallery filled with scarlet-cushioned furniture and heavily ornamented frames. The dull gleam of gold was apparent even through the murky dimness of the room. It would be a perfect place to hide until Rosalie's meeting with Canning was over. She stepped inside and started to close the door, but abruptly it trembled on its hinges and stopped. The tip of a spur-leather boot was wedged firmly against the bottom of the door.
"Alec," she whispered without even looking at his face. He shouldered his way in without answering, closing the door with the back of his heel. The paneled portal squeaked slightly in protest as he propped his broad back against it and bent one knee in a relaxed posture.
"What the hell is going on?" Though his pose was careless, his voice was rough.
"I… You… Rosalie is going to… You're spying on me!"
"I don't give a damn about the little plots that Rosalie Berkeley is hatching, or your involvement in them," Alec said with barely leashed violence. "I'm talking about Carr."
"Carr?" she questioned stupidly. "Your cousin?"
"Yes, my cousin. Stay away from him."
"Why? Is he so corruptible that a few minutes in my company would prove harmful to his character?"
"You're using him."
"You may think that I'm not good enough for him," she said, feeling a blaze of anger spreading through her body, "but you can't always have everything your way. Unfortunately, Lord Falkner, I enjoy your cousin's company, and he seems to enjoy mine, and I intend to spend much more time with him, and there's not a thing you can do about it."
"The next time I see you with him, I'll wring your neck," he promised savagely.
"You couldn't. I'm Berkeley's ward," she said triumphantly. "I'm not some helpless nobody who—"
"Berkeley can go to hell. I'm warning you away from a boy who isn't capable of defending himself from you."
'You're defending him from me? Just how do you think I could hurt him?""By using him as a substitute for the man you really ant."
She stared at him with disbelief, and then a dry laugh broke from her throat as she started to walk away from him. "What unbelievable arrogance."
Alec's control snapped as she turned her back toward him. He moved too swiftly for her to react, pinning her to the wall and jerking her wrists over her head.
"It's the truth," he said, his voice rasping as he stifled her struggles with the pressure of his body and crushed her against the wall. His entire being was focused on the small slim form in his arms. "You knew what would happen if you started encouraging him while I was there to watch. You knew how I'd feel—"